A Study on the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations in Cambodia: Prospect and Retrospect on Empowering Civil Society

Abstract

Abstract

A Study on the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations in Cambodia: Prospect and Retrospect on Empowering Civil Society

OU CHANRATHA International Area Studies Graduate School of International Studies Seoul National University

The growing political significance of civil society in Cambodia continues to interest many with the recent promulgation of the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO), expecting rightly or wrongly more of negative impacts. However, this study delves in-depth on the positive effects of the enabling national legislation to civil society organizations (CSOs) as well as its effects on the structure, power and reach of the state as the sector is influenced rather heavily by the state. Thus, the aim of this paper is to comprehensively investigate how the LANGO can positively strengthen civil society groups in Cambodia, assessing in full the rationales behind its formulation amidst global, regional and domestic social, economic and political factors that influence the role of civil society in general.

Indeed, the incumbent comprehension of civil society has become more sophisticated as different theories have been developed for its conceptual framework. More importantly, it is theorized that the strength of civil society is quantified by the peaceful coexistence of social units as well as by their collective capacity to simultaneously resist subordination to the state and demand inclusion into national political structures.

In Cambodia, civil society is considered more as processes rather than enduring organizational structures and as continuously living and changing forms. The overall enabled role of civil society with the LANGO, so to state, is envisioned to bring about positive political change in several ways and basically leading towards open, accountable and participatory politics and the due importance of conceptualizing associations and non-governmental organizations in the country both as an arena of governance and a firm force for change in political society and the state.

Keywords: LANGO Student Number: 2015-25091