KhmerAK* | Arts & Kodes

This is an interesting upcomming event which will be held from February 11-13, 2006, in Phnom Penh City to Udong Mountain, Cambodia.

The Alliance for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia (AFEC) is preparing an event on the “March for Freedom of Expression and Non-Violence in Cambodia” from Phnom Penh to Oudong from February 11-13, 2006.

After the release or return of various Cambodian civil rights activists this peaceful march shall demonstrate the ongoing need and support for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia.

The participants will demand that all criminal defamation lawsuits against activists are dropped immediately and unconditionally. They will call on the Royal Government and the National Assembly to put on track legal reforms for the decriminalization of defamation. At the same time the participants will express their deep conviction that human rights can only be realized by peaceful means.

Therefore, the marchers are heading to Phnom Oudong where they will participate in the celebration of “Bon Meak Bochea” on Monday, February 13th. This commemoration of Buddha’s funeral is traditionally linked with the ideas of peace, tolerance and non-violence.

The march will consist of a core group of 50 nominated by member organizations of the AFEC. The public along the way will be invited to participate in the march during the whole time or on a part of the way that is about 50 kilometers totally.

All participants will wear Yellow Ribbons as symbols for the demand for Freedom of Expression. The core group will wear t-shirts with the same symbol and hold large foam models of it.

The marchers will be accompanied by two ox-carts carrying big banners with the message of the march. The participants are invited by the Pagodas of Chetha Udom and Pakdemakor to stay overnight. Human rights monitors from LICADHO and CCHR will accompany the marchers.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 9th, 2006 at 3:34 pm and is filed under Cambodia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.