Cambodian opposition MPs stripped of parliamentary immunity
June 23, 2009
ABC Radio Australia
Cambodia's opposition says it's under attack because of what it describes as a new round of politically motivated lawsuits and a vote by the National Assembly which has resulted in two opposition MPs being stripped of their parliamentary immunity.
Mu Sochua, former Cambodian minister of women's affairs, and Ho Vann, a Phnom Penh municipality representative, had their immunity lifted after a single show-of-hands vote by the National Assembly. They both face defamation lawsuits in Cambodia's notoriously corrupt courts.
Presenter: Liam Cochrane
Speaker: Mu Sochua, Cambodian opposition MP
COCHRANE: High profile opposition MP Mu Sochua has been locked in a battle of lawsuits with Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen for some weeks now.
But, now that the National Assembly has voted to remove the Parliamentary immunity from Mu Sochua and her fellow party member Ho Vann, effectively, the gloves are off...
SOCHUA: The procedures where the most undemocratic because we were not allowed a chance to speak at all and there was a vote by raising of hands, lifting immunity of two members of parliament at the same time in one vote.
COCHRANE: Let's deal with them separately, why was your immunity lifted?
SOCHUA: My case is from a lawsuit by the Prime Minister against me for defamation. The Prime Minister pointed very clearly at me when he went to my constituency and talked about a number of parliament, a women from the opposition party and called me by a name that is not acceptable to call me, he called me a hustler. Second he said that I went and grabbed men and thirdly it was related to meetings that I went to and I was not allowed to go in, and he said that I had a very thick skin. And fourth, which is very, very serious is that I incite my constituents and people against the government.
COCHRANE: And can you tell me about the other member of parliament whose immunity was lifted? Who was that and why was the immunity lifted?
SOCHUA: My colleague, Mr Ho Vann is a member of parliament elected in the municipality of Phnom Penh. He made a comment by responding to the media about honorary degrees that were received by some military officials. His comment was that he didn't think that these degrees were valuable, but if they were valuable then the quality of degrees should allow the numbers of the armed forces to help and then to protect the nation.
COCHRANE: Without parliamentary immunity you face the court as an ordinary citizen, what chances do you think you'll have of finding justice at the court?
SOCHUA: The chance of me getting justice is very close to zero.
COCHRANE: Mu Sochua you've said previously that you would rather go to jail rather than pay a fine if you are found guilty of this defamation charge. Are you still feeling that same way?
SOCHUA: Definitely I am very determined to face the court and I will not be surprised if the court finds me guilty. My stance will not change, I am ready, my conscience is clear about wanting justice, wanting a judicial system that can protect citizens of Cambodia. So I am ready, I am preparing to go to jail.
COCHRANE: There are rumours around at the moment that you are about to flee the country or you may have already fled the country. Is there any truth to those rumours?
SOCHUA: I have always been very transparent that I am not fleeing the country. I came back to Cambodia in 1989, I have never gone back to America to live. My country is Cambodia, I said from the very beginning that I will not flee, I will come back to face the courts.
COCHRANE: Mu Sochua, just finally, this is not the first time this sort of thing has happened. In the past opposition leader Sam Rainsy and Cheam Channy and others have had their immunity stripped, and in Cheam Channy's case gone to jail. Do you think this is a political action against you.
SOCHUA: Yes it's a political action against the opposition. Cambodia is walking more than one step backwards, democracy in Cambodia is in real jeopardy. I think the world community cannot ignore this and especially the government of Australia. What is Australia doing when democracy in Cambodia is facing such a serious set of going back to dictatorship?
COCHRANE: A representative from Cambodia's National Assembly was not available for comment on the issue.
Mu Sochua, former Cambodian minister of women's affairs, and Ho Vann, a Phnom Penh municipality representative, had their immunity lifted after a single show-of-hands vote by the National Assembly. They both face defamation lawsuits in Cambodia's notoriously corrupt courts.
Presenter: Liam Cochrane
Speaker: Mu Sochua, Cambodian opposition MP
COCHRANE: High profile opposition MP Mu Sochua has been locked in a battle of lawsuits with Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen for some weeks now.
But, now that the National Assembly has voted to remove the Parliamentary immunity from Mu Sochua and her fellow party member Ho Vann, effectively, the gloves are off...
SOCHUA: The procedures where the most undemocratic because we were not allowed a chance to speak at all and there was a vote by raising of hands, lifting immunity of two members of parliament at the same time in one vote.
COCHRANE: Let's deal with them separately, why was your immunity lifted?
SOCHUA: My case is from a lawsuit by the Prime Minister against me for defamation. The Prime Minister pointed very clearly at me when he went to my constituency and talked about a number of parliament, a women from the opposition party and called me by a name that is not acceptable to call me, he called me a hustler. Second he said that I went and grabbed men and thirdly it was related to meetings that I went to and I was not allowed to go in, and he said that I had a very thick skin. And fourth, which is very, very serious is that I incite my constituents and people against the government.
