Sam Rainsy after his acceptance speech for Liberal International's 2006 Prize for Freedom in Marrakech, Morocco (Photo: SRP)Monday, November 13, 2006
By Elizabeth Tomei
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
SRP leader Sam Rainsy has dubbed Cambodia a "mafia state and a banana kingdom" where extra-judicial killings are a daily occurrence, according to a copy of his acceptance speech for Liberal International's 2006 Prize for Freedom obtained Sunday.
Speaking in the Morrocan city of Marrakech on Thursday, he said that although capital punishment is officially abolished in Cambodia, "extrajudicial executions take place every day in the street."
Asked whether this was accurate, Sam Rainsy responded in an e-mail Sunday: "Alleged thieves are caught beaten, wounded or killed every day by angry crowds who take justice into their own hands." He added that around 70 of his colleagues have been victim to politically motivated killings since 1995.
Government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith could not be contacted Sunday.
But Interior Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak said Sam Rainsy’s allegations were untrue and "unacceptable."
He added that Sam Rainsy often exaggerates the situation in Cambodia to foreign countries. "It is his character," Khieu Sopheak said. "Cambodia has been moving in the right way for democracy. Day to day it is getting better."
UK-based Liberal International, a coalition of political parties from more than 60 countries, awards the annual Prize for Freedom for "an outstanding contribution to human rights and political freedoms," according to its Web site.
(Additional reporting by Yun Samean)
Speaking in the Morrocan city of Marrakech on Thursday, he said that although capital punishment is officially abolished in Cambodia, "extrajudicial executions take place every day in the street."
Asked whether this was accurate, Sam Rainsy responded in an e-mail Sunday: "Alleged thieves are caught beaten, wounded or killed every day by angry crowds who take justice into their own hands." He added that around 70 of his colleagues have been victim to politically motivated killings since 1995.
Government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith could not be contacted Sunday.
But Interior Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak said Sam Rainsy’s allegations were untrue and "unacceptable."
He added that Sam Rainsy often exaggerates the situation in Cambodia to foreign countries. "It is his character," Khieu Sopheak said. "Cambodia has been moving in the right way for democracy. Day to day it is getting better."
UK-based Liberal International, a coalition of political parties from more than 60 countries, awards the annual Prize for Freedom for "an outstanding contribution to human rights and political freedoms," according to its Web site.
(Additional reporting by Yun Samean)
24 comments:
Why even make a fucken big deal about 70 people being killed by AH HUN SEN regime?
When AH HUN SEN invite the Vietcong to loot Cambodia, shut out the United Nation from helping Cambodia with food and medical supply, started the K-5 plan (the bamboo wall)along Thai-Cambodian border...The fucken coup against AH RANNOGOOD....Oh please!
AH HUN SEN policy fail Cambodia big time consider that large amount of Cambodian people are dying from AIDS, large Cambodian population have TB, infant mortality are highest among Southeast Asia....hunger, landless, sex slaves, slave labors, fake medication kill many Cambodian people too, bad roads condition kill many Cambodian people every years and cost in the million of dollars...
Oh well! AH HUN SEN don't give a fuck cause it ain't his fucken problem! Sam Rainsy don't have to say a fucken word to validate about what is going on in Cambodia! Why don't you go to Cambodia and see for yourself! Don't tell me you are a chicken shit!!!!!
i don' t know who you are... but your lessons to all kmere living abroad are not too bad!
i think they need to understand that we do not consider them as cambodian of Cambodia. But just foreigners! We don't need them as well!
It' s better they stay where they are and be happy as khmer yankees, kmere foreigners... !
but don't come back or comment on Cambodia, we don't need your views...because you are not educated enough... !
a supporter of khmere living in Cambodia!
AH PLEOUE SHIT OF UNCLE SAM!
JUST LEARN TO LIVE IN A CIVILIZED
COUNTRY OF YOUR MASTER. DO NOT SPEAK LIKE ANIMALS... THSI IS THE REASON WHY YOU ARE SECOND CLASS CITIZEN? THEY CONSIDER YOU LIKE ANIMALS BECAUSE YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY EDUCATION OR DEGREES... LORD BUDDHA PITY YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO BE CALLED
KHMER YANKEE...
YOUR OWN SHADOW...
you are right... How can someone who pretend to be the champion of democracy, can look down his own motherland???? ...
They are worse than uncle sam's shit...
shame to you .. all second class citizen of foreigners and better you go back to your cage and shut up your mouth for ever...
a nationalist... proud to be cambodian living in his own country.
