Human
rights are no longer a 'top priority' for the Government, says Foreign Office
chief
Top official says
'prosperity agenda' now takes precedence over fighting injustice
Oliver Wright
Political Editor
The Independent
Saturday 3 October 2015
Human rights are no longer a “top priority” for the
Government, Britain’s most senior Foreign Office official has admitted, as ministers put resources into supporting
trade deals ahead of tackling injustice in other parts of the world. In a
remarkably frank admission to MPs, Sir Simon McDonald, Permanent Secretary at
the Foreign Office, said that human
rights no longer had the “profile” within his department that they had “in the
past”.
And he added that the Conservatives’ “prosperity agenda” was now “further up the list” of
areas on which the department was concentrating its dwindling resources.
Last night
human rights charities said Sir Simon’s comments were as “astonishing as they
were alarming” and described the change in focus as “deeply regrettable”.
The
Conservative chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Crispin Blunt,
added that it was “one of the
consequences of inadequate resourcing to run a sensible foreign policy”.
Sir Simon
made his remarks to Mr Blunt’s committee when he was questioned about how his
department was prioritising resources. Asked whether human rights were now one
of its “lower-priority activities”, Sir Simon replied: “Well, answering as
Permanent Secretary, I say that although it is one of the things we follow, it
is not one of our top priorities.” He added: “In a more constrained
environment, the need to concentrate on Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia, and
the Middle East has supplanted it to an extent.”
While Sir
Simon said human rights was part of
that work, he also admitted it was secondary
also to the need to promote British companies abroad.
“I would not dispute that right now the
prosperity agenda is further up the list [of priorities,” he added.
Sir Simon
was speaking shortly before George Osborne embarked upon a week-long trade
mission to China where he was criticised for failing to publicly raise human
rights abuses with his hosts. The Treasury said claimed Mr Osborne had raised
human rights in a section of speech to the Shanghai Stock Exchange where he
said: “We have different political systems. We’re a multi-party
democracy. So of course we will disagree on issues. But let’s conduct our
discussion on the basis of the mutual respect of our two great nations.”
His
comments suggest that the Foreign Office has substantially altered it
priorities since Philip Hammond was appointed as Foreign Secretary last year.
His
predecessor, William Hague, pledged
in 2011 that there would be “no
downgrading of human rights” under his watch, adding that “pursuing a foreign policy with a
conscience is the right thing to do” and was in the “long-term enlightened
national interest of our country”.
Amnesty
International’s head of policy and government affairs, Allan Hogarth, said they
were deeply worried by the comments and would be urgently raising the matter
with ministers. “When much of the Middle
East is in flames and a refugee crisis is engulfing Europe, Sir Simon’s
comments are as astonishing as they are alarming,” he said.
“There should never be a trade-off between
economic interests and the lives and liberties of people. We’ll be seeking to follow this up at the
highest level within the Foreign Office,” he added.
David
Mepham, UK director of Human Rights Watch, said: “This unwillingness to fully champion rights and fundamental freedoms
runs counter to the best traditions in this country’s history and weakens the
UK’s global standing and influence.” Mr Blunt said Sir Simon’s admission
would form part of a wider inquiry by his committee into Britain’s policy on
facing down human rights abuses.
“It does
seem that this has been downgraded and there will be colleagues who will be immensely
concerned about this,” he said. “I think that the use of our soft power around
agendas such as human rights is particularly important.”
Mr Blunt
added: “If we are beginning to see human
rights work formally come second fiddle to a commercial strategy, it fits
pretty oddly when we are still speaking the language of a great power such as
getting stuck into conflicts such as Syria.”
A Foreign
Office spokeswoman insisted that human rights were still “an integral part of
the Foreign Office’s work” and were “intrinsically linked with many aspects of
our national interest, including the stability and prosperity of our
international partners”.
“The UK
plays a leading role in the Human Rights Council, calling recently for
resolutions on Syria and Sri Lanka and we are committed to using our global
network to promote and protect universal human rights across the world,” the
spokeswoman added.
Human rights have been sold out for profits! Beware British citizens! Be prepared to be sold out by your Embassy!!
ReplyDeleteHuman rights have been sold out for profits! Beware British citizens! Be prepared to be sold out by your Embassy!!
