http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooYM0j25cUA
Jul 24, 2012
By Clothilde Le Coz
AsianCorrespondent.com
The Franco-Khmer Mam Sonando has been arrested on Sunday, July 15th and accused with « secessionism » by the Kratie province authorities. He is currently waiting for his trial in Pey Sor Jail, in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. According to most local activists, this accusation is a pretext to silence one of the most popular voice in the country.
« Whoever stands up to love the nation and protect the country is always short lived. And it is my turn this time.» Mam Sonando told Voice of America before coming back to Cambodia from his trip to France, Switzerland and the U.S. This realism cost him his freedom four days later, once the international attention left the country with Hillary Clinton and Asean dignitaries.
Mam Sonando is the owner and director of Beehive radio in Phnom Penh, known to broadcast programs from the opposition and civil society organizations. A lot of Cambodian citizens also know his face from trips he takes to the provinces with the Democrat Association to explain their rights to citizens. Although he was out of the country at that time, Prime Minister Hun Sen called for his arrest on June 26th, making him partly responsible for organizing a protest in Kratie province, that cost her life to a 14 year old girl.
Sok Sam Oeun, Mam Sonando’s lawyer, started to read the accusation dossier on July 19th. To him, it is not clear how his client is linked to the secessionnist movement in Kratie province. « Only two people are blaming Mam Sonando for ordering people from Prama to strike against land grabbing », he said. « I also read statements of persons who were arrested and charged by the governement after the protest in Prama, saying they protested becaues they listened to Mam Sonando’s words during a meeting at his house». But Mam Sonando answers that he meets many people every day and don’t remember if this was the case. « I still don’t believe the accusation of secessionism. In an American court, Mam Sonando would be free and the dossier would not prove enough. But in Cambodia, one cannot predict what might happen», the lawyer concluded.