(All Photos: DAP news)
Source: Cambodia's Family Trees, Global Witness
Brigade 70 and the Bodyguard Unit – a Private Army for the Prime Minister
Brigade 70 is a special unit of 2,000 soldiers headquartered in Cham Chao on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Its commander is Major General Mao Sophan. It acts as a reserve force for Hun Sen’s 4,000 strong Bodyguard Unit and Mao Sophan takes his orders from Bodyguard Unit chief Lieutenant General Hing Bun Heang. Hing Bun Heang’s commanding officer is General Kun Kim,294 one of four deputy commanders-in-chief of the RCAF and Hun Sen’s chief of cabinet.258 In January 2007 Hun Sen promoted Kun Kim to four star General, the most senior rank in the Cambodian armed forces.
In the words of a former member of United Nations Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) staff, “The term bodyguard is a misnomer ... the Prime Minister’s bodyguard unit is a substantial military elite unit equipped with modern weaponry and many of its members have received special training abroad.” The Bodyguard Unit and Brigade 70 are central to Hun Sen’s strategy of cultivating special units to protect his interests from potential challengers inside and outside the CPP. The latent threat of violence is integral to the prime minister’s hold over the population as a whole, moreover. Hun Sen responds even to muted criticism by declaring that attempts to remove him will cause the country to fall back into conflict and instability. Cambodians take these threats extremely seriously. The fact that the prime minister has developed what is essentially a private army is surely one of the reasons why.
Hun Sen’s military capability is rarely commented on by the international community, despite the evident danger that it poses to democracy in Cambodia. It perpetuates a situation in which military units are controlled by individual politicians rather than the state; the same conditions that enabled Hun Sen to unseat his co-prime minister Norodom Ranariddh in a violent coup d’etat in July 1997. Human rights organisations accuse Hun Sen’s Bodyguard Unit of playing a leading role in mounting this coup.
In the words of a former member of United Nations Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) staff, “The term bodyguard is a misnomer ... the Prime Minister’s bodyguard unit is a substantial military elite unit equipped with modern weaponry and many of its members have received special training abroad.” The Bodyguard Unit and Brigade 70 are central to Hun Sen’s strategy of cultivating special units to protect his interests from potential challengers inside and outside the CPP. The latent threat of violence is integral to the prime minister’s hold over the population as a whole, moreover. Hun Sen responds even to muted criticism by declaring that attempts to remove him will cause the country to fall back into conflict and instability. Cambodians take these threats extremely seriously. The fact that the prime minister has developed what is essentially a private army is surely one of the reasons why.
Hun Sen’s military capability is rarely commented on by the international community, despite the evident danger that it poses to democracy in Cambodia. It perpetuates a situation in which military units are controlled by individual politicians rather than the state; the same conditions that enabled Hun Sen to unseat his co-prime minister Norodom Ranariddh in a violent coup d’etat in July 1997. Human rights organisations accuse Hun Sen’s Bodyguard Unit of playing a leading role in mounting this coup.
Sounds like it's time to kill at will on innocent khmers again.
ReplyDeleteNo. Hun Sen wants to show PAD taht he wil shoot. Hun Sen's a few soldiers can not compare with a half million Thai soldiers. They will kick his ass even in his soldiers there Viet and Siam spies in it.
ReplyDeleteLike father like son. Now they start to demonstrate to world that their well-orchestrated plan to slowly turn Cambodia into a military-rule country is under way, and marching towards its destination. It must somehow be stopped!
ReplyDeleteyou know hun sen surely will be killed by two of his bodtguards. they are now near hun sen....and the time set is approaching.
ReplyDeleteAh! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Strongman, he made laugh for us.
ReplyDeleteI am a Khmer and as patriotic as other Khmers are. As I said yesterday: I don't care much if some folks cuss me sometimes because my comments fail to please them. It's human nature that we are born to love, to be loved; to hate, to be hated,; to criticize, to be criticized.
ReplyDeleteSome folks think Hun Sen show off his force to surprise Thailand. That's wrong, big wrong and dumb. The purpose of showing off force is to tell the people and his opponents that he and his son are strong, having enough force to defeat those who would rise up to challenge his family. Khmer army is no match with Thailand. Don't dream about making war with Thailand.
And here is a little bit of Khmer nature I have observed so far:
Khmers are good at harming and hurting their own people. When it comes to fighting foreign enemies, they are not good. Take a good at the Khmer Rouge as an example. In short, if Khmer are good at fighting a war, Cambodia wouldn't have bee shrunk like it is today.