ReplyDeleteI find this distressing and depressing in its implications. The message Sir Simon McDonald is sending to the government of Cambodia (and other countries with poor human rights records) is:
Delete"Don't concern yourself too much with the human and legal rights of British citizens. The UK government will not allow human rights questions to stand in the way of our commercial interests."
Worse still, if British companies and/or their Cambodian affiliates are engaged in activities that abrogate the human rights of Cambodian citizens, the same will apply:
"British companies are in Cambodia to do business. We would much rather that poor and powerless Cambodians are not exploited in the process but this is a matter for the Cambodian government to consider and we will not raise any objections."
Sir Simon McDonald has given every dictator in the world, every corrupt government which breaches the human rights of its own citizens, the UK government seal of approval to maintain the status quo.
Licadho on Human Rights Day
ReplyDeletePerhaps Naly Pilorge should listen a bit more to her senior investigator for Human Rights Mr. Am Sam Ath:
quote:
Am Sam Ath, a senior investigator for human rights group Licadho, said the courts – criticized in a recent report by international jurists – must work independently to provide justice for all. He added this would require widespread judicial reform to restore public confidence in the system.
“We call on the government to promote justice – and justice for all,” he said.
unquote
Now how about starting within your own Organisation ? How about a fair trial justice for David Fletcher and Matt Harland as a starter ?
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/18574//
=====================================================================
Real Rape by Khmer Motodop in Sihanoukville does not receive same concern as made up (non)Rape for David Fletcher:
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/18576/sihanoukville-police-re-arrest-motodop-who-confessed-to-rape/
Brits....if you think you are important to your government, you are wrong. If you think they will protect your human rights, you are wrong. If you are wrongfully charged with a crime and the Embassy has proof of your innocence, and you believe that the Embassy will do the right thing, you are wrong! You are on your own and the Embassy will lie and even destroy your evidence! Oh what a path for a once great Empire!
ReplyDeleteMr Ricketson
ReplyDeleteDid you know that the Cambodian Children's Fund started it's life as an 'orphange'?
Cambodian Children´s Fund
(CCF) USA 06-08-
2004 Orphange
#35, St. 178, Phsar Thmei
III, Daun Penh
Neeson doesn't use the 'orphanage' word anymore because it is not cool but it still is
Yes, I knew it started as an orphange. Scott doesn't use that word anyone to refer to the 700 kids in residentill care.
Deletethe out of focus khmer thing u got from anon could be a fake or real
ReplyDeletecourt summon. You ever thought about this. it could be a way to prevent
u to come back to cam.
I have received enough thinly veiled (and not so thinly veiled) threats not to bother with them anymore.
DeleteStop making Ricketson sound like the hero here. He is only looking out for his own interests and trying to boost his own blog/google ratings. And for his fuckwit supporters who dont believe me, just to prove my point, here is a recent piece Ricketson did on Australian radio. Not one mention of Fletcher, not one mention of how Ricketson is working to help him or anything remotely resembling Fletchers case and more importantly not one mention of how corrupt and bad CCF is. One would think that if you trying to help someone you would use any media opportunity you had and if you wanted to expose a so called bad NGO (in rickets eyes) you would also use Australian media. Rickets, caught out again feathering his own nest and unfortunately poor old Fletcher, who is pretty low on the IQ food chain, is being used by Ricketson and all you idiots following Ricketosn, when he comes out and pretends that he righteous in exposing CCF, Rickets doesn't even make a sound. Perhaps rickets knows that if he had even said one word about fletcher or ccf on australian radio he would of been sued in a heart beat. You are loser rickets!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/latenightlive/james-ricketson's-cambodia/6987632
Yes I saw this link on Khmer440. I dont normally read too much into that site but on this occasion, apart from fuckwit Ken Svay opening his gob about it and trying to balloon his pathetic existence, its very true what was posted on the site. Rickets was interviewed by Australian radio, admittedly buy a journalist who hasn't got much credibility Australia, but the the truth is, Ricketson didn't mention Fletcher once and he didn't mention CCF once. So the question must be asked - if Ricketosn thinks Flecther is so innocent and CCF and Scott Neeson so guilty, why wouldn't he say it on prime australian radio. The answer is simple - Ricketosn knows he is wrong and knows that he would be in a lot of trouble if he said anything on australian radio.
