Stunted nexus between civil society and political opposition: A Study of Law on Associations and NGOs and its legislation process in Cambodia

Abstract

Cambodian civil society is facing threats to its survival and operations with states repressive law. The Law on Associations and Nongovernmental Organizations (LANGO) was passed in August 2015 and it prevents expansion of democratic space in Cambodia, thereby undermining further social, political, and economic development. As often referred to have been developed with a vibrant NGO sector, legislation process provokes questions on the inability of civil society advocacy to oppose the law. The thesis looks into Cambodian civil society and political opposition party to understand what caused the failure of reaching the goal: the withdrawal of LANGO. By drawing theoretical framework from state-society synergy, it argues that the absence of synergetic relations between the civil society and the party contributes to ineffective response to legislation. Findings from the analysis of the opposition party (Cambodian National Rescue Party) and of the civil society organizations, such as network CSOs and human rights organizations, suggest that there has been a lack of synergy. There are number of factors such as fragmentation within the civil society, which lead to reduced influence of advocacy and the weak political opposition vis-à-vis the ruling party, which has not prioritized the issue of LANGO in its political agenda.