Thursday June 15, 2006
By Sopheng Cheang,
Associated Press Writer
Cambodian Leader Hun Sen Scolds World Bank Over Corruption Allegations
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday the World Bank was damaging Cambodia's dignity and had yet to provide proof of alleged corruption that led it to suspend three development projects in the cash-strapped Southeast Asian country.
Hun Sen demanded that the bank back up its accusations.
"We are a country, and we have our dignity," Hun Sen said in his first public comments since the World Bank last week froze funding for the projects due to alleged evidence of fraud and corruption in several contracts.
Hun Sen said he could no longer keep quiet because the matter was "burning hot in my mind."
Cambodia, one of the world's poorest countries, relies heavily on foreign aid. Donors have criticized the government for failing to tackle chronic corruption.
"We must take responsibility for our mistakes -- if we were truly wrong," Hun Sen said during a trip to the northwestern province of Banteay Meanchey. "But we also appeal to the World Bank to punish its own officials ... who signed (approval) for those projects."
The three suspended projects cover land management and administration; provincial and rural infrastructure; and provincial and suburban water supply and sanitation. They are worth about US$71.8 million (euro57 million) in World Bank financing, according to a June 6 statement by the bank.
The World Bank said it has "sufficient evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud and corruption" and that the projects that cannot be resumed unless the government "deals head-on with corruption."
It has also demanded that the government pay it back any amount of money already disbursed under contracts "misprocured because of corruption."
Hun Sen also claimed that the bank's allegations could be part of a wider political conspiracy to tarnish his government's credibility ahead of local and national elections in 2007 and 2008.
He said the opposition Sam Rainsy party has been exploiting the allegations to attack the government "nonstop."
Hun Sen demanded that the bank back up its accusations.
"We are a country, and we have our dignity," Hun Sen said in his first public comments since the World Bank last week froze funding for the projects due to alleged evidence of fraud and corruption in several contracts.
Hun Sen said he could no longer keep quiet because the matter was "burning hot in my mind."
Cambodia, one of the world's poorest countries, relies heavily on foreign aid. Donors have criticized the government for failing to tackle chronic corruption.
"We must take responsibility for our mistakes -- if we were truly wrong," Hun Sen said during a trip to the northwestern province of Banteay Meanchey. "But we also appeal to the World Bank to punish its own officials ... who signed (approval) for those projects."
The three suspended projects cover land management and administration; provincial and rural infrastructure; and provincial and suburban water supply and sanitation. They are worth about US$71.8 million (euro57 million) in World Bank financing, according to a June 6 statement by the bank.
The World Bank said it has "sufficient evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud and corruption" and that the projects that cannot be resumed unless the government "deals head-on with corruption."
It has also demanded that the government pay it back any amount of money already disbursed under contracts "misprocured because of corruption."
Hun Sen also claimed that the bank's allegations could be part of a wider political conspiracy to tarnish his government's credibility ahead of local and national elections in 2007 and 2008.
He said the opposition Sam Rainsy party has been exploiting the allegations to attack the government "nonstop."
11 comments:
Hun Sen!! don't accuse anyone for now!!! because you are a most corrupt and nepotism people, so you must correct yourself than to accuse anyone!!!
What psychopath HUN SEN!!!
Come on Hun Sen you still have one eye to see, you are not real blind!
See! how yourself and the uper government officers of yours, own news mensions, expensive cars, and boat; and their salaries just lest than 1000 US$/month?
We are all not kwhack you know?
Talk in front of the poor they all want tp piss on your head, if you have no corruption police force for protection and revenge.
It is a nature of Hun Sen who always likes to confront with any critisism on him. He should try to find the fact rather than jumps on someone else. How can you promise to fight the corruption? When the corruption scandal comes up, you turns to be a defender of that scandal. You should encourage more serious investigation, not to blame the World Bank for damaging your dignity. Your dignity is based on your honesty and willingness to fight the corruption not to defend it. That they name you a psychopath.
HUN SEN!!!
If you do not corruption, no one criticize you!!
don't be surprised!!
You must thank anyone who criticized you!!
HONGXEN, admit you are the best brigand PRIME MINISTER of the world.
Not only you have nicked the World Bank, grabbed the land from the poors, you sold our land to YUONS.
And now, ou and all your family leave the poor starving to death.
Thank you Mr RAINSY for your information.
You HUNSEN ,the crook, you have a dignity, haven't-you?
Hun Sen, Cambodia is not belong to you, your families and your parties. You will have unlucky like Suhato. Tik loeung trey si sromorch tik khorch sromorch si trey. You can not know what happen tomorrow. Did you see Sadam Hussen, he was millionair then a poor slave(so quick).Now you laugh then next you will cry.
You, Hun Sen, better resign before the people force you to do so. you see you are not qualified enoungh to be a PM. better go back to do your farming at your hometown and let other to lead the country instead as your character is not really a leader of a country, you only deserve to be a normal Khmer Rouge soldier!
Come on!!!
I am very appreaciated with the Prime Minister Of Mongolia who have written letter to Hun Sen criticise him for working with foreigner government to suppress their own people. Mongolian people have the same experiences when their former leaders who were working for Soviet Union interests and have suppressed their own people. This kind of suppressions, all countries who have been colonised by foreigners have experienced the same kind hardship and the same kind of sufferings. The Prime Minister of Mongolia has asked Hun Sen to be in goodfaith to his own country and care his own people and stop pleasure his master.
To Mr Prime Minister of the Mongolia,
Thank you for your advice to HUNXEN and hope that this advice will be heard and followed.
Dear all the leaders all over the world,
The miserable Cambodian people have been oppressed, murdered for more than 30 years by our leaders. The democracy imposed by United Nations can not prevent our PRIME MINISTER HUN SEN (former SOLDIER COMMUNIST KHMER ROUGE) to continue to murder us.
HELP US, PLEASE?
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