15 October 2007
By Sary Roth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Son Chhay, Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Committee in charge of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and SRP MP, said that even if high-ranking leaders in the national institutions, such as Heng Samrin who is NA President and who was recently promoted to the rank of Samdach Akkak Moha Sena Charey, do not care and do not resolve Monk Tim Sakhorn’s case for the past several months, he knows that MPs from various political parties, including those from the ruling CPP party, who are members of his committee, have supported the idea of defending (the rights) Cambodian people which he initiated.
Son Chhay said: “Up until now, Samdach Heng Samrin only told me not to raise the issue so directly, and not to ask too many questions, (he told me) just to let (the government) provide their explanations, that’s enough, and for me not to question them about anything. However, in general, with all members of my NA committee, we consider that this case involves Cambodian people, and if, as a National Institution, when a Cambodian citizen has his rights trampled on this much, how can we remain still? How can we be considered as a National Institution? We all shouldn’t be one anymore. But, it seems that I obtained the support from (committee) members from all political parties in the committee, they all seem to agree with me that we must defend our people, we cannot allow anybody to trample (on our people) the way they want it, even if they still have influence on Cambodia based on the past remainder of their invasion (in Cambodia) in the 80s, however, now we must have the right to protest. It seems that there is a lot of support (to this idea).”
Son Chhay criticized the delay in coming up with a resolution in the case of the former Abbot Tim Sakhorn’s return to Cambodia, he said that this is due to the neglect of the Cambodian government which allows foreigners to take one of its citizen and puts him in jail without defending its own citizens’ freedom rights.
Son Chhay added that the deportation of one’s own citizen, and allowing him to be jailed by a foreign country, were done because of the irregularity in the government’s investigation into Monk Tim Sakhorn’s case, and that it was done to protect the interest of Vietnam only. Furthermore, the results of the government’s investigation are totally opposite to those by various NGOs.
Son Chhay added: “This issue is complicated because on the government side, they do not help to demand for the return on Monk [Tim Sakhorn] back home, therefore, the Vietnamese they are also neglecting this case, they are waiting to see the situation. However, what the (VN) embassy promised me when they came to visit me at the NA before I met the Vietnamese parliamentary delegation, they told me that this is the issue they are preparing all the documents in order to go to trial, they explained to me about the reason for the arrest of Monk Tim Sakhorn, but their explanation is the same as the one provided by the (Cambodian) ministry of Interior and signed by Em Sam An, which was sent to me. The Vietnamese explanation is nothing more than a repeat of the Cambodian report.”
The Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) led by Thach Ngoc Thach has also criticized the action and the policy adopted by the Cambodian government, calling it a policy to preserve the friendship between a group of Cambodians holding power and the Vietnamese regime. This policy does not place any importance on the sovereignty and the wellbeing of its own citizens.
Son Chhay said: “Up until now, Samdach Heng Samrin only told me not to raise the issue so directly, and not to ask too many questions, (he told me) just to let (the government) provide their explanations, that’s enough, and for me not to question them about anything. However, in general, with all members of my NA committee, we consider that this case involves Cambodian people, and if, as a National Institution, when a Cambodian citizen has his rights trampled on this much, how can we remain still? How can we be considered as a National Institution? We all shouldn’t be one anymore. But, it seems that I obtained the support from (committee) members from all political parties in the committee, they all seem to agree with me that we must defend our people, we cannot allow anybody to trample (on our people) the way they want it, even if they still have influence on Cambodia based on the past remainder of their invasion (in Cambodia) in the 80s, however, now we must have the right to protest. It seems that there is a lot of support (to this idea).”
Son Chhay criticized the delay in coming up with a resolution in the case of the former Abbot Tim Sakhorn’s return to Cambodia, he said that this is due to the neglect of the Cambodian government which allows foreigners to take one of its citizen and puts him in jail without defending its own citizens’ freedom rights.
Son Chhay added that the deportation of one’s own citizen, and allowing him to be jailed by a foreign country, were done because of the irregularity in the government’s investigation into Monk Tim Sakhorn’s case, and that it was done to protect the interest of Vietnam only. Furthermore, the results of the government’s investigation are totally opposite to those by various NGOs.
Son Chhay added: “This issue is complicated because on the government side, they do not help to demand for the return on Monk [Tim Sakhorn] back home, therefore, the Vietnamese they are also neglecting this case, they are waiting to see the situation. However, what the (VN) embassy promised me when they came to visit me at the NA before I met the Vietnamese parliamentary delegation, they told me that this is the issue they are preparing all the documents in order to go to trial, they explained to me about the reason for the arrest of Monk Tim Sakhorn, but their explanation is the same as the one provided by the (Cambodian) ministry of Interior and signed by Em Sam An, which was sent to me. The Vietnamese explanation is nothing more than a repeat of the Cambodian report.”
The Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF) led by Thach Ngoc Thach has also criticized the action and the policy adopted by the Cambodian government, calling it a policy to preserve the friendship between a group of Cambodians holding power and the Vietnamese regime. This policy does not place any importance on the sovereignty and the wellbeing of its own citizens.
