ផ្កាយចោរ គន់គិម រិបយកដីខ្មែរ លក់ឲ្យយួន

លោក ​គន់ គីម (ស្តាំ) លោក​នាង ផាត និង​លោក ​ទៀ​ បាញ់ ជជែកគ្នាកាលពី​កន្លង​មកថា បើអាសេនកាត់ដីព្រំដែនខ្មែរ-យួន ដូរអំណាចយើងលក់ដីទល់ដែន ខ្មែរ-សៀមឲ្យយួនយកលុយវិញ។ រូបថត ហេង ជី​វ័ន

គេ​ថា មន្ត្រី​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​យក​ដី​របប​ទ័ព​លក់​ឲ្យ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​វៀតណាម

25 June 2012
ប៊ុត រស្មីគង្គា
The Phnom Penh Post

ឧត្តរមានជ័យៈ មនុស្ស​ប្រមាណ ១៥០០ នាក់​ ដែល​រួម​មាន​ទាំង​មេ​បញ្ជា​ការ មេ​បញ្ជា​ការ​រង និង​កូន​ទាហាន​ផង​ នៅ​ក្នុង​ស្រុក​ត្រពាំង​ប្រាសាទ ​មាន​គម្រោង​ផ្ញើ​ញត្តិ​ មាន​ផ្តិត​ស្នាម​មេ​ដៃ​របស់​ពួក​គេ ដាក់​ជូន​លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋ​មន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ប្តឹង​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​នាយ​ឧត្តម​សេនីយ៍ គន់ គីម អគ្គ​មេបញ្ជាការ​រង​នៃ​កង​យោធពល​ខេមរ​ភូមិន្ទ​ ដោយ​ចោទ​ថា​ បាន​កាត់​ដី​របស់​ពួក​គេ​លក់​ឲ្យ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​វៀតណាម​ឈ្មោះ Best Royal និង Taining។

នាយ​រង​កង​ពល​តូច​មួយ​រូប ​ដែល​មាន​មូលដ្ឋាន​នៅ​ឃុំ​ត្រពាំង​ប្រាសាទ ​បាន​ថ្លែង​ថា មនុស្ស​ប្រមាណ ១៥០០ នាក់​ ដែល​រួម​មាន​ទាំង​មេ​បញ្ជា​ការ មេ​បញ្ជា​ការ​រង និង​កូន​ទាហាន​ មក​ពី​កង​វរសេនា​តូច​ចំនួន ៤ ដែល​ក្នុង​នោះ​ មាន​វរសេនា​តូច​លេខ ២៦១, ២៦២, ២៦៣ និង ២៦៤ ក្នុង​ឃុំ​ត្រពាំង​ប្រាសាទ ស្រុក​ត្រពាំង​ប្រាសាទ នឹង​ផ្ញើ​ស្នាម​មេដៃ​របស់​ខ្លួន ​នៅ​ក្នុង​សប្តាហ៍​នេះ​ ប្រឆាំង​នឹង​នាយ​ឧត្តម​សេនីយ៍​ផ្កាយ ៤ គន់ គីម នាយ​សេនាធិការ​ចម្រុះ និង​ជា​អគ្គ​មេ​បញ្ជា​ការ​រង​នៃ​កង​យោធពល​ខេមរ​ភូមិន្ទ​ ជុំវិញ​ការ​កាត់​ដី​របស់​ពួក​គេ​ ប្រមាណ ៥ ពាន់​ហិកតា​ហើយ​លក់​ទៅ​ឲ្យ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​វៀតណាម ២ គឺ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន Best Royal និង Taining។

CPP General Kun Kim sell Khmer lands to Viet companies

Kun Kim (R) standing next to his boss, Hun Xen

Soldiers cry foul over ‘land grabbing’

Monday, 25 June 2012
Buth Reaskmey Kongkea
The Phnom Penh Post

About 1,500 representatives of military families in Oddar Meanchey province are planning to file a complaint directly to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s office accusing a high-ranking Royal Cambodian Armed Forces general of selling a large chunk of their land to two Vietnamese rubber companies.

The soldiers, commanders and deputy commanders living on the land in the province’s Trampaing Prasat district, are part of the Sixth Intervention Brigade. They were expected to submit the complaint against four-star General Kun Kim by Wednesday.

But Kun Kim, who heads up the office of the Mixed Chiefs of Staff, told the Post yesterday that the claims are bogus, that families are occupying the properties illegally, and that the Cambodian government granted the land to the two companies, identified as Best Royal and Taining, in 2008.

Second Opposition Lawmaker Called to Court [-Hanoi Military PhDs without schooling are not worthless, they are absolute rubbish]

SRP MP Ho Vann (L) seen here with journalist Dam Sith following the latter's release from jail

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
05 June 2009

An opposition parliamentarian has been summoned to Phnom Penh Municipal Court, following a suit filed by a group of senior military leaders.

Sam Rainsy Party member Ho Vann told local media in April that certificates awarded to 22 senior military officials by the Vietnamese Infantry Institute were “worthless.”

Ho Vann told reporters after his questioning he had not incited or defamed, and denied calling the certificates worthless. He said he had made numerous attempts to correct both the Cambodia Daily and the Phnom Penh Post for corrections.

Pol Saroeun and his deputy, Lt. Gen. Kun Kim, received doctorates in military science from the Vietnamese Infantry Institute in 2007, while 20 other senior military officials earned the master’s degrees.

Pol Saroeun declined to comment on the case. Tann Mengsroy, lawyer for the plaintiffs, also declined comment.

217 army officers promoted

Reported by Khmerization

217 army officers from Division 3 based on the border frontlines in Preah Vihear had been promoted in a promotion ceremony held on 21st April 2009, reports everyday.com.

In a ceremony presiding over by Gen. Kun Kim (pictured), Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army, 13 army officers had been promoted to colonels, 46 had been promoted to the ranks of lieutenant-colonels, 61 promoted to majors, 87 promoted to captains, 76 promoted to first lieutenants and 54 army officers had been promoted to second lieutenants.