DeleteDear Anonymous 4.36
DeleteI have not heard the interview. Nor did I have any control over what was left in and what was edited out of it. As I recall, the subject of David Fletcher did not come up in what was quite a short interview. If it did come up chances are it would have been edited out as it would be of little interest to an Australian audience.
What I have said all along is that Mr Fletcher is entitled to a fair trial. He hasn't been given one. As for Scott Neeson, I haven't accused him of anything other than being a liar. I would quite happily say this on Australian radio and meet Scott in court to prove that he is a liar.
hahah thanks for sharing the above link. Rickets you have been caught out pants down. I can't wait to hear Fletchers message on your blog when he sees or hears that you had an opportunity on Australian radio to make millions of people know of his plight, and yet you didn't say one word. Credibility = zero!
ReplyDeleteDear Alan Lemon/Scott Neeson
DeleteIf I were CCF's media adviser I'd suggest that you NOT make stupid comments such as this one (and so many others.) When you remain silent my blog page hits go down to 200 a day. When you chip in with your inane comments the page views jump to 400 again.
Your inability/refusal to answer questions relating to CCF's various scams speaks volumes.
James, you need to get some better nemeses. these guys are like dumb and dumber to.
ReplyDelete"Rickets is a fraud because he didn't talk about that one project of his that i am obsessed with."
"Yah, and I never read that 440 site, but let me tell you about something that was just posted there..."
ha! good stuff.
It seems your work is finally paying off.
ReplyDeleteThe Cambodian Gov. takes action:A sub-decree was launched yesterday
aimed at protecting children in orphanages and keeping children in their
families.
I hope that as a next step the Cambodian Gov. will make good on the PM's
promise to handcuff all of those that continue to run unregistered NGO
in Cambodia.
According to many experts, including Social Affairs Minister Vong Soth,
orphanage care does more harm than good to children, who are frequently
exploited for sympathy money from tourists. The ministry’s records show
a total of 228 residential care institutions with 11,453 children living
in them, but “hundreds more” are running unregistered.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-orphanage-sub-decree-aims-protect-children
BY TAYLOR O'CONNELL | DECEMBER 15, 2015
DeleteThe government on Monday promised to place Cambodia’s sprawling orphanage system under its microscope in the coming months, with all child care institutions now required to register with the Ministry of Social Affairs and adhere to a set of standards or risk closure.
Previously, orphanages fell under a variety of authorities, with church-run organizations managed by the Ministry of Cult and Religion and other institutions answering to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport or the Ministry of Social Affairs.
“This has caused difficulty in managing the quality of care in residential care centers,” said Touch Channy, deputy director of the planning department in the Social Affairs Ministry, during a workshop to dissem- inate a new sub-decree on the management of residential care centers, another term for orphanages.
Mr. Channy said that the sub-decree, which has been in development since 2013 and was ratified in September this year, was designed to give social affairs officials the sole authority to “organize, monitor and inspect these centers.”
According to the sub-decree, centers that do not register with the ministry before March 11 will be closed, and those that register but do not meet standards will be issued a written warning before being temporarily suspended.
The new rules say that all orphanages must “Manage and maintain a dossier of each child through a clear database system and prepare reports on a regular basis [and] Prepare family reunification plans and integrate children into their family and community.” Cases of suspected abuse at centers must be reported to authorities within 48 hours, it adds.
more to come
DeleteCenters that fail to meet the standards will be considered “clandestine,” which in theory would result in their closure, although Social Affairs Minister Vong Sauth admitted that his ministry did not have the resources to care for children who may be displaced in the process.
“We don’t have enough money,” Mr. Sauth said, adding that the ministry only employed 15 social workers to handle reintegrating children into communities, though he hoped to increase that number.
Mr. Sauth also said those who were prepared to criticize the ministry’s handling of displaced youth should focus on how they could assist the transition instead of playing “ping pong and throwing blame toward each other.”
“[NGOs] can help in the community, rather than bringing children to the center,” he said.
