Mu Sochua’s supporters raised 10 million riels

Mrs. Mu Sochua and her supporters (Photo: Den Ayuthyea, RFA)

25 July 2010
By Tin Zakariya
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Supporters for Mrs. Mu Sochua will organize a roundtable discussion at the beginning of next week after they raised more than 10 million riels to help Mrs. Mu Sochua pay the compensation for Hun Xen in lieu of the impoundment of her parliamentary salary.

The Grassroot Movement of Cambodian Women indicated that on 24 July that people from all walk of life, including factory workers, sex workers, moto taxi drivers and numerous citizens have collected more than 10 million riels to pay the compensation for Hun Xen in lieu of the impoundment of Mrs. Mu Sochua’s parliamentary salary, should Mrs. Mu Sochua agree to that.

Ms. Arun Rasmey said on that on Tuesday 27 July, the Grassroot Movement of Cambodian Women will organize a roundtable discussion at the Baitong Restaurant in Phnom Penh to decide on what to do with the more than 10 million riels raised. However, the group’s main goal is to use this fund to pay for Hun Xen’s compensation as ordered by the Phnom Penh municipal court in lieu of having Mrs. Mu Sochua’s parliamentary salary being impounded, if Mrs. Mu Sochua agrees to the group’s request.

Ms. Arun Rasmey indicated: “We insist that Mrs. Mu Sochua accept our effort. We did not provide the fund to her yet. After I held a press conference on the 14th (of July), Mrs. Mu Sochua declared vehemently that she will not accept this fund and she thanked us for that.”

On 24 July, RFA could not reach Mrs. Mu Sochua to obtain her comment on this issue. However on 21 July, Mrs. Mu Sochua indicated that she would not agree to the impoundment of her salary, and if the National Assembly indeed impounds her salary, then it would be a rights violation on a member of parliament.

On 20 July, Judge Chea Sok Hieng of the Phnom Penh municipal court sent a request to the National Assembly to impound Mrs. Mu Sochua’s salary, taking out 4,004,899 riels out of her salary each month to pay for Hun Xen’s compensation.

Ou Virak, President of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), said that it is a good thing that a women group shows their opinions to help women in politics. “The fact that they dare collect (money) to express their support for Mrs. Mu Sochua or a woman politician, in general, it is a good thing for Cambodia. We hope that all political parties will support such movement and such action,” Ou Virak said.

Recently, the CCHR issued a legal analysis regarding the case of Mrs. Mu Sochua, saying the court was not independent because the court is filled with high-ranking officials from the CPP and a number of judges have influence over the court legal system, this clearly shows the relationship between the court and Hun Xen’s political party.