Affair surrounding the arrest of a SRP commune chief19 March 2008
By San Suwith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
A SRP commune chief from Baray district, Kampong Thom province was arrested by the police on Tuesday morning, after Mrs. Tim Norn, a former SRP party member who recently joined the CPP, complained that she was abducted and illegally detained in a house in Phnom Penh for several days.
Regarding this arrest, In Kong Chit, an investigator of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) said that, based on witnesses in the case, this is what he found out: “Tim Norn went to (SRP defector) Sok Pheng’s house, there, Sok Pheng’s wife gave her $200 to help influence other SRP activists to make them defect to the CPP. When Tim Norn received the money, she did not execute Sok Pheng’s wife order, instead she spent all the money, and she became concerned and wanted to re-join the SRP back. She escaped from her own home, and called a number of SRP officials whom she knew to help bring her to Phnom Penh.”
On Monday, Prime minister Hun Sen asked for an investigation in the threat case against Tim Norn who recently joined the CPP, and after she complained that she was detained.
Hun Sen said: “I will wait and see what the various human rights organizations will yell about, and this case must be researched until a conclusion (can be found) by the authority, the human rights NGOs, as well as by the International community which must look into it. When H.E. Sok Pheng left his position as SRP MP, there were SRP members at the commune and commune councilor levels who also left with him, there were many of them. Then they detained her, and when she went back (home), they told her not to talk about it.”
Regarding the arrest of Tuot Saron by the Baray district police on 18 March, the office of the SRP Secretary-general issued a statement indicating that the arrest of the commune chief by the police took place after Hun Sen’s speech on Monday, and it also clarified that there was no detention on Tim Norn as was claimed. In fact, the SRP was helping to protect her because of her fear and concern for her personal safety, as well as that of her husband and children.
In its statement, the SRP asked the Kampong Thom police and tribunal to end the accusation and to release Tuot Saron immediately and without any condition. The SRP also asked for a clear investigation into this case to reveal the culprits who made up the story to blame an innocent person.
Regarding this issue, Ou Virak, CCHR president, considers it as a measure taken by the ruling party to oppress, threaten, and discourage opposition activists.
Ou Virak said: “This is an excuse to threaten the opposition party. In general, we can see that those in power take measure to oppress the political freedom rights of opposition party activists, this is one point. The second point is that I am concerned that this is not just an isolated case, I am concerned that this could spread into the arrest and threat against activists from other opposition parties also.”
Mrs. Mu Sochua, SRP Deputy Secretary-general, rejected that accusation leveled against the SRP claiming that her party threatens their own party members, she also said that the election for the 4th legislative mandate will not be free and fair.
Mrs. Mu Sochua said: “The SRP categorically rejects the accusation claiming that the SRP threatens its own party members. We can see with our own eyes that the CPP is using tricks to attract SRP party members by rewarding them with money and position. We believe that this seriously affects the freedom right of each individual to participate in politics, and in particular, it destroys democracy. In looking at the upcoming election, it is no longer a free and fair election anymore.”
Mrs. Mu Sochua told RFA also that Sok Pheng, the SRP defector, told her about a black list set up by the CPP to arrest Tuot Saron and 3 other stubborn SRP activists from Kampong Thom province: “Sok Pheng called me personally 3-4 days prior (to the arrest), he told me about the accusation made against those on the CPP blacklist, and that they will be arrested. Sok Pheng made the accusation that they (SRP activists) threaten that woman (Tim Norn). A few day after (Sok Pheng’s) accusation, the arrest indeed took place. I can see that this is planned in advance by the CPP in order to break up the SRP, and two days later, the (SRP Kampong Thom province) party vice-president who was named, was indeed arrested. Therefore, those who have strong standing, those who refuse to sell themselves to the CPP, they are listed in the CPP blacklist. In Kampong Thom, Sok Pheng knows all the SRP activists.”
Furthermore, Mrs. Mu Sochua also revealed about the CPP tricks in using former SRP party members who defected to the CPP to influence and attract other SRP party members.
Mrs. Mu Sochua added: “I have another concern because, today, Ngo Sovann, a former SRP MP who defected to the CPP, came to Kampot province which I am in charge of (for the SRP), and he tried to pull our party members to join the CPP, he promised to give them positions at the Council of Ministers and 1 million riels ($250) also. Ngo Sovann was also armed with a gun (when he visited SRP party activists). This is of particular interest to see the trick (used by the CPP) which does not respect democracy at all. They should end this type of action.”
Regarding this arrest, In Kong Chit, an investigator of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) said that, based on witnesses in the case, this is what he found out: “Tim Norn went to (SRP defector) Sok Pheng’s house, there, Sok Pheng’s wife gave her $200 to help influence other SRP activists to make them defect to the CPP. When Tim Norn received the money, she did not execute Sok Pheng’s wife order, instead she spent all the money, and she became concerned and wanted to re-join the SRP back. She escaped from her own home, and called a number of SRP officials whom she knew to help bring her to Phnom Penh.”
On Monday, Prime minister Hun Sen asked for an investigation in the threat case against Tim Norn who recently joined the CPP, and after she complained that she was detained.
