Joint statement urging World Bank to take action on Cambodian civil society reprisals

Together with over 150 organizations, Swedwatch has signed a statement sent to the World Bank president Ajay Banga demanding him to take action against the worsening situation for Cambodian human rights defenders in the country. The organizations attacked, CENTRAL and Equitable Cambodia, are important voices for democracy and human rights in the country and part of Swedwatch’s network.

-We demand Ajay Banga to condemn the reprisals and use all the Bank's leverage to make them stop, consistent with the IFC's stated commitment to zero tolerance for retaliation against civil society and project stakeholders, says Malena Wåhlin, Coordinator - human rights defenders and civic space at Swedwatch.

IFC, International Finance Corporation,is a member of the World Bank Group and is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets.

Swedwatch has also been in contact with the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and asked them to also contact the board of the World Bank with the same demands.

Democratic space has been steadily shrinking in Cambodia over the past decade, but the situation has gotten much worse in recent months. This has included attacks on two of the leading human rights groups in the country, Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL) and Equitable Cambodia.

In both cases, the reprisals are linked to the groups’ legitimate human rights activities, and in particular to their efforts to ensure human and labor rights protections in projects supported by the World Bank Group.

- These attacks are part of a broader crackdown on civil society that must be stopped before the last remaining democratic space in the country is totally closed. Trying to criminalize the otherwise legal day-to-day work of registered human rights NGOs and their leaders represents a new level of repression, that threatens the existence of all remaining independent NGOs in Cambodia that we know provide critical support and give voice to the most vulnerable people in the country, says Malena Wåhlin.

CENTRAL and Equitable Cambodia are important voices for human rights and democracy in the country, also in relation to business activities and workers’ rights.

The call to action to the World Bank Group
Swedwatch and the other signatories in the sent statement call upon the World Bank Group leadership to demand that these attacks will be stopped and to use its leverage, consistent with its Position Statement on Retaliation Against Civil Society and Project Stakeholders, to ensure human rights defenders and civil society organizations in the country can continue their work without facing further reprisals.

-Together we call upon the World Bank President to make clear to the Cambodian government that the Bank will enforce its policy of zero tolerance for retaliation. This means a moratorium on new private sector investments in Cambodia until the legal harassment of CENTRAL and Equitable Cambodia is stopped and its staff are able to continue to freely engage in their legitimate human rights activities in support of project-affected communities and workers, says Malena Wåhlin, and continues:

- Business actors sourcing from or operating in Cambodia, such as H&M, should also act. They should use their joint leverage to put pressure on the Government. Human rights and environmental due diligence of these companies will not work unless defenders can report risks and impacts on environment, human rights and labour rights without fear of retaliation.

Arrest and sentencing of ten Right Livelihood laureates
The harassment and attacks on civil society in Cambodia has also resulted in the arrest and sentencing in the beginning of July of ten human rights and environmental defenders from Mother Nature Cambodia, who were given prison terms ranging from six to eight years on charges of plotting and insulting the king. One of them were speakers and present at Swedwatch´s 20 years celebration event last year, and they got the Right Livelihood Award 2023.

Swedwatch calls for the immediate release of the arrested activists and urges the Cambodian authorities to respect and uphold human rights and environmental justice.