Monday, July 14, 2008

Hun Sen on France 24: “I don’t want to imitate Norodom Sihanouk”

Hun Sen not imitating King-Father

Monday, July 07, 2008
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr

Click here to read the original article in French

In an interview given to our colleagues on France 24, on 26 June, Prime minister Hun Sen touched upon several sensitive topics. From his political longevity to former King Norodom Sihanouk, and passing through the KR trial, the Kingdom’s Strongman gave out good and bad points.

Relaxed and smiling, but firm on his position, Hun Sen reminded first about his political adversaries: “Close to the election, political parties increase their criticisms, therefore, I decided to cut all relationships.”

Regarding his (political) longevity, Hun Sen insisted on the pairing of himself and the CPP: “If the party is not solid, I wouldn’t be here today. Our destinies are linked…” Bringing up the ideological evolution of communism to “reality,” Hun Sen assured that he will not be too old when he will relinquish power. That being said, he nailed down his detractors. Speaking about himself using the third person, Hun Sen declared: “They are scared of Hun Sen. As long as Hun Sen will remain in politics, they know that they are in a deadlock.”

However, his most virulent attack was reserved to the former King: “I want to make myself clear on one point: I do not want to imitate Norodom Sihanouk. His era was the 60s. Me, I live in the 21st century. If I were Sihanouk, I would order the shutdown of all opposition parties, just like when he was in power. There wouldn’t even be any election in a few weeks because there would be only one party….”

When asked about what will remain of Hun Sen in historical books? He replied without hesitation: “The greatest pride for Hun Sen: his CPP and the nation, it’s the end of civil war and the dismantling of the KR.”

On the subject of the former Polpotists, Hun Sen said that the accusation that he would have delayed the KR trial is “unfair.” “If I was really against it, do you think it could see the daylight? In Cambodia, if there is no Hun Sen’s signature, things cannot be done,” he pummeled.

He said to be “very concerned” that those accused who are “all very old” would “die before being tried.” That’s the reason why he wants “the trial to speed up,” before concluding by a latest cutting remark: “But, maybe the tribunal officials have their own reasons to delay the trial.”

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the biggest error of judgment of our August King Father in the 1960s was his Mao-inspired self-help policy ("Le Cambodge s' aide lui-meme"). Our Prime Minister, the Strongman of Cambodia, is pursuing "foreign-help" or dependency policy.

LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong

Anonymous said...

"If you get a prudent companion who is fit to live with you,who behaves well,and is wise,you should live with him joyfully and mindfully overcoming all dangers."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Albert Einstein.
E=mc2
..................
Sihanouk.
(2000 000 khmers killed)+ (-1)=4 500 OOO immigrant Viets in Cambodia.

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=kIrcr8tMbtw&feature=related
................................
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=GhwMpcCas2U
..................................
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=axCSr7U3tBE
.................................................................................................................
Maytreya Buddha Sculpture

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=1x36LhblJF0&feature=related
Maitreya Project
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=PoTST0aB_M8&feature=related

Anonymous said...

ils sont tout les deux complices pour garder les pouvoirs .

A chkè sihanouk qu'il aille en enfer a chkè kbat chheat et le chien de hanoi.

un bon républicain qui souhaite ta mort en souffrant .

Anonymous said...

What an arrogant son of a bitch.

He sold the country to foreigners for profit as he sold his children to his conies as they sold theirs to other cronies.To perpetuate their hold on the country and to steal for generations to come.

But we know what happens to dictators and thieves. He is young enough to to live and see his fate
when cambodia will evolve into a democracy.

Anonymous said...

Prime Minister Hun Sen can rule as long as he wins the people's votes. The point is whether he can bring about prosperity and justice to the Cambodia's poors and under-previlliged.

Besides bringing some growth to urban areas and connecting roads to some rural areas using donor and taxpayers' money, there are growing corruption, partisan, clans, and injustice.

He should have eleminated the above-mentioned as a strongman.


