Sam Rainsy, opposition leader (Photo: RFA)Thursday, December 14, 2006
Rainsy Raises Minister's Khmer Rouge History
By Kay Kimsong
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
SRP leader Sam Rainsy scolded Finance Minister Keat Chhon over his position in the Khmer Rouge regime while speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Keat Chhon responded that he will answer to the Cambodian people about his past if he is called upon to do so.
Sam Rainsy made his remarks after comparing the recent evictions of villagers from central Phnom Penh with the mass evacuation of the capital by the Khmer Rouge in April 1975. The only difference, he said, was that Pol Pot forced everyone to leave, while today's authorities only target the poor.
"Excellency Keat Chhon, you may remember that when you were Pol Pot's secretary and adviser, the regime forced all people out of the city," Sam Rainsy said during the debate, which focused on the budget for 2007.
Keat Chhon responded that he had nothing to hide.
"If I, Keat Chhon, am called upon to answer to the Cambodian people and nation about my past, I will answer," he told the Assembly.
Keat Chhon accused Sam Rainsy of attempting to provoke him but said his comments did not bother him.
The exchange on the floor of the Assembly was no more than a few minutes of a much larger discussion on the 2007 draft budget.
Speaking to reporters after the debate, Keat Chhon said Sam Rainsy's verbal attack on him was personal.
"All the things I did, I will respond to history and the nation," he told reporters.
"When [Sam Rainsy] can't find anything to attack me on, he raises my personal life to attack me. It is wrong. It is not true.... We have the [Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia], let them judge."
In 1975, Keat Chhon returned with then-Prince Norodom Sihanouk to Phnom Penh from China, where he had retreated after Lon Nol took power in 1970, according to Justin Corfield and Laura Summers' "Historical Dictionary of Cambodia," published in 2003.
He subsequently served as an interpreter and aide to Prime Minister Pol Pot and Deputy Prime Minister Ieng Sary, the book states. In 1977, he was a member of the Democratic Kampuchea delegation to the UN and in 1981 was appointed roving ambassador for the regime, the book states. Keat Chhon left the Khmer Rouge and in 1983 accepted a post with the UN Development Program in Zaire, according to the Historical Dictionary of Cambodia.
Lao Mong Hay, a senior researcher at the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission, said he hopes that Keat Chhon will provide information to the ECCC.
"I applaud Sam Rainsy's challenge to Keat Chhon. He succeeded in getting Keat Chhon to make that commitment to tell his story in public. It is good for the trial," he said.
(Additional reporting by Erika Kinetz)
Keat Chhon responded that he will answer to the Cambodian people about his past if he is called upon to do so.
Sam Rainsy made his remarks after comparing the recent evictions of villagers from central Phnom Penh with the mass evacuation of the capital by the Khmer Rouge in April 1975. The only difference, he said, was that Pol Pot forced everyone to leave, while today's authorities only target the poor.
"Excellency Keat Chhon, you may remember that when you were Pol Pot's secretary and adviser, the regime forced all people out of the city," Sam Rainsy said during the debate, which focused on the budget for 2007.
Keat Chhon responded that he had nothing to hide.
"If I, Keat Chhon, am called upon to answer to the Cambodian people and nation about my past, I will answer," he told the Assembly.
Keat Chhon accused Sam Rainsy of attempting to provoke him but said his comments did not bother him.
The exchange on the floor of the Assembly was no more than a few minutes of a much larger discussion on the 2007 draft budget.
Speaking to reporters after the debate, Keat Chhon said Sam Rainsy's verbal attack on him was personal.
"All the things I did, I will respond to history and the nation," he told reporters.
"When [Sam Rainsy] can't find anything to attack me on, he raises my personal life to attack me. It is wrong. It is not true.... We have the [Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia], let them judge."
In 1975, Keat Chhon returned with then-Prince Norodom Sihanouk to Phnom Penh from China, where he had retreated after Lon Nol took power in 1970, according to Justin Corfield and Laura Summers' "Historical Dictionary of Cambodia," published in 2003.