According to a 2014 survey by Unicef, more than 11,000 children were living in 228 registered residential care facilities in Cambodia, a figure that does not account for children at hundreds of unregistered institutions. More than 75 percent of the children in residential centers are not actually orphans, according to a 2012 study by Unicef and the Social Affairs Ministry.
Asked what would happen to children who lived in facilities that did not meet the new standards, Mr. Channy said there was still no mechanism for such situations.
“In principle, we have to create a committee to facilitate that issue,” he said. “If necessary, we can send them to their father or mother…. Or, we can send them to a safe center. And if they are too poor, we will help facilitate this for them.”
Debora Comini, the country representative for Unicef in Cambodia, which has been pushing for an overhaul to the country’s orphanage system for years, said the sub-decree was a “significant milestone.”
“Family is the best place for a child to grow up,” Ms. Comini said, adding that orphanages should only be a last resort. “Residential care has a long-term negative impact on their life.”
“Every country needs a limited number of residential institutions,” she said, calling on an audience of mostly NGO workers, orphanage directors and diplomats to get on board with the message.
“We call on you to join with the ministry, Unicef and the new family care first program to make the transition from center-based care to community-based care, where the children are supported to stay with their families.”
taylor@cambodiadaily.com
What will this do to the POVERTY PIMP?
DeleteIt will do nothing because CCF is not an orphanage moron!
DeleteEven members of the board call it an orphanage moron aka Anonymous 6:16
DeleteHey dickhead 6.54pm - I just looked through the CCF website and I can't find wording that suggests CCF is calling itself an orphanage. In fact it has a very clear message that it is an organisation that assist Cambodia's impoverished people. You are another typical fuckwit making up Ricketson type wording to suit your own agenda. Time to crawl back under the rock your came from (aka low life bar fly). CCF is booming and will continue to boom and there is not a thing yo can do about it!
DeleteHey dickhead 9:00, I never said it was on their website, I said a board member calls it an orphanage. Maybe you are drinking too much?
DeleteThe Governments tightening of orphanage rules has nothing to do with DICKetson - please dont try to build him up.
ReplyDeleteA post from Khmer440 showing another person who thinks Ricketsons is a knob and how his interview on Australian radio exposed him for the fool he is. Read the quote from Ricketson - yes, he is a fuckwit!
ReplyDeleteRe: James Ricketson on ABC Radio
Postby prahocalypse now » Tue Dec 15, 2015 7:50 pm
At about 14:20 Ricketson says, "I'm not quite sure exactly what the nationality of her Algerian father was."... I thought about this sentence for a couple of minutes and concluded that Ricketson is a complete spastic.
Would the Ministry of Education and Scott Neeson conclude that children would be better off being raised in an institution, or better being raised with their father who is a convicted felon, a corrupt former policeman who stole drugs at gunpoint and sold drugs?
ReplyDeleteApparently you have trouble reading - the article was about the Ministry Of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation taking over the oversight of residential care. In case you're wondering about what they think of CCF: https://www.cambodianchildrensfund.org/news/ccf-working-with-mosvy-to-create-a-model-ngo/https://www.cambodianchildrensfund.org/news/ccf-working-with-mosvy-to-create-a-model-ngo/
ReplyDeleteOriginal here: http://kampucheathmey.com/kpt/?p=98010
The article also talks about the Ministry of Education you dumb tit. Are you also the one who claims that CCF isn't an orphanage?
DeleteDear Anonymous 7.07
DeleteI tried to access this page and got the following message:
Oops, page not found!
This page may have been moved or deleted, please try going back to the homepage.
It looks as though CCF has taken it down.
Can you let us all know what the gist of the article is? It is in Khmer, which I do not read.
cheers
James
The link was pasted twice:
Deletehttps://www.cambodianchildrensfund.org/news/ccf-working-with-mosvy-to-create-a-model-ngo/
I see you have no answers Ricketson to the comments about you not mentioning on Australian radio your crusade to assist Fletcher but so quick to reply to anything about CCF. You are a disgrace and once again have been exposed as a fraud.
DeleteDear Scott Neeson/AlanLemon
DeleteI have commented. See above.
