Friday, July 20, 2007

Reactions on the US Senate plan to ban Cambodian officials from entering the USA

19 July 2007
By Mom Sophon
Radio Free Asia

Translated from Khmer by Socheata

NGO and opposition party officials expressed their support to the report saying that the US Senate appropriations committee is pushing for a ban from entering the US to those officials who are involved in illegal logging in Cambodia and whose names appear in the Global Witness report.

Ou Virak, CCHR President, told RFA on 19 July that the push by the US Senate appropriations committee is a very good thing for Cambodia.

Ou Virak said: “First, it’s the right thing to do, I say that those who are accused of deforestations … should not be authorized to enter the US in order to show that the US support the protection of the environment, and more importantly, it shows that the US defends the free expression of opinion, and it respects human rights. The action taken by the US is the right thing to do, and it is a declaration that the US does not condone such action anymore.”

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy told RFA that the plan by the US Senate appropriations committee is to display its opposition to corrupt officials, and it also strongly pushes Cambodia to get rid of corruption.

Sam Rainsy said: “This is a very good idea, because the USA should not welcome the criminals involved in illegal logging in Cambodia which forces Cambodian people to live in dire poverty due to this theft of national treasury, and the theft of state revenue, just as Global Witness revealed. Therefore, I am applauding the US plan to ban corrupt officials from entering the USA.”

Sam Rainsy also said that the ban of corrupt officials from entering the US does not interfere with diplomatic relations between the two countries because such ban only affect only those who are conducting criminal activities against their country and their own people.

Sam Rainsy also indicated that such action would serve as a warning to those involved in corruption.

Nevertheless, Khieu Kanharith, government spokesman, told a local newspaper that the reason the US Senate appropriations committee undertook this ban plan is for political reason only.

On 01 June 2007, Global Witness issued a 120-page document titled “Relatives of the thieves of the Nation” (Cambodia’s Family Trees, in English). This report named several high ranking officials and business tycoons, such as Chan Sarun, Ty Sokhun, Hing Bun Heang, Hak Mao, Dy Phen, Seng Kieng, etc…

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a Cambodian citizen, I have to applaud for USA initiative to ban these Chon Derachhan from entering their country. They have destroyed their country without thinking of the consequence of the interest of the country as a whole. I hope the ban will also extend to member of Funcipec party as well like You Hok Kry, Ly Lai Sreng, Por Bun Sroeu, etc... and etc.. who have ammassed their wealth from people sufferings. Now the God has his eyes on. Bravo Cambodia

Anonymous said...

Uncle SAM needs to ban those scum of the Earth from entering United States! Please ban those fucken Vietcong communist slaves!

Anonymous said...

Good move! These mother fuckers thieves of the nation think they own Cambodia. They do everything they want and get away with it.

Anonymous said...

How about their children who live and go to school in the USA? they support their living with those ilegal money and the destruction of the forest!

They also have property in the US, or USA need investment too?