Ou Sovann's resignation letter from the SRP

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Fourth SRP MP bought out by the CPP

Monday, May 5, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Tan Vanthara, the former SRP MP from Battambang province, defected to join the CPP on Sunday. The Cambodia Daily reported that Tan Vanthara is the 4th SRP MP who defected to join the CPP this year. Eng Chhay Eang, SRP Secretary-general, acknowledged Tan Vanthara’s defection, and he said that it was his right to leave the party, but he said that this departure will not have a negative impact on the SRP in the upcoming election. Eng Chhay Eang said that the success of the SRP depends on the confidence of the voters on the SRP. Since 2007, the SRP lost 6 of its original 23 MPs, the 6 are: Tan Vanthara, Ngo Sovann, Ahmad Yahya, Sok Pheng who defected to the CPP, Kieng Vang who joined the Funcinpec, and Keo Remy who joined the HRP.

Sam Rainsy: "I know how to consider the SRP’s matters, and it is not necessary for other parties to worry for the SRP"

Hun Sen (L) and Sam Rainsy (R)

PM apologizes as defections continue

Monday, 05 May 2008
Neth Pheaktra
The Mekong Times

Prime Minister Hun Sen apologized to opposition leader Sam Rainsy Saturday for the inconvenience caused by Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) officials defecting to his ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). However, he again declared he would welcome all opposition defectors.

Speaking at the inauguration of a temple in Kompong Chhang province, the premier revealed that the CPP has just received Kim Ouchansamith, the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) deputy president of Prey Veng. Kim Ouchansamith has already been appointed as a government advisor and is a candidate for the position of lawmaker, Hun Sen said.

“The CPP will continue to receive [other party officials] both before and after the election,” Hun Sen said. “It will receive [officials] both new and old without discrimination. [It] collects all.”

Hun Sen’s declaration comes as political parties are beginning to register party names and candidates for July’s parliamentary election with the National Election Committee (NEC). The premier said that defections “can make some parties find it difficult to prepare a list of candidates to register with the NEC. Some candidates who have already been registered have defected to other parties.”

“I apologize to H.E Sam Rainsy for making H.E find it difficult to prepare a list of candidates for the position of lawmakers,” Hun Sen said.

Sam Rainsy said he was unconcerned by recent defections. “I know how to consider the SRP’s matters, and it is not necessary for other parties to worry for the SRP,” he assured. “We will solve the problems in a proper and timely manner. Therefore, I have no worries about the preparation of the SRP’s candidate list, and we will submit it on time.”

NEC Secretary General Tep Nitha said yesterday that registered candidates who defect must be deleted from NEC lists. “If [the defecting candidate is] officially registered, we have to delete his name, and a reserved candidate will replace him,” he explained. “According to the election law, the NEC will delete the name of any person who stands for two parties, and will not allow him to stand for any party.”

Sam Rainsy said members’ defections to other parties had actually benefited the SRP. “The defection of a person did not cause any serious [impacts] to SRP because those at the grassroots levels maintain their wisdom,” he claimed. “We gained support from tens thousands of CPP members who are not satisfied with the corruption of CPP officials, improper economic control, land grabbing and soaring commodity prices”

Hun Sen has repeatedly denied accusations of corruption in defection deals. “I have no need to buy people and people are not goods,” he said. “Apart from the mistakes of the political parties they [defectors] were once in, there is also another point – the CPP is politically in the right.”

SRP bail request for jailed SRP commune chief

Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

18 SRP MPs requested bail for Tuot Saron, SRP Pongro commune chief, Baray district, Kampong Thom province, who was arrested by the authority on 21 March for illegal detention of a person (Tim Norn). The SRP MPs signed the request on a letter dated 24 March and sent to the Kampong Thom provincial court, asking to act as guarantors for Tuot Saron for his release on bail. In this letter, the opposition MPs stated that the arrest of Tuot Saron was very unfair and that the entire case was concocted to blame him. Furthermore, this case should not involve incarceration of Tuot Saron. Ty Sovin, the Kampong Thom provincial court prosecutor, told the Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper that Tuot Saron’s defense lawyer already sent in to the tribunal the request for bail. Ty Sovin said that, in 5 days time, if the investigating judge finds that there is no reason for bail, then the court will issue a decision blocking this bail request.

Political Cartoon: The Political Suicide of Thach Keth

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Sok Pheng warns human rights organizations not to help SRP officials, accuses the SRP of spreading fear among CPP officials

Friday, March 21, 2008
KI-Media

Sok Pheng, a recipient of Hun Sen’s nomination reward as government advisor for his defection from the SRP, issued a warning to human rights organizations in Cambodia not to provide help to SRP officials accused by the CPP of illegal detention of Tim Norn, a former SRP commune councilor from Kampong Thom who defected to the CPP with Sok Pheng. The Cambodia Daily reported that Sok Pheng’s statement was read on local Cambodian TV stations, calling human rights organizations not to help Men Vannak, SRP Sralao commune councilor, and Thorn Rithy, deputy chairman of the SRP Kampong Thom province council. The Cambodia Daily quoted Sok Pheng as writing: “If the human rights groups protect [the SRP officials] it means that they have actively participated in the abuse against the people’s rights.” Sok Pheng, seemingly forgetting that he now works for the ruling CPP party which controls power in Cambodia, went on to accuse the SRP of spreading fear among CPP officials.

