Sam Rainsy's letter to The Cambodia Daily about Hor Namhong's defamation lawsuits

September 6, 2011

The Editor

The Cambodia Daily

Phnom Penh

Sir,

In “Sam Rainsy’s Defamation Lawsuit To Be Reheard” (September 5, page 27), it was reported that “The case was first heard in April without Mr Rainsy or his lawyer’s participation, and a verdict has yet to be delivered.”

Actually, a guilty verdict was made public with a two-year imprisonment sentence handed down to me on April 25 by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in relation to the defamation and disinformation lawsuit filed by Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong.

On May 5, my lawyer wrote to the President of the Court to oppose my condemnation in absentia on the basis of the universal judicial principle “Non bis in idem” (no one shall be twice tried for the same offence).

As a matter of fact, in relation to another defamation lawsuit filed against me in France by the same Mr Hor Namhong, which is very similar in substance to the one he filed in Cambodia, the French Supreme Court ("Cour de Cassation") on April 27 declared I was not guilty of anything and Mr Hor Namhong finally and definitively lost his case before the French tribunal.

Therefore, the summons I received from the Cambodian tribunal to attend a “rehearing” of the case later this month, is a violation of the “Non bis in idem” principle, especially in light of the difference in the degree of independence and respectability enjoyed respectively by the French Court and the Cambodian Court.

Sincerely,

Sam Rainsy

Elected Member of Parliament

Paris

Khmer Overseas' congratulation letter to Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy for winning his case against Comrade Hor 5 Hong

http://www.box.net/shared/eta67tsnh1

Statement by SRP Europe on the lawsuit by Comrade Hor 5 Hong on Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy in France

Hor Nam Hong produces another fake witness to the French Tribunal in Paris

Unofficial translation from French
Click here to read the original letter in French

Paris 05 April 2010

Hor Nam Hong produces another fake witness to the French Tribunal in Paris

In the defamation lawsuit which opposes me to the Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hor Nam Hong at the French Tribunal in Paris, I have the proof that a new “witness” by the name of Sisowath Chittara, brought to the court by Mr. Hor Nam Hong, lied to the French Judges to try to “exonerate” the very same individual who was the “president of the committee of prisoners” of the Boeng Trabek jail camp, the very same camp where the parents of this “witness” were plucked from to be killed by the Khmer Rouge in April 1978.

During the appeal hearing on 25 March 2010, Sisowath Chittara told the Judges that, during the Khmer Rouge era, he was incarcerated in a “death camp” in Cambodia. He “explained” with confidence to the Judges how such a camp functioned and how the Khmer Rouge chose a leader among the camp prisoners, all with the aim of “proving” the innocence of Mr. Hor Nam Hong who, between 1977 and 1979, left his mark in the Boeng Trabek “re-education camp.”

While browsing through the book written by His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk titled “Prisoner of the Khmer Rouge” which he co-authored with Simonne Lacouture (Hachette, 1986), one learns the following:

1- Sisowath Chittara was never detained in the “death camp” as he claimed; furthermore, he was never detained in any Khmer Rouge camp at all. In reality, during all his stay in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge period, from April 17, 1976 to January 6, 1979, he always lived inside the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh with His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk and the latter’s close relatives. Thus, it was a false testimonial that he gave to the French Justice.

“Here [Beijing, April 17, 1976], [my son Norodom] Sihamoni met his younger brother Narindrapong, who came from Moscow, and his cousin Sisowath Chittara (the son of my cousin Sisowath Méthavi and Annette – Nannette Izzi, the elder sister of my wife Monique) who was studying in Beijing. All three of them – Sihamoni, Narindrapong and Chittara – were asked by the Khmer Rouge diplomats to immediately board a Chinese plane leaving for Phnom Penh” (Page 107).

“During all his stay in the “Democratic Kampuchea”, my son [Norodom Narindrapong] and his first cousin [Sisowath] Chittara stayed in the apartments of Her Majesty the Queen (their deceased Grandmother) at the Royal Palace.” (Page 159).

“Afternoon of January 06, 1979: I invited my family and my retinue to gather with their luggage (…). Narindrapong and Chittara, who were always disrespectful toward me, did not care to reply to my appeal – in order to let me feel that they only obeyed the orders of Angkar”. (Page 321).

“[Following the plane takeoff for Beijing], my wife, our son Sihamoni and all those who remained faithful to me smiled and cried at the same time (…). Sitting next to each other, Narindrapong and Chittara sneered at the sight of our emotion. Faithful servants of Angkar, they were extremely displeased that their “revered” masters spared us and freed us”. (Page 324).

2- Through his denunciation to the Khmer Rouge, Sisowath Chittara caused the death Mr. Ong Meang, one of the persons in the royal retinue whom H.M. Norodom Sihanouk called “the most faithful, the most devoted and the most courageous of my followers”. (Page 145).

“Between April 1976 and April 1977, my own son, Norodom Narindrapong and Sisowath Chittara, his first cousin, took over from the young communist Khmers in Beijing to inflict a moral torture on Ong Meang (…). They follow him into his room where these two oddballs would show up in the middle of the night! But more Machiavelian and dangerous deeds than this moral torture were to come. Each time they saw Chhorn Hay, the kammaphibal [cadre] [assigned to perform a surveillance on the royal family], or other Khmer Rouge waking pass their room, these two admirers of Pol Pot and Ieng Sary would shout: “Ong Meang is a CIA agent and he is also an agent of the French SDECE [Translation note: SDECE is the French Intelligence agency]” (…). This denunciation did not fall on deaf ears. On April 18, 1977, i.e. one day after the celebration of the national festival of the so-called “Democratic” Kampuchea, Ong Meang would disappear [forever]”. (Pages 147 and 148).

3- Sisowath Chittara proved his zeal to the Khmer Rouge and, thereby, inflicting pains to his companions of misfortune.

“At the Khemarin [a wing of the Royal Palace], between April 1976 [date of the arrival of the two cousins after the resignation of H.M. Norodom Sihanouk from his duty as Head of State] and January 1979 [date of the evacuation of the residents of the Royal Palace to China], Narindrapong and his cousin Chittara gave a hard time – even infernal – to me and my wife”. (Page 154).

“Narindrapong, my younger son, and Chittara, his first cousin and younger son of my wife Monique’s sister, understanding that I have no other future than an irreversible disgrace outlook, and maybe even a shameful death, overwhelmed us with their disdain”. (Page 150).

“[Narindrapong] adopted the communist mores which encourage children to spy and denounce their own parents”. (Page 150).

