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Cambodia’s history shows that a lack of freedoms and equal rights have led to unrest in the past, a pattern that could repeat itself, a leading political analyst said Thursday, adding that Cambodia today is lacking in morals, making it harder for the country to develop. “There is a gap between rights, or equity, stipulated in the constitution and the implementation,” said Lao Monghay, an independent analyst and monthly contributor to “Hello VOA.” “Practical application is impossible, one can’t exercise one’s rights, and there is abuse of power.” “What appears is resistance, and that causes everyone’s destruction,” he said. A similar situation led to the rise of the Khmer Rouge, civil war and ultimately the presence of foreign troops, he said

More jobs at home and better skills training could keep Cambodia’s poor from being exploited as migrant workers, a leading opposition lawmaker says. An increasing number of workers are seeking jobs abroad, but the work can be rife with danger, including slave labor on fishing vessels, sex trafficking and others. Women are especially at risk, with the problem of migrant labor underscored last month when Cambodia banned workers from traveling to work as maids in Malaysia, pending an investigation into abuses there and the practice of the hiring of underage girls by recruitment firms.

Human Rights Watch is calling for new legal protections for the thousands of Cambodians who work in Malaysia as domestic workers. Rights workers say both countries must do much more to prevent an array of abuses including physical and sexual violence

New York-based Human Rights Watch on Monday called on the investigating judges at the Khmer Rouge tribunal to “resign,” saying they had violated the legal and judicial duties set out by the UN-backed court in their investigation of two controversial cases. In a statement, the group said judges Siegfried Blunk and You Bunleng had failed to conduct genuine, impartial and effective investigations into Cases 003 and 004, which accuse five additional regime cadre of atrocity crimes.

The UN’s special envoy for human rights, Surya Subedi, has added his voice to growing concerns that a government law to regulate NGOs should not go forward as currently drafted. International and local rights groups and other organizations say the NGO law would restrict the activities of organizations and make them vulnerable to arbitrary political manipulation, which would be a blow to development. Cambodia has an estimated 3,000 NGOs and associations

A high number of Cambodian voters do not understand the electoral process, while others distrust the electoral system, observers say, as registration for next year’s local elections continue. In forums conducted last year in three provinces and the capital, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights found a high number of people were not convinced elections ensured equal participation and were wary of the National Election Committee. Cambodia is preparing for commune elections in 2012 and national parliamentary elections the year after

Thailand’s exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra said Monday he saw potential in Cambodia’s economic growth, which has buoyed in 2011 following recovery with garments and tourism. Thaksin said in a lecture at the Asian Economic Forum, held at the Council of Ministers’ building, that Cambodia had shown strong growth compared to the region. His talk at the forum was part of a nearly weeklong trip, which included a meetings with Prime Minister Hun Sen, economists and other economic officials on Saturday