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Although the Khmer Rouge are no longer active, the current leaders retained the law to gag the opposition, he said.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.
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.
14 comments:
Please support the Cambodian People Party, only Samdech Akek Maha Sena Pethey Hun Sen can help you what you need. Do not listen to any craps you live in the Kingdom of Cambodia, only CPP can help all time. We all should come together in solidarity. All Khmer abroad should stop concerning and raising trouble against Cambodian People Party. We all Khmers
(Note: if you post long sentence like a book, I won’t read it. Thanks)
Angkorian Krama Man
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Tortures
Brutality
Executions
Massacres
Mass Murder
Genocide
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Slavery
Force Labour
Overwork to Death
Human Abuses
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Attempted Murders
Attempted Murder on Chea Vichea
Attempted Assassinations
Attempted Assassination on Sam Rainsy
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Executions
Executed members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Khim Sambo
Murdered Khim Sambo's son
Murdered members of Sam Rainsy Party.
Murdered activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Murdered Innocent Men
Murdered Innocent Women
Murdered Innocent Children
Killed Innocent Khmer Peoples.
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Brutalities
Police Brutality Against Monks
Police Brutality Against Evictees
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Abuses
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Illegal Arrest
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Remove Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country.
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Use Dead people's names to vote for Cambodian People's Party.
Disqualified potential Sam Rainsy Party's voters.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Death in custody.
Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leaders of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.
UNDER AGE CHILD SEX
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed under age child sex.
Svay Sitha is a senior government official from Cambodian People's Party.
Svay Sitha had a sexual relationship with Tat Marina, she was only 16 years old.
Source: Human Rights Watch
ACID ATTACK ON TAT MARINA
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed acid attack.
"On December 5, 1999, Tat Marina, age 16, was severely disfigured in an acid attack in Phnom Penh. The attack was allegedly committed by Khun Sophal, the wife of a senior government official, Svay Sitha, because she was angry her husband had a sexual relationship with Tat Marina. Neither Khun Sophal nor those suspected of being her accomplices in the attack were brought to justice. Intense media publicity compelled the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Khun Sophal for attempted murder, but the police claimed that they could not locate her, although journalists reported that she was living at home as usual."
Source: Human Rights Watch
TORTURE AND MURDER ON PRAK SITHA WHILE IN CUSTODY BY MISNISTRY OF INTERIOR OFFICIAL
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed torture and murder.
"On the night of January 16, 2003, a street youth named Prak Sitha was beaten to death at the Ministry of Interior (MOI) headquarters after he was arrested and detained by off-duty MOI officers on suspicion of theft. His body - bearing numerous injuries to the head, torso, arms, and legs - was dumped at a Phnom Penh pagoda the following morning by ministry officers, in violation of police regulations regarding deaths in custody. No criminal charges were filed in connection with this death. In December 2004, the case was cited by the UN secretary-general's special representative for human rights in Cambodia - who stated that Prak Sitha died at the ministry "following beatings by a known police officer" - as an example of a "consistent and continuing pattern of impunity" in Cambodia."
Source: Human Rights Watch
PUT SAMPHORS WAS SHOT DEAD BY MEAN SOKCHEA, A RCAF MAJOR WORKING IN BRIGADE 70.
Hun Sen's personal Bodyguards Unit (Brigade 70) is a terrorist organization.
Hing Bunheang is a March 30, 1997 Grenade Attack suspect identified by the FBI.
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed murder, again.
"On September 4, 2008, Mean Sokchea, a RCAF major working in Brigade 70, shot dead 21-year-old waitress Put Samphors at a restaurant in Kandal province. Mean Sokchea, in a drunken stupor, fired his gun and apparently mistakenly hit Put Samphors in the stomach. She was taken to a hospital but later died of her wounds. Mean Sokchea was detained by the police overnight but was then released, allegedly after intervention by Hing Bun Heang. Put Samphor's family received US$2,700 from Mean Sokchea, and the police told them that their daughter was shot while authorities were chasing robbers."
Source: Human Rights Watch
អុំ ពូ មីងនឹងបងៗអ្នកនយោបាយអើយ
នាងខ្ញុំមិនខ្វល់ពីគណបក្សណាឡើយ អោយតែបក្សនោះចេះថែរក្សាសម្បត្តិជាតិមិនធ្វើ ឲ្យរាស្ដ្ររងទឹកភ្នែកមិនប្លន់ដីរាស្ដ្រមិនពុករលួយ
មិនប្រើអំណាចសង្កត់ករាស្ដ្រ។ល។និង។ល។
កញ្ញា ចិន្ដា ចាក់អង្រែ
Cambodia Town
Long Beach, Ca
I fully support your comment 5:20 AM, I will do my best to accomplish your wish.