“Chittara satisfied himself by helping Narindrapong prepare his suitcases for a possible departure to the front [Narindrapong volunteered his service to the Angkar]. He was careful not to make a similar request to the Angkar by his dear cousin to whom he swore to follow everywhere ‘in life or in death’”. (Page 152).

“[In reality, during all his stay in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge], Narindrapong never left me, not even once. [It was the same form his cousin Chittara]”. (Page 159).

“Every day, [Sisowath] Chittara stole bottles of wine and alcohol from my cellar”. (Page 155).

“Therefore, it is scandalous that [during our incarceration at the Royal Palace] Narindrapong and Chittara insulted shamelessly people in my retinue, their own family, and they called them ‘dirty members of the Sangkum Chas [the old society]’, ‘rotten feudal,’ and [many other epithets] that I skip here, while calling themselves followers of the ‘pure and tough Khmer Rouge revolution’”. (Page 155)

“Narindrapong was acting as a conscientious accomplice and as a subservient propagandist to the torturers and killers of their own people”. (Page 160).

Conclusion: Sisowath Chittara’s behavior under the Khmer Rouge era resembled that of Hor Nam Hong. The least that can be said is the fact that both men showed their zeal and their meanness to make themselves look good to the Khmer Rouge and, in doing so, they inflicted pains on their companions of misfortune. To witness that one is now acting as the “witness” of the other fully illustrates the old adage: “Birds of the same feather flock together.”

Sam Rainsy

Hor Nom Hong produces another fake witness to the French Tribunal in Paris

KI-Media Note: We are currently working on an English translation of the following letter by opposition leader Sam Rainsy denouncing Mr. Hor Nam Hong for producing Sisowath Chittara, a fake witness, to the French Tribunal in Paris. This member of the royal family was denounced by King-Father Norodom Sihanouk in his book "Prisoners of the Khmer Rouge" as never being imprisoned in any death camp by the Khmer Rouge at all, but rather as a snitch for the Khmer Rouge.

Paris, le 5 avril 2010

HOR NAM HONG PRODUIT ENCORE UN FAUX TEMOIN
DEVANT LE TRIBUNAL FRANCAIS A PARIS

Dans le procès en diffamation qui m’oppose au Ministre cambodgien des affaires étrangères Hor Nam Hong devant la justice française à Paris, j’ai la preuve qu’un nouveau "témoin" amené à la Cour par M. Hor Nam Hong, le dénommé Sisowath Chittara, a menti aux Juges français pour essayer de "blanchir" celui qui fut le "président du comité des prisonniers" du camp pénitencier de Boeng Trabek d’où les propres parents du "témoin" ont été enlevés pour être assassinés par les Khmers rouges en avril 1978.

A l’audience en appel du 25 mars 2010, Sisowath Chittara a dit aux Juges qu’il avait été, à l’époque des Khmer rouges, interné dans un "camp de la mort" au Cambodge. Il a "expliqué" avec aplomb aux Juges comment fonctionnait un tel camp et comment les Khmers rouges sélectionnaient un chef parmi les prisonniers du camp, tout cela dans le but de "prouver" l’innocence de M. Hor Nam Hong qui, de 1977 à 1979, a marqué de son empreinte le "camp de rééducation" de Boeung Trabek.

En parcourant l’ouvrage de Sa Majesté Norodom Sihanouk intitulé "Prisonnier des Khmers rouges", écrit avec le concours de Simonne Lacouture (Hachette, 1986), on apprend que :

1- Sisowath Chittara n’a jamais été détenu dans un "camp de la mort" comme il le prétend; il n’a d’ailleurs jamais été détenu dans aucun camp khmer rouge. En réalité, durant tout son séjour au Cambodge à l’époque des Khmers rouges, du 17 avril 1976 au 6 janvier 1979, il a tout le temps vécu au Palais Royal à Phnom Penh avec Sa Majesté Norodom Sihanouk et la famille proche de ce dernier. C'est donc un faux témoignage qu'il a donné à la Justice française.

« Là [Pékin, 17 avril 1976], [mon fils Norodom] Sihamoni a rencontré son frère cadet Narindrapong venu de Moscou, et son cousin Sisowath Chittara (fils de mon cousin Sisowath Méthavi et de la sœur aînée de ma femme Monique, Annette – Nanette – Izzi), qui faisait ses études à Pékin. Tous les trois, Sihamoni, Narindrapong et Chittara, ont été priés par les diplomates khmers rouges de monter aussitôt dans un avion chinois en partance pour Phnom Penh ». (Page 107).

« Pendant tout son séjour au "Kampuchea Démocratique", mon fils [Norodom Narindrapong] et son cousin germain [Sisowath] Chittara occupaient, au Palais Royal, les appartements de Sa Majesté la reine (sa défunte grand-mère) ». (Page 159).

« 6 janvier 1979, l’après-midi. J’invite ma famille et ma suite à se rassembler, avec leurs bagages (…). Narindrapong et Chittara, comme toujours irrespectueux à mon égard, ne daignent pas répondre à mon appel – afin de me faire bien sentir qu’ils n’obéissent qu’aux ordres de l’Angkar ». (Page 321).

« [Après le décollage de l’avion en direction de Pékin], ma femme, notre fils Sihamoni et tous ceux qui me sont restés fidèles rient et pleurent à la fois (…). L’un à côté de l’autre, Narindrapong et Chittara ricanent devant notre émotion. Fidèles serviteurs de l’Angkar, ils sont au fond extrêmement vexés que leurs maîtres "vénérés" nous aient épargnés et remis en liberté ». (Page 324).

2- Par une dénonciation qu’il a faite auprès des Khmers rouges, Sisowath Chittara a causé la mort d’une personne dans l’entourage royal, M. Ong Meang que SM Norodom Sihanouk appelle "le plus fidèle, le plus dévoué et le plus courageux de mes partisans". (Page 145).

« Entre avril 1976 et avril 1977, mon propre fils, Norodom Narindrapong, et son cousin germain, Sisowath Chittara, prennent le relais des jeunes communistes khmers à Pékin pour torturer moralement Ong Meang (…). Ils le poursuivent jusque dans sa chambre où les deux énergumènes font irruption en pleine nuit! Mais il y a plus machiavélique et plus dangereux que cette torture morale. Chaque fois qu’ils voient le kammaphibal [cadre] Chhorn Hay [assigné à la surveillance de la famille royale] ou tout autre Khmer Rouge passer près de leur chambre, les deux jeunes admirateurs de Pol Pot-Ieng Sary crient que "Ong Meang est un agent de la CIA et du SDECE français" (…). Cette dénonciation ignoble n’est pas tombée dans l’oreille d’un sourd. Le 18 avril 1977, soit un jour après la célébration de la fête nationale du Kampuchea dit "Démocratique", Ong Meang va disparaître [à jamais]. (Pages 147 et 148).

