The National Assembly yesterday passed the controversial NGO law, amid a boycott by the opposition and street demonstrations against the widely criticised legislation. After almost four hours of speeches commending the legislation and criticising their absent opposition counterparts, 68 Cambodian People’s Party lawmakers voted at about 12pm to send the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organisations (LANGO) to the Senate.
Outside, a beefed-up security presence kept protesters from descending on the National Assembly. A force of more than 100 security personnel, armed with shields and batons, blocked a peaceful march of some 300 people who had gathered at nearby Wat Ounalom to march on parliament. Voicing concerns held by hundreds of NGOs, the United Nations, the United States and the European Union, the group demanded the law be scrapped.
