[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 310 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 310

     Calling for more accountable foreign assistance for Cambodia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 19, 2013

Mr. Chabot (for himself, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Messer, Mr. Holding, and 
 Mr. Perry) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Calling for more accountable foreign assistance for Cambodia.

Whereas, according to the United States Agency for International Development, 
        from 1993 to 2011 the United States provided Cambodia with over 
        $1,247,000,000 in economic and military assistance;
Whereas Cambodia is ranked 138 (out of 187) in the United Nations Development 
        Program's Human Development Report 2013, a rank shared by the Lao 
        People's Democratic Republic;
Whereas Cambodia is ranked 157 (out of 174) in Transparency International's 
        Corruption Perceptions Index 2012, a rank below Yemen and one shared 
        with Angola and Tajikistan;
Whereas Cambodia is ranked ``Not Free'' in Freedom House's Freedom in the World 
        2013 report, which further states, ``Cambodia is not an electoral 
        democracy. Elections are conducted under often repressive conditions, 
        and the opposition is hampered by serious legal and physical 
        harassment.'';
Whereas the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 
        2011 notes that ``a leading human rights problem'' in Cambodia is ``a 
        weak judiciary . . . subject to corruption and political influence'';
Whereas Human Rights Watch noted in a May 31, 2012, New York Times op-ed that 
        Prime Minister Hun Sen has remained in power in Cambodia for 10,000 days 
        ``through politically motivated violence, control of the security 
        forces, massive corruption, and the tacit support of foreign powers'';
Whereas, on May 6, 2013, Prime Minister Hun Sen vowed to stay in power for more 
        than a decade stating, ``I will wait until 74 to leave politics just 
        like they do in China.'';
Whereas the July 16, 2012, Report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on 
        the situation of human rights in Cambodia (A/HRC/21/63) notes that 
        ``there are major flaws in the administration of elections in Cambodia 
        and urgent and long-term reforms are needed to give Cambodians 
        confidence in the electoral process and in the workings of the National 
        Election Committee'';
Whereas the July 16, 2012, report includes 18 specific recommendations for 
        improving the election framework and environment in Cambodia to ensure 
        greater transparency, accountability, and political association and 
        expression, including the full participation of opposition leader Sam 
        Rainsy in upcoming parliamentary elections;
Whereas Sam Rainsy and other opposition members and activists continue to be the 
        target of official harassment through politically motivated accusations 
        and charges, denied due process of law, and excluded from participating 
        in upcoming national elections in Cambodia;
Whereas since April 2013, Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned during his 
        reelection campaign that if voters defeat him and elect the opposition 
        Cambodia National Rescue Party, there will be a civil war and war with 
        neighboring Vietnam;
Whereas, on June 6, 2013, the Cambodia's Parliament ruling party stripped all 28 
        opposition party members of their status as lawmakers and their 
        salaries, which severely contradicts a healthy democratic process in the 
        period before the July 28 elections;
Whereas, on June 7, 2013, Cambodia's Parliament passed a law after all 
        opposition party members were expelled for forming a new party, the 
        Cambodian National Rescue Party, making it illegal to deny that 
        atrocities were committed by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s;
Whereas this law is an act of intimidation by the ruling Cambodian People's 
        Party which is likely aimed at denouncing and imprisoning opposition 
        party members;
Whereas, on June 9, 2013, Prime Minister Hun Sen's Government organized a rally 
        against opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party leader Kem Sokha by 
        paying participants and using government vehicles to ferry people to and 
        from the meeting sites; and
Whereas Prime Minister Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian People's Party are 
        responsible for ensuring the safety of all citizens and foreign 
        residents in Cambodia: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) in order to be considered credible and competitive, the 
        July 2013 parliamentary elections in Cambodia must implement 
        the recommendations contained in the July 16, 2012, Report of 
        the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human 
        rights in Cambodia (A/HRC/21/63), and must include the full and 
        unfettered participation of all political parties leaders, 
        specifically Sam Rainsy;
            (2) the United States Department of State and the United 
        States Agency for International Development should refrain from 
        supporting national or local elections in Cambodia, or 
        deploying election monitors to the July 2013 parliamentary 
        elections, if such United Nations recommendations are ignored, 
        and if political parties and opposition leaders are excluded or 
        otherwise hampered from fully and freely participating in 
        electoral processes, including during the campaign period and 
        on election day;
            (3) any election in Cambodia that the Secretary of State 
        determines is not credible and competitive should be deemed as 
        an illegitimate expression of the Cambodian peoples' will, and 
        an impediment to the democratic development of Cambodia; and
            (4) a Cambodian government formed as a result of such 
        illegitimate elections should not be eligible for direct United 
        States Government assistance, including for the military and 
        police, and the Department of State and United States Agency 
        for International Development should jointly reassess and 
        reduce assistance for Cambodia in subsequent fiscal years, and 
        urge international financial institutions to do the same.
                                 <all>