Cambodia's Bill to Limit NGOs Threatening Land Rights

The Cambodian government is on its way to passing a law that critics say threatens the country's lively civil society groups and NGOs.

Cambodia's Council of Ministers recently released a third draft of the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organisations that would more tightly control the eligibility of civil society organizations and how they are run.

Several NGOs have spoken out against the proposed law, claiming it gives the government far too much authority over their work.

"The government has effectively silenced the opposition," Virak Ou, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights told Al Jazeera's The Stream.

"The only remaining voice is the many and vibrant civil society groups working in Cambodia."

As Cambodia launches more controversial development programs, land rights disputes and forced evictions are on the rise.

Al Jazeera's The Stream asks is civil society development in Cambodia at a crossroads?