Gen. Kun Kim said in the ceremony that these promotions are in response to the competence and the successes achieved by these officers for their roles in the defence of the Cambodian nation.

He said Division 3 is an army unit directly attached to the Command Headquarter and is an army division that the government trusted the most.

CPP adds 6 more permanent committee members

23 April 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The CPP is holding a two-day congress on 25-26 April 2009. Prey Veng CPP MP Cheam Yeap, who is also the chairman of the National Assembly finance committee, told the Kampuchea Thmei newspaper in the afternoon of 22 April that the CPP plans to hold its congress on 25-26 April. He added that the CPP holds its congress at least once or twice a year to listen to reports on the work accomplished, and to set the goal for the following year. The congress will also include a vote for 6 new party permanent committee members. An unofficial source claimed that the 6 new permanent committee members are: Keat Chhon [Pol Pot’s former close assistant], Sao Sokha [the military police chief], Neth Savoeun [Hun Sen’s nephew-in-law], Yim Chhay Ly, Kun Kim [a recent PhD from Hanoi] and Meas Sophea. Cheam Yeap indicated that, in the past, there were 262 members in the party central committee, and among them 30 are members of the permanent committee. However, following Hok Lundy’s departure to the netherworld, the CPP currently counts only 29 permanent committee members.

Free Vietcong training and indoctrination offered ... with guaranteed Hanoi PhD

Vietnam Offers Military Training to Cambodia

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
20 April 2009

Vietnam’s deputy defense minister on Monday offered aid in military training to Cambodian soldiers and officers, at a time when Cambodian and Thai troops are entangled in a protracted border dispute in the north.

Maj. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh made the offer to Prime Minister Hun Sen following a ceremony for 22 senior military officials who recently returned from PhD and master’s programs in military science at the Army Institute of Vietnam, in Hanoi.

“He is ready to help for human resources development in the field of national defense and to strengthen the cooperation between the Cambodian Defense Ministry and the Vietnamese Defense Ministry,” Hun Sen’s spokesman, Ieng Sophaleth, told reporters Monday. “Vietnam and the Vietnamese army are ready to learn and share experiences between Cambodia and Vietnam, with the purpose of strengthening and building-up the capacity of territorial defense and the defense of respective sovereignties.”

Military officials have received training in Vietnam since the 1980s, when Cambodia was under Vietnamese occupation following the ouster of the Khmer Rouge, in 1979.

“From 2001 to 2009, there have been 170 Cambodian military senior officials going to study at the institute,” Nguyen Duc Xe, director of the Army Institute, said in remarks Monday.

The 22 graduates, all officers, wrote theses that “are not made for offensives to invade any countries,” Hun Sen said at the ceremony Monday, “but they are just about management and order of the military, to defend national sovereignty. This shows that Cambodia is not thinking about sending its troops to invade any countries.”

Graduates of the Army Institute who were recognized on Monday included Gen. Pol Saroeun, commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, and his deputy, Gen. Kun Kim, both of whom earned PhDs.

Pol Saroeun wrote his thesis on the defense of Military Region 3, which comprises the provinces of Kampong Speu, Kampot, Kep, Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk and Takeo. Kun Kim wrote about Military Region 5, which includes the provinces of Banteay Meanchey, Battambang and Pursat, as well as Pailin.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Thai and Cambodian troops have been entrenched along the northern border of Preah Vihear province since July, when Preah Vihear temple was included on a list of World Heritage sites, sparking protests in Thailand. Talks have failed to bring about a resolution, and troops have clashed at least twice, leading to deaths on each side.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Hun Manet, one Star general

Kun Kim: I'll go wherever you go!... I hold whatever you have!

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Cambodia to lodge a diplomatic complaint after Thai soldiers fired artillery shells into Cambodian territories

Cambodians soldiers patrolling the borders.

Koh Santepheap newspaper
19th February, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerization

The Cambodian Foreign Ministry said that it will lodge a diplomatic complaint to the shelling of Cambodian territories by Thai troops on 17th February, even if Thailand has apologised.

Mr. Koy Kuong, Foreign Ministry’s Secretary of State, said on the 18th February that the Foreign Ministry has sent military personnel to investigate the shelling to find out of where and how many shells were fired into Cambodian territories.

Mr. Koy Kuong said that he does not know the reasons why the Thai troops fired those artillery shells into Cambodia. The Thai commanders based in the areas has apologised to the Khmer commanders, but Mr. Koy Kuong said that diplomatic protest will still be lodged.

Speaking in an interview with Radio Free Asia, Mr. Koy Kuong said: “We will lodge a diplomatic protest with Thailand in the not too distant future. We only need to wait for enough information first.”

On 17th February, 10 artillery shells fired from Kap Cherng district of Sisaket province landed a few kilometres inside Cambodian territories. The shells landed a near Boss Thmor Daun village and Chup Angkanh village of Kork Kposs commune, Banteay Ampil district in Ouddor Meanchey province. Seven shells exploded and 3 shells did not explode.

Cambodian military sources said that the Thai said that they were doing a military exercise in Andet Mut commune of Kap Cherng district in Sisaket province. The Cambodian military sources said that the artillery shells were probably fired from artillery guns mounted on military tanks.

Mr. Var Kim Hong, chairman of Cambodian Border Committee, said that the Thai shelling are in violation of international laws and Cambodian sovereignty. He added that Thailand has every right to stage a military exercise, but to fire artillery shells into Cambodian territories is a violation of Cambodian sovereignty.

Villagers living in the border areas said that up until now they still hear the sounds of artillery fires on the Thai side of the borders which caused the Cambodian villagers to live in fears.