LON NOL TIME....24 HOURS SOLDIER....A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE NOTHING TO EAT....SOLDIERS ARE CRAZY...LIKE..."CHORR"....POL POT...TIME...KILL MILLIONS OF KHMERS......BUT WHO REALLY KILL KHMER KHMERS.....POL POT???OR IENG SARY....YUON 'IN POL POT"...TIME....HUN'S TIME....NO MOOR TREE...NO MORE FISH...NO MORE...GEMS....LAND SOLD...AND SOLD...COUNTRY SOLD...SOLD...PEOPLE SOLD EVERYTHING...AND ENJOY...TO SEE YUON TAKE OVER....AND DON'T CARE...LONG AS THEY HAVE MONEY NOW...HOW ABOUT TOMORROW????DON'T CARE......
ReplyDeleteThey looked tough! The Saddam Hussein Army brigade looked even tougher, but the Allies removed Saddam in less than 8hr.
ReplyDeleteSaddam Hun Sen's army, would probably take the UN allies to take them out in less than 8 seconds.
No need for UN to remove HS, if the opposition have a good strategy. Hun Sen 6000 soldiers (4000 bodyguards + 2000 from brigade 70) can never control 10 million population.
ReplyDeleteHis soldiers are no good easy to bribe so as his commander with girls problem that why I am not scared of HUN SEN. Family full of it I take his power one by one. KHMER SCHEMER USA! WHY DO THINK HE IS SO SCARED NOW LIVING IN FEAR? CAUSE MY RELATIVE JUST STOLE HIS POWERS HAHAHHA! AQUAK IS DUMB AND STUPID I LET HIS FAMILY LIVE WITH SHAME! WHILE WE SECRETLY MAKE HIS IMPACT A DEAL WITH MOST OF HIS FORCES. Living in fear you should cause you know you have power only in PHNOM PENH! ELSE WHERE IS MY MEN HUN SEN LIVE IN FEAR BUTT HEAD! HEHHHHE
ReplyDeleteHun Sen's home called Toul Krosaing wired with crocodiles, secret tunnel, tanks, helecopters, black motorbikes, mines, and his body guards. If one tries to overthrow him, he will take that person and throw into crocodiles for dinner to get rid of evidence according to Hing Bun Heang.
ReplyDeleteHun Sen becomes strong and thank for the USA and international community for helping him stronger.
He will use his power to get rid of his opponents and his own people. He will protect the Vietnamese citizens who come to live in Cambodia in million. Khmer people has less right than the Vietnamese people living in Cambodia.
Hun Sen tries to show off his military after his master, China, shows off their military. One F16 bomb will destroy his so called body guard unit in 10 second. They look impress, but when the time comes. They will pee on their pants for sure. Don't be an asshole, Hun Sen. Nobody is scare with your body guard. They can wipe you out very quickly if they want.
ReplyDeleteHis bodyguard is used to suppress Cambodia people and his opponents. They are not fighting for protection of Khmer people and her country.
So where is Ah Hun Sen when Ah Youn bidded up Khmer youth in Svay Rieng this week? He is so silent.
Cambodia is becoming one man's show now. This is very alarming!
ReplyDeleteពួកអាឆ្កួតទាំងអស់គ្នាមិនព្រមដឹងខ្លួនទៀតពួកអា
ReplyDeleteគឹមអាសមរង្សីពួកអាទាំងនោះវាមិនព្រមដឹងខ្លួនសោះ
10:48PM - As an army officer trained in the West, I don't agree with your statement: " Khmer army is no match with Thailand ".
ReplyDeleteOur army may not be able to defeat Thai army, but I can assure you that our army can wound Thailand so badly that their economy will be disrupted, and that their military victory tastes so sour and comes at very high price.
Just look at their walk, look like vietnamese walk. Soon Cambodia be come vietnames and vietnamization.
ReplyDeleteDemocratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
ReplyDeleteTortures
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 Removed 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.
welcome to the new era of cambodia. the way i see it, it's cycle of civilzation as they called it in sociology, really. people don't like changes because they are comfortable, however, do understand changes are inevitable in cambodia and all over the world for that matter, really! just stop being bias and pick on cambodia too much. your country is not perfect either, ok!
ReplyDeleteWHAT? motherfucker need 10,000 body guards now?????????
ReplyDeleteThat is your kind of peace ah Kwack!
