(Left to right) Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, US Department of State Condoleezza Rice, and Sam Rainsy Party MP Mao Monyvan Government Official Angry With US State Secretary for Speaking About the Truth in Cambodia
17 Feb 08 - 18 Feb 08
By Savary
Sralanh Khmer Newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Anonymous
A high-ranking government official is furious with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for making conclusion based on false and inciting information.
Condoleezza Rice stated on 13 February that the United States was disappointed about the pace of change in Cambodia. She told lawmakers that the United States wanted to see Cambodia have more progresses than at present.
Khieu Kanharith, information minister and government spokesman, said that Ms Rice drew the conclusion based on false information. He said, "The reason Ms Rice is bogged down in Iraq is because at the very beginning, information is received only from groups of bad people. That is why we do not wonder why the United States is bogged down in Iraq. First, if Cambodia's government had done very little, it would not have received votes. Second, if the government is said to be not good enough, does Ms Rice dare determine that among the 10 ASEAN member countries Cambodia is ranked last? What is the rank given to Cambodia in ASEAN? Just with political stability and economic growth [in the country], it can already be understood."
Mao Monivan, MP of Kampong Cham constituency and deputy secretary general of the Sam Rainsy Party [SRP], said the assertion by Ms. Condoleezza Rice was correct especially about the democratic process in Cambodia. He said, "The statement by Ms Rice of the US Department of State is already a signal to the Cambodian Government about the US position. We are aware that democracy in Cambodia is a democracy on the lips of top leaders, while concrete actions are that threats still exist, killings of politicians still exist, the freedom of expression is stifled, and nonviolent demonstrations to express views publicly are banned. Moreover, even in a draft law on demonstration, the Royal Government [Royal Government] has the intention to muffle the freedom of the people who want to demonstrate."
Khieu Kanharith also pointed out that now, Ms Rice made the remarks at the push by the government's opponent, before the election, and he said, "She spoke from abroad, [but] the Cambodian people know."
Regarding Khieu Kanharith's critical remark that the United States is bogged down in the United States, Mao Monivan said, "It is normal for the superpower to make decisions against dictatorial regimes, including the former Iraqi leader (Saddam Hussein). Since that country threatened democracy in the world, it must be decided to help rescue the people in that country so there will be genuine democracy."
It should be pointed out that recently, economic experts remarked that Cambodia's economy had grown passably over the past few years, but Cambodia still depended on foreign aid for development and solving the still devastating poverty problem. Moreover, one of the problems the Cambodian people are currently facing is the imbalance between income and the needs for livelihood, while the prices of consumer goods at the markets have shot up.
The World Bank used to remind the government to focus on monitoring the gap between the rich and the poor, especially between the rich and the rural people. At present, Cambodia, regarded as one of the poorest nations in the world, is found to have been bogged down deeply in corruption, which is the root cause of the country's poverty.
At the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008, the US Department of State paid special attention to Cambodia, and, in particular, the US Senate has approved a law banning Cambodian officials implicated in the destructive cutting down of forest trees from setting foot on the American soil. The US Congress, too, called on the Department of State to consider using the Global Witness' "Nation-stealing Family Trees" report to compile its list.
On 23 January, the US Department of State's spokesman stated that the United States meticulously considered making corruption charges. He added that the United States shared a lot of concern raised by the Global Witness in its report and was reviewing all the information relating to this story.
The Global Witness report contains the names of 12 important officials and businessmen close to [Cambodian Prime Minister] Hun Sen, including Chan Sarun, minister of agriculture; Ti Sokun, chief of the Forest Administration, and the commander of Brigade 70. Nevertheless, some of the implicated people denied the Global Witness report as false.
The Global Witness has enraged government officials, and the assertion by Ms. Rice early this week also made Information Minister Khieu Kanharith's blood boil.
17 Feb 08 - 18 Feb 08
By Savary
Sralanh Khmer Newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Anonymous
A high-ranking government official is furious with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for making conclusion based on false and inciting information.
Condoleezza Rice stated on 13 February that the United States was disappointed about the pace of change in Cambodia. She told lawmakers that the United States wanted to see Cambodia have more progresses than at present.
Khieu Kanharith, information minister and government spokesman, said that Ms Rice drew the conclusion based on false information. He said, "The reason Ms Rice is bogged down in Iraq is because at the very beginning, information is received only from groups of bad people. That is why we do not wonder why the United States is bogged down in Iraq. First, if Cambodia's government had done very little, it would not have received votes. Second, if the government is said to be not good enough, does Ms Rice dare determine that among the 10 ASEAN member countries Cambodia is ranked last? What is the rank given to Cambodia in ASEAN? Just with political stability and economic growth [in the country], it can already be understood."
Mao Monivan, MP of Kampong Cham constituency and deputy secretary general of the Sam Rainsy Party [SRP], said the assertion by Ms. Condoleezza Rice was correct especially about the democratic process in Cambodia. He said, "The statement by Ms Rice of the US Department of State is already a signal to the Cambodian Government about the US position. We are aware that democracy in Cambodia is a democracy on the lips of top leaders, while concrete actions are that threats still exist, killings of politicians still exist, the freedom of expression is stifled, and nonviolent demonstrations to express views publicly are banned. Moreover, even in a draft law on demonstration, the Royal Government [Royal Government] has the intention to muffle the freedom of the people who want to demonstrate."
Khieu Kanharith also pointed out that now, Ms Rice made the remarks at the push by the government's opponent, before the election, and he said, "She spoke from abroad, [but] the Cambodian people know."
Regarding Khieu Kanharith's critical remark that the United States is bogged down in the United States, Mao Monivan said, "It is normal for the superpower to make decisions against dictatorial regimes, including the former Iraqi leader (Saddam Hussein). Since that country threatened democracy in the world, it must be decided to help rescue the people in that country so there will be genuine democracy."
It should be pointed out that recently, economic experts remarked that Cambodia's economy had grown passably over the past few years, but Cambodia still depended on foreign aid for development and solving the still devastating poverty problem. Moreover, one of the problems the Cambodian people are currently facing is the imbalance between income and the needs for livelihood, while the prices of consumer goods at the markets have shot up.
The World Bank used to remind the government to focus on monitoring the gap between the rich and the poor, especially between the rich and the rural people. At present, Cambodia, regarded as one of the poorest nations in the world, is found to have been bogged down deeply in corruption, which is the root cause of the country's poverty.
At the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008, the US Department of State paid special attention to Cambodia, and, in particular, the US Senate has approved a law banning Cambodian officials implicated in the destructive cutting down of forest trees from setting foot on the American soil. The US Congress, too, called on the Department of State to consider using the Global Witness' "Nation-stealing Family Trees" report to compile its list.
On 23 January, the US Department of State's spokesman stated that the United States meticulously considered making corruption charges. He added that the United States shared a lot of concern raised by the Global Witness in its report and was reviewing all the information relating to this story.
The Global Witness report contains the names of 12 important officials and businessmen close to [Cambodian Prime Minister] Hun Sen, including Chan Sarun, minister of agriculture; Ti Sokun, chief of the Forest Administration, and the commander of Brigade 70. Nevertheless, some of the implicated people denied the Global Witness report as false.
The Global Witness has enraged government officials, and the assertion by Ms. Rice early this week also made Information Minister Khieu Kanharith's blood boil.