Sources close to the Cambodian government said that the Cambodian side has been very patient in regard to past border violations from Thailand because Cambodia wants a good neighbourly relationship with Thailand. Cambodia has agreed to engage in many bilateral talks with Thailand in good faith, but it seems that the Thai side has not reciprocated in the same manners as it has repeatedly caused problems by violating Cambodian sovereignty again and again.

Mr. Khieu Kanharith, the government spokesman, cannot be contacted to make any comments, but he has said yesterday that a team of military personnel has been sent to the areas to investigate the Thai shelling. He said that Cambodia will send a diplomatic aide-memoire through the Thai embassy.

A Cambodian military source based near Ta Krabey and Ta Moan Thom temples said that on the afternoon of 18th February, Gen. Kun Kim, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), has led a team of military personnel to investigate the matter on the spots.

A Cambodian military officer said that the shells landed approximately 1-2 kilometres northeast of Ta Krabey temple inside Cambodian territories.

Party factionalism looms behind Ke Kim Yan sacking: observers [-Saga of the CPP Dog eat dog world continues]

Kun Kim standing next to Hun Sen: Will he be the next loyalist to Hun Sen to take over Pol Saroeun? Stay tuned for the CPP dog eat dog world saga...

Thursday, 19 February 2009
Written by SEBASTIAN STRANGIO and THET SAMBATH The Phnom Penh Post

Court denies KE KIM YAN land investigations
STUNG Treng provincial court says it is yet to receive requests to open investigations into land owned by General Ke Kim Yan, despite unconfirmed reports the former army chief owns thousands of hectares in the province. A leaked report from a January 29 meeting of the Council of Ministers revealed Ke Kim Yan had been removed from his post in part for “using his military position to profit from land deals”, recommending he be investigated for land investments in Phnom Penh, Stung Treng and Preah Vihear. But police and court officials denied local media reports that they had been ordered to launch inquiries. “I am surprised to hear your question that officials and courts in the province are working to investigate land deals involving Ke Kim Yan,” said court director Sor Savuth. “I did not get any requests… to investigate this case.” Ke Kim Yan is listed as an advisor on the website of YLP Group Co Ltd, which is developing the Grand Phnom Penh International City satellite as a joint venture with Indonesian firm Ciputra. YLP Group, headed by Ke Kim Yan’s wife Mao Malay, also has planned developments in Preah Sihanouk and Kandal provinces.
THET SAMBATH AND HOR HAB

Analysts say allegations the deposed army chief was involved in shady land deals are being used to whitewash a purge of the military in line with decades-old internal party disputes

OVERWHELMING success in last year's national election set the stage for a reopening of long-standing factional disputes in the ruling Cambodian People's Party, culminating in the removal of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) Commander-in-Chief General Ke Kim Yan last month, according to some political observers.

According to a leaked document from a January 29 meeting of the Council of Ministers, Ke Kim Yan's removal - which also saw the sacking of military police Deputy Commander General Chhin Chanpor - was "due to reforms in the military based on job performances" and "due to him using his military position to profit from land deals".

But political analysts and military sources say such pretexts are being used to paper over significant power shifts in the ruling party.

"None of these explanations can be taken at face value," said Carlyle A Thayer, a political science professor at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Sydney.

"The government says Ke Kim Yan's removal was a normal reshuffle, but this is belied by allegations he was involved in shady land deals and was not effective in support of [RCAF] troops during the border dispute with Thailand."

Cold War rivalries

Thayer said that internal disputes within the CPP - pitting one group loyal to Hun Sen against another loyal to party President Chea Sim - have plagued the party on and off for years, but that until recently the two factions had reached a stable modus vivendi.

However, with the defeat of its long-time foe Funcinpec at last year's national election, the party has begun to rearrange itself along the predominant factional fault lines.

"Hun Sen is set for another five years. He faces the problem of what to do with so many CPP deputies who have time on their hands, [which is] fertile ground for a revival of intense factionalism within the CPP," he said.

In the run-up to July's elections, historian David Chandler told the Post that an overwhelming victory of the CPP would be a double-edged sword for the ruling party, since it would "no longer [have] to look over its shoulder at opponents", and could be beset by "over-confidence".

Koul Panha, executive director of election monitor Comfrel, said it was possible that increased power had triggered fresh internal disputes but that it was "too early to say" how success would affect the CPP.

"FOR THE MOMENT, GENERAL POL SAROEUN IS HUN SEN’s STALKING HORSE, [but] GENERAL KUN KIM COULD PROVE TOMORROW’S MAN."

But the trigger for the shake-up, according to Thayer, was the death of National Police chief Hok Lundy in a helicopter crash in November, which destabilised the status quo by diluting the power of the police force - a long-time bastion of support for Hun Sen.

"Hok Lundy's death removed one of Hun Sen's staunch loyalists. His passing means that the police may not be as strong a counterfoil to the military as it once was," he said.

"In this context, Hun Sen's move to capture the leadership of the military may be seen as an effort to gain control of another base of power within the political system."

Meanwhile, other observers said the emphasis on Ke Kim Yan's alleged land dealings was merely a way of detracting from the political motivations behind his removal.

Jacques Bakaert, a Belgian journalist who covered Cambodia during the 1990s, said the timing of the removal was a chance for the prime minister's faction to reassert control over the armed forces - previously dominated by Chea Sim loyalists - and that land was merely being used as an excuse.

"It was probably convenient, given the accusations against him, to get rid of him now when there are continuous questions about land grabbing," he said.

One RCAF general, who fought with the anti-Pol Pot resistance in the late 1970s but declined to give his name, told the Post that the removal of Ke Kim Yan for owning land was hypocritical, since "many" military commanders and government officials were involved in the land business.

"It is not right to accuse him alone of being involved in the land business. They have legal and illegal land ... [so] why are they still at the top?" the source said.

Sam Rainsy Party spokesman Yim Sovann agreed, saying that there were many - especially those "loyal to high-ranking officials" - who could potentially be charged with similar offences.