He subsequently served as an interpreter and aide to Prime Minister Pol Pot and Deputy Prime Minister Ieng Sary, the book states. In 1977, he was a member of the Democratic Kampuchea delegation to the UN and in 1981 was appointed roving ambassador for the regime, the book states. Keat Chhon left the Khmer Rouge and in 1983 accepted a post with the UN Development Program in Zaire, according to the Historical Dictionary of Cambodia.
Lao Mong Hay, a senior researcher at the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission, said he hopes that Keat Chhon will provide information to the ECCC.
"I applaud Sam Rainsy's challenge to Keat Chhon. He succeeded in getting Keat Chhon to make that commitment to tell his story in public. It is good for the trial," he said.
(Additional reporting by Erika Kinetz)
11 comments:
Sam Rainsy, you have done a good job by forcing Keat Chhon to admit his past. This old animal desn't understand about what is personal and what public affairs.
-If Sam Ransy asked him about how many times he has slept with his wife, then, it is a private life.
-But when Sam Ransy ask about his role in KR, then it is a public problem because Keat Chhon Role in Pol Pot has cause 3 millions death. He should be arrested now and awaiting for trial intead of staying as Minister.
That is Cambodia!!!!! A premature government
What Keat Chhon would be saying is, like other KRs, that he just did what he was told; otherwise they would have killed him.
SiS
Congratulation Mr. Sam Rainsy!
I really appreciate you very much for wisely using public floor of the Assembly to kick an old clan of blood-thirsty assassin KIET CHON of the Khmer Rouge to let out his black history.
Mr. Kiet Chon, I hope you're really male creature that will say the truth when you're called by the ECCC. Don't say you did what you were told and claimed you were also victimized! These worlds, every one of you will say, won't you?
Congratulation Mr. Sam Rainsy!
I really appreciate you very much for wisely using public floor of the Assembly to kick an old clan of blood-thirsty assassin KIET CHON of the Khmer Rouge to let out his black history.
Mr. Kiet Chon, I hope you're really male creature that will say the truth when you're called by the ECCC. Don't say you did what you were told and claimed you were also victimized! These worlds, every one of you will say, won't you?
Sam Rainsey! Sam Rainsey! Sam Rainsey!
Congratulation Sir!!!!
Cambodian people will thank you very much Mr. Sam Rainsy when This old man Kiet Chhon stand before the court and tell the story.
Kiet Chhon! I am one of your victim as well, I really want to know why you and your master killed our beloved people. What guilty did they have??? Or were all of you animal???? Dare you still think of your own prestige, your own honor??? prestige of killing people?????????
Congratulation Mr Rainsy !
.....No one could bring Kiet Chhon
to the Khmer Rouge's trial as long as Hun Sen is still in power.I bet.
THe real Master of Chiet Chhon was not Pol Pot or else....He's a Kampoul Yuthesil Ar-Yorng of Youn -Hanoi.
He had accomplished his secret mission to destroy all of Khmer-Rouge organization,Pol Pot regime.
Cheers,
Bun H.
Keat Chhon wife is a vietnamese, so does Monic Sihanouk. They have planned to destroy Khmer for Vietnam. If you immagine about KR leadership, only those with vietnamese blood are still alive. Eg Hor Nam Hong, Ieng Sary etc...
May Victory come true for the Sam Rainsy Party in 2007 election! That's the only way to rescue our dying motherland. We will all bring all those corrupted killer, CPP official, including Ah Sen to justice.
This old bastard must have rock in his head. Look how he is managing the country's budget. Every year, begging for help outside.
This old bastard involvement with the KR is definitely not personal.
When I see this bloody Keat Chhorn face on tv, I know that is one of the killer!
STORY ABOUT KEO PUTH RASMEY :He came to this position with the help of his wife(princess Norodom Arunrasmy). Keo Puth Rasmey's wife princess ARUN had a plan to destroy Rannaridh so she can put her husband up. She was the one who fix OUK PHALLA with Rannaridh and break up Rannaridh and Mary' s Marriage.(MARY fell to princess ARUN trap). Keo Puth Rasmey's wife ARUN and his older sister"MO" had planned this strategy since 2004. They are Very CROOK!.
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