SRP calls on the ruling party to stop playing its “dirty trick” against the opposition

Click on the above SRP communiqué to zoom in

18 June 2008
By Ros Dina
Ka-set
Unofficial translation from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the original article in French
Click here to read the original article in Khmer

In a communiqué released on Wednesday 18 June, the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) calls on the CPP and its vice-president, Prime minister Hun Sen, to end the “dirty trick” they have initiated to destabilize the main opposition party in Cambodia. The SRP denounced that these treacheries threaten and would prevent the holding of a free, fair and equitable election on 27 July.

The SRP also referred to the public speech given by Hun Sen on 15 June, in which he asked the ministry of Defense to investigate on alleged involvement of the SRP in an attack on Hun Sen in Siem Reap in 1998, as well as the alleged SRP ties to the Cambodian Freedom Fighters, a movement which tried to topple the government in 2000 by attacking several government buildings. These alleged accusations were brought up by two former SRP party members, Hun Sen claimed.

The SRP provided information on the past of the two men who brought the charges against the SRP. The SRP stressed that the pair were kicked out of the party several years ago because of their behaviors which led to their altercation with the law. The SRP also indicated that both men were jailed for several months in the past, and that they are currently being manipulated by the CPP to threaten the SRP.

“The culture of violence does not exist in the SRP,” the communiqué insists before indicating that the latest events were repeated acts from the ruling party to try “to destroy the SRP’s popularity,” after its attempts to “buy out” some of the SRP activists.

Sam Rainsy accuses Hun Sen of making up fictitious stories

Hun Sen (L) and Sam Rainsy (R)

16 June 2008
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Sam Rainsy accused Prime minister Hun Sen’s government of making up fictitious stories regarding the order he issued to Loeuk Bun Nhean, a former SRP activist, to cooperate with the government army spy group and high-ranking army officials, in order to follow up on a murder attempt case against him (Hun Sen) one decade earlier.

Sam Rainsy’s reaction came one day after Hun Sen issued his order for re-opening this investigation.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy reacted against the story that a former SRP activist received the order from Hun Sen to research on past events related to a grenade attack on Hun Sen’s motorcade one decade earlier.

Sam Rainsy said that Hun Sen’s ordered Loeuk Bun Nhean to cooperate with the government army spy group and high-ranking army officers, because of suspicion that a group of terrorists plan to kill him in 1998, is nothing but a make up story.

Sam Rainsy said: “He (Hun Sen) should ask Mr. Sok Yoeun because Hun Sen’s tribunal accused and wanted to arrest Mr. Sok Yoeun, but Mr. Sok Yoeun left to live in Finland instead thanks to the UN. We know that this a make up story, it is made up to divert the attention from the actual problems faced by the nation. Therefore, Mr. Hun Sen’s government cannot resolve the land dispute problems, it cannot resolve the price inflation problems, it cannot face the anger of the population, so he made up these stories that he dreamed up.”

Sok Yoeun is a SRP activist who was accused by the Phnom Penh municipal court regarding the terrorist attack on Hun Sen’s motorcade, 10 year ago. Currently, Sok Yoeun lives in Finland.

Yesterday, Hun Sen declared that he nominated Loeuk Bun Nhean as an advisor to the ministry of National Defense already, and that the latter is working on these issues.

Hun Sen said: “Nhean, you have one duty, because you, Nhean, was involved in activities related to many terrorist attacks. H.E. Meas Sophea who works with Mol Roeub, this Mol Roeub will work with Nhean. All the documents will not only be shown on TV, because this is a deep case related to possible spying and to our security, we must undertake this work again.”

Sam Rainsy said that he never even knew Loeuk Bun Nhean, and he is not concerned about the case raised by Hun Sen regarding this follow up.

Sam Rainsy said: “I’m not concerned at all, it’s laughable. This means that the current Hun Sen government does not want to serve the nation at all, it refuses to resolve the problems faced by the people, such as land dispute, price inflation. All that Hun Sen can do is to make up useless stories that nobody believes.”

Hun Sen ordered the research on the past attack on his motorcade which took place one decade earlier, but he did not provide any comment, nor did he say it is related to any individual in particular, however, his order came at a time when Cambodia is preparing for the general election.

Sam Rainsy suspects that this order was issued to break the spirit of his supporters before the general election, however, he believed that Hun Sen’s accusation will not be successful.

Sam Rainsy said: “Their goal is to intimidate the SRP, however, the SRP believes that this is laughable story. This lets the SRP members see that the CPP is very mediocre.”

Yesterday, Hun Sen claimed that this story is not a political threat, but that it involves a murder attempt against him.

Another case of Hun Sen being fooled by a defector's tall-tale claim: Hun Sen's high-ranking army officers and spies know less than a defector

Hun Sen orders the re-investigation in the attack in Siem Reap which took place one decade earlier

15 June 2008
By Chea Makara
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

On 15 June, Prime minister Hun Sen ordered the government investigation unit which includes police officers, military police officers, etc… to undertake a new research on an attempt using a B-40 grenade launcher on his motorcade which took place one decade earlier.

Hun Sen’s order came after the defection of Loeuk Bun Nhean, a former SRP party member in charge of security, who claimed that SRP officials were involved in this attack.

Hun Sen said: “This issue is an attempt on my life with the use of a B-40 … Other people should not be mistaken that this is a political threat, it’s not, it’s not a political threat, but this a crime that cannot be forgotten because the past formation of the Moha Nokor (Great Empire) movement in Pursat province, Mr. (Loeuk Bun) Nhean knew about it. Following the CFF case, there was the Moha Nokor movement in Pursat, therefore, who is their leader? Who allowed the formation? Therefore, we must research this also, we must start the search of this also, because it affects the national security. Regarding this issue, has the bottom been reached yet or not? This must be researched clearly, because for the sabotage problem, if there is a small problem, then there is sabotage, this is a danger for the national security. It cannot take place.”

Loeuk Bun Nhean, a former SRP activist, was nominated by Hun Sen on Saturday as an advisor at the ministry of Defense. Hun Sen claimed that Loeuk Bun Nhean is aware of many sabotage cases, and he ordered this SRP defector to cooperate with high ranking army officials and army spies working for the government.