"This is an internal conflict in the CPP. When they are not happy with somebody in the party, they always accuse them of doing the wrong thing," he said. "The law should apply to everybody, not only those who oppose the ruling party."

Ke Kim Yan declined to comment when contacted Monday. Government officials, however, have consistently played down talks that the CPP is beset by factionalism.

Speaking at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs February 6, Prime Minister Hun Sen denied opposition claims of a split in the CPP, saying that "it is the right of the premier to manage and control the military, police and other public administration".

Bun Seng, RCAF commander of Military Region 5, also told the Post that it was not up to him to judge the reasons behind Ke Kim Yan's removal.

"Right or wrong is up to the top leaders to decide," he said.

Purging the military
What is certain, however, is that the replacement of Ke Kim Yan and the appointment of seven new deputy commanders-in-chief, has consolidated the prime minister's control over the upper echelons of the armed forces.

General Pol Saroeun, the new army head, has been a staunch Hun Sen loyalist since he took part in the eastern zone-led revolt against Pol Pot in 1978.

In the mid-1980s, he was appointed party secretary of Takeo Province, where he became an early supporter of Hun Sen's economic reforms and supported the removal of Heng Samrin as party leader.

The other new appointees - including Generals Chea Dara, Mol Roeup, Meas Sophea, Hing Bun Heang, Kun Kim, Ung Samkhan and Sao Sokha - are also known for their loyalty to Hun Sen.

Kun Kim in particular has long stood in the wings, acting in Ke Kim Yan's absence and carrying out personal orders from the premier.

A Phnom Penh source who declined to be named said that the conflicts between Ke Kim Yan and the prime minister began in 1997, during that year's fighting between army factions loyal to the CPP and Funcinpec.

"At that time Hun Sen wanted to use the national military to [fight] Funcinpec, but Ke Kim Yan refused. He didn't think it was the right thing to do," said the source, adding that Ke Kim Yan was "marked" from that point on by his refusal to toe Hun Sen's line.

Kun Kim, on the other hand, played an active role in the suppression of the royalists.

Subsequently, when the prime minister appointed Kun Kim to the RCAF general staff in 1999, observers cast it as a move by the prime minister to tighten his grip on the army, and in an October 2005 speech, Hun Sen pledged to replace Ke Kim Yan with Kun Kim if he did not follow orders to repress a future coup attempt.

"I have been patient for too long.... The armed forces are in my hands," the premier said.

"If Ke Kim Yan does not do it, I will use Kun Kim. Ke Kim Yan has to do it. If not he will be removed."

But Thayer said that the military leadership had not been definitively settled and that more upheavals could yet be in store.

"For the moment General Pol Saroeun is Hun Sen's stalking horse, [but] General Kun Kim could prove tomorrow's man," he said. But he added that the appointment of Meas Sophea, another Hun Sen loyalist, indicates that the PM is "keeping his options open".

"Both men will have to demonstrate their continued loyalty to Hun Sen," he said.

In the meantime, RCAF sources say the removal of Ke Kim Yan - a genuinely popular figure amongst soldiers - was still rippling through the military, where many former colleagues feared removal from their own posts.

"We are sorry for him because we have fought together since the 1980s," the anonymous general said.

"Most of the soldiers today still support Ke Kim Yan in their hearts. But what can we do for him? No one dares to comment about him because they are worried of removal and demotion. One was our commander and one is still our prime minister, so we all have to shut up."

Gen. Kun Kim: No more removals of military leaders, but there will be some reshuffles

Kampuchea Thmey newspaper
29th January, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerizaton

Since the sacking of Gen. Ke Kimyan as the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and the sacking of Gen. Chhin Chanpor as the Deputy Commander of the Military Police, there are rumours that there will be more sackings.

Ge. Kum Kim (pictured), Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the RCAF, said that there is no further removals of any military leaders from their current positions. He added that the rumours are intended to cause anxiety in the military.

Gen. Kun Kim told Reaksmei Kampuchea that the removals of Gen. Ke Kimyan and Gen. Chhin Chanpor is just the beginning of a military reform. There will be no more removals of any military leaders, but there will be some reshuffles in accordance with the military reforms carried out by the new government.

Gen. Kun Kim said that these sorts of rumours have caused nervousness in the military. He said that the rumour are not true.

According to sources, Gen. Chhoeun Chanthorn alias Mao, commander of a bodyguard unit, has been sacked. But Gen. Kun Kim said that there is no sacking yet, but he added that there will be further reforms in the bodyguard unit as well in order to reduce the numbers of bodyguards. But sources from the Interior Ministry said that all bloated bodyguard units will be cut down.

Sources said that, under the new government, all bodyguards will not be allowed to have dual roles. In the past, some bodyguards use their bodyguard roles to intimidate other people for personal interests.

In another development, sources from the Defence Ministry said that Gen. Huy Pisith, Deputy Chief of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cabinet, has been appointed as the Under-Secretary of State of Defence on top of his current role.

Gen. Ke Kimyan sacked as the RCAF commander-in-chief

Gen. Ke Kimyan (R), seen here being briefed by his officers.

"If he was withdrawn from his post without real reason, there could be a reaction from soldiers and commanders," - A three-star RCAF general

Written by Post Staff
Friday, 23 January 2009
Phnom Penh Post

GENERAL Ke Kim Yan, commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and long-time loyalist of Cambodian People's Party President Chea Sim, has been removed from his post in a sweeping reshuffle of the Kingdom's military leadership.

According to a royal decree broadcast Thursday on Apsara Television, Ke Kim Yan's deputy, General Pol Saroeun, has been appointed commander-in-chief, and seven officers have been bumped up to the post of deputy commander-in-chief, including Hun Sen loyalists General Kun Kim and General Meas Sophea.

When contacted by the Post Thursday, Pol Saroeun confirmed he had been promoted. When asked how he felt about it, he replied: "I am modest."