3- Sisowath Chittara a fait preuve de zèle auprès des Khmers rouges et a ainsi fait du mal à ses compagnons d’infortune.

« Au Khémarin [une aile du Palais Royal], entre avril 1976 [arrivée des deux cousins après la démission de SM Norodom Sihanouk de ses fonctions de Chef d’Etat] et janvier 1979 [évacuation des occupants du Palais Royal vers la Chine], Narindrapong et son cousin Chittara mènent la vie dure, infernale même, à ma femme et moi-même ». (Page 154).

« Narindrapong, mon fils cadet, et son cousin germain Chittara, fils cadet de la sœur de ma femme Monique, comprenant que je n’ai d’autre avenir que la perspective d’une irréversible disgrâce et peut-être même d’une mort ignominieuse, m’accablent de leur mépris ». (Page 150).

« [Narindrapong] avait adopté les mœurs du communisme, qui encourageait les enfants à espionner et à dénoncer leurs propres parents ». (Page 150).

« Chittara se contente d’aider Narindrapong à préparer ses valises pour un éventuel départ au front [Narindrapong s’étant porté volontaire auprès de l’Angkar]. Il se garde bien d’adresser à l’Angkar une requête semblable à celle de son cher cousin, à qui il a pourtant juré de le suivre partout, "à la vie, à la mort" ». (Page 152).

« [En réalité, durant tout son séjour au Cambodge sous les Khmers rouges], Narindrapong ne m’a quitté un instant. [Il en est de même pour son cousin Chittara] ». (Page 159).

« [Sisowath] Chittara vole chaque jour des bouteilles de vin et d’alcool de ma cave ». (Page 155).

« Ainsi est-il scandaleux que [pendant notre enfermement au Palais Royal] Narindrapong et Chittara insultent sans vergogne les personnes de ma suite, leur propre famille et les traitent de "sales membres du Sangkum Chas [l’Ancienne Société]", de "féodaux pourris", et j’en passe, alors qu’eux-mêmes [seraient] des partisans de la "révolution pure et dure" des Khmers rouges ». (Page 155).

« Narindrapong se conduit en complice conscient et en propagandiste servile des tortionnaires et assassins de son peuple » (Page 160).

Conclusion: Le comportement à l’époque khmère rouge de Sisowath Chittara ressemble à celui de Hor Nam Hong. Le moins qu’on puisse dire, c’est que les deux hommes ont fait preuve de zèle et de méchanceté pour se faire bien voir auprès des Khmers rouges, et ils ont ainsi fait du mal à leurs compagnons d’infortune. Que l’un se retrouve maintenant le "témoin" de l’autre, illustre la véracité de l’adage "Qui se ressemble, s’assemble".

Sam Rainsy

Join the audience in the trial opposing Sam Rainsy to Hor 5 Hong

VENEZ AUJOURD'HUI ASSISTER AU PROCES OPPOSANT HOR NAM HONG A SAM RAINSY A PARIS

Ce jeudi 25 mars, à partir de 13 heures, venez nombreux assiter à l'audience de la Cour d'Appel de Paris (Chambre de la Presse) où Sam Rainsy sera confronté avec Hor Nam Hong dans un procès en diffamation intenté par le deuxième contre le premier. Il faut aider la vérité à triompher pour que justice puisse être rendue un jour au peuple cambodgien victime du génocide khmer rouge de 1975 à 1979.

Rendez-vous AUJOURD'HUI, dans la solidarité et la dignité, au Palais de Justice, Ile de la Cité.
Paris 1er - Métro Saint Michel

----------

Join the audience in the trial opposing Sam Rainsy to Hor 5 Hong

Today, Thursday 25 March, starting from 1PM, come in large number to join the audience at the Paris Appeal Court (Chambre de la Presse) where Sam Rainsy will be confronted by Hor 5 Hong in a defamation lawsuit brought by the latter against Sam Rainsy. The truth shall prevail so that justice can, one day, be rendered to the Cambodian people who were victimized by the 1975-1979 Khmer Rouge genocide.

See you Today in solidarity and dignity at the Palais de Justice, Ile de la Cité, Paris 1er, Metro Saint Michel.

Sam Rainsy continues to collect more evidence for use against Hor 5 Hong’s lawsuit

17 October 2009
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

“I never knew, never heard, never touch anything at all with the Khmer Rouge. Mr. Sam Rainsy knew this well, I was a diplomat.” - Hor 5 Hong

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy is continuing to collect additional information to fight the lawsuit brought up by Hor 5 Hong, the minister of Foreign Affairs. Sam Rainsy’s action is taking place while the French court has decided to delay the hearing in this case until 2010.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy indicated that he and his lawyer will collect other additional documents and evidence to fight against Hor 5 Hong, the vice-PM and minister of Foreign Affairs, at a time when the French court had decided to delay the hearing into this case until March 2010 because his lawyer lacks documents and proofs.

Sam Rainsy told RFA that this delay is an opportunity for gathering additional documents and proofs: “The court was reviewing about the delay issue when it was reported from the KR Tribunal in Phnom Penh that an international judge summoned 6 current Cambodian leaders. Hor Nam Hong was among the 6 summoned as witnesses who know a great deal about the KR leadership.”

According to its original plan, the French Appeal Court’s hearing were to be held on 08 October, and Sam Rainsy left to France about 2 weeks prior to the originally planned hearing, to participate in it.

Hor 5 Hong, the accuser in this lawsuit, reacted to the issue above by telling RFA at the Phnom Penh international airport on 17 October that: “Mr. Sam Rainsy asked the court to delay by showing a fake doctor letter saying that he is gravely ill. This shows that he is scared. As for the new proofs, I don’t care about them one single bit, because there are none. Let me say that the right of expression is different, it is not defamation, this, he accused me of being a criminal.”

Hor 5 Hong used to tell RFA in an interview in 2008 that the accusation of him being a KR leader by Sam Rainsy hurt him and he cannot accept this charge.

Hor 5 Hong said: “I never knew, never heard, never touch anything at all with the Khmer Rouge. Mr. Sam Rainsy knew this well, I was a diplomat.”

In January 2009, the French court handed a victory to Hor 5 Hong in his defamation lawsuit against Sam Rainsy. In that lawsuit, Hor 5 Hong demanded 100,000 euros in damage compensation from Sam Rainsy, however, the French court ordered Sam Rainsy to pay only 1 euro to Hor 5 Hong, therefore the case went on to appeal.