Kong Moeung

Anonymous said...

le roi Sihanouk et Samdech akka moha sena paddey Hun Sun sont tous les deux esclaves et chiens de Pékin et Hanoï.

Si Samdech akka moha sena padde Hun Sen voulait rester au pouvoir abosolu à vie, il suffirait de mander à l'aide millitaire de Hanoi. Et le Résultat, le rouyaume khmer perdrait encore plus quelque millier de kimétre carré du territoire ainsi que le peuple khmer qui risquerait de s'approvrir encore plus fort.

Et Le roi Sihanouk, est exactement le même comportement que Samdech akka moha sena paddey Hun Sen, le roi demanderait à l'aide de Pékin. Et le résultat, plusieurs millions de mort etc...

En conclusion : les deux Top Gun sont très fort pour détruire le royaume khmer.

Kaun khmer

Anonymous said...

Why is his (Hun Sen) practically larger than his body?

Is this photo digitally doctored?

Anonymous said...

Yes Samdech Akak Mohasena ACHO Hun xen & his party are very gud & strong day by day. So good at doing evil things on his people and so strong at destroying the natural resources of the country. For the remaining in power, they dare to do any things... now they have two dogs hungered for power at CTN who are very clever at lobbying his party by not being afraid of going to hell for speaking out the untrue & shameful words (if you are trying to fool around the people, please fool only your family. For a nationalist like you will send your family & children to go to study abroad rather than local here and then return home to be a barking dog like you in stead of promoting the welfare of the country.)Soy Sopheap you are so talented and I feel sorry that you are not working for humanitary purposes but for power since an educated person like you is more dangerous to the society than the normal people when having power in hands.

If CPP party is strong and will win in every election can they do the followings,
- allow the oppositional party to own any kind of medias if they wish.. especially television and radio and they will obey the media rules & state regulations (not shut them down when they just show the reality to the people).
- stop threaten the oppositional activists by any means...
- Control the widespreads of Vietnamese immigrants into Cambodia..
- Do not put pressure on the government staffs to join his party(otherwise they will not be promoted no matter how hard they work & how qualified they are). Most of the government officials have been registered to CPP which accounted lots of percentage of voters...
- Creat the 100% transparency in the election process..etc.



From a Khmer counryside adult educated locally.

Anonymous said...

4:49 PM

Thanks for your input! It's quite compelling and poignant. Again, thanks!

Anonymous said...

ហ៊ុន សែនថាមិនតាមលំនាំសីហនុ ក៏នឹងមិនតាមលំនាំសម រង្ស៊ីដែរ ជារឿងសមហេតុផល ព្រោះ សារជាតិហ៊ុន សែនជាជនកុំមុយនិស្តផ្តាច់ការ សីហនុជាជនសក្តិភូមិ រីឯសម រង្ស៊ីជាអ្នកប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ។ តើប្រជារាស្ត្រខ្មែរ ត្រូវជ្រើសរើសមួយណា?

Anonymous said...

I will grant you for additional four years of power, after that -- you'll be assinated.

Thanks for maintaining the security of the country.

Great jobs on your progressive developments (throughout Cambodia).

Anonymous said...

In the 21st century, Hun Sen CAN'T order the shutdown of all opposition parties even though Hun Sen want it because of international pressures especially United Nations, USA, European Union.

Anonymous said...

6:33 PM

I don't think his advisors would advise him to do that; it would be a political suicidal.

Anonymous said...

First what Hun Sen claimed are false. He cannot shut down all the parties because he is a beggar and relies only on International Support. To say that King Sihanouk is scared of him is also False. Hun Sen has no shame not long ago he returned home after Vice President of China refused to meet him and that after he attacked King Sihanouk.

If Rainsy wins, all Hun Sen can do is to congratulate Rainsy instead of ordering the military to take no order from the new leader.
This kind of message already shows that Hun Sen is nothing but a thug; so how would he want the history to judge him?

Hun Sen is good in lying and bragging.