Eng Chhay Eang: Arrest of SRP officials in Kg Thom was because Sok Pheng could not persuade other SRP members to defect to the CPP with him

SRP defector Sok Pheng, Hun Sen's newly acquired advisor

Sam Rainsy Party Commune Chief Was Arrested for Intimidation and Detention

Chuoy Khmer, Vol. 2, #67, 19.3.2008
The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 552

“The public understands that the arrest of the SRP commune chief in Baray on the morning of 18 March 2008 can be a tactic of the ruling party, to intimidate those who belong to other parties, so that some of those people understand that they have to defect.”

“Important activists of the no-longer-opposition party, the Sam Rainsy Party [SRP], are worried about the arrest of a party member by the authorities over the accusation of intimidation and detention of Ms. Tim Norn [by SRP members] in order to prevent her from defecting to the Cambodian People’s Party [CPP]. The SRP commune chief of Pongro, Baray, Tuot [or Thoun or Suon – according to different sources] Saron, was arrested on the morning of 18 March 2008 by police officers, after Prime Minister Hun Sen announced on 17 March that police must deal with the intimidation cases in Kompong Thom and Takeo against SRP activists who had tried to prevent other SRP members from defecting to the CPP.

“A source from Kompong Thom indicates that the SRP activist, who was arrested on 18 March at 9:30, is Mr. Tuot Saron, the SRP council chief of Baray, who is also the Pongro commune chief. The arrest of Mr. Tuot Saron is a case of intimidation rather than the consequence of a defection to another party.

“Police officers in Kompong Thom said that the authorities are searching for more SRP activists who are said to have been involved in the illegal detention. Those activists include the following three: 1) Mr. Thorn Rithy, the SRP deputy commune chief, the chief of the working group of the SRP in Prasat Balang and Sandan, Kompong Thom, 2) Mr. Maen Vannak, and 3) Mr. Hour Sarath, as well as other accomplices who were involved in the illegal detention and the intimidation by phone. After hearing the plans of the police in Kompong Thom, those who were involved in the matter are on the run to hide themselves from the police.

“The police officers added that the activist who was intimidated and illegally detained is Ms. Tim Norn, who is living in Baray, Kompong Thom.

“The arrest of Mr. Tout Saron, the SRP chief of the council of Baray, who is also the commune chief of Pongro, Kompong Thom, came after Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered relevant authorities, police officers, and military police officers on 17 March 2008 to search for those who detained and intimidated citizens by telephone in order to prevent them from defecting to the CPP. Mr. Hun Sen said ‘They have not yet got power, but they have already started to prevent people from defecting to another party. They don’t have power yet, but they do such things already; they are so cruel.’

“Mr. Hun Sen added that as prime minister, he has to think of the safety of all citizens, regardless to which party they belong.

“Mr. Eng Chhay Eang, the secretary-general of the unreasonable opposition San Rainsy Party and a former addictive gambler, told journalists that the arrest of Tout Saron, the commune chief of Pongro, Kompong Thom, came after Prime Minister Hun Sen accused the SRP of intimidation. But Mr. Eng Chhay Eang said the arrest was because the former SRP Kompong Thom lawmaker Mr. Sok Pheng, who had defected to the CPP, could not persuade other SRP members to defect to the CPP with him. Therefore, he reported to Prime Minister Hun Sen that there was a case of intimidation against members who are trying to defect to the CPP.

“The unreasonable opposition party secretary-general Mr. Eng Chhay Eang said, ‘The ruling party uses its power to create such a problem. Who is the real intimidator? That is the ruling party itself.’ Also, Mr. Eng Chhay Eang asked the government to stop doing cowardly acts. He said the game should be played in an open manner, not like this. In Kompong Thom, six people from the SRP were voted to be commune chiefs, but none of them, including more than one hundred commune counselors, followed Sok Pheng who defected to the CPP. This is a shameful behavior of Mr. Sok Pheng, who made up the story to please the prime minister. The prime minister should not believe this story; and no action should be taken. Mr. Eng Chhay Eang continued to tell reporters that the arrest of the Pongro commune chief, of the SRP in Baray, Kompong Thom, is political and it is an intimidation for members who don’t want to defect. The arrest is only to frighten others.

“Civil society organizations are watching the arrest of the commune chief in Baray, Kompong Thom, and they are closely investigating this matter to find out if the arrest is a political intimidation, or whether Mr. Tuot Saron really intimidated other people by telephone.

“According to the latest report, uniformed police and plaincloth police surrounded the SRP head office in Kompong Thom, in order to arrest those who were accused to have been involved in intimidation and illegal detention.

“According to other informal sources, the arrest of the Pongro commune chief Mr. Tuot Saron is also related to other high-ranking officials who are SRP members. Police are investigating to identify those who are involved in intimidation.