As for who is the fraud, I notice that you are now resorting to crowd-funding to raise money to buy homes that you will rent to poor families. You have left the word 'gift' out of your publicity now and it is just as well. However, the scam remains the same - good hearted, generous sponsors and donors give money to CCF in he belief that they are contributing towards buying a home for a poor family when in fact they are giving their money to whoever it is who owns the land and who is, therefore, the owner of the houses.
I have you give it to you, Scott. For sheer gall, you take the cake.
I think the comment where 7:41 said "dumb tit" is code for Alan Lemon.
DeleteI notice that the CCF restaurant Black Bamboo has recently removed the CCF poverty porn photos from the walls. Maybe CCF is getting the message a little, trying to address some of these the Jurassic NGO practices. Point being, maybe they are beginning to realize they have a problem, maybe from reading Ricketson.
DeleteBlack Bamboo cost US400,000 to renovate. Paid for by sponsors and donors who think they are helping poor families. Kram Sok Channoeurn, the in-country manager, is the owner . Another Neeson scam. Maybe she owns the land on which the World Housing houses are being erected also but no-one is talking. I do wish that someone would ask the simple question:
Delete"Who owns the land on which the World Housing houses are being erected?"
Mind you, the other question that really needs asking is how it is that Kram Sok Channoeurn can afford to pay $400,000 to renovate an restaurant?
Perhaps you can clarify James (once you have stopped smoking the whacky backy) was it the sponsors and donors thinking they were helping the poor families who paid the $400,000 or was it Kram Sok Channoeurn. You cannot have it both ways, if it was the sponsors and donors why are you questioning Channoeourn's ability to pay the bill. You are truly an evil shit stirring cunt, I believe in Karma which is the only reason I follow your Blogs. You will get what is owed to you sooner than you think you arsehole
ReplyDeleteDear Scott Neeson/ Alan Lemon
ReplyDeleteYou are both cowards. Why not write under your own names and argue your case with facts, rather than rely on silly schoolboy insults?
I have no idea who paid the $400,000 for the renovations to Black Bamboo but to ask is a perfectly legitimate question either way. If sponsors and donors paid the money they could be forgiven for asking why they did so. Of what value to poor Cambodian families is Black Bamboo? Yes, it is a great venue for CCF staff to entertain government officials and visiting celebrity actresses but I think sponsors and donors intended their money to be spent on poor families.
As for Kram Sok Channoern, if she is not the owner of the long term lease on the restaurant,who is? Why is everything you do cloaked in secrecy? The same applies for the owner of the land upon which World Housing homes are erected? The homes you claim to be 'gifting' to poor families?
As for your final comment, ("You will get what is owed to you sooner than you think you arsehole,") I have been receiving such threats (thinly veiled and not so thinly veiled) for the past year. If this is your idea of intimidation, it is not working. If your threats are real, go ahead and have the balls to do something in your own name and not rely on your power and influence (and money) to achieve your desired goal. You played a very significant role in having David Fletcher jailed for 10 years and I have no doubt but that you can do the same to me. If you want to go down that path, Scott, there is nothing I can do to stop you.
If you have no idea who paid the $400,000 (as stated 12.46) then why say "Black Bamboo cost US400,000 to renovate. Paid for by sponsors and donors who think they are helping poor families." If you also have no idea who paid the $400,000 why is it that the question needs asking how Sok Channoeurn can afford to pay $400,000 to renovate a restaurant. Calling you an evil shit stirring cunt is not a silly schoolboy insult as you put it. It is once again confirmation that you have no idea of the facts and just publish whatever venom spews out of your mouth because of the jealousy you have for the success of those that are doing something constructive with their lives. Your constant referral to anybody who critisises you as being Scott Neeson or Alan Lemon does nothing other than to offer proof of the mental condition and severe paranoia you are suffering from.
ReplyDeleteFYI the use of the word Karma is not a threat, it is fact. I believe it is the way the world works and it sure worked for Fletcher and will work for you also. Like many others I will look forward to the day it comes to you
Dear Scott Neeson, Alan Lemon
ReplyDeleteThe $400,000 figure comes from within CCF. So too does the name of the person who has the long term lese on the building. Most of the information that comes direvtly from within CCF is accurate. Some may not be. If the information is incorrect, correct it. Let your sponsors and donors know how much the renovations cost? $50,000? $100,000?