Hun Sen said: “I will wait and see what the various human rights organizations will yell about, and this case must be researched until a conclusion (can be found) by the authority, the human rights NGOs, as well as by the International community which must look into it. When H.E. Sok Pheng left his position as SRP MP, there were SRP members at the commune and commune councilor levels who also left with him, there were many of them. Then they detained her, and when she went back (home), they told her not to talk about it.”
Regarding the arrest of Tuot Saron by the Baray district police on 18 March, the office of the SRP Secretary-general issued a statement indicating that the arrest of the commune chief by the police took place after Hun Sen’s speech on Monday, and it also clarified that there was no detention on Tim Norn as was claimed. In fact, the SRP was helping to protect her because of her fear and concern for her personal safety, as well as that of her husband and children.
In its statement, the SRP asked the Kampong Thom police and tribunal to end the accusation and to release Tuot Saron immediately and without any condition. The SRP also asked for a clear investigation into this case to reveal the culprits who made up the story to blame an innocent person.
Regarding this issue, Ou Virak, CCHR president, considers it as a measure taken by the ruling party to oppress, threaten, and discourage opposition activists.
Ou Virak said: “This is an excuse to threaten the opposition party. In general, we can see that those in power take measure to oppress the political freedom rights of opposition party activists, this is one point. The second point is that I am concerned that this is not just an isolated case, I am concerned that this could spread into the arrest and threat against activists from other opposition parties also.”
Mrs. Mu Sochua, SRP Deputy Secretary-general, rejected that accusation leveled against the SRP claiming that her party threatens their own party members, she also said that the election for the 4th legislative mandate will not be free and fair.
Mrs. Mu Sochua said: “The SRP categorically rejects the accusation claiming that the SRP threatens its own party members. We can see with our own eyes that the CPP is using tricks to attract SRP party members by rewarding them with money and position. We believe that this seriously affects the freedom right of each individual to participate in politics, and in particular, it destroys democracy. In looking at the upcoming election, it is no longer a free and fair election anymore.”
Mrs. Mu Sochua told RFA also that Sok Pheng, the SRP defector, told her about a black list set up by the CPP to arrest Tuot Saron and 3 other stubborn SRP activists from Kampong Thom province: “Sok Pheng called me personally 3-4 days prior (to the arrest), he told me about the accusation made against those on the CPP blacklist, and that they will be arrested. Sok Pheng made the accusation that they (SRP activists) threaten that woman (Tim Norn). A few day after (Sok Pheng’s) accusation, the arrest indeed took place. I can see that this is planned in advance by the CPP in order to break up the SRP, and two days later, the (SRP Kampong Thom province) party vice-president who was named, was indeed arrested. Therefore, those who have strong standing, those who refuse to sell themselves to the CPP, they are listed in the CPP blacklist. In Kampong Thom, Sok Pheng knows all the SRP activists.”
Furthermore, Mrs. Mu Sochua also revealed about the CPP tricks in using former SRP party members who defected to the CPP to influence and attract other SRP party members.
Mrs. Mu Sochua added: “I have another concern because, today, Ngo Sovann, a former SRP MP who defected to the CPP, came to Kampot province which I am in charge of (for the SRP), and he tried to pull our party members to join the CPP, he promised to give them positions at the Council of Ministers and 1 million riels ($250) also. Ngo Sovann was also armed with a gun (when he visited SRP party activists). This is of particular interest to see the trick (used by the CPP) which does not respect democracy at all. They should end this type of action.”
11 comments:
The funny thing is if the SRP knows about the CPP trick, why do its members keep on falling into it?
Probably it is time the party looked into its own membership management, instead of treating defectors as traitors.
SS
CPP play the same game that they played with Funcinpec party. It's Ok, I volunteer to become HUN SEN internal cancer what will cause his gangs mess up in the future. Let see how he feels about it.
Forever, Never join single eye man!
The SRP is just trying to take their last swipe at the CPP because they know they got no hope left.
Come on, folks! This is a fair game, and stop blaming yourself and others. This is not how you solve problems.
Ah gorillas out!
We can destroy(annul) easily the party rainsy sam by controlling the legality of the origin of its financing.
It seems certain capital has a doubtful origin.
Yes, and the origin is the EU and the US, not the losers from long beach. They can't even afford to fund themselves if you know what I mean.
i think everybody got tricks in asia, especially in politics! it's a two-way street, so people have to understand and see the big picture before they all jumb to a blind conclusion. it is called think critically, analizing the situation concretely or study the problem), then can one comes up with a good, sound, and reasonable conclusion or solution in order for it to be effective and credulous. thank you!
Folks, the bottom line is if the SRP can't keep their party in one piece, how can't they keep Cambodia in one piece? Accordingly, the SRP could only lead the country to another destructive civil war, back to "year zero" again?
cpp leader will take along his prime minister job with him when he dies,unlike our neibours countries,thai,vietname,their leaders historically sacrified their flesh for their country .
That is the stupidest comment I ever heard of. Usually, people only switch leader for better one, not worse.
And because there is no better leader than the real Khmer leader, we will continue to lead until such time. It's stupid to switch for the fun of it.
Post a Comment