Hor 5 Hong brought his lawsuit at the French court after Sam Rainsy made a comment on 17 April 2008 at the Choeung Ek Memorial, located in the suburb of Phnom Penh, in which he accused Hor 5 Hong of being one of the Boeung Trabek jail directors under the KR regime, and Sam Rainsy also accused a number of other government officials of being former KR.

French Court Postpones Minister’s Suit

By Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
07 October 2009

A French appeals court has postponed a hearing for a defamation suit brought by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong against opposition leader Sam Rainsy.

A hearing was set for Oct. 8, but was delayed due to technicalities and health issues of Sam Rainsy.

Hor Namhong brought the suit against Sam Rainsy for remarks in the latter’s autobiography alleging Hor Namhong’s collusion with the Khmer Rouge in a correction camp where several inmates died.

“My lawyer has told me that there is an issue that needs to be looked into,” Sam Rainsy said. “There might be a delay so there won’t be a hearing on the 8 [of October]. I am still waiting for more information from my lawyer. Nothing is 100 percent sure yet.”

A spokesperson for Hor Namhong also confirmed the delay.

The court ruled in favor of Hor Namhong Jan. 27, ordering Sam Rainsy to pay 1 euro in damages and delete a page from his book including the allegation.

Yim Sovann, spokesman for the Sam Rainsy Party, said politicians should get used to criticism and that Sam Rainsy should not be punished.

“What he said was merely to let the national and international community know about freedom of expression,” he said.

Both Yim Sovann and Sam Rainsy said they had collected more evidence to show the appeals court.

No date has been set for another hearing.

Fights for justice are shaping up both inside and outside the country

Mrs. Mu Sochua and Mr. Sam Rainsy in front of the Phnom Penh municipal court following the court verdict declaring Mrs. Mu Sochua’s defeat (Photo: Vannara, RFI)

03 October 2009
By Pen Bona
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

The Cambodian Appeal Court is currently considering the defamation lawsuit case embroiling Mrs. Mu Sochua and PM Hun Sen. In France, Sam Rainsy is preparing himself to confront Hor 5 Hong in a defamation lawsuit case which is now in appeal. The fights for justice between the two major political parties are shaping up at a time when Cambodia is under heavy criticism for undermining freedom of expression.

The public is waiting to see the future fate of Mrs. Mu Sochua and that of Sam Rainsy, the former at the Cambodian Appeal Court and the latter at the French Appeal Court. Opposition MP Mu Sochua showed up at the Appeal Court on Friday afternoon to defend her defamation lawsuit case against Hun Sen.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy also left Cambodia to France at the end of September to prepare himself to face the French Appeal Court in a defamation case also. Hor 5 Hong, the minister of Foreign Affairs, is Sam Rainsy’s legal opponent.

Both Mrs. Mu Sochua and Sam Rainsy lost their cases in Cambodia and France, respectively. Both of their opponents in these lawsuit cases are extremely powerful Cambodian government officials. However, the two famous opposition officials do not concede their defeats.

Mrs. Mu Sochua, the strident opponent of Hun Xen, told reporters at the Appeal Court yesterday afternoon that she still maintains her accusation against Hun Xen for defaming her [in his speech held] in Kampot at the beginning of April.

In Kampot, Hun Xen said that there is a “Cheung Khlang” (thug) woman in this province who likes to create problems with others. This woman ran to hug someone, but then turned around and accused that person of unbuttoning her blouse instead. This is the topic of the lawsuit raised by Mrs. Mu Sochua. However, her lawsuit was rejected by the Phnom Penh municipal court because it claimed that Hun Xen did not name anyone.

In the case of Sam Rainsy, he was also accused by Hor 5 Hong of defamation after he wrote a book in which he accused Hor 5 Hong of being the former Boeung Trabek jail chief under the KR regime. In this case, the French court also let Hor 5 Hong win the case over Sam Rainsy.

The fights for justice between politicians from both parties were the reason for the criticisms that freedom of expression is undermined in Cambodia.

Sam Rainsy travels to France for appeal

Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

OPPOSITION leader Sam Rainsy flew to France Tuesday in advance of an October 8 appeal court hearing during which he will ask judges to overturn a defamation and disinformation verdict handed down early this year.

The Tribunal Correctionnel in Paris on January 27 ordered the president of the Sam Rainsy Party to pay a symbolic 1 euro (US$1.43) fine to Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong, who filed his lawsuit following the May 2008 publication of Sam Rainsy’s autobiography, Rooted in Stone.

Hor Namhong said the book accused him of heading the Boeung Trabek “re-education camp”, where diplomats and government officials from the Lon Nol and Norodom Sihanouk regimes were incarcerated by the Khmer Rouge. He asked for damages of 100,000 euros.

During a press conference held Tuesday before he left the country, Sam Rainsy acknowledged having levelled the Boeung Trabek accusation in interviews, but said it was less direct in the book.

“I had not referred to Mr Hor Namhong by name,” he said. “I just said some leaders after the Khmer Rouge, but Hor Namhong got angry.”

He said he expected to have the verdict overturned for that reason, adding that the appeal court was unlikely to take into account the verbal accusations.

He added that only three lines in his 302-page book had anything to do with Boeung Trabek.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said he did not know whether Hor Namhong would also appear for the October 8 hearing.

Sam Rainsy vs. Hor 5 Hong: Act No. II

Sam Rainsy (Photo: PS, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)

Thursday, August 27, 2009
By A.L.G.
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy is summoned to the Paris Appeal court on 08 October in regards to the defamation lawsuit opposing him to Hor 5 Hong, the Cambodian minister of Foreign Affairs.

On 08 October 2009, Sam Rainsy will again defend his position on Hor 5 Hong’s past during the KR era.

On 27 January 2009, Sam Rainsy was sentenced by the Paris tribunal for stating in his autobiography – Rooted in the Stone (Calman-Lévy, 2008) – that Hor 5 Hong directed the Boeung Trabek detention center under the KR regime.

At that time, Sam Ransy and the book publisher were each sentenced to pay a symbolic amount of 0.50 euro ($0.72) to Hor 5 Hong. He was also ordered to remove the word “collaborator” and the sentence “suspected of leading several people to their death” from future editions of the book in relation to Hor 5 Hong. Sam Rainsy appealed the case.

“My book can continue to be sold as is, without any change, everywhere, until the depletion of the current edition, in contrast, Hor 5 Hong asked that they are being ceased,” Sam Rainsy told Cambodge Soir Hebdo from Paris.

