IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 163 

Calling for more accountable foreign assistance for Cambodia. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 7, 2013 

Mr. GRAHAM (for himself and Mr. RUBIO) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Calling for more accountable foreign assistance for 

Cambodia. 

Whereas, according to the United States Agency for International Development, from 1993 to 2011 the United 

States provided Cambodia with over $1,247,000,000 in 

economic and military assistance; 

Whereas Cambodia is ranked 138 (out of 187) in the United 

Nations Development Program’s Human Development 

Report 2013, a rank shared by the Lao People’s Democratic Republic; 

Whereas Cambodia is ranked 157 (out of 174) in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 

2012, a rank below Yemen and one shared with Angola 

and Tajikistan; 


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•SRES 163 IS 

Whereas Cambodia is ranked ‘‘Not Free’’ in Freedom 

House’s Freedom in the World 2013 report, which further states, ‘‘Cambodia is not an electoral democracy. 

Elections are conducted under often repressive conditions, and the opposition is hampered by serious legal 

and physical harassment.’’; 

Whereas the Department of State’s Country Reports on 

Human Rights Practices for 2011 notes that ‘‘a leading 

human rights problem’’ in Cambodia is ‘‘a weak judiciary 

. . . subject to corruption and political influence’’; 

Whereas Human Rights Watch noted in a May 31, 2012, 

New York Times op-ed that Prime Minister Hun Sen has 

remained in power in Cambodia for 10,000 days 

‘‘through politically motivated violence, control of the security forces, massive corruption, and the tacit support of 

foreign powers’’; 

Whereas the July 16, 2012, Report of the United Nations 

Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in 

Cambodia (A/HRC/21/63) notes that ‘‘there are major 

flaws in the administration of elections in Cambodia and 

urgent and long-term reforms are needed to give Cambodians confidence in the electoral process and in the 

workings of the National Election Committee’’; 

Whereas the July 16, 2012, report includes 18 specific recommendations for improving the election framework and 

environment in Cambodia to ensure greater transparency, 

accountability, and political association and expression, 

including the full participation of opposition leader Sam 

Rainsy in upcoming parliamentary elections; and 

Whereas Sam Rainsy and other opposition members and activists continue to be the target of official harassment 


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•SRES 163 IS 

through politically motivated accusations and charges, denied due process of law, and excluded from participating 

in upcoming national elections in Cambodia: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) in order to be considered credible and com3 petitive, the July 2013 parliamentary elections in 

4 Cambodia must implement the recommendations 

5 contained in the July 16, 2012, Report of the 

6 United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation 

7 of human rights in Cambodia (A/HRC/21/63), and 

8 must include the full and unfettered participation of 

9 all political parties’ leaders, specifically Sam Rainsy; 

10 (2) the United States Department of State and 

11 the United States Agency for International Develop12 ment should refrain from supporting national or 

13 local elections in Cambodia, or deploying election 

14 monitors to the July 2013 parliamentary elections, 

15 if such United Nations recommendations are ig16 nored, and if political parties and opposition leaders 

17 are excluded or otherwise hampered from fully and 

18 freely participating in electoral processes, including 

19 during the campaign period and on election day; 

20 (3) any election in Cambodia that the Secretary 

21 of State determines is not credible and competitive 

22 should be deemed as an illegitimate expression of the 


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•SRES 163 IS 

1 Cambodian peoples’ will, and an impediment to the 

2 democratic development of Cambodia; and 

3 (4) a Cambodian government formed as a result 

4 of such illegitimate elections should not be eligible 

5 for direct United States Government assistance, in6 cluding for the military and police, and the Depart7 ment of State and United States Agency for Inter8 national Development should jointly reassess and re9 duce assistance for Cambodia in subsequent fiscal 

10 years, and urge international financial institutions to 

11 do the same. 

Æ 


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