Nem Sowath, Cabinet chief for the Ministry of Defence, said that it was a routine reshuffle of the Kingdom's top brass. "There has been no problem," he said.

He added that Ke Kim Yan had led the army for many years and had made "enviable achievements" since being appointed to the post.

Kem Sokha, president of the Human Rights Party , said the reshuffle was likely a result of internal CPP power politics.

"We have long heard rumours that Prime Minister Hun Sen had plans to remove Ke Kim Yan from commander of RCAF because of an internal dispute," he said, referring to speculation that has abounded since 1997 when reports of Ke Kim Yan's death in the factional fighting sent his family fleeing to Thailand. Although the reports proved erronrous, it later emerged Ke Kim Yan had disputed an order to deploy the army on the streets of Phnom Penh.

In 1999, when Hun Sen appointed Kun Kim to the general staff, observers cast it as a move by the prime minister to tighten his grip on RCAF.

A three-star RCAF general who declined to be named said that he was "very surprised" to hear of the transfer.

"If he was withdrawn from his post without real reason, there could be a reaction from soldiers and commanders," he said.

But Nguon Nhel, first deputy president of the National Assembly, denied the move was a sign of internal divisions in the party. "There is no such dispute in the CPP," Nguon Nhel said. "If there was a dispute, the CPP would not have such support."

Ke Kim Yan could not be reached for comment Thursday.

4-star Gen. Ke Kimyan sacked by Prime Minister Hun Sen

Radio Free Asia
By Mayarith
22nd January, 2009
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

Gen. Ke Kimyan (pictured), Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), has been sacked today (22nd Jan.) and was replaced by a new person.

In accordance with a royal decree signed by King Norodom Sihamoni, Gen. Pol Saroeun has been appointed in Gen. Ke Kimyan’s place.

The same royal decree did not specify what position Gen. Ke Kimyan will be appointed to. This same decree only directs that Gen. Ke Kimyan has been removed from his current post as Commander-in-Chief of the RCAF.

The same decree has appointed 7 more military officers to the positions of Deputy Commander-in-Chiefs of RCAF.

The 7 generals who were appointed as Deputy Commander-in-Chiefs were: Lt-Gen. Meas Sophea, Lt-Gen. Mol Roeub, Lt-Gen. Chea Dara, Lt-Gen. Hing Bunheang, Lt-Gen. Sao Sokha and Admiral Oung Samkhan.//
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Additional report:

The military exchange head
22-01-2009


The current chief of staff, General Kè Kimyan, gives way to his deputy.
General Kè Kimyan. © LD.

General Kè Kimyan was replaced at the head of the Royal Khmer Armed Forces, by one of his former deputy, General Pol Sareun, who will be assisted by general Kun Kim, Meas Sophea, Mol Roeup, Chea Dara, Hing Bun Heang, Sao Sokha, and Ung Samkhan in his new duties.
Following this waltz appointments, General Ung Samkhan abandoned his post as commander of the navy to General Tea Vinh.
The royal decree was signed on Thursday January 22 by King Norodom Sihamoni.

Khieu Kanharith, government spokesman, said that the replacement of the chief of staff is one of the consequences of state reform in progress.

Khieu Kanharith said that "the general Kè Kimyan remains in the royal army," without specifying his new assignment.

Please read editorial: Mr. Hun Sen's Unchallenged Supremacy.

'Tug of War' Over Top Military, Defense Ministry Posts Said Stirring Up Again

07 Apr 08
By Den Sorin
Moneaksekar Khmer
Translated from Khmer by Anonymous

A high-ranking Cambodian People's Party [CPP] official said that despite agreement within the CPP concerning the positions in the armed forces, it is not yet certain that there would be no changes because contestants are waiting to see the balance of forces between the two sides and the post-election actual situation first.

Previously Hun Sen wanted to have Neang Phat replace Tea Banh as Defense Minister and Kun Kim as armed forces Supreme Commander. However, if such an arrangement was made Hun Sen would have total control of the armed forces and Chea Sim would then be even more meaningless than now when he is already meaningless. Therefore, the party elders urged both sides to exchange positions between Ke Kimyan and Kun Kim, for Hun Sen wanted Kun Kim to replace Ke Kimyan as armed forces Supreme Commander while Chea Sim wanted Ke Kimyan to replace Tea Banh as Defense Minister.

Hun Sen consented to such a trade-off and the situation inside the CPP concerning power in the armed forces became calm for a while. However, recently the tug of war inside the military ranks within the CPP stirred up again because Hun Sen wanted to change his mind concerning the top post in the Ministry of National Defense as he did not wish to see Ke Kimyan have it.

The CPP official meanwhile said that Hun Sen recently strongly censured Tea Banh for not knowing how to use diplomatic language when he talked with the Vietnamese leaders, leading the state news agency controlled by the Communist Party of Vietnam to publish a report about Tea Banh's call on the Vietnamese Defense Minister to provide assistance in maintaining security during the elections, a report promptly quoted by the state-controlled Agence Khmere de Presse.

The CPP official said that the Defense Minister is expected to handle the administration's political affairs. Therefore, the Defense Minister needs to be a person well-versed in diplomacy. Because Tea Banh showed his inexperience in diplomacy Hun Sen wanted to remove him from the Ministry of National Defense while the Chea Sim side wanted Ke Kimyan to replace Tea Banh since Ke Kimyan's seat at the armed forces Supreme Command was snatched by Hun Sen and given to his close confidant Kun Kim. However, Hun Sen now wants to renege by expressing his desire to take over both the armed forces Supreme Commander's and the Defense Minister's posts. This has caused quite a commotion inside the party.

