Tuesday, 22 April 2008

Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong Sues Mr. Sam Rainsy

Posted on 21 April 2008.
The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 557

“Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Hor Namhong plans to sue Sam Rainsy Party president Mr. Sam Rainsy for linking him to the Khmer Rouge leadership.

“Mr. Sin Bunthoeun, the chief of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [and International Cooperation], said in the afternoon of 19 April 2008 that the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Hor Namhong will prepare documents to sue Mr. Sam Rainsy for exaggerating the facts about him. Mr. Sin Bunthoeun said, ‘H.E. Hor Namhong is also a victim, and his two sisters who returned from France were detained in the Boeng Trabaek Prison and were later taken to be killed at Choeung Ek.’ Mr. Sin Bunthoeun said that Mr. Hor Namhong plans to hold a Buddhist ceremony to commemorate his two sisters soon.

“The chief of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not know yet how much compensation Mr. Hor Namhong will demand from Mr. Sam Rainsy; he only said that Mr. Hor Namhong will meet his lawyer, Mr. Kar Savuth, on Monday and discuss it with him.

“Mr. Hor Namhong has planned to sue Mr. Sam Rainsy after the opposition party president accused him on 17 April 2008 at the Choeung Ek Killing Fields Memorial in a Buddhist ceremony to commemorate victims of Khmer Rouge. Local newspapers quoted Mr. Sam Rainsy’s speech, which said that Mr. Hor Namhong was the chief of Boeng Trabaek Prison. He continued that to become the chief of the Boeng Trabaek Prison was not by chance, unless one was authorized by the Khmer Rouge. The chief of the prison was very powerful. Mr. Sam Rainsy also accused the Cambodian government of not wanting the trial of the [former] Khmer Rouge leaders to happen. He also used the occasion to push for the Khmer Rouge trials to be held soon.

“In the afternoon of 19 April 2008, Rasmei Kampuchea tried to contact Mr. Sam Rainsy by phone but could not reach him. His assistant just responded that Mr. Sam Rainsy is at present in the United States of America, and he will return to Cambodia on 29 April 2008.

“It is known that previously, Mr. Hor Namhong won two cases, against the former King Norodom Sihanouk, and against the The Cambodia Daily over accusations that he was the chief of Boeng Trabaek Prison of Khmer Rouge times.”

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4568, 20-21.4.2008

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