If indeed this high class restaurant was paid for by sponsors and donors, of what benefit is Black Bamboo to poor families living in and around Steung Meanchey? Might this $400,000 (or whatever it cost) have been better spent helping families whose children still work in the dump and who have siblings in CCF care? Might the money have been better spent increasing the rice subsidy for families with kids in CCF residential care from $120 a year. And the list of things that could be done with this money goes on.
An argument might be made that the money spent on renovating and running Black Bamboo is a wise investment; that it will generate income for CCF that can be used to carry out other good works. If so, go head and make the argument. You do, Scott and Alan, boast of being transparent and accountable. Prove it by arguing with critics such as myself; prove it by answering questions rather than using teenage boy abuse to shoot the messenger.
As for your description of anybody as a “an evil shit stirring cunt” this is not an argument in support of a proposition but is intended as an insult. If the person to whom it is directed wishes to respond to it as an insult, this is their choice. To me such language is merely further evicence (if any further evidence is required) that, like schoolboys, Tem Neeson eblives that an argument can be won this way.
As for karma, do you believe that the poor and powerless in Cambodia are responsible for having been dealt a very bad hand by life? Or does karma, as you understand it, only operate when scams such as your Would Housing money-making initiative are exposed?
As for karma working for David Fletcher, in what way do you believe this to be the case? What is he guilty of? As he has never received a fair trial (one at which he was present and able to present evidence) of what crime can he be said to have been found guilty of?
In Mr Fletcher’s case one part of ‘karma’ came in the form of your defamatory comments, Scott, about his ‘grooming’; young girls. You have the money to make your karmic wishes come true. So be it. It will catch up with you one day, as it did with Somaly Mam.
As you have already stated (incorrectly I believe) that Kram Sok Channoeurn is the owner I do not understand why you now prattle on about a long term lease. Is it owned or leased, come on James as a self proclaimed investigative journalist you can do better than this I am sure, but I guess that is what happens when you rely on rumor, scuttlebutt and innuendo as your source of the gossip published on this site.
ReplyDeleteIt is good however to see your open admission that some of the information you publish might not be accurate but that you choose to publish it knowing it might not be correct.. Please refer to my previous shit stirring cunt comment
"Black Bamboo cost US400,000 to renovate. Paid for by sponsors and donors who think they are helping poor families. Kram Sok Channoeurn, the in-country manager, is the owner . Another Neeson scam."
Dear Scott Neeson & Alan Lemon
ReplyDeleteQuibble if you must about the difference between ‘owner’ and ‘owner of a long term lease’, the questions remain.
Is the information I have received from inside CCF accurate – namely that Kram Sok Channoeurn is the lessee? Or is it incorrect? Perhaps it is one of the 15 or so members of her family working for CCF?
To date, most of the information I have got from within CCF has been correct. Close to 100%, in faft.
Is Kram Sok Channoeurn also the owner of the land up in which the ‘gifted’ World Housing homes have been erected? If not, who is? Who is the primary financial beneficiary of this scam?
If you wish to argue, Scott, that there is no scam in operation with the 'gifted' houses, why should the owner of the land be a secret? Perhaps you own the land yourself, now that you are a Cambodian citizen?
Even before you became a citizen you owned in excess of a $1 million worth of real estate, along with your Cambodian partner – at a time when you were claiming to own nothing and to have given everything up to help poor Cambodian families.
You don’t need a Cambodian partner now, so there is nothing to prevent you from owning land and being the beneficiary of the free houses provided by World Housing.
It is high time, Scott, that you stopped writing anonymously and started answering questions on the record. The time will come when you will not be able to ignore questions such as the ones I am asking; what referring to the journalist who asks such questions as a shit stirring cunt will have precisely the reverse effect of the one you intend.
At some point Scott, you are either going to have to tell the truth or have the truth revealed regardless of your wishes and regardless of your capacity to keep the truth secret.
Just a simple "yes, once again I was talking nonsense and base my blog on hearsay rather than facts" would have sufficed James. At least by saying that you would have given an honest response.
ReplyDeleteSigned not Scott or Alan
Just a simple answer to the questions would suffice?
ReplyDeleteWho owns (in whatever way you choose to interpret 'ownership') Black Bamboo and the land upon which the houses have been and are being erected through World Housing?