The CPP official further disclosed that Hun Sen has steadily promoted Neang Phat in preparation for him to be seated in the Defense Ministry's top post. People inside the armed forces previously predicted that the Defense Minister's seat would surely go to Moeng Samphan, an in-law of Hun Sen, because Moeng Samphan was seen getting promoted quite often. However, after Moeng Sampohan stopped being a Hun Sen in-law, Hun Sen instead reserved this top post at the Defense Ministry for Neang Phat. For this reason, Neang Phat has been seen promoted to four-star general and made Hun Sen's personal adviser with a rank equal to that of a minister. He recently was given the title of Senior Minister so that he could hold the Defense Minister's post.

The CPP official said that in this third term Defense Minister Tea Banh is also Deputy Prime Minister. In the next term the Defense Minister probably will not double as Deputy Prime Minister, but will be just a Senior Minister. Nevertheless, the question of who between Ke Kimyan and Neang Phat will be Defense Minister has no sure answer to it yet because the key to Hun Sen's remaining Prime Minister is still in the hands of the Chea Sim group. Therefore, if Hun Sen really goes back on his word there surely will be an implosion of problems.

High Quality Timber Smuggled to Vietnam with Protection from Influential Persons

20 Dec 07
By Koet Samrach
Moneakseka Khmer
Translated from Khmer and posted online

Moneakseka Khmer has already published two issues exposing the protection provided by Ney Charei, deputy governor of Kandal province who is a brother-in-law of Kun Kim, deputy supreme commander of the armed forces and a close confidant of Hun Sen, for illegal timber merchants who have been smuggling luxury wood to Vietnam through the Chrey Thom border pass in Kaoh Thom district, Kandal province. After Moneakseka Khmer's successive reports, an official of Kandal province's Agriculture Office who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Ney Charei, deputy governor of Kandal province, and his elder sister known as Chae [sister] Ri, have continued to carry on their protection providing activities with unaltered arrogance. As for the authorities along the Bassak River and National Route 21, none of them dare to raise any objection to the merchants who are shipping luxury wood in boats, motorboats, and cars for sale to the Vietnamese via the Chrey Thom border pass because they are afraid of the influence of Kun Kim's brother-in-law Ney Charei.

The same Agriculture Office official further said that Ney Charei and his sibling Chae Ri can provide protection for the dishonest timber merchants to smuggle luxury wood to Vietnam with utter confidence because there is also the complicity of the Forest Administration chief of Kandal province, Mam Sarin, helping everything to proceed so smoothly. Without the complicity of Kandal province's Forest Administration chief, Ney Charei and his sister Chae Ri can not be the protectors of the dishonest timber merchants so overtly like this. In particular, Ney Charei relies on his being a brother-in-law of Kun Kim, deputy supreme commander of the armed forces and a close confidant of Hun Sen, in order for him to dare to do whatever he pleases.

The official at the Agriculture Office of Kandal province disclosed that head of the Forest Administration Ti Sokun and Agriculture Minister Chan Sarun knew very well that the deputy governor of Kandal province, Ney Charei, has connived with the chief of Kandal province's Forest Administration in allowing the dishonest merchants to smuggle luxury wood to Vietnam through the Chrey Thom pass. However, in their personal interests, Ti Sokun and Chan Sarun have remained quiet and acted as if they see nothing, hear nothing, and are aware of nothing concerning the anarchic shipments of luxury wood by the dishonest timber merchants to Vietnam through the Chrey Thom border pass. Besides, Ti Sokun and Chan Sarun are afraid of the authority of Kun Kim, deputy supreme commander of the armed forces and head of Hun Sen's advisory board. So, they just shut up so that no one's interests would be harmed.

According to a source familiar with Ney Charei, this deputy governor of Kandal province and his sister dare to protect the dishonest merchants' smuggling of luxury wood to Vietnam through the Chrey Thom border pass because they enjoy the complicity of the head of the international Chrey Thom pass customs office named Pheang. And this head of the customs office at Chrey Thom dares to collude with the deputy governor of Kandal province because he has received green light from the arch corrupt chairman of the Customs Service, Pen Simorn. It is for these reasons that the dishonest merchants can smuggle luxury wood via boats, motorboats, and cars to Vietnam through the Chrey Thom border pass, shipping hundreds of cubic meters of wood every night without fearing anything or anybody.

A Cabinet official of the Kandal provincial hall who asked to remain anonymous told Moneakseka Khmer that currently Ney Charei and his sister, Chae Ri, are notoriously known as the protectors of dishonest traders who smuggle luxury wood to Vietnam through Chrey Thom. Even Chhun Sirun, installed by Hun Sen as governor of Kandal province after firing Khim Bo, does not dare to raise a finger against Ney Charei because he is afraid of Kun Kim, a close confidant of Hun Sen. This has greatly emboldened Ney Charei and Chae Ri into doing whatever they want, for no one dares to say a word against them.

The same Cabinet official of the Kandal provincial hall further hinted that nowadays Chhun Sirun can only silently look at the activities of Ney Charei and Chae Ri without daring to open his mouth because staying mum would bring him some benefit. If he dares to touch Ney Charei it would mean he dares to face off Kun Kim. For this reason, Chhun Sirun has preferred to stay mum so that he still can eat some good foods by letting Ney Charei and Chae Ri do whatever they please rather than open up his mouth and risk losing his teeth.

As for Ruy Chhunli, head of the Cabinet of the Kandal provincial hall who is known to be a relatively influential person, he too dares not antagonize Ney Charei and Chae Ri, for fear of being removed from his seat as head of the Cabinet of the Kandal provincial hall without prior notice.

According to an official of the Agriculture Office of Kandal Province, Chrey Thom, Kandal Stoeng district, Kandal province is not the only border pass through which the dishonest timber merchants with strong backing have been smuggling luxury wood for sale in Vietnam. The smuggling also takes place through the K'am Samnar pass in Leuk Dek district, Kandal province. The most notorious trader who brings luxury wood to Vietnam through this K'am Samnar pass is Lach Tuch. Everybody on the west bank of Neak Loeung knows Lach Tuch very well. This man has been a veteran smuggler of luxury wood through the K'am Samnar pass. He has been at it for so long that he can afford to buy the title of Oknha with the proceeds from his illegal business.