Is that what he sees? that is what he should say!!!!!
All for Mr. Sam Rainsey!
I believe everybody was referring to the first comment. It really is a shame that some people think using obscenity as an anonymous blogger helps the cause. It indeed shows that they should stay where they are and not make any comments about the situation in Cambodia. They certainly would not be a great help there if they went back. I noticed this repeatedly from obviously Khmer Americans. The only words they can use is profanity. I feel justified in making this comment after having lived in Cambodia for 4 years. I am married to a Khmer woman and I have three Khmer step-children. The political situation in Cambodia is bad enough as it is and the Khmer do not need any condescension from Khmer Americans. Especially young immature overseas Cambodians make a big show of how well off they are when visiting Cambodia whereas the true picture is often quite the opposite. If they behave and talk like the first blogger, they are indeed looked upon as second-class citizens by other Americans. They are rednecks and hicks. They only have to blame themselves for it.
The first, second and last comments should look into the reality. As history shows from Sihanouk era till now, Who can make Cambodia better. Sihanouk is a Khmer communist leader of all time whereas Ah Hun Sen is a Viet agent who destroyed Cambodia as a whole. Khmers inside and outside of the countries who support these two idiot must be an idiot also. They can't see right and wrong; black and white, and up or down. Who is the real person who is courage to stand up against Ah Hun Sen regime. It's Honorable Sam Rainsy, idiots. If the west is not behind him, Ah Hun Sen will take him out for a long time. But, Ah Kvak can't touch him.
All of you inside and outside should support only one candidate (Mr. Sam Rainsy); otherwise, the future of Cambodia motherland will be under Ah Youn and Ah Hun Sen control forever.
What you all have in common is Khmer blood. The reason both sides of you hurling insults at one another is because you care about Cambodia - to a point of attacking each other.
Khmer is proud to be Khmer no matter where he or she is. Just look at Khmer Krom who to this day always believe themselves as Khmer and not Vietnamese....Are they less Khmer than Khmer living in Cambodia? Not all Khmer have the chance to earn educational degrees but is that the reason to denigrate them to be less than human? Please discuss the subject in a civilized and dignified ways. Khmer deserves more than insults...
I would like to urge all our Cambodian people to understand our National Identity and try to re build our country to be a good place to live for everyone. As I have said many times that the fabric of our society and our Nation is now completely destroyed by all greedies monsters and evils who have controled our country since 1970. They have divided our people from one colour into differents colours ( khmer red, khmer blue etc), from one class into two classes ( moulatharn and 17 April), from one people into many different people( Princes, Princesses, Ek OUdom, Okhna etc). None of our National Institutions are now Neutral, credible and Reliable. Each National Institution is being used as the tools of the ruling leadership. You can count from Royal Palace, National Assembly, Senate, Army, Police, Hospital, School, Religion etc..THey are all Hun Sen tools for his different kind of pusposes.
He can even control all daily walk of lives eg he can sut all Karaoke, TV station , press etc...
IN a civilised society,each National Institution represente one of Nation icon and each must have their own Neutral governance, credible decisions and reliable for all citizen. But now, is there are of them qualifie to this valuation? I say NO No No No No.
They are all serving the interest of Hun Sen and his family only. THey are no longer the servants of all Cambodian citizen. If so why, all of us are fighting each other for? We must call to all of those who are working in each National Institution to strengthen their Institution to qualify for these three words Neutral, credible and Reliable. If all of these institutions are all qualified to these valuations, we are all happy and we are no longer to dispute to each other.
That not Cambodian he the Vietnamese (YOUN SPY) if he Cambodian he know that we need foreigne education, even Hun Xen Sent his children to USA!
That Dog is not Cambodia do not care about that evil Viet.
No one have said like that even the dog Hun xen.
WE DO NOT HAVE TO CIVILIZE TO THE DOG LET IT BACK, SO WE KNOW THAT HE WILL LET HIS FATHER KNOW WHAT WE THINK OF THOSE EVIL BEASTS!!!!
Son of Ah Hun Sen and Hok Lundy do you read to ha i thought you come to US for nothing.
Let your father know wath we say too!
HELLO...HELLO...EVERYONE...
COMMENTS ONE, TWO AND THREE ARE THE SAME PERSON. HE ACTS AS DIFFERENT PERSON.
This guy is not in Cambodia. He is here in the United States. He used 2 or 3 different computers to send his comments.