"Even though Sam Rainsy has lost for now, that accusation [against Hor Nam Hong] is still going around": Chea Vannath

Hor Nam Hong (L) and Sam Rainsy (R)

In Cambodia, Sam Rainsy no worse for wear: legal officials

Friday, 30 January 2009
Written by Brendan Brady and Neth Pheaktra
The Phnom Penh Post

PPenh legal minds say defamation ruling against Sam Rainsy will not reverberate locally; Hor Namhong waits for Cambodian case to progress.

ALTHOUGH the local fallout of a French court ruling Tuesday against opposition leader Sam Rainsy for disinformation and defamation has yet to materialise, Phnom Penh legal officials doubt the verdict will hold sway in a Cambodian court.

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, who sought to sue Sam Rainsy for defamation in both French and Cambodian courts, has yet to deliver any resounding words calling for further punishment of the opposition leader, but Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said his boss was waiting for local officials to "further their investigation".

"Even though Sam Rainsy has lost for now, that accusation is still going around. "

In his autobiography, Rooted in Stone, published in May last year, Sam Rainsy accused Hor Namhong of heading the Boeung Trabek "re-education" camp, where former diplomats and government officials from the Lon Nol and Sihanouk regimes were detained.

Hor Namhong had previously filed a lawsuit in Phnom Penh in April after the opposition leader alluded to the minister's involvement in the leadership of the Khmer Rouge in a speech at the Choeung Ek "killing fields". Hor Namhong shelved the case, however, awaiting the French verdict addressing the more explicit comment Sam Rainsy made in his book.

According to Phnom Penh Municipal Court President Chiv Keng, while the local case was ongoing, it would not be impacted by Tuesday's ruling, since that case "depended on facts from a different place".

For Sok Sam Ouen, director of the Cambodian Defenders Project, more charges against the opposition leader would, in his opinion, effectively amount to double jeopardy, as the claim Hor Namhong objects to is the same.

Sam Rainsy's lawyer, Kong Sam Onn, said any local legal action would require his client first be stripped of political immunity by order of the National Assembly.

He also denied tremors from the French verdict would register in Phnom Penh since, he said, "there is no law allowing a Cambodian court to use an international decision to rule on a case".

Sam Rainsy, for his part, remains unrepentant, telling the Post he "has no regrets and would not change a word."

Accusation not debunked
While legal minds may see the opposition leader's local legal standing as no worse off, Chea Vannath, a commentator on domestic social and political affairs, described the verdict as a political victory for the ruling Cambodian People's Party, whose membership has been publicly linked to leadership roles in the Khmer Rouge.

She said, however, the charge against Hor Namhong had not been laid to rest.

"Even though Sam Rainsy has lost for now, that accusation is still going around," she said.

She said she expected the ruling party would continue to address public remarks linking it to the brutality of the ultra-Maoist regime when expedient.

Hor Namhong’s law suit against Sam Rainsy in a Cambodian court has been temporarily shelved awaiting the verdict of the French court

Mr. Hor Namhong (L) and Mr. Sam Rainsy (R).

Reaksmei Kampuchea newspaper
18th November, 2008
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

The seven month-old defamation and disinformation law suit, derived from an article published by the opposition newspaper the Khmer Conscience and which was lodged by Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong against Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy, has been temporarily shelved by a prosecutor attached to the court, awaiting for the verdict of the French court first which will be decided on the 9th of December, 2008.

Please note that on the 22nd of April, 2008, Mr. Ka Savuth, lawyer representing Mr. Hor Namhong, lodged a defamation and disinformation law suit with the prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Magistrate Court due attached with the article published in the Khmer Conscience on 18th of April, 2008.

Mr. Ek Chheng Huort, deputy prosecutor attached to the court, has followed the judicial procedures regarding the case. But Mr. Sam Rainsy has always asked for a delay whenever the court summons him to appear. So, due to Mr. Sam Rainsy has parliamentary immunity, the court cannot proceed with this case.

In the meantime, the court has separated the suit against editor of the Khmer Conscience newspaper, Mr. Dam Sith (from Mr. Sam Rainsy‘s case), and Mr. Dam Sith’s case was sent to the investigating judge to proceed with the court case.

In June, 2008, Mr. Dam Sith was ordered by the court to be detained in Preysor Prison, awaiting for the results of the investigations. Shortly after, the court has decided to set Mr. Dam Sith free.

Afterward, the court, through the Ministry of Justice, has written a letter to President of the National Assembly requesting the suspension of Mr. Sam Rainsy’s parliamentary immunity in order to make ways for the court to proceed with the suit. But up until now, even after the third parliamentary term has ended, there is no sign of the National Assembly debating this (the suspension of Sam Rainsy’s parliamentary immunity) issue.

Afterward, in order to provide full justice to Mr. Sam Rainsy, Mr. Hor Namhong has decided to lodge another law suit in the French court because Mr. Sam Rainsy is a French citizen.

According to a reliable source, this new suit will be heard in the French court on the 9th of December, 2008. So, Mr. Hor Namhong’s suit in the Cambodia court has to be temporarily shelved, awaiting for the verdict of the French court first before it can proceed.

Hor Namhong To Sue Sam Rainsy In The French Court

Hor Namhong (L) and Sam Rainsy (R).

27th June 2008
By Chea Makara
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong has confirmed that he had lodged a defamation and disinformation law suit against Mr. Sam Rainsy in the French court in relation to Mr. Sam Rainsy’s speech which alleged that Mr. Hor Namhong was the chief of the Boeng Trabek Prison during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Mr. Hor Namhong had confirmed this law suit in a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the morning of the 27th of June.

Mr Hor Namhong Said: “If we let the Khmer court judge this case, people will say that the Khmer court is biased. So we decided to go to the French court, and wait to see what the people will say about that?”

Mr Sam Rainsy was happy that this case has been brought to the French court which he considered to be more independent than the Cambodian court. He added that the court hearing will take place next year.

Mr Sam Rainsy said: “The French courts are independent, the French courts don’t listen to the dictators like the courts in Cambodia. I’m so happy that I have the opportunity to expose the truth, to show the evidence as well as to bring the witnesses to testify as to who played what role during the Khmer Rouge regime. I have waited for this opportunity for a long time. I’m very happy that I have an opportunity to challenge him in a French court. It is only in the Cambodian courts that we cannot win any case against any Cambodian government leaders.”

At the same time Mr. Hor Namhong has announced that he has withdrawn a law suit against Mr. Dam Sith, a Sam Rainsy Party MP candidate and an editor of the Moneaksekar Khmeer newspaper. Mr. Dam Sith was arrested on the 8th of June and was released a week later when PM Hun Sen intervened.