Aleiv

Anonymous said...

Hey, the ruling party will still remain in power simply because it is their interlocked system and the people's will. Isn't it? Well, yes and no. Wanting or not, the fact remains that Cambodia's clientelistic politics will tell whether it is possible to buy in a wholesale removal of such a closely interlocked network of family and political elites in Cambodia. It is costly at the prices of those in power. Neither political will nor peasants' needs of change can be discerned. Resources are controlled and exploited. Oil wealth might not be simply realized and accumulated, Cambodians!, provided that reforms are that slow and ineffective to a large extent.

I feel a repugnance to what these elitists have come to expect of political office in the upcoming aftermath of general election. It is frustrated to be involved with such a wagon. Jas. NZ.

Anonymous said...

Most troubling in Cambodia is a steady drumbeat from the Cambodian people like Dr. Lao and plus the wanna be media pundits like 3:04PM.

Dr. Lao and his people never admitted that they under estimated the Viet Minh took journey since 1930's and the Khmers were with them marching freaking a slogan get rid of French. But little that they knew the Vietnamese Communist and Khmer Communists were already poured into Cambodia in every corner of the country.

There was no way to defeat the Khmer Communist along with the Vietnamese Communist as they're guerrillas trained a bunch of Khmer farmers with their lies they fought French; it was Ho Chi Minh's tricks to keep Laos and Cambodia in his clip.

With those insurgency or guerrillas in Cambodia, Sihanouk maintained calm like nothing happened in his country. The west like US and UK were only interested with Thailand and Vietnam, not Cambodia.

The Lon Nol and the Kheiu Samphan actors were created after that, and there Sihanouk popped up in China disappointed Ho Chi Minh a little bit, but the games went on.

Those who spelled defeat for Camboda and lost 2 million lives are once again shifting the blame onto Sihanouk of warrior, because they are ignorant.


Not only these Cambodian have ducked its role in this fabricated rumor about Sihanouk, but their lies come straight form their ignorant mouth.

Do not quit in Sihanouk name because you all cheapen his sacrifice and dishonour his devotion by even pretending you knew all.

Sihanouk embarked on a crusade against his powerful enemy Ho Chi Minh through Lon Nol and Kheiu Samphan. Without Sihanouk back then it'd be 5 to 6 millions dead.
The Vietnamese suffered multi million dead in battle and look at them now? They move one and their country continue to progress.


I am not prone to frivolous comment on this subject. I just see why Cambodians are always in the ultimate failure in their lives. They are too dumb, self pity looking for attentions cost foreign donore multimillion of dollars just to put a few useless people on KRT.

Anonymous said...

You know what? We can trial HUN SEN just the way Indonesia trialed Suharto.

All his assets will return to the country.

What comes around will go around.
Those wealth HUN SEN have will be going back to the state.

Those fangless day willl come just like Suharto.

Please vote for SRP will clear all this corruptions that CPP sucking out of our country.

SRP for the win!!!

Anonymous said...

You know what? We can trial HUN SEN just the way Indonesia trialed Suharto.

All his assets will return to the country.

What comes around will go around.
Those wealth HUN SEN have will be going back to the state.

Those fangless day willl come just like Suharto.

Please vote for SRP will clear all this corruptions that CPP sucking out of our country.

SRP for the win!!!

Anonymous said...

8:24 you motherfucker Viet all your fucking history and fack are fucking right in your wrong head!

Anonymous said...

9:00PM,
I am not Vietnamese or Cambodian. The truth hurts because of your ignorance. If I am a Vietnamese I want King Sihanouk dead and erase Cambodia the same as other Vietnamese today leaders wish.

Face the reality and read my comments very careful, or don't waste time.

Go back and learn the facts why the Vietnamese were so loved by the French and why the Vietnamese acted as the surrogate administrators for the French in Cambodia and Laos.

Stop running away from the reality, but face it, why Cambodians failed?


You Cambodians should at the very least look at the true history and dig up the sources of the conflict between Cambodia and her neighbors.
Stop blaming others but yourself.

