Publishing Seeking Justice in Cambodia

It is now more difficult that ever to be a human rights defender in Cambodia.  In November 2018 I published a book in Australia through Melbourne University Press, titled Seeking Justice in Cambodia: Human Rights Defenders Speak Out. It has been welcomed by the international community and Cambodians, but is only published in English.

I am now seeking funding support to publish the book in Cambodian language (Khmer) in Cambodia, following many requests by people there. To support the move for human rights for all Cambodians, it is very important that they are able to read this book in their own language.

I have already had the book translated into Khmer, but now seek $10,000 to publish it in Cambodia. This funding will enable 5000 soft copy books to be published and distributed in Cambodia. The book will be much more accessible in Khmer language and will be targeted specifically at young people who are desperate to improve the situation of human rights in their country. The book is ever more needed in the situation of dwindling human rights in Cambodia, so I hope to publish as soon as possible.

Chak Sopheap, Director of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights and a leading light of human rights in Cambodia, and me during my recent visit.

Seeking Justice in Cambodia tells the powerful stories of the original founders of Cambodian human rights organisations from 1993 and the younger generation of leaders, all of whom have fought tirelessly and with great conviction to achieve justice and human rights for all Cambodians.

I decided to compile a book following the recent period I spent working in Cambodia. I was shocked by much of what I saw at the time: lack of transparency in government dealings, rampant deforestation, people being evicted from their land, and freedom of speech and action under serious threat.

I felt the stories of these remarkable human rights defenders needed to be told.  Life is ever-harder in Cambodia: over the past two years, massive political changes have occurred, and Cambodia has become a one-party state, following the abolition by the Government of the main opposition party. The work of human rights defenders is ever more important.

I felt that unless the stories of these remarkable people were recorded, they might be lost to posterity. 

Ou Virak, Executive Director of Future Forum, speaking at the launch of the book in Australia. He is central to the struggle for human rights in Cambodia today.

The book includes first person interviews with the founders of the human rights movement, including Thun Saray, Kek Galabru, Koul Panha, Chhith Sam Ath, Thida Khus, Kem Sokha, and the younger leaders today - Chak Sopheap, Ou Virak, Venerable Loun Sovath, Mark Channsitha, Tep Vanny and others. 

Me speaking at the launch of Seeking Justice in Cambodia: Human Rights Defenders Speak Out, in November 2018

Gareth Evans, former Australian Foreign Minister and a tireless campaigner for human rights in Cambodia, has written the Foreword and two senior UN representatives, Benny Widyono and Rhona Smith have contributed chapters.

Gareth Evans, former Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs

Seeking Justice in Cambodia was published by Melbourne University Press in November 2018, and tells a powerful tale of the struggle to bring human rights to all Cambodians from the early 1990s to the present day. 

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