The international community was concerned that the law suits against Mr. Dam Sith and Mr. Sam Rainsy will affect the upcoming election which will be held on the 27th of July 2008.

David Meas And Hor Namhong Threatened To Sue Khmerization

Sunday, May 18, 2008
Originally Posted on Khmerization
On the web at http://khmerization.blogspot.com

After threatening to sue Sacrava for drawing political satirical caricatures of Mr. Hor Namhong, Mr. David Meas, presumably under instructions from Mr. Hor Namhong, is threatening to sue Khmerization. Khmerization believes that this kind of litigation threat is an intimidation against Khmerization into silence and an infringement on Khmerization's freedom of speech. The articles published at Khmerization are published and posted at The Cambodia Daily website, The Phnom Penh Post website, Everyday.com.kh website etc. Unless David Meas and Hor Namhong can successfully intimidate these websites to remove the articles in question from their sites, Khmerization has no obligation to remove them from this site. Also, I wish to inform Mr. David Meas that I have no obligation to elect any lawyer to represent me in this matter as has been requested by you. And thank you Mr. David Meas and Mr. Hor Namhong for giving this blog prominence.

The following is a letter from Mr. David Meas to Khmerization:

Dear Sirs,

I am acting as French counsel for Foreign Minister of Cambodia, Mr. Hor Namhong.

I have noted that on your web site, named Khmerization.blogpost.com, the following articles are advertised, namely:

- “Hor Namhong , his wife and his son were chiefs of Boeng Trabek prison” (May 4, 2008);

- “Hor Namhong vs. Sam Rainsy, Defamation vs. Crimes against Humanity?” (May 6, 2008);

- "Sam Rainsy plans to sue Hor Namhong" (May 5, 2008);

- “Let’s Battle it out: The Defamation Case of Hor Namhong vs. Sam Rainsy” (April 18, 2008).

The content of those articles could be sanctioned by a court of law, as being in particular libelous, slanderous and defamatory for Mr. Hor Namhong.

In this respect, I draw your attention to the fact that in a 1991 judgement, the Paris courts ruled that similar allegations were defamatory for Mr. Hor Namhong.

Therefore I put you on notice, on behalf of Mr. Hor Namhong, to immediately take all measures so that those articles, and other articles which would be in the same vein, be deleted from your web site.

Mr. Hor Namhong obviously reserves all his rights against you and any other participants or contributors to this matter. Please indicate me the name of your attorney-at-law in this matter.

Sincerely yours.

David Méas

Attorney at Law

Sam Rainsy: Ask Sihanouk Why Hor Namhong Is Known as 'Butcher of Boeng Trabek'

(Photo: RFA)

13 May 2008
By B. Veasna
Moneakseka Khmer
Translated from Khmer by Anonymous

Referring to a document he obtained from Tuol Sleng Prison, which was Van Pini's hand-written confession, Sam Rainsy concluded that Hor Namhong certainly was the director of Boeng Trabek Prison, known as K-17 during the time of the Khmer Rouge.

Sam Rainsy explained to reporters during a press conference at the Sam Rainsy Party [SRP] headquarters yesterday morning, "I read the document from Tuol Sleng, or S-21, a confession extracted under torture before killing to such questions as: What did you do? What was your role? This document was written by Van Pini, who was head of K-17 and this K-17, according to research findings, was said to be Boeng Trabek Prison. Van Pini wrote in his own handwriting that he was director of K-17 and Hor Namhong admitted himself to be replacing Van Pini."

Nevertheless, Sam Rainsy stated that concerning the role of Hor Namhong in the Khmer Rouge regime, he did not mention him by name at all. He merely made a vague comment and in particular he just quoted what the former King had already said.

Sam Rainsy said, "I did not even mention the name. I only repeated after Samdech Sihanouk. Samdech Sihanouk when in France said that Hor Namhong was the Butcher of Boeng Trabek Prison."

At the same time, the famous opposition party leader claimed that he had many other documents, including confessions from Tuol Sleng Prison and interviews that witnesses had with Phnom Penh Post in 2001. He said, "There was a Senate member from the FUNCINPEC [National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, and Peaceful Cambodia] Party named Kev Bunthok. She is dead now. She said that when she was a prisoner at Boeng Trabek, Hor Namhong held an important position. He was not just Hor Namhong but the supervisor of political prisoners or former male diplomats while his wife was the supervisor of female prisoners and their son, Hor Sothun, was head of the child prisoners."

Here, Sam Rainsy fully rejected what Hor Namhong usually claimed about his being a common prisoner like other prisoners. Sam Rainsy said that Hor Namhong certainly was not an ordinary person.

Sam Rainsy said, "In the past Hor Namhong admitted that he was head of the prisoners' commission but with the same status as any other prisoner. However, this is not the same thing, for his wife had a role and their son also had a role. And according to Madame Senator Kev Bunthok, she said that every day and every night after work and after eating there were late-night meetings and she said that if a person was accused or reprimanded by Hor Namhong, a couple of days later that person would disappear. Therefore, this role was not ordinary. During the Khmer Rouge period no one could do anything at will and still remained an equal. If a person led a meeting and made accusations against this or that individual and the next day or the next couple of days this or that individual disappeared, then the person was not an ordinary prisoner; he must have something that made him more special than others."

Meanwhile, in response to the summons issued by the Phnom Penh Municipal Tribunal [PPMT] for him to appear in court to answer questions in Hor Namhong's lawsuit on 22 May, the opposition party leader said that he would not comply with this summons and that he demanded that this case be handled by the Khmer Rouge Tribunal [KRT].

Sam Rainsy said, "I am not going to the PPMT; I am going to the court for trying the Khmer Rouge leaders because only the current KRT has the jurisdiction to seek the truth about what was happening during the Khmer Rouge period, how was the leadership structure of the Khmer Rouge, who was responsible for the killings, who accused whom, and who did what? Only the court that tries the Khmer Rouge leaders would know about incidents that took place in the time of the Khmer Rouge. Therefore, I am not going to the PPMT, and if I go to the KRT I will bring along documents. I have all the documents and witnesses in the world. If the witnesses refuse to come to Cambodia for fear of being murdered, they could make affidavits in writing certifying that they were imprisoned in Boeng Trabek Prison and they would testify to what Hor Namhong did when they were jailed at Boeng Trabek."

At the same time, this opposition leader also criticized PPMT for its untrustworthiness, the reason he refused to be tried there.

