Friday, May 12, 2006

Lao Mong Hay: "If a citizen is an animal, what about the leaders?"

"If a citizen is an animal, what about the leaders?" Dr. Lao Mong Hay asked after he was sharply criticized by prime minister Hun Sen during a public speech, and accused of being an animal by the foul mouhted prime minister. (Photo RFA)

Friday, May 12, 2006

PM: Critics of KR Judges Are 'Not Human'

By Yun Samean THE CAMBODIA DAILY

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday sharply criticized those who have questioned the qualifications of the judges and prosecutors recently appointed to the Khmer Rouge tribunal, describing them as animals.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony at the Royal School for Administration, the prime minister said he wanted to teach critics not to belittle Cambodia when it came to the tribunal.

"They are not human. They are animals," he said of the unnamed foreign and Cambodian critics of the trial appointees.

"They become animals because they don't know their own background. They even want to seduce their own parents. This is acting like animals," he said.

Hun Sen singled out one unidentified person who he said had raised a question about the Supreme Council of Magistracy's appointment of the Cambodian judges and prosecutors.

"If the Supreme Council of Magistracy has appointed [a judge], that is the appointment. The King presided over the meeting. We should not joke about it," Hun Sen said.

He added that critics are beginning to question the capability of the Cambodian court.

"If the Khmer Court is not capable, why have you come to live in Cambodia? If you live in Toronto, please stay there," he said of the unnamed critic.

Legal analyst Lao Mong Hay, who at a Wednesday news conference at the Council of Ministers asked which tribunal appointees belonged to which Cambodian political parties, said he believed Hun Sen's comments may have been aimed at him. He said that he had lived in Canada until last month.

"If a citizen is an animal, what about the leaders?" Lao Mong Hay said, adding that he was not concerned for his safety following the prime minister's bitter verbal attack. "I am old. I will die [anyway]," he said.

CPP government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said Hun Sen had not intended to compare those who criticize the tribunal with animals.

"Hun Sen wanted to stress that these people have forgotten their origins," Khieu Kanharith maintained.

Naly Pilorge, director of local rights group Licadho, who wrote a scathing criticism of tribunal Judge Ney Thol Tuesday stating that his appointment "gravely tarnished the tribunal's credibility," declined to comment on Hun Sen's speech on Friday evening.

Khmer Rouge tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath said that Hun Sen's speech "was based on the facts and the reality of the situation" in Cambodia. He declined to elaborate.

The prime minister also accused the UN of hypocrisy in its attitude toward the Khmer Rouge tribunal noting yet again that the world body had allowed the Khmer Rouge to hold a UN seat during the 1980s.

"When the Khmer Rouge were killing people, they occupied a seat at the UN. And when the Khmer Rouge collapsed, the Khmer Rouge also occupied a UN seat. Now we call on the UN to participate in the trial, Hun Sen said.

"This is just like a slap," he added, "for those who supported the Khmer Rouge and imposed sanctions on us."

Hun Sen also rounded on unnamed NGOs, accusing them of trying to control the government. "I will allow you to monitor but not to control the Supreme Council of Magistracy, the National Assembly and the government" he said of the NGOs, adding that they did not know the value of democracy.

"I would like to inform you that I can establish 5,000 NGOs in less than a month," he added.

Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Son Chhay said he was very disappointed that the prime minister had threatened his critics.

"As a poor nation we should encourage critical thinking. It will help the government to improve its performance," he said.

He added that as a Cambodian citizen, Lao Mong Hay has as much right as anyone else to live in Cambodia.

"I appreciate what Lao Mong Hay has done for his country for all these years," Son Chhay said. "It only raises more concern among the public that the prime minister is still learning to live up to the democratic environment."

(Additional reporting by William Shaw)

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think Louk Pou Loa Mong Hay is right. But i think think that Hun Hen is not only an animal, he is far behind an animal.

Anonymous said...

Technically Hun Sen and the likes are not animals but beastly.

Anonymous said...

It'ashamed for Cambodia to have a shit as Prime Minister!

Anonymous said...

Khmerrouge Survivor, Your wish will come true, when Cambodian aware of who are Viet Name's agents.

Vichet, Hun Sen is not far behind animal. He close behind animal.

