Hun Xen opposes ICC’s Bashir indictment

Omar al-Bashir (L) and Hun Xen (R)

PM opposes ICC’s Bashir indictment

Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Sebastian Strangio
The Phnom Penh Post

PRIME Minister Hun Sen has condemned the International Criminal Court (ICC) for issuing a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, telling a Sudanese official the indictment could “adversely affect” peace negotiations in the war-torn African nation.

Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that during a meeting last week, Hun Sen told Sudanese Special Envoy and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Ahmet Karti Mohamed that he shared Khartoum’s opposition to the indictment of its head of state.

“During the meeting, Samdech Hun Sen said that the warrant issued by the ICC for the purpose of arresting Omar al-Bashir, an incumbent president, undermines the peace negotiation process,” Koy Kuong said Tuesday.

In March 2009, the ICC, which sits in The Hague, issued an arrest warrant for Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for atrocities allegedly committed in the Darfur region. He is the first sitting head of state ever to be indicted by the ICC.

Hun Sen’s comments, which were reported Tuesday by the Non-Aligned Movement News Network, are similar to his earlier criticisms of internationally-backed legal proceedings underway in Cambodia – in particular, the proposed increase in the number of former Khmer Rouge figures who could be tried by the Khmer Rouge tribunal. Last September, the premier warned that pursuing further indictments risked sparking civil unrest.

Anne Heindel, a legal adviser for the Documentation Centre of Cambodia, described Hun Sen’s comments on the ICC as “notable”, but said they gave no clear indication of his views on the Khmer Rouge tribunal given the many differences between the two institutions.

As a signatory of the Rome Statute of the ICC, she said, Cambodia should support its work, but she added that the efficacy of the Bashir indictment – and indictments of sitting heads of state more generally – was a subject of hot debate.

“The jury’s out on whether [such indictments] contribute to peace or whether they hinder peace,” she said.

Hun Sen will change Cambodia into a Military Dictatorship Country

Sunday, January 25, 2009
Op-Ed by Khmer Young
On the web at http://cambodianbrightfuture.blogspot.com

It is unarguable that recent firing of Gen. Ke Kimyan from his position as a Military General and deputy of the National Defense is politically oriented. Mr. Hun Sen is the spearhead to purge anyone who have more popularity than him as well as when he has distrusted those persons. The motivation behind this firing is not else beside of personal ambition to cling to power and supremacy of Hun Sen.

But when we look back to the recent past of this firing, we can see that there are several attempts of Hun Sen to sack Gen. Ke Kimyan from his position. First, during the coup data in rivaling for power between Hun Sen and Rannaridh, the news simultanously reported that Hun Sen was unable to command Gen. Ke Kimyan to mobilize the troops to confront the same Khmer soldiers. Since that time, Hun Sen has tried to nominate his trustful persons to work closely with Gen. Ke Kimyan such as Pol Saroeun, Mol Roeup, Kun Kim and Meas Sophea. This effort finally has been achieved when Pol Saeoun has been successfully appointed to this highest position. And also many other Hun Sen's trustful persons have been risen up to the post of deputy commander-in-chief position such as General Kun Kim, Meas Sophea, Mol Roeup, Chea Dara, Hing Bun Heang, Ung Samkhan and Sao Sokha.

This power shift is not else beside of securing Hun Sen's power stability. Hun Sen has no intention to gain his power through a democratic way, but to use military is his highest goal. Hun Sen might lead Cambodia in the political manner like Burma and Vietnam. But this internal conflict of CPP should be a good chance for DMC as well if they know how to utilize this opportunity.

However, Hun Sen rises to monopolize power in Cambodia will cause sufferings for Cambodia. Gen. Ke Kimyan lost his power in the range of military because of losing support from Vietnam. Gen. Pol Sareoun was recently granted PhD. in military strategy from Hanoi and immediately he rises to this powerful position.

Who will benefit from this power reshuffle?

Cambodian people and their nation will not benefit from this problematic reshuffle because the excuses Hun Sen used to blame Gen.Ke Kimyan of land grabs or others is groundless and it considered as the injustice excuse because Hun Sen himself cannot deal with corrupt persons who are supporting him. But whoever that he distrusts and likely not supports his power, he has many things to accuse them.

First person who can get benefit is only Hun Sen himself. But this benefit is just the fake one. Hun Sen himself has no self-success in leading Cambodia. Hun Sen has been totally supported by Vietnam since the beginning to the present.

Second is Vietnam. So, Vietnam can benefit most from this internal conflict of military. First, Vietnam can tie Hun Sen under their armpit in another decades. And if there are serous conflict inside the military or civil war in Cambodia, Vietnam will see this internal division as their chance to take advantage of Cambodia. This strategy, Vietnam has used it ever since.

Let see, the history will repeat again in Cambodia...Vietnam can keep their status quo more in Cambodia through mechanism of modern economic-capitalistic policy.

KY