NGO Committee for the Monitoring of CG Benchmarks

Phnom Penh.  March 4, 2005                                                                             

NGO Statement on the Monitoring of CG Benchmarks

NGOs look forward to concrete outcomes from the Consultative Group meeting

NGOs welcome next week’s quarterly meeting of the Government-Donor Coordination Committee as an important opportunity to monitor progress on benchmarks agreed at last December’s Consultative Group (CG) meeting.  NGOs appreciate their inclusion in many of the Technical Working Groups that have been helping to monitor progress, and agree to abide by the principles of these groups.

As stated at the Civil Society Forum on the NGO Statement to the CG Meeting last November, “Government, donors, and NGOs [need to] unite together to end corruption, develop an independent non-partisan judiciary and ensure that all Cambodians have the ability to lift themselves from poverty.”

The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has made positive steps in the first quarter toward achieving its benchmarks relating to anti-corruption.  The Ministry of National Assembly-Senate Relations and Inspection has convened an intra-ministerial task force to redraft the Law on Anti-Corruption in accordance with international standards. This redraft is underway, in consultation with international technical advisors, donors, and with promised coordination with civil society.  NGOs look forward to a law that accords with international standards and the UN Convention Against Corruption. NGOs note that the RGC has also committed itself to bring cases of corruption to the courts under existing laws.

NGOs observe that the human rights situation has worsened since the last CG Meeting, particularly in relation to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.  Progress is still needed on the eight fundamental laws required for effective functioning of the judiciary. NGOs note that the draft Criminal Procedure Code is currently undergoing further revision to remove various flaws. 

NGOs welcome the current initiatives of both donors and the government to develop an organic law and a strategic framework for decentralization and deconcentration. It views this undertaking as a laudable first step towards improving the delivery of services in local communities through enhanced participation of provincial and sub-national authorities as well as local communities.  NGOs would like to see more substantial participation in decision-making under the deconcentration framework by enabling the participation of NGOs and other civil society organizations in development planning bodies and other decision-making processes.

NGOs note that consultation on drafts of the sub-decrees on Land Management and Economic Concessions has begun, and that there is agreement on the need to set up an inter-ministerial working group to look at how to enforce Article 18 of the Land Law.  NGOs look forward to the RGC’s immediate public disclosure of contracts governing economic land concessions as a first step towards better land management.  NGOs also note the continued importance of maintaining the moratorium on logging and transport of logs.

NGOs are closely monitoring the disbursement of the budgets for Health and Education to ensure that local health and education providers receive allocated funds in a timely manner. So far this year, salaries have been disbursed but funds for operating costs have not been received in most provinces and districts.  Administrative reforms, including adequate public service salaries and a merit-based system, will be necessary prerequisites for an improvement in service delivery.

NGOs look forward to adoption of the Domestic Violence Law and Anti-Trafficking Law as important steps towards better protection for victims of domestic violence and trafficking. 

NGOs reconfirm their commitment to engage with the reform process in a constructive way, helping to bring the voice of the communities we serve to the policy-makers and implementers of Cambodia’s reform agenda.