Sam Rainsy asserted, "The tribunal in Cambodia, you know, even if the truth is so obvious is not going to give you a fair trial. Therefore, I do not trust it and I do not recognize the jurisdiction of the PPMT concerning Hor Namhong's lawsuit against me."

Furthermore, Sam Rainsy also affirmed that the KRT should go see the former King, for he used to say that anyone who wanted to know about the Khmer Rouge should get an audience with him at the royal palace, where he said he knew what Hor Namhong did. Sam Rainsy said, "Samdech Norodom Sihanouk's remarks were in writing. Frankly speaking, Hor Namhong was the Butcher of Boeng Trabek Prison responsible for arranging the killings and among those who died because of such arrangements were Prince Sisowath Methani and Princess Nanique, who was the elder sister of Samdech Princess Norodom Monineath Shanouk. At that time, Samdech Sihanouk talked about the person responsible for the death of Princess Nanique. Therefore, the KRT should ask the former King to just repeat his words."

Concerning the assertion that the PPMT prosecutor issued a summons for Kang Kek-eav, alias Duch and former warden of Tuol Sleng Prison, to appear as a witness for Hor Namhong on 16 May, KRT spokesman Reach Sambath yesterday said that the court had not yet received the summons.

Duch’s questioning in Hor Namhong’s lawsuit case canceled

Friday, May 16, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

A Phnom Penh municipal court judge canceled the questioning session on Kaing Kek Iev, aka Duch, the former Tuol Sleng chief under the KR regime, and who is an important witness in the lawsuit by Hor Namhong against Sam Rainsy for defamation and disinformation. No source can officially indicate the reason for the cancellation of this questioning. According to a request sent to the court to include witnesses, the court issued a summon inviting Duch, who is currently jailed at the KR tribunal, to come for a questioning session on 16 May 2008. Because of security concern, the prosecutor of the Phnom Penh municipal court plans to travel to the KR tribunal to question Duch instead. However, on 15 May 2008, a source from the Phnom Penh municipal court revealed that the questioning session was canceled. There is no official indication as to why this questioning was canceled.

The French lawyer of Hor Namhong, a Khmer citizen, threatens to sue Artist Sacrava, an Aussie citizen, which country will have the jurisdiction?

Original letter posted at Sacrava Blog site

Case Breakdown:

1. David Meas, a French (Franco-Khmer?) attorney claiming to representing Hor Namhong
2. Hor Namhong, a Khmer citizen
3. Artist Sacrava, an Australian citizen
4. The website is hosted by a subsidiary of Google, a US company

Dear Sir,

I am acting as French counsel for Foreign Minister of Cambodia, Mr. Hor Namhong.

I have noted that on your web site, named sacrava.blogspot.com, the following caricatures are advertised, namely:

- “Hor Namhong , I am searching for the Truth .... I was a Khmer Rouge or the Boeng Trabek Jail Chief” (May 12, 2008);

- “Dam or Dum - Hor Namhong: My Xmer Govermment wanted Cambodia to be the Battery of South-East Asia" (April 7, 2008);

- “Hor Namhong: I'm going to sue you with this deformation searching ” (April 19, 2008).

Those caricatures could be sanctioned by a court of law, as being in particular libelous, slanderous and defamatory for Mr. Hor Namhong.

In this respect, I draw your attention to the fact that in a 1991 judgement, the Paris courts ruled that similar allegations were defamatory for Mr. Hor Namhong.

Therefore I put you on notice, on behalf of Mr. Hor Namhong, to immediately take all measures so that those caricatures, and other caricatures which would be in the same vein, be deleted from your web site.

Mr. Hor Namhong obviously reserves all his rights against you and any other participants or contributors to this matter. Please indicate me the name of your attorney-at-law in this matter.

Sincerely yours.
David Meas
Attorney at Law

Duch And Long Visalo: Are They Credible Witnesses?

Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Editorial by Khmerization
On the web at http://khmerization.blogspot.com

"Long Visalo’s claims of being a prisoner was incorrect. He was certainly not the victim of the Khmer Rouge, but an accomplish to the Khmer Rouge crimes at best, and a perpetrator and an architect of the Khmer Rouge crimes at worst."

The Hor Namhong-Sam Rainsy’s legal dogfight has entered a critical phase - gathering evidences and assembling witnesses.

The opposing camps are actively working hard to gather evidences to boost their legal chance. And one side has claimed to have assembled and lined up a troop of witnesses. While both sides seem to be so sure that they have enough evidences to prove their respective case, it is not sure if what they have got have any legal weight commensurate with international standard to prove such a defamation case.

On the one hand, the Sam Rainsy camp seemed to have enough documented evidences to back up his accusations against Hor Namhong. He can still find victims and survivors of the Boeng Trabek Prison who can testify for him. But to convince and to persuade them to come forward and testify against Hor Namhong would be an uphill task, considering that Cambodia and the Cambodian courts are at Hor Namhong‘s disposal.

On the other hand, the Hor Namhong camp has declared that they have solicited the supports of two (not) high profile witnesses: Duch and Long Visalo. Many written accounts seemed to suggest that these two were both perpetrators of heinous crimes, not victims of those crimes as they had claimed. So many people would be of the view that the testimonies of these two witnesses, due to their associations with the Khmer Rouge crimes in the past, lack credibility.

Let’s look at the history and profile of these two individuals. First, let’s examine Duch’s past. Duch was a director of one of the most notorious extermination centres in the world, where in excess of 16,000 prisoners were brutally tortured, then executed. He is currently being detained awaiting trial on crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity. In any sense, a criminal who was accused of the same crimes that he will be called to testify against would not be a credible witness. He is being detained and guarded by the Cambodian police, and therefore he is at the mercy of the Cambodian authority and so would say anything to get a good deal for his upcoming sentence. As such, in an independent judiciary, his testimony would be tainted and inadmissible as evidences.

It is rather interesting for another witness, Long Visalo, to re-emerge at this critical time of truth-searching for the Khmer rouge crimes. He will not be a credible witness either because he was part of the crimes that he is called to defend. One does not need to look any further than Visalo’s own admission to prove that he was the perpetrator of the Khmer Rouge brutalities, and not the victim of those crimes. With such admission as “I was assigned to prepare a re-education camp in Boeng Trabek” proved that Long Visalo was not a prisoner of Boeng Trabek, but in fact an administrator of this re-education centre. To re-phrase Visalo's own words, he was the one who set up the Boeng Trabek Prison. Visalo went on to say that “I undertook several political sessions with Angkar’s leading cadre when I lived in Phnom Penh between 1976-1979”. These admissions proved that he was a leading Khmer Rouge cadre, who was actively participating in the Khmer Rouge day-to-day’s affairs such as administering the Boeng Trabek Prison and training and indoctrinating Khmer Rouge cadres.

