Dr Heang Rithy (pointing arrow) of the CSLHRC during an audience with King Sihamoni (Photo: CNRO)CSLHRC opposes Dr Lao Mong Hay who blamed King-Father
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Koh Santepheap newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
The Committee Strict Law Enforcement for Human Rights in Cambodia (CSLHRC) issued a statement to oppose Dr. Lao Mong Hay, a researcher at the Asian Human Rights Commission, who wrote an editorial published by a local newspaper, in which he stated that Samdech Norodom Sihanouk, the Hero-King of Cambodia, should share the responsability with the former Khmer Rouge leaders, because the then-prince Sihanouk was involved with the (Khmer Rouge) regime also.
In his statement, CSLHRC’s Dr. Heang Rithy explained that on this issue, Dr. Lao Mong Hay should have sufficient solid legal evidence. Regarding another statement (by Dr. Lao Mong Hay) published by the Cambodian paper saying: “He (King-Father) should be stripped of immunity so that he could appear in court,” CSLHRC explained that, legally, the lifting of the Hero-King’s immunity is the jurisdiction of the court if there is sufficient legal evidence.
The CSLHRC statement said that this is the legal measure of the national and international laws. Nobody can talk like in the demand made by Dr. Lao Mong Hay by using a right that is not based on the law at all, in spite of the fact that he is (part of) a human rights organization. A talk or a demand made without evidence can cause confusions among Cambodian people, and lead them to hate the Hero-King.
According to the national and international law, and in particular, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which stipulates in its Article 19 that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,” but it should not infringe on the rights of others.
Article 41 of the Cambodian Constitution stipulates that: “Khmer citizens shall have freedom of expression, press, publication and assembly. No one shall exercise this right to infringe upon the rights of others, to affect the good traditions of the society, to violate public law and order and national security.” Therefore, the expression of opinion of each individual must not infringe upon the rights of others, nor upon the dignity and honor of others.
In conclusion, the expression of opinion or the demands made that the Hero-King should share responsibility with the Khmer rouge leaders is a very serious mistake, because there is no document to prove that he (King-Father) participated (with the Khmer Rouge regime. Dr. Heang Rithy also called, in the name of CSLHRC, that all human rights organizations, before they criticize anybody, they should have sufficient proof, in particular, they should review the legal aspect of the law, etc…
In his statement, CSLHRC’s Dr. Heang Rithy explained that on this issue, Dr. Lao Mong Hay should have sufficient solid legal evidence. Regarding another statement (by Dr. Lao Mong Hay) published by the Cambodian paper saying: “He (King-Father) should be stripped of immunity so that he could appear in court,” CSLHRC explained that, legally, the lifting of the Hero-King’s immunity is the jurisdiction of the court if there is sufficient legal evidence.
The CSLHRC statement said that this is the legal measure of the national and international laws. Nobody can talk like in the demand made by Dr. Lao Mong Hay by using a right that is not based on the law at all, in spite of the fact that he is (part of) a human rights organization. A talk or a demand made without evidence can cause confusions among Cambodian people, and lead them to hate the Hero-King.
According to the national and international law, and in particular, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which stipulates in its Article 19 that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,” but it should not infringe on the rights of others.
Article 41 of the Cambodian Constitution stipulates that: “Khmer citizens shall have freedom of expression, press, publication and assembly. No one shall exercise this right to infringe upon the rights of others, to affect the good traditions of the society, to violate public law and order and national security.” Therefore, the expression of opinion of each individual must not infringe upon the rights of others, nor upon the dignity and honor of others.
In conclusion, the expression of opinion or the demands made that the Hero-King should share responsibility with the Khmer rouge leaders is a very serious mistake, because there is no document to prove that he (King-Father) participated (with the Khmer Rouge regime. Dr. Heang Rithy also called, in the name of CSLHRC, that all human rights organizations, before they criticize anybody, they should have sufficient proof, in particular, they should review the legal aspect of the law, etc…
