Attempts of this Monday afternoon in holding up 2 large banners of War Criminal Henry Kissinger and War Criminals Meas Muth / Im Chaem of Cases 003/4 in front of US Embassy

Account by Ms. Theary C. Seng

I was verbally harassed and intimidated carrying only my handbag and another bag (holding the 2 banners) by 30 something security personnel who showed up 30 minutes before I arrived onto the scene, according to Stephanie of Al Jazeera, who was with me for the first 40 minutes of the stand-off.  These men do not know any better.  They are anachronistic thugs of the Cold War years who only know intimidation, threats and violence as a way of keeping "social order" and maintaining "national security".  Tactics which have worked for them for the most part with vulnerable, poor local Cambodians.  

Some 30 security personnel had a stand-off with Ms. Seng who conspicuously stood on the top step of Sunway Hotel main entrance.  These security only showed up 30 minutes after Ms. Seng's arrival, after her public announcement stating her intention of holding up two banners in front of US Embassy Phnom Penh (view from Sunway Hotel, 19 Nov. 2012)

They don't know what to do with someone like me of both Cambodian and American cultures and upbringing and versed in law, and who is not visibly intimidated by them.  My sole presence (in stilettos, in professional attire with a bright Cambodian silk blouse), just standing on the top step of Sunway Hotel main entrance for the next 45-60 minutes had 30 grown adults, heavily armed, of large built, agitated with frustration in their inability to control and order me around through their run-of-the-mill intimidation.

These security thugs only know violence.  They spouted that they are "the law" but cannot tell me what that means in light of my rights as a citizen of a country claiming to be a democracy.

Ms. Theary C. Seng and 30 security personnel from various units.  Ms. Seng's presence drew out at least 15 more young men (the kind we think of when this Kew-Kew! Kew-Kew! wants dirty work done of the Bong Thom gang; and some more embedded in Sunway Hotel.  (US Embassy Phnom Penh, Monday, Nov. 19, 2012)

So, to start from the beginning:

We arrived 45-60 min after sending out the public message that we would be in front of US Embassy with 2 large banners. We encircled Wat Phnom next to the US Embassy slowly twice to take in the security situation. I decided that I would hold both folded banners (one in my hand bag, the other in plastic bag) and my assistant and I would walk on to Sunway Hotel (across from the US Embassy). We did to the attention of 30 big bulky men in various uniforms. My presence became a magnet, like a moth to a flame, for several of the head honchos started to approach me.  One of the leaders, a chubby guy who has never seen a gym before I am sure, whose face is familiar to me from other demonstrations and tense events of this nature, menacingly demanded to see my bags; I refused and continued to walk on the main open road to the main entrance of Sunway Hotel, where Al Jazeera was there (discretely without large camera, save iPhone4). I asked my assistant to separate from me and go inside Sunway Hotel and I conspicuously stood outside on the top steps of main entrance of hotel with Stephanie of Al Jazeera and her colleague with iPhone 4 a few meters away, but their profession not known to security, I don't think.  I would periodically translate in English for Al Jazeera; one of the chief honchos, the one of the first few to intimidate, like a little kid, interrupted: "I understood all that!" in English. 

View from inside Sunway Hotel, where security forces are embedded.  Here, Ms. Seng serenely stood on the top step of Sunway Hotel main entrance, with the security apparatus exhausted from receiving the same response from Ms. Seng, and some continuous filming and taking photos of her.

 

For the next 45 minutes, my conversations with chiefs of various security apparatus, some in uniforms, some not:

Security (S): Show me what's in your bag?

Theary (T): banners; no weapons.

S:  Show me!

T: Is that a request or an order.

S: A request. T: Then the answer is NO.

S: Why?

T: I don't need to tell you.

S: An order.

T: On what grounds?

S: Special day, matter of security.

T: Grounds must be reasonable.

S: We are the authority for security; we can check.  We have suspicion.

T: no you cannot without reasonable grounds; I am in heels, in silk, a human rights lawyer, with only record of peace work; now, what are your grounds to check my private bags? 

Another same-line of interrogation by new face, as staff of Sunway and security embedded in Sunway Hotel look on.

  It was like a broken record as each new security chief from the various sections had the same line of interrogation, receiving my same response.

On and on and on... for an hour, with me just standing there, very conspicuously.

Ms. Seng:  As I am waiting for my truck to pick me up, around 15 men of the nature of The Bong Thom gang, embedded in Wat Phnom, came out.  Before leaving I asked the security now if they want to see the banners, with the threat that if they take them from me, I will scream really LOUD.  All the voices raised answered "YES!"  but then most backtracked when they realize it's more to my benefit than to theirs in attracting attention.  However, some of the more amused, smiling friendly faces who looked at me with approval and admiration, continued to say "YES".  As I wanted to join the Boeung Kak activists and not wanting my staff to wait too long, I got into the car.

Finally, I decided to join the Boeung Kak activists for their 6 p.m. vigil, but without realizing this decision of mine, another new security chief approached and said I can have my banner on the other side of the security barriers at Wat Phnom. 

I decided that I want them to escort me to my truck near Wat Phnom.

On our way to car, followed by all the 30 open security forces (which according to Sunway Hotel observers only showed up half an hour before we arrived; so they saw our public announcement). As we near the Wat Phnom road, another 15-20 men in their twenties in civil clothes came out; they were hidden in the Wat Phnom. They embedded people inside the Sunway Hotel; they embedded people in the Wat Phnom.  

 They continued to take photos of me, my staff; I posed for them. Took out my cameras and took their photos. Some in their security forces were smiling their approval of me; others were just plain mean COWARDS.

At least 3 motorbikes followed us, one with 2 people on it, all in civilian clothes, one acting like a motortaxi driver, except for the fact that my assistant noticed him from the very beginning at Wat Phnom carrying a walkie-talkie at his right pocket.  They followed us for at least 1 1/2 hrs of heavy traffic and all the way to my CIVICUS Cambodia office where there's a huge banner of War Criminal hung conspicuously for all to see.

We tried to join the Boeung Kak activists via the Tuol Kork roads, but even those were all blocked or stalled in stand-still traffic.