Thousands March in Streets on Capital on Rights Day

Thousands of Cambodian opposition supporters and activists, including Buddhist monks, took to the streets Tuesday to mark International Human Rights Day and call for improvements in the country’s rights environment. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy led a crowd of some 6,000 supporters through Phnom Penh, despite warnings from authorities not to take to the streets. Supporters called for Prime Minister Hun Sen to “Step Down!” Despite police warnings, security forces allowed the march to go ahead, preventing the kind of violent clashes that have marked many demonstrations in Cambodia in the past. However, riot police were deployed in key areas, including outside the home of Hun Sen. (Heng Reaksmey, Phnom Penh)