Land activist: Mam Sonando was not involved in land dispute in Kratie province

15 July 2012
By Visal
Cambodia Express News
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media

Phnom Penh – Bun Ratha, who is wanted by the court in the land dispute case in Kratie, talked over the phone from [a press conference held in] the US and denied any involvement of Mam Sonando, the president of the Democrat Association and director of the Beehive radio station, in that case. He said that Mam Sonando was not involved in the clash with the authority in Kampong Damrey commune, Chhlong district, Kratie province which took place on 16 May 2012.

In a press conference broadcasted by the Beehive radio station in the afternoon of 15 July 2012, Sourn Serey Ratha, the president of the Khmer People Power Movement (KPPM), gave his comment. The press conference was also attended by Bun Ratha, an alleged agent of the Democrat Association who is accused of being the leader who incited people to grab land and forming a secession zone in Proma village, Kampong Damrey commune, Chhlong district, Kratie province.

In the press conference held from the US, Din Phanara, Mam Sonando’s wife, and Sok Sam Oeun, Mam Sonando’s defense lawyer, also joined in.

Bun Ratha said that the arrest of Mam Sonando on 15 July 2012 was not connected to him and he never knew Mam Sonando at all. At the same time, he also said that he was never a member of the Democrat Association either. He said that he is a simple villager living in Kratie province only.

Regarding the government accusation on him forming a secession zone in Kampong Damrey commune, Bun Ratha did not comment on this issue.

Din Phanara indicated that, at 9 AM on 15 July 2012, cops dressed in civilian and uniform came to arrest Mam Sonando at his home which also serves as the office of the Beehive radio station.

She indicated that when the cops came to arrest Mam Sonando, they read him the arrest warrant which accused Mam Sonando of involvement in land dispute in Kratie province.

The warrant issued by Chok Nguon, the investigating judge from the Kratie provincial court, accused Mam Sonando of criminal involvement in the land dispute in Kratie province.

Mam Sonando was accused of instigating ideas to oppose public officials, of insurrection, of illegal interference against public duty work and of inciting people to illegally bear arm as stipulated in Sections 28, 504, 457, 509 and 464 of the criminal code.

The warrant indicated that Mam Sonando could face jail term and the judge has sufficient evidence against Mam Sonando.

The cops took Mam Sonando from his home for questioning the Phnom Penh police headquarters on Sunday morning.

Mam Sonando recently traveled to the US and returned to Phnom Penh at 10PM on 12 July 2012. But he was not arrested at his arrival at the Phnom Penh airport where he was greeted by family members and association members under the watchful eyes of civil society organizations and reporters.

Mam Sonando, who was arrested once in 2004 for border issue, told reporters that he was not afraid of being arrested because he was not involved in any land-grabbing incitation in Kratie province.

In that land dispute in Kratie province, Hun Xen announced legal recourse against the president of the Democrat Association whom he claimed that the latter incited villagers to grab land in anarchy and the government had to send in cops and troops to raid them on 16 May 2012. The raid led to the killing of a teenager and the arrest of numerous villagers while others fled the scene.

Five members of the Democrat Association branch in Kratie, including Bun Ratha, were wanted by the cops based on a warrant issued by the court for land dispute charges. The 5 are accused of being leaders in the incitation of villagers to grab land and to form a secession zone in Proma village, Kampong Damrey commune, Chhlong district, Kratie province.

Up to now, only 4 of the wanted men came out to confess, but the cops pushed them to become witnesses against Mam Sonando instead.