Government Resort to Recourse on Defamation

October 20, 2005 Phnom Penh: AKP
The Royal Government of Cambodia has taken strong action against allegations on territorial issue, viewed as political attack against the ruling parties, especially the prominent Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen.
For years now, opposition politicians and some NGO activists have repeatedly made either direct or indirect
allegations against the government over border issue with neighboring countries including Viet Nam, Laos and Thailand.
Such allegations are apparently utilized as a political tool , rather than real intention to find a solution, to degrade the popularity of the Prime Minister and to win heart and mind of the Cambodian people.
To eliminate doubts over the territorial issue, the Royal Government of Cambodia has resorted to legal recourse to bring those who make allegations to court where, as claimed by Samdech Hun Sen, they can tell the truth and help the government pin-point any parts of the territory lost during the tenure of the Prime Minister.
As a result, seven people have been sued and taken to court although some of them managed to flee the country to avoid inquiries and investigations. However, Mom Sonando, a border-issue critic who is the owner of FM105 Radion Station and Rong Chhun, president of Independent Teachers' Association have been detained on warrants by Phnom Penh Court prosecutor.
At last but not least, Prince Sisowath Thomico, a royal family member fled the country on October 18, 2005 only one day after pledging to wage a hunger strike and confront defamation charges filed by the government. The prince is one of the seven people who have been charged on defamations over territorial issue.
On his arrival from the 2nd ASEAN-China Expo in China in the afternoon of October 19, 2005, Samdech Hun Sen mocked at the prince by saying "Prince Thomico disappoints (Cambodian) citizens. He should have stayed and lived up to his pledge ".
On Friday this week, the government is scheduled to meet, discuss and approve a number of projects including the document pertaining to the signing of the additional treaty on October 10 between Cambodia and Viet Nam.
The document needs to be adopted by the National Assembly and ratified by the King.(ends)