Cambodian Defenders Project

Letter from Director

From 1994, the Cambodia Defenders Project was only one of projects of the International Human Rights Law Group in Cambodia and lead by American Lawyer. 1995 with another American Lawyer. i started to lead CDP fully since 1998. In 2002, CDP became a local NGO

I remembered before I have joined CDP, one of my American Law Professors, Dr. Ken Bingham, came to see me and convince me to join CDP. At that time I was the Administrative Assistant of Canadian Ambassador, but he convinced me that he did want to lose my previous experience of reforming judicial system in Site 2 Camp and he asked me not to focus on money and it was better for me to help to improve legal and judicial in Cambodia. He hoped that with CDP I could help this country. I was convinced and I did not want to lose my experience too, so I decided to join this organisation.

At first I did not believe that I could help this country so much through this organisation. But in 1997 and after I had confidence in raising fund, I started using my knowledge to set up many kinds of training courses, and write many books. In Pol Pot time, it was a dark era but I still did not lose hope. So, I have never given up my hope in constructing my country and reforming legal and judicial system.

This website shows you, the reader, only our efforts and achievement in last fourteen yours and some texts written by me to show some concepts relating to CDP's vision and mission.

28 December 2007

Sok Sam Oeun, esq.
Executive Director