Sources further said that Lach Tuch has been able to smuggle luxury wood to Vietnam through the K'am Samnar pass and has become so prosperous because of this illegal trade thanks to the complicity and well synchronized cooperation of the local police and the competent authorities at all levels, from top to bottom. Even the economic police have been seen taking money from Lach Tuch on a regular basis. Moreover, Lach Tuch has been regularly paying the provincial police commissioner, provincial military commander, provincial Military Police commander, provincial governor, and heads of other branches so that they would leave him alone to his business.

Those who have been monitoring the activities of trader Lach Tuch said that all types of competent authorities have been seen flocking the house and timber depot of this merchant to touch their regular payments without a trace of inhibition. As for the head of the Customs Office of K'am Samnar, he also accepts rich kickbacks from businessman Lach Tuch. For these reasons, this trader has been permitted to smuggle luxury wood to Vietnam without any obstacle. The sources have not mentioned the name of the ringleaders behind Lach Tuch, unlike the main backers of the smugglers of wood to Vietnam through the Chrey Thom pass who are well known to the public.

Observers have said that the dishonest merchants whose business is to smuggle luxury wood to Vietnam through the Chrey Thom pass are not afraid of the police along the Bassak River and National Route 21 because they rely on Ney Charei and Chae Ri as their protectors. The authorities concerned are so afraid of Ney Charei that just by hearing his name they already almost want to piss in their pants because they know that Ney Charei is a Kun Kim brother-in-law. Consequently, fearing nothing and nobody Ney Charei is using the title of deputy governor of Kandal province to provide protection for the illegal timber merchants.

Kun Kim Said Behind Timber Smuggled in Boats Towing Dragon-Boats to Phnom Penh

Left to Right: 4-star General Kun Kim, Chan Sarun, and Touch Naroth

23 Nov 07
By Savery
Sralanh Khmer
Translated from Khmer and posted online

The crime of transporting good quality timber from the provinces to timber depots in Phnom Penh takes place everyday before this timber is smuggled out of the country and sold in Vietnam, China, and a number of other foreign black markets. The timber transporting traders claim that they enjoy the backing of the wives of high-ranked government officials, police or army generals, or relatives of Prime Minister Hun Sen, as well as senior officials in the Agriculture Ministry.

During the recent Water and Moon Festivals this year some of the large motorboats that towed the dragon-boats for the race in Phnom Penh hid luxury wood in their hulls with some of them reportedly smuggling hundreds of cubic meters of high-priced timber in this manner. In the timber shipment via the motorboats towing the dragon-boats to Phnom Penh this time some timber merchants claimed that four-star General Kun Kim, deputy supreme commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and one of the officials closest to Prime Minister Hun Sen, was the main share holder in their business.

Sources said that there were about 10 motorboats towing the dragon-boats to Phnom Penh and each of them carried hundreds of cubic meters of luxury wood arranged at the bottom of the hulls with tree saplings placed atop. The dragon-boat rowers were arranged to sit atop the tree saplings in a bid to deter inspection by the authorities. The sources said that these timber carrying motorboats moored in Tonle Sap River off Phsa Toch Market close to the Caltex gas station. Both the Economic Police [EP] officers and Forest Administration [FA] officials were said to be afraid to search the boats. In fact, they were afraid not of the power of Kun Kim but of the power of the timber traders' dollars.

A Phnom Penh FA official told Sralanh Khmer that in the night of 21 November 2007 a few FA officials and EP officers drove cars and piloted outboards to negotiate with and take bribes from the tycoons behind the shipment of sawn timber in motorboats from Kampong Cham and Kracheh provinces that were at anchor off Phsa Toch Market. When the local police officers came to question and inspect the boats, the timber traders told the workers who were unloading the timber to tell the police that Kun Kim had shares in their stocks.

The sources said that one of the timber smuggling motorboats that night was named Vatthanak-Sambat. Another motorboat mooring nearby, named Chey Chumneah II, was also suspected of transporting good quality wood. However, the names of the other motorboats in that area were covered up with pieces of cloth.

A witness of this incident said that before 9:00 PM in the night of 21 November outboards of the FA officials and those of the EP officers were seen racing behind these 10 motorboats that were towing the dragon-boats. Three large motorboats suspected of transporting hundreds of cubic meters of wood (in each boat) left the Phsa Toch Market mooring place and sailed to drop anchor at another place in Prek Phneou. It was suspected that these boats were taking their shipments of timber to a timber depot belonging to a businesswoman named Chae Moy.

The sources said that this wood smuggling incident was also reported to Phnom Penh Police Commissioner Touch Naroth, Agriculture Minister Chan Sarun, FA Director-General Ty Sokhun, and the EP bureau head and deputy heads. But these men did not dare to stop the boats. They instead sent representatives to negotiate with the timber merchants. After pocketing the bribes, they just let them go, presuming that Kun Kim was behind these shipments of timber to Phnom Penh.

The sources said that luxury wood transported by motorboat, car, and train come to Phnom Penh everyday with the merchants who are waiting to buy the timber ready to pay off the EP officers and FA officials each time a shipment reaches Phnom Penh. However, if the timber smugglers fail to pay the bribes their shipments would be immediately sequestered. No matter where the smuggled timber is hidden, the EP and FA know about it. And each time there is an arrest and confiscation the media would be invited to take pictures and telecast the captured goods with these officials and officers acting as if they have just made a big score in suppressing forest crime. In reality, this usually follows the failure in the negotiation to extort bribes from the timber traders.

Sralanh Khmer yesterday was unable to contact General Kun Kim and many other figures involved for clarification on these criminal shipments of luxury wood through motorboats towing dragon-boats from the provinces that were moored off Phsa Toch Market in the night of 21 November.

