Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Former BLDP official criticizes Keat Sokun

Kem Sokha, former senior official of the Son Sann's BLDP party (Photo: RFA)

21 August 2006
By Sam Borin
Radio Free Asia

Translated from Khmer by Socheata

A former official of the Son Sann’s BLDP (Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party) party have strongly reacted to the announcement of the joining of the BLDP party with Prince Thomico. He denounces such action as a subterfuge.

Kem Sokha, former MP and deputy secretary-general of the BLDP said that the joining with Thomico in the name of the (BLDP) party is not correct.

Kem Sokha said: “In 1999, the BLDP announced that it was joining the Funcinpec party. Furthermore, prior to this announce, I was the secretary-general, and based on the announce, a (BLDP) congress was held to approve or disapprove the joining with Funcinpec. However, H.E. Keat Sokun, who is a private individual member of the BLDP, used the party name to join Prince Thomico’s party, this is not right because I personally asked him whether he was going to join (Thomico) as a private individual or as a party, Keat Sokun said that he was joining as a private individual. Therefore, the use of the Son Sann’s BLDP name to join the Thomico party is not correct.”

Kem Sokha who is currently the director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), described the use of the (BLDP) party name is a subterfuge to trick people: “The Cambodian general public indeed has the right to form a political party, the formation of a party through boasting in this manner cause confusion to the public. Because one or two individuals are joining (the formation of the new party), the use of an old political party name (in the announce of the formation of the new party) is a subterfuge for the people. If they (people of the new party) were to lead the country, how much more treachery will they commit on the public?”

Kem Sokha also added: “The fact someone joints (Thomico’s party) as a private individual, and that individual claims that he/she is doing so in the name of a former party, this constitutes a subterfuge on the people from the very beginning, there is no saying as to how it will be if this (new party) were to lead the country. This is a problem, that is why I am asking political parties to have the courage and not use another party’s name to use like this, it is not right.”

RFA cannot yet reach Mr. Keat Sokun who has recently joined the new party formed by Prince Thomico, to ask for his comments and reactions on Kem Sokha’s statement.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just do your job as a CCHR

Anonymous said...

Huh, believe Keat Sokun words if only those never knew him before.
He is a fanatic demi elite at the shadow of Ong Gia Son Sann but Ong Gia is no longer here.

Who cares about Ong Nhu Keat Sokun?

Anonymous said...

Kem Sokha's job at CCHR is to talk about himself!

Anonymous said...

Kem Sokha, please continue to do your job as CCHR. Don't try to involve yourself with politics or NGO will take that $5000/monthly from your paycheck. Oh, please distant yourself from Dr. Kiri Tith. He is not only hot headed, he is also a hot air for you. This is a very friendly advice. I do not want to say "T told you so!"

Anonymous said...

kem sokha uses CCHR for political career. He ruins and disgrades NGOs.