Kem Sokha, appeared on 'Hello VOA', hosted by Sok KhemeraVOA Khmer
Washington DC
22/11/2006
Cambodian Center for Human Rights shows no sign of settlement with its former employees, who have filed a lawsuit against Kem Sokha, president of the established organization, after being fired from the job.
The former employees accused Kem Sokha of corruption and preferential treatment.
According to reports, the plaintiffs say they have evidence to prove that Kem Sokha has pocketed money from the organization, and accused the president of hiring friends and relatives to positions of finance”.
Dr. Chhim Phal Virun, legal representative of CCHR former employees, confirms to VOA that the case will not be settled out of court and says that, “there is no compromise, because it’s a criminal lawsuit”.
Meanwhile, Kem Sokha denies any wrongdoings and told reporters that, “the U.S. based International Republican Institute (IRI) audits his organization every year, and [CCHR] has never been guilty of any illegal activities”.
Pa Nguon Teang, executive director of CCHR, defended his boss against the allegations saying, “ Kem Sokha has always served the Cambodian people, even after his arrest last year for criticizing the government on border issues.”
The Phnom Penh court official document states that Kem Sokha is due to be in court on November 24, to answer charges against him. But, Phnom Penh court deputy prosecutor Kry Song says that Kem Sokha's lawyer has requested the court to reschedule the hearing, due to schedule conflicts. He added: “the court will reschedule this time, however, Kem Sokha cannot continue to delay the hearing date”.
CCHR was founded in 2002 and is funded by the U.S.-based International Republican Institute.
The former employees accused Kem Sokha of corruption and preferential treatment.
According to reports, the plaintiffs say they have evidence to prove that Kem Sokha has pocketed money from the organization, and accused the president of hiring friends and relatives to positions of finance”.
Dr. Chhim Phal Virun, legal representative of CCHR former employees, confirms to VOA that the case will not be settled out of court and says that, “there is no compromise, because it’s a criminal lawsuit”.
Meanwhile, Kem Sokha denies any wrongdoings and told reporters that, “the U.S. based International Republican Institute (IRI) audits his organization every year, and [CCHR] has never been guilty of any illegal activities”.
Pa Nguon Teang, executive director of CCHR, defended his boss against the allegations saying, “ Kem Sokha has always served the Cambodian people, even after his arrest last year for criticizing the government on border issues.”
The Phnom Penh court official document states that Kem Sokha is due to be in court on November 24, to answer charges against him. But, Phnom Penh court deputy prosecutor Kry Song says that Kem Sokha's lawyer has requested the court to reschedule the hearing, due to schedule conflicts. He added: “the court will reschedule this time, however, Kem Sokha cannot continue to delay the hearing date”.
CCHR was founded in 2002 and is funded by the U.S.-based International Republican Institute.
8 comments:
Is it a political motivation to destroy Human right organisation?
how about thousands and thousands of others corrupted persons????? should the gov or cpp bring them to justice??????all "kory...custom officer or they say sdach kory...simorn..." most corrupted person in the country....multi-millionaire....where they get $$$$ from since they starts with ah pol pot ground zero with zero $$$$ but now muti millionaire$$$$$$ should he be broughted to court????kem sokha may be just a little mice eat may be penny....and who else in cambodia that are corrupted?????go and see their houses and bring them all to justice....salary not even $3,000.00 but own million $$$home.....therefore, this is a joke.........they just want to kill all the penny no power one....
This is a set back for Cambodia democracy system. Sam rainsy is now in the death trap of CPP by allowing CPP to destroy Kem Sokha.
Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha must work together shoulder to shoulder and hand to hand. If they dispute each other, that is the last breath of democracy system.
To add to our predecessor comments, if there a real focus on corruption. The CPP gov't and Hun S en should have completed the Anti-corruption and pass the bill by now, you can't take 6 years to draft up one law...what do they do all those year...wasting donor tax payer money?
Speaking of audit, CCHR get audit by an external source qualterly or yearly, which "show no evidence of corruption".
How about apply the same rule of having an external auditor like KMPG, Earnest & Young perform all audit of each government departments in Cambodia. The finding will help show how Hun Sen perform in minimising, eliminating or expanding corruption in Cambodia.
Until today those ministers who are link to the world bank corruption scandal have not been prosecuted....!Hun Sen forgetten again?
The so called Dr. Chhim Phal Virun is a CPP man. He was educated in a communist country.
Kem Sokha regrets he hired Chhim Phal Phirun.
All your comments above are rubbish and having no sense of justice.
Anyone living on this planet, must repect the law of land. if you commit crime you must be punished.
This action is not to destroy Human right organisation, it is to strengthen the human right organisation. Alot of people will queue up for this position, no doubt about that, and this org. will not close down because of this.
"This is a set back for Cambodia democracy system. Sam rainsy is now in the death trap of CPP by allowing CPP to destroy Kem Sokha."
This is not true, the criminal act must be destroyed one by one. It is a personal one, not at all politics.
Millions of Cambodians are suffering because of the widespread curruption in the country, and Cambodians will continue to live under the shadows of its neighbours until it makes law and enforce it.
Today you are rich and happy, tomorrow you will be crying. I.e my message to the currupt people. Take The President Macose and Sahato as your examples and learn from them.
Anything go up, will definitely come down one day, thru the power of people.
My mentor, Ziz Ziglar, make it clear that: "You can get anything in life you want, if you just help other people to get what they want"
People who support curruption is a short sight one. I do feel pity for you.
I tell you, you will never find any other time easier than this time to run a country. But first you must elaminate corruption, if you do, business will flood in to take advantage of cheap labors in the time that tariff wall is falling down.
Let me finish by showing you my sadness that Cambodia has chosen the wrong path.
To 12:45AM
My dear Sir! Why do you speak like grand pa! Here is one for you!
Kem Sokha denies any wrongdoings and told reporters that, “the U.S. based International Republican Institute (IRI) audits his organization every year, and [CCHR] has never been guilty of any illegal activities”.
Mr.Kem Sokha know better not to mess around with Uncle SAM!
The very reason why Cambodia had chosen the wrong path because HUN SEN had chosen dictatorship! Duh!
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