In fact, Camodian PM has alot of foes, so he need more the 4000 body guards. Sadam Hussen had also under 100 00 body guards but now they were disappaered. Im compared to the other leaders in the Globe für the small country like this, is exaggeratory. Are our normal Soldiers and polices shiped?
ReplyDeleteGhost Angkor
មកដល់អា១១៥៩
ReplyDeleteពួកឯងធ្វើនេះគឺអោយខ្មែរខ្លាច តែដល់ពេលមួយ
ខ្មែរឈប់ខ្លាច ឯងប្រាកដជាខ្លាចខ្មែរម្តងវិញហើយ
ភាពវិលវល់នៃពិភពលោក បង្ហាញរួចអស់ហើយ
វាគ្រាន់តែយូរនឺងឆាប់តែប៉ណ្ណោះ។អញខ្លាចតែទឹក
ឡើងត្រីសីស្រមោច ដល់ទឹកហោចស្រមោចសីត្រី
វិញទេដឹង?។
he is getting scared like Saddam Hussein. Saddam Republican Guards has a lot of numbers when Saddam smelled his ending is near.
ReplyDeleteEveryone knew very well that Hun Sen has killed Hok Lundy to prevent the later from Coup D'etat. Hok Lundy has ran to the wall after loosing all good friends and all moneys. Therefore his last move was to kill Hun Sen to gain more power for more moneys. But his move has been leaked to Hun Sen to pre-strike on him.
ReplyDeleteHun Sen will be in turn be killed very soon from his inside out. All crminals will die in big messes like Saddam Hussein. From history, no criminals will get away free from their criminal activities. They will die one after one.
CPP youth
Is Hun Sen a Prime Minister or a military Commander ? The way he dress , he got to be a Dictator because a Prime Minister don't suppuse to wear military cloths like that .
ReplyDeleteI have no idea who Hun Sen wants to show of. Thailand ? Thailand has more modern weapons than Cambodia . They got A1M1 tanks ,jet fighters , anti-aircraft misiles and alot more . Opposition Parties ? Opposition Parties are unarmed. I think Hun Sen is nuts .
ReplyDelete10:48 PM
ReplyDeleteYou have hit the nail right on the centre of the its head.
There is nothing much to show!
ReplyDeleteThis army is only good against their own people. It is a useless force when it comes to dealing with either Vietnam or Thailand.
It won't stand a chance!
I didn't see anything spectacular.
This show is very speculated in all Khmer opinion, but no dult HS ist Dictator for a long time ago. Hopefully he is drunk the power background by Viet.
ReplyDeleteHun Sen military is only strong enough to evict his powerless people. Nothing compare to with his neighbors. They are probably laughing at him right now. This is a show of force to his own people that he is the man. And a party for his associates and talk about how grand life is for them.
ReplyDeleteIf Hun Sen is to wage war against the Thai it is just because he counts on the Viets. He army is just good at grabbing the land from poor and powerless Khmers only and not defending Khmers. Traditionally, Khmers are good at oppressing, killing khmers only.
ReplyDeleteThey aren't look tough to me!!
ReplyDelete10:48 PM,
ReplyDeleteI agree. Ah mother fucker retarded, Hun Sen....showing off his private own military to suppress and kill those dare deseat him....
FUCKIN BITCH KEEP RUNNING YOUR MOUTH WHY DON'T YOU GUYS GO TO CAMBODIA AND DO POLITIC? LOT OF KHMER USA BEEN BRIAN WAS BY THE WHITE PUSSY.
ReplyDelete11:37AM, They only looking strong to you and all the people in Cambodia. Hun Xen's arm force have no match with Thailand. It's only strong enough to threaten and teriorize his own people. Poor Khmer!
ReplyDeleteHun Sen war material is good for using against his own people only. For foreigner, this war equipment is just toys.
ReplyDelete4:58 PM,
ReplyDeleteIt is freedom! you stupid mother fucker...thug low life scum like you have none! Having you pointed out that Khmer American got brain washed by "White pussies." Although this phrase is dubious and unconscionable by you but nonetheless, it 's demonstrating choices and options unlike you....stupid air headed ass...have none of these freedom of choices and let alone of expression. STOP! barking and go back to cleaning ah Hun Sen's and ah Youn's septic tanks...stupid fool!
Are those guns and Tank really can fire..? or Fake and just to showing off to the publics...
ReplyDelete12:18 PM,
ReplyDeletejust for show only! they are internally rusted.....!
Our F-16 fighter jets will obliterate these dilapidated equipments in minutes. Your military is pathetically ill-equipped to handle our air superiority.
ReplyDelete