It must be noted that only leading Khmer Rouge cadres were ever allowed to take part in a political sessions with ‘Angkar’s leading cadre” because the Khmer Rouge regime was a very secretive organisation. No one from outside, let a lone a prisoner like Long Visalo, would be allowed to take part in those very secretive political sessions.

Long Visalo’s shady pasts have been revealed by many Western historians and experts of the Khmer Rouge regime. In many books written by experts of the Khmer Rouge regime, it was claimed that, during the Khmer Rouge regime, Long Visalo worked at the Foreign Ministry and held a position equivalent to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. He worked along side Ieng Sary and was very close to him. As an official of the Foreign Ministry, Visalo’s day-to-day job was to train Khmer Rouge cadres in foreign affairs and international relations at either the Institut Technique Khmer-Sovietique or at the former University of Phnom Penh.

Long Visalo’s claims of being a prisoner was incorrect. He was certainly not the victim of the Khmer Rouge, but an accomplish to the Khmer Rouge crimes at best, and a perpetrator and an architect of the Khmer Rouge crimes at worst.

So, are Duch and Long Visalo credible witnesses in the Hor Namhong’s defamation case against Sam Rainsy? The answer is a resounding "no"!

Long Visalo to defend Hor Namhong, his boss

Long Visalaud during the interview (Photo: Narith, Koh Santepheap)

Long Visalo to act as defense witness for Hor Namhong in Sam Rainsy’s accusation case

Monday, May 12, 2008
Koh Santepheap
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

"A committee chief (such as the one occupied by Hor Namhong) must put into application the plans issued by the (alleged Khmer Rouge) Boeng Trabek center chief" - Job description of the Boeng Trabek committee chief as provided by Long Visalo

Phnom Penh – In the afternoon of Friday 09 May 2008, Long Visalo, the state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, gave a brief interview to reporters at his ministry regarding the Boeng Trabek education center or re-education center under the genocidal Pol Pot regime.

In response to several questions asked by reporters, Long Visalo declared that during the KR regime, he was a prisoner of the Boeng Trabek education center which was divided into 3 centers: B-30, B-31, and B-32, and these centers were reserved for people who returned from overseas. B-30 was reserved for students and intellectuals, B-32 for diplomats and their families, and B-31 was filled by the KR with people who did a good job, at the beginning, people there were ordered to listen to radio station, teach foreign language to KR youths, type or create various documents, and hard labor was also performed.

Long Visalo indicated also that the Boeng Trabek education center is a re-education center to change the classes of those people returning from overseas, and at least to lower their classes also because they cannot be considered as revolutionary. Therefore, they have to be changed to a class of the poor or the class of workers and farmers. In there, people cannot think about fathers, mothers, siblings, or relatives anymore, each person is considered an entity of the Angkar, and there is a lot of work there, such as building houses, roads that must be dug out, pulling out water hyacinth (kamphloak) to plant water bindweed (trakuon) and other vegetables, because the (KR) believe that houses, villas, roads or cars are used by the rich people, and the Angkar does not need them, they must be destroyed, and vegetables must be planted to have food to eat every day. At Boeng Trabek, people was put to work from dawn to dusk, after eating porridge (rice soup), work must be continued until late at night, then meeting would be held, and shifts were set up to stand guard until morning time.

He added that those who returned from overseas, were brought to the Boeng Trabek center. These people were classified into 2 groups: (1) members of the liberation front formed by Sihanouk in 1970, following the Lon Nol coup d’état, and nationalist students and intellectuals from overseas who were members of the front, and (2) those who were not members of the front, but these people thought that since the country is at peace, they wanted to return back to help rebuild the country, or they thought about re-uniting with their relatives whom they were separated from during the war. At the Boeng Trabek center, there were changes among the common chief, but a man by name of Savorn was the one who was the chief for the longest amount of time. In Boeng Trabek, there were 3 subdivisions, the inner center selected a committee along with a committee chief who must put into application the plans issued by the Boeng Trabek center chief, however these chiefs work like all the others and ate the same as the others.

Regarding the accusation made by Sam Rainsy to Hor Namhong, involving the Beong Trabek center, Long Visalo indicated that he saw and knew Hor Namhong as a diplomat who came from overseas just like him. All of Hor Namhong’s family members were brought to the center like everybody else. Later on, he was designated as the B-32 committee chief, after Chao Seng and Van Phiny, the former committee chiefs were taken to be killed. During that time, Hor Namhong was no different from the others in term of work labor and food to eat, and he faced hardship like others also, and (for example), he even tore the bedspread to use as a scarf in lieu of a “kroma” for wiping the face [KI-Media note: Kroma, the scarf-towel, was used a status symbol under the KR regime, it shows that the person donning it belong to the farmer/worker class, i.e. a real communist proletarian. According to Long Visalo, Hor Namhong has to come up with a makeshift kroma during that period. Sleeping on a bedspread is considered very luxurious for common prisoner]. Furthermore, he was almost taken to be killed also because the KR planned to take him out of Boeng Trabek to go to another place, and (usually) those who were taken out, they all faced death, and this, Hor Namhong did not know about.

Long Visalo claimed that Sam Rainsy’s accusation was done for political gain, and those who said this, never saw the KR, never suffered under the KR [KI-Media note: King-Father said the same thing about Hor Namhong also, and he also lived under the KR regime]. He said that when Cambodian people suffered and had no food to eat, were tortured and killed, these people (who accused Hor Namhong) were sleeping quietly in peace in France, and they did not know anything, they dreamt that this person did this, that person did that, they did not participated in the suffering with the people, but when the people are at peace, then they came back to join the people, when the people suffered, they abandoned them. “Regarding Mr. Sam Rainsy’s accusation, I (Long Visalo) agree to act as a witness for Mr. Hor Namhong, and I am not doing this because he (Hor Namhong) works at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and I am one of his subordinates, but I want to show the truth of each individuals who were victims at the Boeng Trabek center during the KR regime, and also for the actual truth which I was myself a victim, or for what the other victims also said.”

Long Visalo indicated also that: “For those who survived from the KR regime, I think that it was their great luck, furthermore, those who worked hard under the Angkar and they did not talk and protest about all out hardships, they all survived until now because of the unforgettable 07 January 1979 liberation.” He indicated that he will look for 2 or 3 more witnesses (to defend Hor Namhong) who had survived the Boeng Trabek center also. The Boeng Trabek jail issue will then be revealed to the public.