It should be noted that a number of local newspaper reporters were beaten up by unidentified persons and powerful officials and some of them were given death threats in Pursat province just because they took pictures of cars transporting timber and published news about the illegal logging and timber transporting in Pursat. Concerning these warnings and persecutions, the authorities have never discovered and arrested any criminals behind them.

Ke Kimyan-Hun Sen Rift Inside Cambodia's Ruling Party Said Flaring Up Again

17 Sep 07
By Srei Ka
Moneakseka Khmer
Translated from Khmer and posted online

A high-ranking official of the Cambodian People's Party [CPP] said that Prime Minister Hun Sen and Armed Forces Supreme Commander Ke Kimyan seldom see eye to eye with each other. In 1997-98 Hun Sen and Ke Kimyan had problem with each other once before, but thanks to a timely internal reconciliation effort and also because he did not want the outside world to see that the CPP was rifting, Hun Sen accepted the party's internal arbitration since Ke Kimyan was also a fellow member of the CPP Permanent Committee. At that time, Ke Kimyan and Sar Kheng were not yet related by the marriage of their children, but when Hun Sen and Ke Kimyan fell out with each other, Chea Sim, Heng Samrin, Say Chhum, and Sar Kheng moved in to help find a settlement, in which all of them sided with Ke Kimyan.

According to the same CPP official, even Chea Soth, the most senior of the party's elders and sixth most powerful person in the party, also stood behind Ke Kimyan. For this reason, Hun Sen could not do anything to Ke Kimyan.

Some other CPP officials, too, agreed that Ke Kimyan and Hun Sen were not on good terms with each other but the CPP has made a great effort to prevent this problem from spilling over and leaking to the outside.

The CPP official said that Hun Sen announced his resignation as armed forces supreme commander, handing over this post to Ke Kimyan and even presenting him with a gold-handled pistol, a gift from an Indonesian army chief, during the first ceremony to destroy weapons held at the Olympic Stadium the following year. However, this was merely a diplomatic ploy to hoodwink the world and prevent it from seeing that there was a rift inside the CPP. Anyway, the command of armed forces was still solely in Hun Sen's hands.

The same CPP official said that Hun Sen was also worried after he announced the handover of the supreme commander's post to Ke Kimyan, fearing that CPP military commanders would listen to Ke Kimyan's orders. Therefore, he hastily appointed Kun Kim as deputy supreme commander of the armed forces. This invited a mixture of criticisms as Kun Kim had never been a military commander nor was he trained by any military academy before. After Kun Kim was appointed there was a strong expression of discontentment from Tie Banh, Meas Sophea, and Pol Saroeun. However, Hun Sen then resorted to the trick of beating the cart to spite the oxen by not directly blaming Tie Banh, Meas Sophea, or Pol Saroeun but instead blaming the Cambodia Daily, which interviewed these army chiefs, saying that this newspaper was stirring up trouble.

According to the CPP official, after appointing Kun Kim and more or less settling the problem inside the party, Hun Sen sent Kun Kim to attend a brief course at a military academy in Vietnam to shut up his critics from accusing him of appointing a man who did not go through a military school as an army chief.

The same source said that in the situation in which the CPP was dealing with its internal crisis, a number of moderate army commanders stood on the sideline, belonging to no particular faction. These included Pol Saroeun, deputy supreme commander of the armed forces and chief of the joint staffs, and Meas Sophea, deputy supreme commander of the armed forces and Army commander. But now, these two top-leveled commanders appear to have drifted away from Hun Sen.

The high-ranking CPP official said that at first Hun Sen wanted to intimidate Ke Kimyan by pounding on him like someone squashing a nit. However, the situation has turned out to be different from what he thought, for not only is Ke Kimyan related to Sar Kheng by the marriage of their children and is openly a man of Chea Sim several army chiefs have also lent him their support. This is because several veteran CPP army chiefs seem to be very annoyed with the way Hun Sen has been appointing and promoting the young generations. Some of the latter are businessmen who do not even know which direction the barracks faces are already given a general's stars. It is true that the signing of the promotion for an officer must go through the Supreme Command and the minister of national defense. However, some cases ordered by Hun Sen are difficult for Ke Kimyan and Tie Banh to decline. The two have to obey.

Some military observers and diplomats concurred that recently Ke Kiyan and Hun Sen appeared to be in disagreement again. This is because at a few public forums where the majority of CPP ministers and army chiefs were seen escorting Hun Sen but Ke Kimyan was conspicuously absent. As a matter of fact, recently either Pol Saroeun or Kun Kim was seen playing the role of acting supreme commander of the armed forces.

An officer at the Supreme Command said that normally when Ke Kimyan is absent from the Supreme Command it is Pol Saroeun who acts in his place. But now, even in the absence of Ke Kiyan, Pol Saroeun, too, is not always present. Instead, it is Kun Kim who more frequently acts as supreme commander.

According to the CPP official, the party elders are trying to reconcile the rift inside the party between Hun Sen and Ke Kimyan, but their effort apparently has not borne fruit. Therefore, the Hun Sen-Ke Kimyan confrontation is suspected to be flaring up inside the CPP again.

Kun Kim: The Vietnamese-trained PhD-General ... how could he pursue his study while acting as the fulltime RCAF commander?

Kun Kim standing next to Hun Sen (Photo: Global Witness, Taking a Cut)

Kun Kim receives his PhD from Vietnam

Friday, September 21, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

4-star General Kun Kim, the RCAF commander and the chairman of Hun Sen’s advisors, just received a military science PhD certificate from the Dalat Army Institute in Vietnam. An army officer indicated that Kun Kim is the first high-ranking Cambodian army officer to receive the military science PhD certificate since the 70s. Kun Kim used to study in Dalat, Vietnam, between 2001 and 2004, where he received a bachelor degree in military science, and he later pursued his study and wrote his (PhD) thesis between 2004 to 2007, before receiving his PhD in military science. The Rasmei Kampuchea reported that Kun Kim received his PhD in Vietnam on 17 September.