06 June 2009
Kampuchea Thmei newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
4 civil society organization representatives involved in the Clean Hand (anti-corruption) Forum were summoned by the Phnom Penh City Hall to clarify their use of this public forum to attack the government, contrary to what they promised.
A source indicated that the Phnom Penh City Hall summoned officials representing associations that organized the Clean Hand concert held on 30 May 2009 for questioning on a number of incidents that took place. These incidents affect the honor of Cambodia as a whole. The source added that the city hall summoned 4 persons for questioning, including Khieu Sansana, a well known CTN TV station presenter, simply because she acted as a presenter during the Clean Hand concert.
Chan Soveth, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights group, told Kampuchea Thmei over the phone on 04 June, that civil society representatives summoned by the city hall included 3 representatives of Pact Cambodia which was in charge of organizing the concert, one representative of PDP, as well as a lawyer.
Chan Soveth added that Ms. Khieu Sansana, a CTN TV station presenter, did not show up. However, Chan Soveth did not reveal the names of the civil society representatives who went to provide clarification to the city hall, he said that those representatives do not want to reveal their names.
Regarding this affair, Kampuchea Thmei was not yet able to obtain comments from Kep Chuktema, Phnom Penh city governor, as of 04 June. However, a source revealed that these civil society representatives went in to provide their clarifications on the organization of the Clean Hand concert held on 30 May at the Olympic Stadium. The source also indicated that he does not know the names of all the civil society representatives present, but one of whom is named Yang Kim Eng and he represents the PDP NGO.
We could not obtain comment from Mr. Yang Kim Eng regarding the clarifications provided to the city hall. He told us to contact Mr. Sek Borisoth instead, however, we could not reach the latter.
Regarding the city hall summon, Chan Soveth indicated that it was the city hall rights to issue these summons because a promise was made not to attack the government during this concert. However, Chan Soveth said that the opinions or the declarations made during this concert are the rights of each institution participating in the event, and it is also the rights of the US ambassador to express her own opinion as well.
Chan Soveth added that he supports any action or concert against corruption, and Adhoc also participated in the event, however, Adhoc did not make any declaration. Chan Soveth said that the government should instead resolve the corruption issue so that foreigners would stop criticizing it. Furthermore, Chan Soveth said that the government should fight corruption rather than fighting those who denounce corruption.
The Clean Hand concert was organized by Pact Cambodia at the Olympic Stadium starting at 8AM on 30 May. During the evening, a concert was also held. Several organizations including Carol Rodley, the US ambassador to Cambodia, joined the event. Khieu Sansana was hired as the presenter for the concert.
During the event, Carol Rodley raised the issue of corruption in Cambodia, and she indicated that Cambodia lost $500 million in revenue per year from corruption. Her statement met with sharp reactions from Hun Sen’s government, and on 02 June, Om Yentieng, a personal advisor of Hun Sen, held a press conference to try to deflect the US ambassador’s accusation. A diplomatic note was also sent from Hun Sen’s regime to the US ambassador, however, Carol Rodley did not provide any reply yet.
A source indicated that the Phnom Penh City Hall summoned officials representing associations that organized the Clean Hand concert held on 30 May 2009 for questioning on a number of incidents that took place. These incidents affect the honor of Cambodia as a whole. The source added that the city hall summoned 4 persons for questioning, including Khieu Sansana, a well known CTN TV station presenter, simply because she acted as a presenter during the Clean Hand concert.
Chan Soveth, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights group, told Kampuchea Thmei over the phone on 04 June, that civil society representatives summoned by the city hall included 3 representatives of Pact Cambodia which was in charge of organizing the concert, one representative of PDP, as well as a lawyer.
Chan Soveth added that Ms. Khieu Sansana, a CTN TV station presenter, did not show up. However, Chan Soveth did not reveal the names of the civil society representatives who went to provide clarification to the city hall, he said that those representatives do not want to reveal their names.
Regarding this affair, Kampuchea Thmei was not yet able to obtain comments from Kep Chuktema, Phnom Penh city governor, as of 04 June. However, a source revealed that these civil society representatives went in to provide their clarifications on the organization of the Clean Hand concert held on 30 May at the Olympic Stadium. The source also indicated that he does not know the names of all the civil society representatives present, but one of whom is named Yang Kim Eng and he represents the PDP NGO.
We could not obtain comment from Mr. Yang Kim Eng regarding the clarifications provided to the city hall. He told us to contact Mr. Sek Borisoth instead, however, we could not reach the latter.
Regarding the city hall summon, Chan Soveth indicated that it was the city hall rights to issue these summons because a promise was made not to attack the government during this concert. However, Chan Soveth said that the opinions or the declarations made during this concert are the rights of each institution participating in the event, and it is also the rights of the US ambassador to express her own opinion as well.
Chan Soveth added that he supports any action or concert against corruption, and Adhoc also participated in the event, however, Adhoc did not make any declaration. Chan Soveth said that the government should instead resolve the corruption issue so that foreigners would stop criticizing it. Furthermore, Chan Soveth said that the government should fight corruption rather than fighting those who denounce corruption.
The Clean Hand concert was organized by Pact Cambodia at the Olympic Stadium starting at 8AM on 30 May. During the evening, a concert was also held. Several organizations including Carol Rodley, the US ambassador to Cambodia, joined the event. Khieu Sansana was hired as the presenter for the concert.
During the event, Carol Rodley raised the issue of corruption in Cambodia, and she indicated that Cambodia lost $500 million in revenue per year from corruption. Her statement met with sharp reactions from Hun Sen’s government, and on 02 June, Om Yentieng, a personal advisor of Hun Sen, held a press conference to try to deflect the US ambassador’s accusation. A diplomatic note was also sent from Hun Sen’s regime to the US ambassador, however, Carol Rodley did not provide any reply yet.