Hun Sen is a Beast called Viet Name's dung.

Khemara, Hun Sen is not selling Cambodia's natural resources. He destroying them.

Anonymous said...

Cambodian people will see who is the real animal after the Khmer Rouge tribunal! These animals will live in fear!

Anonymous said...

Hahahahah if the people are animals then the leaders are dogs

Anonymous said...

well.. you all!! your opinionates seem like just having fun saying for nothing. Let think and form a good comments for those who can benefit from you opinions so that they can learn and use as a usefull
resourses for the next election, it's be the corner now!..Base upon i've read all of your opinions, its sounds like the kids is talking to an animals. Did any one understand what animals mean when
you make a contrast as your example?.... so let inform to the our khmer people if you wanted our country to change for real, and remember that..this is not a reality show, so please stop and rethinking. As far as i can see about hen sen... he is not an animal...how do you call the person that has no feeling, or no brain in the head?...he is nothnig, but the puppet( the Viet-cong's puppet), and what about his communist gangsters?,..well those are animals for sure and please watch out, they will kill you for their boss after or before the meats have been given!!.. so what now..sound scary hah..well i just don't wanted you or our khmer who have survived from the khmer rouge/democratic of kampuchea regime or the term from the vietcong called pol pot people, please don't die for the death..i wanted you all to live to let the young generations know and not to forget about the genocide in our country, because of the Old king, he's the one who created the khmer rouge and the murders of our khmer innocents!... and who is the khmer rouge teacher??.. well every one knew about this.. " Mr. VietCong for sure"..and who is the supporting and oversee of the khmer rouge between 1975 -1979??..well every one knew!!..Dr. chinese of mr. king sihanouk...what country did our resourse sent to for their benefit, when all worked to die for nothing during that time, 1975-1979?..well..do some research you will see what i'm talking about..and these are very complicated thing and it is not funny...khmer suffered and die everyday!...thats all for now!!

Anonymous said...

This above fool sound so humanistic! This fool want to teach Cambodian people how to talk! Why don't you speak for yourself! This fool see only the history between 1975-1979! But the history of Indochina Communist Party(ICP) led by Uncle Ho went way back to 1930 and in the 1920!Cambodian people keep forgeting that Mr. Pol Pot used to work for Uncle HO. Remember Khmer suffered and died everyday because AH HUN SEN and the Vietcong want it that way! The Khmer Rouge tribunal is coming to town to find all these Cambodian killers! So any Cambodian killers want to leave the town please leave now! The Cambodian secret police(not AH HUN SEN SECRET POLICE) will hunt down these Cambodian killers just like the Jewish secret police hunt down the Nazi! Now I think this is funny!

Anonymous said...

HS is animal but you all act like animals, uncivilised as well...get yourself education and help khmer if you intend to do so.....

Anonymous said...

well..well this smart idiot ..seems like know everything,but know nothing!!..Pot Pot is Dead...Don't you know that!.. jeeesh..we need to prosecute the pot pot people, the one that had the blood stains in their hand. If you wanted to talk about the Khmer rouge.. don't bring up hearsay...or read from the book!... you all think is funny..!!!
by the way is messages about is to let all khmer innocents know about the real facts of pot pot people, or khmer rouge, and they are running the governments, and head right now.... if you sick about these...you must one of the khmer rouge too.
Hey.. in order to communicate with the animals, you have to actual animals for sure,..i think you are too mature to be one this web...so zip your mouth, idiot genuis!!

Anonymous said...

When time come we will show our name and face, for now we are only one identity Cambodian who love Cambodian

Anonymous said...

Good point.. this the freedom of expression, so shut your mouth!!

Anonymous said...

If Cambodian keep talking, Khmer spirit will come awake, and CPP member too will come to their senses just like Mr.Pen Sovan, even he educated in Viet Name since he was 12 year old, when he came back to Cambodia he resiste the Viet Name Reople Republic. So Viet Name Cong Va had to replace him with another one with no brain.

Keep talking Cambodian!!! And the evil one is not Called Youn, it real name now is (( Poeple Republic of Viet Name)), say the right name so our next generation can identify it

Anonymous said...

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You need a fast speed internet and wait a few minutes for the movie to download.....You can type the address to the address bar or you know how to do the other way...


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