Mrs. Mu Sochua sets up a foundation to help women

Mrs. Mu Sochua (L) (Photo: Sovannara, RFI)

27 July 2010
By Ly Meng Huor
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Mrs. Mu Sochua added that the fund raised by the Cambodian Women’s Movement and handed to her represents the sweat and blood of innocent Cambodians. She will not use this fund to pay the fine and the compensation as the court ordered her in the defamation lawsuit case initiated by Hun Xen.

On Tuesday, SRP MP Mu Sochua, who lost the defamation lawsuit to Hun Xen, announced that she is setting up a women foundation for justice. This foundation will help young Cambodian women to become lawyers to defend victimized women in Cambodia.

The Cambodian Women’s Movement that supports Mrs. Mu Sochua handed the 4 million riels (~$1,000) fund, as well as more than 4,000 thumbprints to her. This fund is a portion of the 13.6 million riels raised by the Cambodian Women’s Movement from factory workers, sex workers, beer promotion workers, vendors, farmers, students, union leaders, teachers and NGO workers during a campaign that started at the beginning of July.

The fund was raised to help Mrs. Mu Sochua pay for her fine in the defamation lawsuit initiated by Hun Xen.

However, when she received the 3.81 million riels fund package from representatives of the Cambodian Women’s Movement this morning, Mrs. Mu Sochua indicated with tears in her eyes that it will be used to set up a women foundation for justice, and it will be used to help pay the law education of women so that they can be involved with the legal field and provide service to all women who are victimized by injustice.

Mrs. Mu Sochua added that the fund raised by the Cambodian Women’s Movement and handed to her represents the sweat and blood of innocent Cambodians. She will not use this fund to pay the fine and the compensation as the court ordered her in the defamation lawsuit case initiated by Hun Xen.

In the defamation lawsuit brought up by Hun Xen, the court decided that Mrs. Mu Sochua must pay a fine and a compensation totaling 16.5 million riels (~$4,000). At the end, the court decided to impound her salary instead.

Regarding this fund raised by the Cambodian Women’s Movement and the setup of a women foundation by Mrs. Mu Sochua, Tith Sothea, the flatulent windpipe of the Council of Ministers’ Press and Quick Reaction Unit (PQRU), said that this is a campaign set up to serve the personal interest of Mrs. Mu Sochua and it cannot extend to cover all Cambodian women in the entire country.