Tieng Narith's book "Political Philosophy" in fact echoed recent allegations made by the fugitive former Phnom Penh police chief Heng Pov about crime at the highest levels of government. No explanation is provided regarding the arrest of Tieng Narith. (Photo: RFA)Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Lecturer Who Taught Own Textbook Arrested
By Prak Chan Thul
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Military police Tuesday arrested Tieng Narith, the Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University lecturer who was fired last month for teaching his own anti-government textbook to his students.
The reason for the arrest was not made public Tuesday, but observers believe the 30-year-old Phnom Penh university lecturer has been detained for the allegations, possibly defamatory, against senior government leaders contained in his self-published book.
"Ask the municipal court. We did it according to the arrest warrant from the court," National Military Police Commander Sao Sokha said of Tieng Narith's arrest.
The National Assembly voted earlier this year to remove prison sentences from the country's tough defamation law.
Tieng Narith's father Tieng Yeang, 57, said that his son was arrested at his house on Street 182 just after 5 pm. "I don’t know what charge he was arrested for," Tieng Yeang said.
"Even the warrant, they did not show it to me," he said, adding that he was worried that his son would be mistreated by the authorities. "I appeal to all NGOs to investigate," he said. "I am worried they might do bad things to him."
He also said that his son, whose book displayed strong anti-CPP sentiments, had exhibited mental problems in the past when he got angry. "I understand that there are some words that affect the leaders," he said of the book.
Tieng Narith was fired from his job Aug 22, three months after first introducing his political philosophy students to his textbook, which accused senior government officials of everything from creating the outlawed Cambodian Freedom Fighters to carrying out assassination attempts.
Some of the claims in Tieng Narith's book echoed recent allegations made by the fugitive former Phnom Penh police chief Heng Pov about crime at the highest levels of government.
"He should not be arrested, he just expressed his opinions," said Chan Soveth, chief investigator for local rights group Adhoc. "He doesn't have any army, he is not a politician, just a professor," he said.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith and Prime Minister Hun Sen's human rights adviser Om Yentieng could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.
The reason for the arrest was not made public Tuesday, but observers believe the 30-year-old Phnom Penh university lecturer has been detained for the allegations, possibly defamatory, against senior government leaders contained in his self-published book.
"Ask the municipal court. We did it according to the arrest warrant from the court," National Military Police Commander Sao Sokha said of Tieng Narith's arrest.
The National Assembly voted earlier this year to remove prison sentences from the country's tough defamation law.
Tieng Narith's father Tieng Yeang, 57, said that his son was arrested at his house on Street 182 just after 5 pm. "I don’t know what charge he was arrested for," Tieng Yeang said.
"Even the warrant, they did not show it to me," he said, adding that he was worried that his son would be mistreated by the authorities. "I appeal to all NGOs to investigate," he said. "I am worried they might do bad things to him."
He also said that his son, whose book displayed strong anti-CPP sentiments, had exhibited mental problems in the past when he got angry. "I understand that there are some words that affect the leaders," he said of the book.
Tieng Narith was fired from his job Aug 22, three months after first introducing his political philosophy students to his textbook, which accused senior government officials of everything from creating the outlawed Cambodian Freedom Fighters to carrying out assassination attempts.
Some of the claims in Tieng Narith's book echoed recent allegations made by the fugitive former Phnom Penh police chief Heng Pov about crime at the highest levels of government.
"He should not be arrested, he just expressed his opinions," said Chan Soveth, chief investigator for local rights group Adhoc. "He doesn't have any army, he is not a politician, just a professor," he said.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith and Prime Minister Hun Sen's human rights adviser Om Yentieng could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.
6 comments:
Mr. Kem Sokha, where are you? This is the job for you and your organization.
As I have said that Cambodia is not a free country. This country has going back the feudal area ( 1000 years ago ). In Lon Nol regime everyone can say anything they like. Sihanouk has called Lon Nol regime as dictatorship. What about this? Since I was born in Cambodia, I found Cambodia was always free except from Pol pot and Hun Senm regime. Cheam Yeap is one of the most ganster whose should be removed from any minute from public life.
Tieng Narith seems to be naive to say the least.
Since he worked as a teacher and employee of the government, all subjects to be taught are defined.
If he teaches with materials written, authored by himself in a cavaliered manner without the knowledge of the academic hierarchy , that means a chaos, a disaster for the institution which employs him.
I think this teacher took the notion of freedom of expression out of consideration of his own position.
Any one has this e-document
Make it in i-media please
Tieng Narith is man of principle!
AH HUN SEN under the Vietcong had been very selective about teaching Cambodian history to Cambodian people! AH HUN SEN had omitted many important Cambodian history to blind Cambodian people especially anything that deal with the Vietcong! The Vietcong still subjugate million and million of Khmer Krom and no teaching of Cambodian history relating to the Khmer Krom! Maybe the Vietcong don't want Cambodian people to revive the historic enemy perception of the Viet! But that is okay!
Soon or later Cambodian people will find out!
What a Military Police doing arresting a normal civilian?
If this case happened in Australian, Japan,US or eslewgere every professors including students in the class will be arrested for expression of personal opinion or research or write a book.
Please note it seem to me the government is ONLY INTERESTED IN HEARING POSITIVE STOREY WRITTEN ABOUT THEM...any NEGATIVE WATCH OUT GUYS....you particularly HENG POV.
You can tell the newly assigned by Ah Hun Sen to head Cambodia's Anti-Corruption OM YENTIENG without corruption laws to enforce. Is performing his role outside the square.... I see the professor beside author of this book must be "corrupted" that is why he know of the government dirty businesses. Who else know about this corruption allegations ..come forward and lodge your letter to Mr Sokha for review.
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