New Phally
Secretary of State for Ministry of Interior and Adviser for First Vice President National Assembly
កញ្ញា ចិន្តា ចាក់អង្រែ
ចុះបើគណបក្ស CPP ៖
-លក់សម្បត្តិជាតិ
-ធ្វើឲ្យរាស្ត្ររងទឹកភ្នែក
-ប្លន់ដីរាស្ត្រ
-មហាពុករលួយ
-ប្រើអំណាចដាក់រាស្ត្រនឹងអ្នកកាសែត
តើនាងមើលឃើញឬទេ?ហើយនាងខ្វល់ឬទេ?
នាងឈឺចាប់ឬទេ?។
ពី បុរស សែនឆ្ងាយ
Attention Ki media readers,
We got two clowns in here acting as " big shot" LOL
IF I were them, I would be ashame. But they got thick-skin. The two clowns are New Phally, and ah krama monkey ".
Don't pay them no mind. For their mind are very clouded. They talk alot of non-sense and of foolishness.
They either was dropped too many time at birth or at this old ages still not " krup tirk " .
from LOL AHHAHA
បុរស សែនឆ្ងាយ
ខ្ញុំមិនដឹងត្រូវហៅលោកថាជា អុំ ពូ ឬក៏បងនោះទេ
ចំពោះសំណួរដែលលោកសួរមកនាងខ្ញុំ នោះហើយ
ជាកង្វល់ដែលតាមលងនាងខ្ញុំរាល់ថ្ងៃយប់។
នាងខ្ញុំចូលចិត្តអានកាសែតខ្មែរនិងអង្គេ្លសដើម្បី
បានជ្រាបអំពីស្ថានការណ៍ស្រុកទេសបច្ចុប្បន្ន៕
ពីនាងខ្ញុំ ចិន្ដា
Don't forge that, recently, mr hunsen made a threat to use his power by ordering cambodian army to take over Phnom penh in just two hours. this shows that mr hunsen is a coward. if he's a man, he would not use bodyguards to protect himself. Be a man mr hunsen.
i think it is ignorant to deny that democracy do exist and do take root, however slowly but surely. it's not smart to deny it. it may not come as fast as one such group might want to see, but it's surely is coming for real, really. if one takes time to do statistics, one will surely see the difference in cambodia and that cambodia did indeed come a long way from non-existence in democracy and justice to what it is today. i don't believe that cambodia did not want to become better in every fields like some individual would claim. i think people from all political background should work cooperatively together in order to make my country cambodia become more and more peaceful, democratic, prosperous and justice for all. yes, there are more to cambodia than you and i, really! god bless cambodia.
I agree with 8:27.
I LOVE MP SAM RAINSY HE MY HERO EVERYTIME HE IN THE NEWS, I JUST LIKE TO HEAR HIS COMMENT. HE THE BEST CAMBODIA PATRIOT, HE CAMBODIA
SAVER, NOT LIKE THE OTHER CPP IS THE TREASON PARTY, THEY HAVE BETRAYED OUR COUNTRY. WE CAMBODIAN NEVER FORGET WHAT THESE TREASON PEOPLE DONE TO OUR COUNTRY. I ASK ALL CAMBODIAN OVERSEA TO PLEASE RISE TOGETHER AND TO GET RID TREASON MEN
NAME HUN SEN, FAGGOT NEW PHALLY,ANGKORIAN KRAMA WOMAN
ខ្ញុំក៏នៅឆ្ងាយដែរប៉ុន្តែខ្ញុំតាមដាននៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជា
ជារាងរាល់ពេលវេលាគឺឃើញថាអ្នកធ្វើច្រើនតែខុសឯអ្នកមិនធ្វើហើយចាំតែថាអ្វីៗខុសអ្នកដែលបានធ្វើច្រើនជាង។ប៉ុន្តែប្រជាជនខ្មែរទូរទាំងពិភពលោកគឺដឹងណាស់ថាតើគណបក្សណាមួយខុសគណបក្សណាត្រូវ។គណបក្សណាបានធ្វើឲ្យប្រទេសជឿនលឿនហើយគណបក្សណាធ្វើឲ្យប្រទេសអន់ថយ
ហើយគណបក្សណាបានធ្វើឲ្យពិភពលោកគេស្គាល់ច្រើនហើយគណបក្សណាបានធ្វើឲ្យប្រទេស
ដទៃគេមើលងាយដល់ប្រជាជនខ្មែរ។ហើយគណ
បក្សណាបានធ្វើឲ្យប្រទេសលូតលាស់ហើយគណ
បក្សណាបានធ្វើឲ្យទេសកម្ពុជាអន់ថយ។ប្រជាជន
ខ្មែរនឹងពិភពលោកគេនឹងយល់នៅអំពើអ្នកទាំង
នោះបានធ្វើនឹងកំពុងធ្វើ។ប្រជាជនខ្មែរច្រើនណាស់
ដែលលោកកំពង់មើលនឹងកំពុងថ្កោលទោសទៅ
លើគណបក្សទាំងនោះ។
Cambodia Town
Long Beach, Ca
Around the globe has social conflict, so in Cambodia social life will be better for people, after financial crisis. Thus, Mss Chanda 7:42, I assure you, there should be all right , don't read too much newpapers that pro SRP.
New Phally
Post a Comment