UN human rights envoy returns to Cambodia

May 29, 2007, 6:51 GMT

Phnom Penh - United Nations Special Representative on Human Rights Yash Ghai returned to Cambodia Tuesday on a three-day visit, with uncertainty surrounding whether any senior government officials will see him after his stinging report issued in March.

The Kenyan UN official was met at Phnom Penh International Airport by a representative of his office and a handful of reporters but not one representative of the Cambodian government to kick off a visit aimed at garnering feedback on his last report, which sparked the fury of the government for its harsh criticism of its human rights record.

Ghai took over the position from the softly spoken Peter Leuprecht in 2005. This is his third official visit to Cambodia in the role.

In his last report, Ghai condemned the country's judicial system as a government-controlled tool of oppression and slammed Cambodia's leaders for a range of alleged human rights abuses.

Prime Minister Hun Sen retorted furiously, saying he would never meet Ghai again and advising him to return to his own country an fix that first before advising others.

Ghai hopes to make a presentation to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva later this month using information gleaned from this trip to round out that report.