SRP: Accusation of terrorism on activists is a trick

08 July 2010
By Meas Mony
Free Press Magazine Online
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Cambodia’s opposition indicated that the terrorism accusation leveled by the Kampong Thom provincial court against SRP activists is a trick to weaken the SRP.

Yim Sovann, SRP MP and spokesman, told reporters on Wednesday that 4 SRP activists were accused of terrorism by the Kampong Thom provincial court. Yim Sovann said that this a renewed accusation after the same problem took place once in 2004 when the court summoned these men to go to court to clarify, but had to release them back due to lack of sufficient evidence.

Yim Sovann said: “They [the CPP] know that they cannot stop the SRP’s popularity, therefore, they don’t know what else to do but to raise this old case back in order to threaten our party.”

The four suspects include: Uk Thorn, SRP advisory chairman for Balaing district; Kim Hong, Kroya commune councilor; and Koy Koeun and Choam Cheav who are both SRP activists.

Uk Thorn said that this accusation stems from an event that took place in 2004. He explained that Kroya commune villagers living in Santuk district, were concerned about rumors spreading that a group of thieves would attack villagers with syringes during their sleep. The group of thieves was called the “paper tiger.” Uk Thorn’s colleagues reported the concerns to the provincial authority through a letter, however the end result was that the authority turned around and accused his group of spreading rumors and of creating unrest, then the court went on to accuse his group of terrorism.

Yim Sovann said that Kroya villagers suffered from the confiscation of their lands by the authority to give to a Yuon company for a rubber plantation. Because of this condition, the villagers went on to provide strong support to the opposition SRP party. This was the reason why the CPP created problems to try to weaken the SRP.