Why even complain about profanity?
The very reason why you see all these profanity and bad language are the result of frustration with stupid Cambodian politic!
Until the day, AH HUN SEN learn to behave in a civilize way and in the meantime the profanity still contiue!
Hello to all,
The result of bad languages throwing from one person to another person is from the education level of the writer and his or her understanding in social sciences. It also came from the family background who have lacked of family value and religion value. The person who used bad languages is ideed grown up from bad environment and bad family structure.
Eg. he might be have born from a broken family ( no Dad or no Mum), may be from a gansgter'father or a prostitude mother etc.... These people people are often used rought, threatening language, barbaric languages, uncivilised language etc.... Most people have always valued that Hun Sen is always belonging to that kind of person. But for a person who have born from a true love couple, with good care parents, that person will always express their languages their feeling with lovely languages.
Very lively discussion.
To Cambodian-American blogger -- why are so mad about the situation in Cambodia? Have you gone and visited Cambodia recently? I was there recently, and it was pretty good. It is safe, roads are drivable (from siem Riep to Battambang- a little tough), the Khmers are friendly and respectful, the police kept their distance, the food when prepared and eat right away was excellent. The women, espcially, the ones living in the farms and the villages --- can get to your heart... they are so gentle and shy... but please watch other for their mothers. They have wedding in mind.
To Khmer in Cambodia blogger -- Please do not let one Cambodian-American's (a dude with multiple personality and time to kill) opinions lure you into making an incorrect generalization about Cambodian-Americans as a population. Believe it or not, a great many of them (especially the older ones, my parents included) are happy to see that Kampuchea is finally at peace, and its people are once again exposed to the world. My friends and I (30 something generation and professional) do not care how Khmers in Cambodia live or the negative opionions of some Cambodian-Americans about Khmers in Cambodia. The safer Cambodia is, and the friendlier the Khmers are, the better. Please continue to welcome us with smiles when we vacation there.
Now, may we recommended our Cambodian-American friend with the interesting choice of words, a visit to Cambodia. If he has already done so, how about a second visit...perhaps to the villages and farms.
For both Khmer living in Cambodia and those living abroad claiming one loves the country more than the other is utter foolishness. Anyone who shuts out other people due to nationalism is either ignorant, uneducated, or mentally challenged. This is the 21st century. No country will survive without opening their economic border. Look at the European Union, and NAFTA. Whether you like it or don't like it, do not be left behind because of national pride.
I, for one, would welcome trade from any country.
To 9:47 AM
What kind of fool are you? It is naturally for a fool like you to talk about what you can see! What about the shitting thing going on that continue to dog Cambodia and Cambodian people!
You paint such a rosy picture of Cambodia under AH HUN SEN dictatorship! Please remember AH HUN SEN is not afraid to use tanks you to kill your stupid azz but he wouldn't use the tanks to protect Cambodian sovereignty from the Thai and the Viet! ahahahahah!
Do you ever listen to yourself sometime when you talk full of shit! You claimed that the roads are safe and driveable? Fool did you have a chance to observe those shanty towns next to those roads too? I thought so and of you didn't! You are damn right that these Cambodian parent want to marry their children out of poverty! Poverty in Cambodia is like a black hole and once people fall into the black hole and there is no escape and the only way to escape it by marrying off their children to well to do family or to a shithead like you who may claim to be well off? Are you? ahahahahah!
Tell me who doesn't want to see peace and stop all the killing? But these days Cambodia is having false peace imposed by AH HUN SEN dictatorship and Cambodia and Cambodian people are falling deeper and deeper into poverty! Why? Why? Why?
Corruption of course!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now I am going to show you how to observe Cambodian poverty! If you want to see how poor average Cambodian people are just observe what they eat and go to the public market and observe what the average Cambodian can afford and what kind of items do they sell at the market! It is a fucken eyes opener for me and I wouldn't touch or eat those thing they call food cause the fucken flys and the dirtyness are everywhere and these is no escape! Why don't you go into average Cambodian house and see what they have! Does their house have hot or cold clean running water or clean toilet with running water? What about electricity to run basic appliances? I had been there once and I couldn't sleep of poor air circulation and the fucken electricity went out 3 to 4 times before I finished my fucken dinner!