Anonymous said...

Not just French who trusted the Vietnamese, when the Americans arrived to replace the defeat French they did the same.

Why should anyone blame Sihanouk?
The west was willing to sacrifice Cambodia to keep friendship with Thailand and Vietnam, and who are tehy kidding with?

Anonymous said...

Assassination of Ho Sok

Shortly after the above incident, there was a coup d'etat in July 1997 led by Hun Sen to outlaw the Funcinpec Party. Mr. Ho Sok went to the Singapore Embassy in Phnom Penh for asylum because Hun Sen and Hoc Lundy were trying to arrest him as he was from the Funcipec Party. The asylum was refused and Ho Sok was turned away. Hoc Lundy then apprehended him and ordered his bodyguards to take him to General Ma Seun's office of the PPC. Hoc Lundy then gave me direct order to take Ho Sok to my office. When I arrived there, there were 6 armed men sent by Hoc Lundy waiting for me. I knew the two of them and they were Keov Vichet and Bon Na . They shot Ho Sok outside Ma Seun's office. I questioned them as to the killing. Bon Na replied that Hoc Lundy sent them to kill Ho Sok then and there. Hoc Lundy did not like Ho Sok. I was shocked and rang Hoc Lundy who said that if Ho Sok was alive he would create a lot of trouble for us. He asked me to give Bon Na a car from the police vehicle pool as his reward. I did what I was told and gave Bon Na a Camry 97.

There were five people who witnessed the killing, Ma Seun, Thorn Im and three other people including Thorn Lim (General) and Ine Bora (Colonel), Mow So Vanna (Colonel) and the other anti-crime squad,

The Death of Movie Star Piseth Pilika

In 1999, I was heading the Anti- Crime Bureau as deputy director and was in charge of the investigation of the death of the movie star. I found that before she died, she had an affair with Hoc Lundy. Her husband went overseas frequently, leaving her alone in Cambodia. Hoc Lundy often contacted her and took her to parties and buying her presents etc. In due course, a relationship was developed and she bore a son for Hoc Lundy. Then Hoc Lundy introduced her to Hun Sen. Hun Sen met her. Prior to her meeting Hun Sen, she was not that well off. But afterwards, she made a lot of money. Her bank account in Canada Bank showed a balance of US$30,000 at the time of her death. She was also given a brand new Honda CRV and a villa. She was worried about her safety everyday as Hun Sen's wife found out their secret affairs. Hun Sen's wife blamed Hoc Lundy as he was the matchmaker. Hoc Lundy made peace with her and promised that he would try to separate the movie star from Hun Sen. Soon the movie star was killed. I found out that the killer was one of Hoc Lundy's body guards. I went to question Bon Na and he admitted that he was involved together with Keov Vichet in the killing under the order of Hoc Lundy.

Because the crime involved Hoc Lundy, I could do nothing about it. I made no arrest. I was very upset and there an innocent life killed and I being a police officer could do nothing.

Helping the Opposition Party

In 2000, I got in touch with the opposition parties. I did this because I believed that the Hun Sen government was corrupted and that if there was any hope for Cambodia, it would be through the opposition parties. He had too much blood on his hands having killed too many people. I would like to see a change in the Cambodian Government to bring democracy and Justice to Cambodia. When I heard Hoc Lundy and Hun Sen were conspiring to kill them. I went to alert the opposition leaders in secret by contacting people closer to them and to warn them.

I suggested to them joining forces to get a better chance to be elected in the next election in 2008. I also gave some evidence showing how corrupted Hun Sen was to the opposition leaders so that they may expose it to the public. In late June/July 2006, Hun Sen found out that I was speaking to the opposition giving them suggestions etc. He was not happy with me. He accused me of being not loyal to the PPC.

