Tuesday, 7 July 2009

What were military weapons doing at Hun Sen's house?

Monday, 06 July 2009
By Roger Nault

Phnom Penh Post

Dear Editor

Separate stories this week published in the English-language press make me wonder.

On Sunday, June 28, a truck carrying B-40 rockets and other munitions en route to Preah Vihear blows up within the compound that they are stored, Toul Krorsang, in Takhmao. The same compound also houses one of Prime Minister Hun Sen's primary residences.

Separately, the first vice president of the National Assembly, Nguon Nhel, and another Cambodian People's Party lawmaker, Ai Khon, on the same day threaten the opposition against the use of expressions such as "dictated National Assembly" or other phrases suggesting that the NA is under single-party or single-man rule ("SRP lawmakers threatened with lawsuits over criticism", July 1, 2009).

So Cambodia is, as its constitution says, a vibrant, "multi-party liberal democratic regime guaranteeing human rights and the respect of law" with international standard separations of power. But I wonder why a democratically elected, civilian prime minister stores munitions of sufficient size and quantity to fight an international war at his house?

Cambodia: Kingdom of Wonder. It sure does make me wonder.

Roger Nault
Phnom Penh

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