Oh by the way! The roads are fucken dusty and my eyes got infection! Whoever build these fucken roads is like they build it for midget people! Damn it is so fucken small and there are no clear separation between pedestrians and cars and no fucken road signs to warn people of the danger ahead! It is very common to see entire family on a tiny moped and that was incredible for me! The fucken driving environment are too crazy and I just gave up driving!
This fool is just another penny counting tourist and does Cambodia need alot of these penny counting tourist? I don't think so! ahahahahaahah!
Sometime people need to see beyong bad language and all the profanity!
This is criticism in pure form! I am sure Cambodia can be better than this a thousand time! Then why Cambodia is not getting any better? It is because of the same leadership with the same old mentality and the same to all those stupid advisors! These old fart need to step down and the new generation is getting too impatient with all the shit going on in Cambodia!
Am I going to visit Cambodia again? Well...maybe this time live in a hotel or guest house instead but there are no hotel or guest house far way from the city! I don't like the fucken city life and beside I had live in the city for most of my life and I want to be in touch with nature! So it seems that I have to deal with poor average Cambodian people and the shanty town again! Huh? How about go to the shanty town and build the best affordable looking house equip with all the basic modern convenience...maybe! Oh well who know the future! I can't even prdict the future!
AH PLEOUE SHIT OF UNCLE SAM!
JUST LEARN TO LIVE IN A CIVILIZED
COUNTRY OF YOUR MASTER. DO NOT SPEAK LIKE ANIMALS... THSI IS THE REASON WHY YOU ARE SECOND CLASS CITIZEN? THEY CONSIDER YOU LIKE ANIMALS BECAUSE YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY EDUCATION OR DEGREES... LORD BUDDHA PITY YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO BE CALLED
KHMER YANKEE...
STAY IN YOUR WORLD OF SHIT...
LET CAMBODIA BELONGS TO CAMBODIAN LIVING IN CAMBODIA...
YOUR OWN SHADOW...
You people are dragging yourself down by debating like this. Can't you do it on a rational, less acerbic level?
To the dude with the interesting choice of words...
Thanks for a lesson in "realpoliking" and the Mr T, "I pity the fool" line. Machiavelli would certainly be prouded of your discourse. Equally, Abraham Lincoln, would have something to say about the negative landscape in which you have painted. May we suggest a little reading on his approaches to reconcile the north and south after the Civil war during the reconstruction period?
Cambodia is without a doubt, a poor and a weak country, in comparision to its neighbors as well as the country, which you have currently reside in-- the U.S.A. Everyone is aware that Cambodia is not working up to its potential- the pragmatis know this. The instrangient, which you appeal to be one, seem disinclined to accept the power that be in Cambodia. Basically, when one read your discourse, one is treated to the most horrific style a kin to a street fight between the AsianZ boyZ and the Crib gang. May we suggest a a little reading on Plato's approach to discoursing?
Also, please stop treating us to the banality of what is already known about Cambodian politicians and the conditions in which they have operated. Give us something new,and more positive to chew upon. Regurgitation of well known facts can only carry a conversation so far. At some points,it becomes boring, which does not reflect well upon the instigator of that conversation.
Finally, may we suggest additional "hard knock" schooling prior to his further confrontation with Mr. Hun Sen. At the present time and base upon his discourse, we sense an individual radicalized by his first year of college experience, but lacked a clear sense of reality. We also supect that he is well protected in his irovy tower of idealism and ideology.
If his discourse is boring, one must admit, that his language is quiet colorful. So colorful, that one is forced to bringing up the image of Huey Long of Louisiana in the mid 1930s and the politicians of the Tammy Hall of New York at the turn of the century.
To 6:05 AM
Speak for yourself man! Why do people speak about the same bullshit all the time? It is because these same fucken issues written by foreign media and Cambodian media alike continue to dog Cambodia and Cambodian people everyday! Why don't you tell the foreign media and Cambodian media community not to write about the same fucken issue!
Don't be too creative man! Just comment on the fucken issue!ahahaha
To 10:04 a.m.
Thanks..., but the creative approach works fine in light of the issue at hand, which is the perception of Cambodia as it is perceived by Cambodian-Americans and in dealing with those who seek to belittle that perception.
One can rant and rave, and attached all sort of negative imageries to Cambodia, or conducted attack upon those who voiced thoughts that are contrary, the facts remain; Cambodia, despite its "dusty road" or "poor air ciculation" as indicated by some, is a pretty good country.
To 3:22PM
Cambodia as a country don't have to settle for average! Why not be the best of the best!
Pretty good country is not good enough for me!!!!!!!!!
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