On 23 July, I left Cambodia to Malaysia to have my leg checked and then to Singapore to see my sons and get a prescription glass done by a friend. Before I left, I asked for permission to go overseas and they granted the permission. On 28 July, I heard from Cambodia and friends that I could not go back anymore because Hun Sen was angry with me accusing me of being a traitor to the PPC. They were trumping up charges against me.

I know his real reasons for my arrest. I know too much about him and about his illegal activities. He saw me as a threat to him and wanted to get rid of me.

Speaking out

With all that I found out about Hun Sen and Hoc Lundy, I was in despair. I was like a lost ship in a vast ocean. I have my principles and ideals but in a corrupted world, I was going nowhere. To survive, I have to keep my eyes closed to many evils that I have witnessed. It was killing me inside. On three separate occasions between 1999, 2000 and 2001, I decided to talk to the Human Rights Watch in Cambodia . I spoke to Ms. Pon Chigate(PHON), Director of the LICADO in Cambodia, Eva of Global Witness in Phnom Penh, Henrick, former UNHCR representative in Phnom Penh, Christopher Peschoux, UNHCR in Geneva, Mr. Paul Grover of the US Anti-Drug Intelligence Service and finally Naly of the LICADO in Cambodia.

Killing of Judge Sok Setha Mony

I read in the foreign press that I have been accused by Hun Sen of being involved in the assassination of Judge Sok Setha Mony. This is a total fabrication on Hun Sen's part to justify his campaign against me.

In 2003, the judge was killed by a terrorist group known as the CFF. The military police in Phnom Penh arrested three people suspected of being involved in the assassination. The arrests were coordinated by Colonel Sim Hong, Military police, who headed the investigations. I had nothing to do with the arrest, because it was military police's job.

The people arrested are Chun Ched Tra, and Moul Made but I cannot remember the other person's name.

I had a great respect for the judge and I had personally known him well. There was no way that I would have arranged for him to be killed.

I believe that this is just one of the many trumped up charges they had against me in order to secure my arrest. I know too much and I have treaded on too many toes.

Seizure of 36 kg Heroine

In 2003, I obtained information from an anonymous tip that Lt Colonel Ngur Sambath who was a man of General Sao Sokkha (three-star) and general Dom Hak (2 star) was involved in heroine trade. Following investigations, we attend his residence at Toul Kork District, in Phnom Penh and seized 36 kg of Heroine. Lt Colonel was arrested on the spot but Dom Hak who was residing there fled the scene. We attempted to chase after him to arrest him, but Hun Sen stopped us, ordering not to arrest Dom Hak nor to investigate, saying that there was no need to arrest Dom Hak. I had to stop chasing and investigating. Instead of punishing him Hun Sen surprisingly promoted him to three star about one month later. Ngur Sambath was found killed in the prison. Hun Sen told me not to be too harsh on drug trade.

Not long after this, there was a function organized by Hoc Lundv for all the general. Sao Sokkha was there and I was also invited. Sau Sokkha praised me a lot at the function and wanted me to be close to him. He said to me that if we united together, we could do anything in Cambodia. He then said that there was only one thing referring to my stance on drug trade. He asked me to stop investigating into the drug trafficking as Narcotic did not cause any trouble to Cambodia. I confronted him saving that I did not agree. He became angry and said to me that if you kept investigating, he would use his own sword to kill me

Other people witnessed it and they came over to us trying to calm us down.

Request for court and justice reform

At the beginning of 2005, I requested to my Prime Minister Hun Sen to reform the court and justice system as it was corrupted. Many judges around the country were not happy with me especially the prosecutor OKsa Voth who was known to be the master of corruption. The Prime Minister supported me and he announced in public to reform the country's justice system. People welcomed the move and to commemorate the occasion, they wrote a song in which my name was mentioned. I told them not to as the Prime Minister would not be happy to see my name being promoted too much. Oksa Voth was unhappy with me as he saw the reform would potentially bring to an end what he could do under the current system.

Anonymous said...

no one person is the same, everyone lives under the laws. that said, having respect for the elderly is another separate issue altogether.

Anonymous said...

