Jun 02, 2018

UNPO and KKF to Hold Conference "Political & Economic Situation in Southeast Asia: the Case of the Indigenous Khmer-Krom People", Hosted by French Senator André Gattolin


The Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) together with the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) organise a one-day international conference entitled "Political & Economic Situation in Southeast Asia: the Case of the Indigenous Khmer-Krom People" in Paris on 2 June 2018 from 9am to 5pm to raise awareness of the situation of the the indigenous Khmer-Krom. The conference will be hosted by French Senator André Gattolin and will take place in Palais du Luxembourg, 15ter rue Vaugirard, 75006 Paris, France.

— Registration is now closed —

 

Nowadays, indigenous Khmer-Krom communities suffer under the lack of a fair and uncorrupted judiciary system to deal with land claims but also under the excessive use of force by the authorities particularly towards Theravada Buddhist monks. They are also the victims of a poor implementation of their rights to freedom of religion, expression and self-determination, as well as tactics of coercion based on intimidation, imprisonment without a fair trial and torture. 

The conference will gather members of the Khmer community, scholars, elected officials and members of the civil society. While the morning session will feature panels focussing on contemporary human rights abuses in the Mekong Delta and Kampuchea-Krom, the afternoon session will focus on the international human rights system meant to protect and promote the fundamental rights for the Khmer-Krom. 

 

Contact: [email protected], [email protected].

Registration: Send your full name and ID number to: [email protected]

 

The press release is attached to this article.

Le communiqué de presse est joint à cet article.

 

Provisional Programme:

8:30am — 9:00am Guests welcomed by Mr Vien Thach, Chairman, KKF

9:00am — 9:30am Buddhist monks blessing followed by speech by Venerable Ratana Yoeng, Information Director, KKF

Introduction: United in the struggle for human rights by French Senator Mr André Gattolin, former Chairman of KKF Kim Thong To and a UNPO representative.

9:30am — 10:00am Sharing experiences about the Khmer-Krom

            •          Mr Philip Taylor, Professor and Researcher, Australian National University

            •          Ms Roshane Saidnattar, Filmmaker

Panel I - Contemporary Human Rights Abuses in Kampuchea-Krom

10:00am — 11:00am The State of the Four Freedoms in Vietnam: Freedom of Speech and Worship; Freedom from Fear and Want

            •          Mr Phil Robertson, Deputy Director, Human Rights Watch Asia Division

            •          Mr Sereivuth Prak, Executive President, KKF

            •          Mr Daniel Bastard, Head of Asia-Pacific Desk, Reporters Without Borders

Q&A session  

11:00am — 12:00pm Religious Freedom in Vietnam: A Fundamental Right or a Privilege Granted by the Government?

            •          Ms Tina L. Mufford, Associate Director of Research and Policy, US Commission on International Religious Freedom

            •          Ms Laura Harth, Representative to the United Nations, Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty

 Q&A session

12:00pm — 1:30pm Lunch break

 Panel II - Ways Forward: Putting the International Human Rights System to the Service of the Khmer-Krom

2:00pm — 3:00pm Putting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to the Service of the Indigenous of the Mekong

            •          Professor Joshua Cooper, Lecturer, Hawai'i Institute for Human Rights ; Program Director, International Human and Peoples Rights Law Program - INNES Institute Vienna

            •          Ms Irène Bellier, Anthropologist, School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS) ; Vice President, International Work Group on Indigenous Peoples (GITPA)

Q&A session

3:00pm — 4:00pm The EU and its Member States' Engagement for Human Rights

            •          Ms Olivia Geymond, Executive Committee Member EU-ASEAN Perspectives Impact Group, IFAIR - Young Initiative on Foreign Affairs and International Relations

            •          French Senator Mr André Gattolin

Q&A session 

Closing remarks by the KKF.