Samdech Dekchor Criticized that Internationals Should Not Tie His Hands to Let Opponents Box Him – Thursday, 13.8.2009

Posted on 13 August 2009
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 625
http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

“Phnom Penh: On 12 August 2009, Samdech Akkak Moha Senapadei Dekchor Hun Sen blasted the international community and asked them to stop trying to impose standards which project a contrast between the government’s and the opposition’s rights.

“Samdech reacted after some international organizations considered the increasing number of lawsuits between the opposition and government officials, including himself, as suppression of the freedom of expression.

“During the granting of degrees to 1,312 students of the Royal University of Law and Economics in the morning of 12 August 2009, Samdech used strong words referring to foreigners, ‘Please do not tie up my hands to let me be boxed. I don’t agree. It is time that all foreigners abstain from this.’

“Samdech Dekchor demanded foreigners to recognize his right as a citizen, and he encouraged them to stop to recognize only the right of the opposition and to reject the right of the ruler. Samdech consideres that those who do not recognize his right as a citizen do not know the law. Samdech asked, ‘Do you recognize that I am a citizen? Why do I lose my rights?’ He added that his rights were not lost when he became prime minister. Therefore, he just protected his own right when he lodged a complaint.

“Aiming at the Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian Ms. Mu Sochua [without using her name], who lost a defamation case at the municipal court, Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen said he was sued first, but when he sued back, some shouted that this is unjust. Samdech asked, ‘But who lodged the complaint fist, and even held a press conference?’ [which identifies Ms. Mu Sochua]

“Samdech asked all foreigners to check clearly who started the complaint. Samdech said, ‘Please look carefully to see who started the first lawsuit. If nobody would have sued me, I would not have sued back.’

“Recently lawsuits between government officials and opposition politicians have increased significantly, and some international organizations and foreigners had criticized that the court systems is used to muzzle the freedom of expression and opposition politicians. Some foreigners had made such criticism after the National Assembly had withdrawn immunity of two opposition party parliamentarians, Ms. Mu Sochua and Mr. Ho Vann, over separate defamation cases. The best known complaint is the legal war between Samdech Hun Sen and Ms. Mu Sochua, who finally was decared guilty by the Municipal Court for defamation against Samdech Dekchor Hun Sun, and was ordered to pay Riel 8 million in compensation, and Rile 8.5 million as a fine to the state [together approx. US$4,100].

“Samdech Hun Sen had decided to sue Ms. Mu Sochua, after she held a press conference announcing her intention to sue Samdech Hun Sen.

“Ms. Mu Sochua held a press conference at the Sam Rainsy Party Headquarters on 23 April 2009, announcing that she would file a complaint against Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen, in relation to what he had said in Kampot on 4 April 2009. Ms. Mu Sochua accused Samdech Hun Sen of destroying her honor by using the word ’strong leg’ to refer to her [which may also be used to point to a prostitute]. After the conference, an advisor of Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen and senior minister, Mr. Om Yentieng, announced the plan to sue Ms. Mu Sochua. That press conference had kickstarted the legal war between Ms. Mu Sochua and Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen. On 27 April 2009, complaints of Ms. Mu Sochua and of Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen were delivered to the court. Each side sued the other for defamation. But after some deliberations, the court decided on 10 June 2009 not to deal with the complaint of Ms. Mu Sochua.

“As for Mr. Ho Vann, he had been sued by senior military officials, and the National Assembly also withdrew his immunity, because he had criticized the degrees of senior military officials, gained in Vietnam, as [academically] not so valuable. Mr. Ho Vann denied that he had said that.

“These two cases, together with the lawsuits against the editors-in-chief of two opposition newspapers, Moneaksekar Khmer and Khmer Machas Srok, resulted in some criticism that the government is suppressing the freedom of expression by creating fear to express opinions according to democratic usage.

“Some such criticism was also expressed by officials from the European Union who had voiced their concerns about the freedom of expression in Cambodia. Samdech Hun Sen said that the European Union would not issue such a statement. What had happened was simply that some European Union officials expressed their opinion. But if the European Union would make such a statement, Samdech will react against it to protect his rights.

“Samdech suggested that if one plays, one should not get angry, and if one gets angry, one should not play. As for him, he will respond to his opponents following whatever means his opponents choose – the law, the military, and politics. But Samdech thinks that it would be better to compete by means of development. Samdech explained that if they dare to build ten wells, he will dare to build twenty, and if they dare to build twenty, he will build forty, and continue building until there are wells everywhere in the country.

“Samdech went on to say that he is famous, having won the elections because of having being cursed by his opponents. With the popularity he has achieved, Samdech said that he will be prime minister until 2023. Samdech explained that in the next elections, if the Cambodian People’s Party loses 10 seats, and in the next and the next elections, if the party loses one more seat, and in 2023 10 more seats, the Cambodian People’s Party will still win the elections, because at present, the Cambodian People’s Party controls 90 of the 123 seats of the National Assembly, while to form a government, it needs to have only 50% plus one seat.

“Samdech mocked the opposition, ‘Thus, please you, opposition politicians, everybody, check your age.’ He added that according to their present age, he will be able to accompany them, because the members of his family line can live very long, they get mostly over 90 years old.”

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4971, 13.8.2009
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Thursday, 13 August 2009