"Thousands of Cambodians go hungry in strict lockdown zones", 13 May 2021

Tens of thousands of Cambodians are going hungry under the country’s strict lockdown as Covid cases continue to rise amid criticism from human rights groups that the government and the UN are being too slow to act…

“This is a humanitarian crisis for the people involved,” said Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “For those stuck at home without enough food or medical support, this is a government-created crisis. There’s a way to deal with public health concerns that does not require people to go hungry.”…

Touch Channet, a 33-year-old garment worker, is in forced quarantine after she travelled from a red zone in Phnom Penh to make a religious offering for her husband, Chi Chii. He killed himself … while she was in the next room. She was not able to attend his cremation and has not picked up his ashes…

The Cambodian government has denied local and international groups access to provide assistance to those most affected by the crisis. Phay Siphan, a government spokesperson, said people claiming they had no access to food were “liars”…

Naly Pilorge, director of Licadho, said: “This pandemic has been mismanaged by the Cambodian government. It has shown the problems festering in Cambodian society, including corruption, poor governance, debt and the vulnerability of women, children and people with disabilities.”…

Pauline Tamesis, UN resident coordinator in Cambodia, said: “The UN’s priorities are, and continue to be, in saving lives and stopping the transmission of the virus; mitigating the socio-economic impact on the most vulnerable Cambodians and recovering better from the pandemic.”…