COCHRANE: And can you tell me about the other member of parliament whose immunity was lifted? Who was that and why was the immunity lifted?
SOCHUA: My colleague, Mr Ho Vann is a member of parliament elected in the municipality of Phnom Penh. He made a comment by responding to the media about honorary degrees that were received by some military officials. His comment was that he didn't think that these degrees were valuable, but if they were valuable then the quality of degrees should allow the numbers of the armed forces to help and then to protect the nation.
COCHRANE: Without parliamentary immunity you face the court as an ordinary citizen, what chances do you think you'll have of finding justice at the court?
SOCHUA: The chance of me getting justice is very close to zero.
COCHRANE: Mu Sochua you've said previously that you would rather go to jail rather than pay a fine if you are found guilty of this defamation charge. Are you still feeling that same way?
SOCHUA: Definitely I am very determined to face the court and I will not be surprised if the court finds me guilty. My stance will not change, I am ready, my conscience is clear about wanting justice, wanting a judicial system that can protect citizens of Cambodia. So I am ready, I am preparing to go to jail.
COCHRANE: There are rumours around at the moment that you are about to flee the country or you may have already fled the country. Is there any truth to those rumours?
SOCHUA: I have always been very transparent that I am not fleeing the country. I came back to Cambodia in 1989, I have never gone back to America to live. My country is Cambodia, I said from the very beginning that I will not flee, I will come back to face the courts.
COCHRANE: Mu Sochua, just finally, this is not the first time this sort of thing has happened. In the past opposition leader Sam Rainsy and Cheam Channy and others have had their immunity stripped, and in Cheam Channy's case gone to jail. Do you think this is a political action against you.
SOCHUA: Yes it's a political action against the opposition. Cambodia is walking more than one step backwards, democracy in Cambodia is in real jeopardy. I think the world community cannot ignore this and especially the government of Australia. What is Australia doing when democracy in Cambodia is facing such a serious set of going back to dictatorship?
COCHRANE: A representative from Cambodia's National Assembly was not available for comment on the issue.
14 comments:
Immunity does not substitute for stupidy and ignorance.
PPU
Ah Scum Rainsy will be next!
PPU
Mu Sochua: I won't be surprised if the court find me guilty, Because I am guilty. By saying this I mean I do plead guilty.
Rest assured, the culprit will not be exculpated.
PPU
Haha, the disgrace MP Mu Sochua, when she lodged the complaint against PM Hun Sen, she said that she's doing that on behalf of Khmer women and now, when Cambodia's Parliament lift her parliamentary immunity, she has a self-proclaimed that Democracy in Cambodia is facing such a serious backward, Is it the democracy in Cambodia is depending on her and her party???? If Cambodia is a dictatorship country, she and her party won't be exist in Cambodia as we speak. Will she brave enough to go to jail as she's often said? Everyone can bet.
1:14 PM
I'm with you!
PPU
Her assumed ignorance assures her imminent participator of the criminal justice system as a part of behavior modification. Prey Sar welcomes you.
PPU
The gangsters of CPP are only interested in protect their own kind despite the the country in urgent need of reforms. Everyone will lose out from fair opportunities to develop the country except you are a member of CPP gangsters. Is how a country should be run? Is how the kind of social justice we wanted? Is the kind of future we want to have?
I am quite ashamed to be Cambodian of how my country representing me and many of my compatriots. I feel my future is at risk of becoming AFRICA IN ASIA.
1:14 PM , Ah Jkout .. Ah Hun SEn can't do nothing to opposition party , cuz this dog need donor money for It master Youn Hanio .. that why This dog HuN SHit still keep Oposition exist in Scambodia.
Ah YOUN LEECH 1:14 PM .
Ah ppU , come Hee , come Suck my dick .. I just finish fucking your Femal dogs family , and my dick are so wet with your family pussies cum .. and I demand you to suck my dick until it perfect clean .
Pi Anh HUN SEN
Do what HUN SEN told you to do PPU , or your family will be slaughter .. That what happend when you kiss a killer ass like Ah HUN SEN .
Good luck Cheap dog PPU.
9:29 PM , I am agree .. good luck PPU DUDE .
A PPU is a Youn slavery like A Hun Sen, we don't need listen what he said.
Thevada will be taking of Ms. Mu so we all need to stand by her side and supporting her. Khmer Woman around the world always love and care about her.
Please stand up for our Right like MS. Mu Sochua, we want Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Right.
Kaun Khmer in Blood
Next time when you visit my country, there's something we need you to be aware of, that is called "law" in our country,although you might not familiar our law, but it's a great idea to familiarize yourself with the country's law so you don't get yourself into trouble like your opposition leaders who had been contravened the law repeatedly. Again, I have faith in our judicial system. And, justice will be served.
PPU
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