By Sok Khemara, VOA KhmerWashington
02 May 2008
The 18-month prison sentence facing Prince Norodom Ranariddh and a recent lawsuit filed against opposition leader Sam Rainsy spell worry that the courts are being politicized ahead of elections, a monitor said Thursday.
“The courts shouldn’t be used to cause problems when there is an election,” said Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections.
Prince Ranariddh, who is running an eponymous political party from exile, faces his jail term, on charges related to embezzlement, if he returns to the country.
Foreign Minister Hor Nahmhong, meanwhile, has filed a suit against Sam Rainsy, for remarks allegedly implicating the minister as complicit under the Khmer Rouge.
Koul Panha said as a guest on “Hello VOA” Thursday Cambodians should be seeking a positive environment for the polls.
The run-up to this year’s election has been better than in the past, he said, and voters do not fear as much about their safety and security, especially compared to 1992 and 1998.
While some voters may want to see the election date changed—either because it’s the rainy season or because of high prices for fuel—the election law is not easy to amend, Koul Panha said.
“The courts shouldn’t be used to cause problems when there is an election,” said Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections.
Prince Ranariddh, who is running an eponymous political party from exile, faces his jail term, on charges related to embezzlement, if he returns to the country.
Foreign Minister Hor Nahmhong, meanwhile, has filed a suit against Sam Rainsy, for remarks allegedly implicating the minister as complicit under the Khmer Rouge.
Koul Panha said as a guest on “Hello VOA” Thursday Cambodians should be seeking a positive environment for the polls.
The run-up to this year’s election has been better than in the past, he said, and voters do not fear as much about their safety and security, especially compared to 1992 and 1998.
While some voters may want to see the election date changed—either because it’s the rainy season or because of high prices for fuel—the election law is not easy to amend, Koul Panha said.
26 comments:
With allegation of his association with Khmer Rouge, Hor Nam Hong should now resign from his post for a full investigation. He cannot sue anyone while his is still waiting for his name to be clear from investigation. I urge people who knew Hor Nam Hong in Kuk Bung Trabek to file a complain to Khmer rouge court. Areak Prey
Areak Prey;
With allegation of his association with Khmer Rouge, Hor Nam Hong should now resign from his post for a full investigation.
Allegation is only allegation and therefore people need to prove that he was the man in charge of the place at the time. People can't just resign because of people assumed or suggested that he was the man.
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The courts shouldn’t be used to cause problems when there is an election.
When there is a lawsuit lodged the court shall look into the case even if it is timing for the election, however, they must do their job properly.
Personally point of view, can't see the case will create any problem for the election. CPP is not taking risk to be judged for creating unpleasant environment.
Dear Poster 4:24AM,
You may have experienced that Cambodian politicians have lost all their moral of responsibility since the fall of Lon Nol regime. The khmer rouge and their leaders have treated Cambodian as their pets. They can used their pets on what purpose they like. They can keep them hungry, overwork and kill them. Since after Khmer Rouge regime, Hun Sen and his clan with support of Vietnam, have also used Cambodian in the same way without any moral responsibility as a leader, a parent or a role model of leadership. We have to end this kind of mentality with a good model of ancien Cambodian and other civilised Nations where all politicians must have resposibility. THe recent trains crushed in China, have resulted with two high ranking officials in the transport ministry to declare to be resigned. In USA, with responsiblity of his leadership, Tony Blair has resigned. Former USA state secretary has resigned for his confusion of his government invasion into Iraq. Many French politicains have also done the same. In Australia, many politicians have also resigned by allegation from opposition party. In New Zealand. there are many miniters have also to resign for their lack of responsiblity for their ministry. In Cambodia, offcourse, everyone knew very well that Hor Nam Hong was a Khmer Rouge figure. If he has a moral resposibilty ( only animal who has moral responsiblity), he has to resign to prove that he has responsibility. We have so many people like them, that is why Cambodia is being moving backward to the old feudalism. It is not about unpleasant environment but it is about responsibilty. As a Minister of foreign Affairs, he must have a good education, a good brought up responsibility person. Without a moral resposibility, he is no different to any monky in the forests. Areak Prey
applause !
Areak Prey
please go on my friend , and thank you.
Xia Xia, Areak Prey!
Screw that guy at 4:24 AM!
Since the collapse of Funcinpec the next goverment of Cambodia will be Cpp+Samrainsy party.Hun sen is very clever he does not khnow how to kick out the old Bolchovicks Hor Nam Hong and Kiet chong he suggestes Samraingsy to do the job for him,if the job is OK the two ministries Finance and Foreing affairs will belong to Samraingsy and his wife.Who khnew the secret meeting between Hun sen and Samraingsy?
Let the court work on the case, will ya?
Now listen! Nobody can hide any secret and with time God will reveal to Cambodian people!
Let ECCC (Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia) and not AH HUN SEN court to work on the case!
Who hiding anything? Only Ah criminal Sam Rainsy who hiding things, and he'll be in Prey Sor soon for that.
By rule of the democratic system, Hor Nam should resign now to prove that he has full responsiblity for the Nation in which he has not been associated with Khmer rouge organisation during khmer rouge regime. If after a full investigation, he found that he hasn't involved with Khmer Rouge regime, and has cleared his name from associating with the killing regime then he can sue SRP for his lost of income. If during the resignation, he still receive an income as a MP, SRP needs to pay the different between an income of a minister and a MP for a full Period of his standown as a MP for a full investigation. But if the investigation prolonge until after the election, Hor Nam Hong cannot stand as a MP while his name is under investigation. In case that after investigation, his name will be cleared from associating with Khmer rouge, then SRP has to pay all his lost income from the adte of his resignation untill the end of next term ( 5 years ministerial income ). He cannot sue SRP under defamation case at all because first, he is a politician, secondly he cannot earn any monies outside from his salary at a minister at all. Therefore, if he can clear his name, the most he can claim all his lost income from his miniterial salary. But if he cannot clear his name, he will have to join other Khmer rouge leaders in the Khmer rouge detention centre for further investigation for the crime he did have during the khmer rouge regime.