“The public understands that the arrest of the SRP commune chief in Baray on the morning of 18 March 2008 can be a tactic of the ruling party, to intimidate those who belong to other parties, so that some of those people understand that they have to defect.”

Defector Sok Pheng’s wife political buyout attempt led to false charges and arrest against SRP activisits

SRP officials accused of abduction

18 March 2008
By Sav Yuth Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

One SRP official who is the Pong-ro commune chief, Baray district, Kampong Thom province, was arrested by the police in the morning of Tuesday 18 March, and charged with abduction and illegal detention.

44-year-old Tim Norn, who lives in Chak Traloak village, Baray commune and who was the former chairwoman of the National Khmer Women Movement and commune councilor, accused 3 men: Tuot Sarorn, Pong-ro commune chief, Huor Sarat, Chraneang commune councilor, and Men Vannak, 2nd councilor of Sralao commune, of abducting her on 16 February, and detaining her at the house of Thorn Rithy in Phnom Penh. The alleged abduction took place after Tim Norn defected the SRP to join the CPP with Sok Pheng, another SRP defector.

Tim Norn said: “They came to arrest me from the pagoda, and transported me through Kampong Cham province, detained me at Thorn Rithy’s house for one night, then in a guesthouse for another two nights. He took me to meet with Sam Rainsy’s wife also.”

Chea San, the Kampong Thom province police commissioner, reacted to the use of the word “arrest” made against the SRP commune chief. Chea San said that there is no warrant issued for the arrest of the SRP activist at all, but that he only invited Tuot Sarorn to come over and clarify on the accusations made by Tim Norn who said that the SRP activists abducted her and detained her at a house in Phnom Penh. Chea San said: “I don’t understand, the police cannot make any arrest without a warrant.”

On Tuesday, RFA cannot contact the accuser to clarify on this accusation made against the 3 SRP activists because all the phones were turned off.

However, Eng Chhai Eang, SRP Secretary-general, rejected the accusation made by Tim Norn, saying that her accusation was not true. “This is a make-believe story to intimidate SRP supporters. We ask the Phnom Penh regime to end such tactics, if it wants to win the election, let’s compete fairly.”

In Kong Chit, an investigator of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) said that, based on witnesses in the case, this is what he found out: “Tim Norn went to (SRP defector) Sok Pheng’s house, there, Sok Pheng’s wife gave her $200 to help influence other SRP activists to make them defect to the CPP. When Tim Norn received the money, she did not execute Sok Pheng’s wife order, instead she spent all the money, and she became concerned and wanted to re-join the SRP back. She escaped from her own home, and called a number of SRP officials whom she knew to help bring her to Phnom Penh.”

During the installation of the foundation of Wat Mesang Pagoda, in Prey Veng province, on 17 March, Hun Sen pushed for an investigation into an alleged case of threat and detention of a person in Phnom Penh Thmey commune, Phnom Penh city. Hun Sen also asked for an investigation on Licadho also.
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KI-Media Note: On 17 March 2008, The Cambodia Daily reported that Am Sam Ath, Licadho investigator, confirmed that Licadho received Tim Norn from SRP officals including SRP MP Tioulong Saumura. Tim Norn told Licadho investigators that she feared for her life because she wanted to re-join the SRP back, and SRP officials speculated that the CPP might kill her for this action. Am Sam Ath also said that Tim Norn was in great mental distress and had to be taken to the Calmette Hospital where she was hospitalized for a few days before returning back home. Licadho’s Naly Pilorge was quoted by The Cambodia Daily as stating: “This woman (Tim Norn) did not complain to Licadho about any detention of her by anyone.”

Sralanh Khmer Editor-in-Chief and Employees are resigning from the pro-CPP newspaper

Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Kingdom of Cambodia
Nation – Religion – King

Resignation Letter

We, the Editor-in-Chief and a number of employees of the Sralanh Khmer newspaper,
Inform
Mr. Thach Ket, Director of the “Sralanh Khmer” newspaper

Subject: Resignation from the position of Editor-in-Chief, and resignation of employees of Sralanh Khmer newspaper

Based on the subject about, we are informing you, Mr. Director, that we are resigning from the position of Editor-in-Chief and employees of the Sralanh Khmer newspaper starting from 18 March 2008.

Please be informed.

Phnom Penh, 18 March 2008

(Singed) Boay Roeuy

Ahmad Yahya hard at work looking for rich Arab countries for Hun Sen to beg

Rich Arab countries should not be overlooked

Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Ahmad Yahya, the former SRP MP who defected to the CPP, told the Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper, on 10 March, that he plans to contact Arab countries to pile up aid for Cambodia, should Hun Sen give him the green light. Ahmad Yahya, a Muslim Cambodian who is now Hun Sen’s advisor, said that he left the opposition only because he wanted to help build the country. He said that, being Muslim, he knows a lot of other foreign Muslims, therefore, the fact that he works for the government now, it is easy for him to contact these foreign Muslims in order to look for aid for Cambodia. He said that up to now, there is a lack of relationships between Cambodia and rich Arab countries. Because of this situation, these countries do not help Cambodia. He said that with good relationships with Arab countries, we could find a lot of funds to develop Cambodia.