Tue Jun 2, 2009
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia accused the United States of meddling in its internal affairs on Tuesday after Washington's ambassador said the impoverished nation was losing up to $500 million a year through corruption.
Cambodia's foreign ministry urged diplomats to "refrain from interfering" after the U.S. ambassador to Cambodia, Carol Rodley, said rampant graft was preventing the country from developing its public services, education and healthcare.
"(The government) wishes to remind all members of the diplomatic corps to maintain their neutrality and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Cambodia," the ministry said in a statement.
Cambodia's anti-graft chief, Om Yentieng, said Rodley's remarks, made on Saturday at an anti-corruption concert in Phnom Penh, were an attempt to undermine a government which had the support of the people.
"If the ruling party had acted in such a way, we would not have gained votes and continued to stay in power," Yentieng told reporters.
A report last year by anti-graft watchdog Transparency International ranked Cambodia as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, placing it 14th among 180 nations studied.
(Reporting by Ek Madra; Editing by Martin Petty and Sugita Katyal)
Cambodia's foreign ministry urged diplomats to "refrain from interfering" after the U.S. ambassador to Cambodia, Carol Rodley, said rampant graft was preventing the country from developing its public services, education and healthcare.
"(The government) wishes to remind all members of the diplomatic corps to maintain their neutrality and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Cambodia," the ministry said in a statement.
Cambodia's anti-graft chief, Om Yentieng, said Rodley's remarks, made on Saturday at an anti-corruption concert in Phnom Penh, were an attempt to undermine a government which had the support of the people.
"If the ruling party had acted in such a way, we would not have gained votes and continued to stay in power," Yentieng told reporters.
A report last year by anti-graft watchdog Transparency International ranked Cambodia as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, placing it 14th among 180 nations studied.
(Reporting by Ek Madra; Editing by Martin Petty and Sugita Katyal)
4 comments:
When people are not talking nice about you, you don't like (make sense). and like a cow has a wound on its back when the crawl flies over it sends a chivering through its spine (make sense, too.)
Yes, Om Tieng you are over right (like food is over cooked. The gov't still in power because of people continue to vote (like a store still in business because it makes profit). His argument makes sense since the majority of Cambodians rigth now are dealing with daily survival needs. And if we don't think various links.
Tactical move: whenever people hit with stick and carrot along with two ways relieved pressure valve, there is a tendency that a regime can last little longer. you give people work for you (Generals and other high ranking officials) a chance to get rich. Then the benefits trickle down to the mid level and so forth... (the theory of roling snowball). Make sure those people understand the benifit of serving and betraying (theory of catch 22). Like you scratch mine I scracth you (that is the world we are in right now after Sept 11)
First thing first...
First and foremost,Cambodian people need to find justice for the nearly two million lives killed during the KR regime.
Then we can talk about corruption
om yentieng is a viet's spy working in Cambodia.He never ever want corruptions leaving Cambodia so that investors look beyond Cambodia.
The United States is not only meddling in Cambodian internal affairs, but to other countries as well with its tortuous policy, and therefore, I'm not surprised.
PPU
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