Defamation case can only appy to individual who are not holding public office and defamation can cause them for the lost of their income. Areak Prey
Fuck off you Vietcong @8:50 AM.
Go home Vietcong, Go home!
Leave Khmer people alone!
Khmer needs no Vietcong on Khmer land!
Oh, shut the fuck up, stupid (8:55). Nobody will resigned to any dumb allegation on this planet, maybe on your planet of the Ape, yes.
8:50AM,
I am terribly sorry for your parents for unfortunately having such an ill-bred son of the devil like you.
Without moral qualities, a man is no better than animal, and that is you.
Hey you self-declared Viet-born @9:38 AM, get the fuck off of Khmer's blog.
Go home Vietcong, go home!
Khmer needs no Vietcong on Khmer land!
Head on down the Mekong river and go home you Vietcong!
Wrong, we need to keep the Thai in check and balance.
Go home Vietcong @11:31AM, Go home!
http://about-cambodia.blogspot.com/2008/05/he-sure-knows-how-to-put-his-foot-in-it.html
Re: wwww.about-Cambodia.blogspot.com @
12:54 PM
KJE the pro-Viet self-proclaimed free-thinker should change his blog name to anything but about-Cambodia.
If KJE really wants that much publicity that bad, tell me now so I can schedule a task to hit his blog every minute, 24/7.
KJE can do the math as to the # of hits in just one week time.
Please let me know.
Can KJE of about-Cambodia be the same Viet that has been shitting all over KI-Media after all these times???
One Cambodian kid
There is nothing wrong with shitting on Ah Khmer-Yuon's blog (KI-Media). That is what people supposed to do.
Nope wrong, it's just like shitting on you mother's head..don't you understand anything, you Viet parasite? grrrr!
Are you shitting on your father's head too, you Viet parasite?
Arak Prey;
You may have experienced that Cambodian politicians have lost all their moral of responsibility since the fall of Lon Nol regime.
I have no experience in politic but I have been observing how politicians talks and done. Don't think Lon Nol had ever had any moral responsibility before his regime collapsed.
Pol Pot had never had one either.
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In USA, with responsiblity of his leadership, Tony Blair has resigned
1st of all, Tony Blair was the PM of UK.
2nd, he resigned from the top post at his peak of his career, admitting it was the right time for Gordon Brown to take over [wanted to be recognised as a good PM but not went down by the time].
3rd, he was a staunching support of Iraq war based on the information provided at the time by the US counterpart.
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Former USA state secretary has resigned for his confusion of his government invasion into Iraq.
Collin Power resigned purely because he convinced that the Iraq war would never be won without marjority of international community. He was sent to sell the Bush policy at UN but his skeptism and unwillingness to go along his superior had cause unpleasant environment and finally decided to call a quit.
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In Australia, many politicians have also resigned by allegation from opposition party.
Can you be more precisely on Australian politician who resinged in recent year. I can tell you that John Howard and his coalition party [Liberal/National] was voted out of the office last year. His treasure than Peter Castello prefers to be a backbench and so does the foreign minister Alexander Downer.
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In Cambodia, offcourse, everyone knew very well that Hor Nam Hong was a Khmer Rouge figure. If he has a moral resposibilty ( only animal who has moral responsiblity), he has to resign to prove that he has responsibility
Can you tell me that anyone [every ordinary citizen like ourselves] in Cambodia ever admitted for their wrong doing. I don't tink so.
Screw that guy at 4:24 AM!
5:58 AM
Thank you for the comment.
By rule of the democratic system, Hor Nam should resign now to prove that he has full responsiblity for the Nation in which he has not been associated with Khmer rouge organisation during khmer rouge regime.
Rule of democratic system does not constitute that a person on the center of allegation shall resign because people think so.
No person shall be considered guilty unless otherwise have been proved and convicted, under the democratic system.
secondly he cannot earn any monies outside from his salary at a minister at all.
Any politicians around the world have some sort of incomes either derived from consultation works or business of their own which they have duly declared before they sown in as MP.
If during the resignation, he still receive an income as a MP, SRP needs to pay the different between an income of a minister and a MP for a full Period of his standown as a MP for a full investigation.
If prove that he innocent, SR will land himself in hefty panalty. I don't think people would settle for a peanut but will go to extend for more damage and humilition.
Dear Poster 6:16AM. You are completly to say that a minister can earn monies from other income such as consultation works. It is a conflict of interest to allow a minister of the Government to earn monies from such source. In any civilised countries, these kind of Minister will be forced to resign immediately.
# For Poster 6:06 , you are right Tony Blair was PM of England. I an so sorry for my slippery pen and for USA is mr Colin Power. For Australian and NZ Ministers who were forced to resign for lack of responsibility, you can find them through google.com and search for Minister being forced to resigned.
For the compensation from the court case, the court will not allow the minister to counter-claim from their plentif any unreasonnable sum at all. THe court case between politicians are not about monies, but it is about political integrity. Therefore they court to just to prove that they are the highest integrity politician. Areak Prey
Oh shut the fuck up, Ah Jkout (10:45). This is not planet of the ape where you came from, alright?
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