Opposition MPs plan to visit jailed villagers involved in border stakes uprooting on 18 May 2010

SRP MPs in front of the Svay Rieng jail during their previous visit to Mr. Prum Chea and Mrs. Meas Srey

11 May 2010
Free Press Magazine Online
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Nevertheless, SRP MPs indicated that, soon, they will invite all the MPs from Kampong Cham province – including Heng Xamrin – to visit the border posts planted by the joint Khmer-Yuon border committee [in Kampong Cham] where the local villagers reported that Vietnam encroached in that region just like what they did in Svay Rieng also.

The opposition party sent a letter to the Svay Rieng provincial jail warden to ask for the authorization for 25 opposition MPs to visit 2 villagers who are currently jailed for their involvements in the uprooting of border stakes. The visit is planned for 18 May 2010.

Mrs. Ke Sovanroth, SRP Secretary-General, told the Free Press Magazine this morning: “We already sent the letter to the Svay Rieng provincial jail warden to visit Mr. Prum Chea and Mrs. Meas Srey. They are victims whom the SRP must pay attention to their health, as well as the wellbeing of the families.”

Mr. Prum Chea and Mrs. Meas Srey are Cambodian villagers form Koh Kban Kandal village, Samrong commune, Chantrea district, Svay Rieng province, who were sentenced to 1-year of jail term on 27 January 2010 after they were charged with intentional destruction of Khmer-Yuon border stakes at post no. 185. The pair and opposition official Sam Rainsy uprooted border stakes planted right in the middle of rice fields belonging to these farmers on 25 October 2009.

The visit to the jailed villagers by opposition MPs is planned for 18 May 2010, and this will be the third time that these MPs are authorized to visit the prisoners in order to provide them with medicines, money and financial help for their families.

According to Mrs. Ke Sovanroth, the opposition MPs do not plan to revisit the location of the problematic border post no. 185 during their visit to Svay Rieng.

It should be noted that, up to now, the situation of the Khmer-Yuon border problem still remains tense and the Cambodian government always uses threats against those who dare tell the truth about the Vietnamese border encroachment into the Cambodian territories.

Nevertheless, SRP MPs indicated that, soon, they will invite all the MPs from Kampong Cham province – including Heng Xamrin – to visit the border posts planted by the joint Khmer-Yuon border committee [in Kampong Cham] where the local villagers reported that Vietnam encroached in that region just like what they did in Svay Rieng also.