Wednesday, December 6, 2006By Prak Chan Thul
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
A Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge has denied a lawyer's request for new doctors to psychologically assess his client, a university teacher arrested in September for teaching from his own anti-government textbook.
Cambodian Defenders Project lawyer Hong Kimsuon said Tuesday that the months-long assessment to determine whether Tieng Narith is mentally unsound is taking unnecessarily long.
Three psychiatrists, one of whom is Senate President Chea Sim's adviser Ka Sun Baunat, were assigned to conduct the examination of Tieng Narith following his arrest in September for alleged dissemination of disinformation.
"We want new doctors. Otherwise, it will delay the detention longer and longer," Hong Kimsuon said.
Tieng Narith, a former political science teacher at Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University, was fired in August and arrested in September for teaching from his book that links top government officials to political violence and echoes recent allegations by former Phnom Penh police chief Heng Pov.
Family members claim that Tieng Narith suffers from mental problems, which promoted a psychiatric evaluation beginning in mid-September.
Sao Meach, the judge in the disinformation case against Tieng Narith, said he denied the request for a new team of doctors to examine the suspect because he does not have the right to make such a decision.
"I don't have the power," he said, adding that the tests are not taking too long.
Ka Sun Baunat said Tuesday that he submitted his evaluation of Tieng Narith to the Health Ministry nearly two months ago. He refused, however, to reveal the results of his evaluation, and referred questions to Health Minister Nuth Sokhom, who could not be contacted. Health Ministry secretaries of state Eng Huot and Ung Phyrum said that they were not aware of any mental evaluation of Tieng Narith.
Hong Kimsuon demanded that the results of his client’s evaluation be revealed at once.
"It is a court case, we demand the results to be shown immediately," he said.
Cambodian Defenders Project lawyer Hong Kimsuon said Tuesday that the months-long assessment to determine whether Tieng Narith is mentally unsound is taking unnecessarily long.
Three psychiatrists, one of whom is Senate President Chea Sim's adviser Ka Sun Baunat, were assigned to conduct the examination of Tieng Narith following his arrest in September for alleged dissemination of disinformation.
"We want new doctors. Otherwise, it will delay the detention longer and longer," Hong Kimsuon said.
Tieng Narith, a former political science teacher at Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University, was fired in August and arrested in September for teaching from his book that links top government officials to political violence and echoes recent allegations by former Phnom Penh police chief Heng Pov.
Family members claim that Tieng Narith suffers from mental problems, which promoted a psychiatric evaluation beginning in mid-September.
Sao Meach, the judge in the disinformation case against Tieng Narith, said he denied the request for a new team of doctors to examine the suspect because he does not have the right to make such a decision.
"I don't have the power," he said, adding that the tests are not taking too long.
Ka Sun Baunat said Tuesday that he submitted his evaluation of Tieng Narith to the Health Ministry nearly two months ago. He refused, however, to reveal the results of his evaluation, and referred questions to Health Minister Nuth Sokhom, who could not be contacted. Health Ministry secretaries of state Eng Huot and Ung Phyrum said that they were not aware of any mental evaluation of Tieng Narith.
Hong Kimsuon demanded that the results of his client’s evaluation be revealed at once.
"It is a court case, we demand the results to be shown immediately," he said.
6 comments:
This is a sham. This "defamation" charges is pure bullshit. Any country that uses this lame of an excuse "defamation law" to silence critics is nothing but a totalitarian state.
Cambodian law is a joke. It is meant to protect the corrupt. Nothing more.
Law is law is not a joke but pawerfull people alway sit over the law, that is a habit of khmer.
You can not "sit over the law", or else it is never a law in the first place. Professors in a free country can teach and debate issues as they see fit. A divesify oppinion is crucial to higher education. If professors are limited by government, then students are also limited on what they can and can not learn.
By the way, I apologize for using inappropriate words. However, I feel very strongly about higher education in Cambodia, as it is the only way for the country to emerge from poverty.
Message for anonumous12:02
How can you have a good education if the whole education system already corrupted. Students from elementary to high school will need to bribe the underpaid teacher in order to pass the exam. All they learn in elementary is 2 1/2 hours a day and only math, reading, and some writing (in elementary). Students spend more time learning English or other skills. Sadly, young Cambodians were taught to bribe and to accept that corruption is a way of life in Cambodia. I have been to Cambodia two times and visited all Khet and Krong except Koh Kong. I interviewed teacheers in different provinces including the Baktouk elementary and high school (which the rich and the official children attend. I see the same pattern everywhere. Teachers get paid $20 a month. In some places they get 20 dollars for 2 to 3 months. Isn't that sad? How can you educate our children the right way when the government does not supply enough materials for teachers or students. Believe it or not Hun Sen, CPP want it this way so that he or his party Can control Cambodia for along time. This is their policy of annaxing Khmer into Youn. They want to keep Khmer as ignorant as possible while they provide and support their children, friends, or relative to learn in the third country like the United States. For the poor they will not have any future beside being a copany worker, begger, or a slave of those officials. How sad!
So to help save Khmer or Cambodia from being extinct like Champa, Khmer people inside Cambodia and abroad need to help change this corrupted government through any political means. Choose democracy not dictatorship or Communist style leadership.
Anon@12:13PM
Am with you on that one! Thanks.
12:13
I do not disagree with you. All your points are correct. I want teachers to obtain higher salaries, and fully support their union. I understand it is not an overnight job to overcome corruption. However, just as you've seen low paid teachers, I've seen college students in Phnom Penh who are fed up with the government due to lack of jobs, but do not have the leadership to oppose the status quo.
It is true the education systems are corrupt, just as every other system in Cambodia. However, little by little, Cambodia has to overcome it. It is very hard, very hard, but it has to be done in one way or another; whether through support of the teacher's union, or by professors who encourage their students to seek knowledge outside of Cambodia, via communication technology like the Internet.
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