8:24PM is full of shit. what planet was he from ?.So weird.

Anonymous said...

Most troubling in Cambodia is a steady drumbeat from the Cambodian people like Dr. Lao and plus the wanna be media pundits like 3:04PM.

Dr. Lao and his people never admitted that they under estimated the Viet Minh took journey since 1930's and the Khmers were with them marching freaking a slogan get rid of French. But little that they knew the Vietnamese Communist and Khmer Communists were already poured into Cambodia in every corner of the country.

There was no way to defeat the Khmer Communist along with the Vietnamese Communist as they're guerrillas trained a bunch of Khmer farmers with their lies they fought French; it was Ho Chi Minh's tricks to keep Laos and Cambodia in his clip.

With those insurgency or guerrillas in Cambodia, Sihanouk maintained calm like nothing happened in his country. The west like US and UK were only interested with Thailand and Vietnam, not Cambodia.

The Lon Nol and the Kheiu Samphan actors were created after that, and there Sihanouk popped up in China disappointed Ho Chi Minh a little bit, but the games went on.

Those who spelled defeat for Camboda and lost 2 million lives are once again shifting the blame onto Sihanouk of warrior, because they are ignorant.


Not only these Cambodian have ducked its role in this fabricated rumor about Sihanouk, but their lies come straight from their ignorant mouth.

Do not quit in Sihanouk name because you all cheapen his sacrifice and dishonour his devotion by even pretending you knew all.

Sihanouk embarked on a crusade against his powerful enemy Ho Chi Minh through Lon Nol and Kheiu Samphan. Without Sihanouk back then it'd be 5 to 6 millions dead.
The Vietnamese suffered multi million dead in battle and look at them now? They move one and their country continue to progress.


I am not prone to frivolous comment on this subject. I just see why Cambodians are always in the ultimate failure in their lives. They are too dumb, self pity looking for attentions cost foreign donors multimillion of dollars just to put a few useless people on KRT.


9:00PM,
I am not Vietnamese or Cambodian. The truth hurts because of your ignorance. If I am a Vietnamese I want King Sihanouk dead and erase Cambodia the same as other Vietnamese today leaders wish.

Face the reality and read my comments very careful, or don't waste time.

Go back and learn the facts why the Vietnamese were so loved by the French and why the Vietnamese acted as the surrogate administrators for the French in Cambodia and Laos.

Stop running away from the reality, but face it, why Cambodians failed?


You Cambodians should at the very least look at the true history and dig up the sources of the conflict between Cambodia and her neighbors.
Stop blaming others but yourself.


Maxwell

Anonymous said...

Maxwell, please azzhole, keep your comment to youself, du ma cong cak.

Just go f*ck your own mouth, you stupid mather f*cker, Maxwell, piece of shit. Just shove your own cock in your shitty throat, mather f*cker, for addressing us "You Cambodians".

Historian David Chandler wrote extensively on the subject already about the Frenchy Frogs, the expansionist Red Delta Youns, mather f*cker. Certainly, your understanding is just simply a pile of shit under your own azz, mather f*cker.

Anonymous said...

Wow this Youn 11:27AM is pissing off with Maxwell for telling us the truth.

David Chandler is not the only person who knows about Youn.

Maxwell keeps unmasking ah Youn kantorb 'n ah khmer youn more. Ah Youn just want us Khmers to fight each others, do mae ah cho lourch dei khmers ah preah thorani srob.

LOL

Anonymous said...

Please don't mind about Maxwell.He's a lunatic.His problems usually start around noon.There is no cure.

Anonymous said...

To us reader Maxwell seems to scare some of these liars, because he seems to know what was going on in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.

3:00PM, you are a Viet. You are scared of the truth.

Anonymous said...

Not only a big liar Youn who are scared of the truth, some Khmer jerks are too. They let ah Youn push their arse and they fight each others with own Khmers.

Smart people like Maxwell will be killed by ah KHmers chheam Khmao like ah 3:00PM.