Today State Senator Ed Kennedy testified before the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs on S.2406, a resolution he filed condemning political oppression and encouraging free and fair elections in Cambodia. Lowell Massachusetts is home to the second largest Cambodian American population in the United States—the vast majority of whom are either refugees or the family members of refugees who fled during the Cambodian genocide from 1975-1979 at the hands of the Khmer Rouge.
Although the 1991 Paris Peace Accords agreed to by 19 countries including the United States guaranteed democratic elections to Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Sen has maintained his power over the country he has held since 1985. Each of the five elections held in Cambodia for the office of Prime Minister since 1991 have been marked by fraud, voter intimidation, and the misuse of legal mechanisms by the government to suppress support for opposition candidates and parties.
Senator Kennedy first filed this legislation last session in response to the 2018 election—the first in Cambodia following the dissolution of the leading opposition party. That year, he was a part of the Lowell City Council that voted unanimously on a resolution recognizing that the 2018 Cambodian election was fraudulent. This issue has widespread support in the City of Lowell and has bipartisan support nationally. S.2406 would send a message to our federal partners and constituents, particularly those of Cambodian American descent, that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts stands with them in opposition to political oppression and joins in the hope for free and fair elections to finally arrive in Cambodia as was promised back in 1991.
Several Lowell residents including Lowell School Committee Member Dominik Lay, Soben Ung of the Khemer Post USA, Sok Paul Pen, Susie Chhuon, Champa Pang, Tara Hong, and Rithy Uong also testified before the Committee in support of S.2406
Senator Kennedy’s testimony was as follows:
Good morning, Chairman Velis, Chairman McMurtry, and members of the esteemed committee on Veteran and Federal Affairs. I join with you this morning to testify in support of Senate Bill 2406, a Resolution condemning political oppression and encouraging free and fair elections in Cambodia.
As you may be aware, my hometown of Lowell is home to the second largest Cambodian American population in the United States—the vast majority of whom are either refugees or the family members of refugees who fled during the Cambodian genocide from 1975-1979 at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. Although the Khmer Rouge was driven out of Phnom Penh in January 1979—what followed for the country of Cambodia was another 12 years of civil war.
But on October 23, 1991, the dream of democracy in Cambodia was given hope through the Paris Peace Accords. This 19-nation international agreement sought to resolve political conflict and turmoil in Cambodia by setting forth the right to self-determination of its people through free and fair elections. Significant expenditures in the form of international aid have been made in order to promote a pluralistic, multi-party democratic system in Cambodia.
Although elections have been held in Cambodia over the past 21 years—international observers agree they have been far from free and fair.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has been in power in Cambodia since 1985 and has consolidated authority over the nation’s government, granting control of every state agency and security apparatus to the ruling Cambodia People’s Party (CPP).
Each of the five elections held in Cambodia for the office of Prime Minister since 1991 have been marked by fraud, voter intimidation, and the misuse of legal mechanisms by the government to suppress support for opposition candidates and parties.
The government of Cambodia has engaged in oppressive tactics aimed at limiting conditions that are intrinsic to a democratic state including the restriction of its media environment by ordering radio stations to cease operations and by arresting journalists.
In an effort to repress viable political challenges, the government of Cambodia dissolved the leading opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) and has arrested or exiled opposition party leaders.
I first filed this legislation last session in response to the 2018 election—the first in Cambodia following the dissolution of the opposition. I was a part of the Lowell City Council that year that voted unanimously on a resolution recognizing that the election was fraudulent.
This issue has widespread support in the City of Lowell and has bipartisan support nationally. This past September, Lowell’s Congresswoman Lori Trahan co-sponsored H.R. 4686, the Cambodia Democracy Act of 2021, bipartisan legislation to direct the President to impose sanctions on Cambodian officials who are responsible for antidemocratic actions and human rights violations. The following month, Senator Edward J. Markey and our former governor, Utah Senator Mitt Romney joined other federal lawmakers from both parties in announcing a resolution commemorating the landmark Cambodia Paris Peace Agreements. The resolution notes that the promise of the Paris Peace Agreements remains unfulfilled due to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s violations of Cambodia’s Constitution and effective one-party rule since 1993.
This Resolution would simply send a message to our federal partners and our constituents, particularly those of Cambodian American descent, that the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts stands with them in opposition to political oppression and joins in the hope for free and fair elections to finally arrive in Cambodia as was promised back in 1991.