"We have democracy in appearance, but it is not really democracy, it's like a fascism state": Sam Rainsy

Sam Rainsy (R) and Hun Xen (L)

Khmer PM accused of using law to silence political rivals

September 23, 2009
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee The Nation

Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy yesterday accused the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen of using the "anti-red" libel law to silence political rivals.

MPs, journalists, human rights activists and members of civil society were charged with defamation and tossed in jail for expressing disagreement with the leaders in government, Rainsy told a panel discussion in Bangkok hosted by the Southeast Asian Press Alliance.

The law was adopted by the United Nations when it ran Cambodia during the transition period in 1992 to prevent the notorious Khmer Rouge from using disinformation to instigate chaos, he said.

Although the Khmer Rouge are no longer active, the current leaders retained the law to gag the opposition, he said.

Freedom of expression in Cambodia is in critical condition these days due to the fallout from the global economic crisis and the growing suffering of people who have more reasons to be dissatisfied with the government, he said.

The government's economic mismanagement exacerbated the situation and caused more pain for the common people, he said.

The economic crisis has revealed the weaknesses of the government and it does not want people to point them out, he said.

Another factor which makes the government move to muzzle free speech is corruption since authorities do not want their cases to be disclosed, he said.

The legal action for defamation was usually taken against high profile opposition leaders but those at the grassroots level were persecuted by forces and in many cases killed, Rainsy said.

"Sometimes, they cannot do anything against the person (directly), they kill their children," he said.

Cambodia is not a true democratic country but an authoritarian country where freedom of expression is not guaranteed, he said.

"We have democracy in appearance, but it is not really democracy, it's like a fascism state," he said.