KHMER INTELLIGENCE

Khmer Intelligence (KI) is a non-government organisation whose objective is to collect sensitive information from non-easily accessible sources to help Khmer and foreign observers better follow and understand the situation in Cambodia. KI finds out what is behind the latest news and news to come. For security reasons KI must preserve anonymity for its informants. Information is classified according to five levels of reliability: Official or Semi-Official (1), Very Reliable (2), Reliable (3), Insistent/Credible Rumour (4), Rumour (5).
News compiled by KI are posted on www.khmerintelligence.org
For any further information, please contact samngat@khmerintelligence.org
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31 March 2005

Hun Sen and Ranariddh filing defamation lawsuit against L’Express (2)
Recent press reports indicate that Prime Minister Hun Sen and/or National Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh are considering filing a defamation lawsuit against the French magazine L’Express following the publication in its latest edition of a report on corruption practices in Cambodia titled “Kickbacks in Phnom Penh” (see KI, 26 March 2005: “L’Express exposes Ranariddh’s corruption”).
In fact, the two Cambodian leaders are very unlikely to take the risk to sue a foreign entity and counter corruption and/or murder charges before a French tribunal, knowing that the latter does not function in the same manner as in Cambodia, where judges take instructions from the executive branch of government.
In 1997, in French-based publications and public meetings in Paris, opposition leader Sam Rainsy accused Hun Sen of being the mastermind of the 30 March 1997 grenade attack in Phnom Penh, and he dared the Prime Minister to file a defamation lawsuit against him before the French court (see The Cambodia Daily, 5 May 1997: “Rainsy Challenges PM”; and The Cambodia Daily, 3 June 1997: “Sam Rainsy Again Challenges Hun Sen”). Hun Sen refused to take up the challenge as explained in a statement by his top adviser Om Yen Tieng (see Cambodia Today, 4-5 June 1997: “Rainsy Reiterates Challenge to Second PM”). See Om Yen Tieng’s statement and other related documents assembled in a “White Paper” by clicking at http://www.cambodiapolitics.org/doc_30_march_1997/livre_blanc.pdf
In 1999, the same French magazine L’Express (in its issues dated 7 and 21 October) accused Hun Sen’s wife Bun Rany of being the mastermind of the murder – out of jealousy – of a young actress named Piseth Pilika. Neither Hun Sen nor Bun Rany dared to file any defamation lawsuit against L’Express. See L’Express’s corresponding articles and other related documents by clicking at http://pisethpilika.free.fr/
In 2005, given all the evidence available to expose Norodom Ranariddh’s corruption and possible involvement in the murder of a witness (KI, 30 March 2005: “Reasons for the killing of a witness”), the National Assembly President rightly fears that he would lose any lawsuit before an independent court.

April 17: controversial date for a parade (2)
Regarding the announcement about a forthcoming event in Long Beach (KI, 29 March 2005: « Parade in Long Beach to launch “Cambodia Town” »), the date the organizers have chosen – 17 April 2005 – is criticized by some people. Please click at OPINION    

30 March 2005

Reasons for the killing of a witness (2)
In connection with a potential scandal related to the overpricing of the National Assembly’s new premises now under construction (see KI, 26 March 2005: “L’Express exposes Ranariddh’s corruption”), a businessman named Kim Khieng died last month under mysterious circumstances (see KI, 20 February 2005: “Witness against Ranariddh might have been poisoned”).
According to a 22 March 2005 document submitted to the tribunal by lawyer Som Chandyna who has gathered a series of documents related to the case, the death of Kim Khieng might be explained by the following facts:
1- On 6 June 2002, out of 20 companies which had submitted a proposal for the construction of the Assembly premises, Giang Shi Trading & Construction led by Kim Khieng first won the contract and obtained a Letter of Acceptance, with an Australian company named 5 Golden Stars as partner. Giang Shi Trading & Construction would be paid $19.7 million by the Cambodian government over a period of 10 years, but it was asked to immediately deposit $1 million.
2- On 4 September 2002, the Assembly asked Kim Khieng’s company to submit a new bid and raised the required deposit to $3.5 million. The Letter of Acceptance was downgraded to Letter of Intent. This abrupt change led Kim Khieng to issue a complaint.
3- On 8 November 2002, the Assembly also delivered a Letter of Intent to 5 Golden Stars.
4- On 17 September 2002, the Assembly surprisingly granted the construction contract to another company (a newcomer based in Thailand) named Insucon & Service for a cost of $25 million, while the required deposit was reduced to $1 million.
5- Because it needed a partner, Insucon & Service decided to join hands with 5 Golden Stars, therefore indirectly involving also Kim Khieng’s Giang Shi Trading & Construction in the project. On 28 April 2003, the new consortium confirmed in writing that the construction cost of the new Assembly would amount to (only) $13 million.
6- On 10 January 2003, the Assembly suddenly awarded the construction contract to a fourth company named Ly Chhuong, which had been eliminated at the 6 June 2002 public bidding. The official cost was finally raised to $26.7 million. On top of this inflated cost, Ly Chhuong will not have to make any deposit; on the contrary, it will receive a prepayment from the government of $11 million (!). Finally, the Assembly promises to pay Ly Chhuong the total amount due over a period of 6 years, instead of 10 years as previously decided for Kim Khieng’s company.
The Assembly made its successive decisions as described above in an arbitrary and inconsistent manner, without informing all the concerned companies involved in the competition.
Kim Khieng apparently knew too much about the corrupt deals that were made in secret to finally eliminate him and his partners from the competition. He had obviously become an embarrassing witness. He was to testify before the tribunal against Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh on 17 February 2005. He died 10 days before the day he was due to appear in Court.
See full text of the Court document in Khmer by clicking at Death of a Witness

29 March 2005

Sam Rainsy in Tokyo (2)
Continuing his tour to seek the solidarity of fellow parliamentarians around the world, Opposition leader Sam Rainsy is currently in Tokyo. In an Appeal to Japanese lawmakers he recalls that “on 3 February 2005, as a result of a package of repressive measures, [three Cambodian lawmakers from the Opposition: Chea Poch, Cheam Channy and Sam Rainsy] were stripped of their parliamentary immunity. Cheam Channy was arrested on the same day; he has been since detained at the military prison only because he was the Defence Minister of the Opposition’s Shadow Cabinet. [The Opposition in Japan has also formed its Shadow Cabinet or Next Cabinet]. Only a vigorous international protest can help free Cheam Channy and restore the parliamentary immunity of the three of us. More importantly, it will stop the totalitarian drift in Cambodia, whose government heavily depends on international assistance for its survival. Japan provides the largest assistance.”
See full text of Appeal at www.samrainsyparty.org

Parade in Long Beach to launch “Cambodia Town” (2)
On 17 April 2005, the Cambodian community in Long Beach (California, USA), which forms the largest population of Cambodians in any city in the world outside of Cambodia, will organize the First Annual Cambodian New Year Parade to recognize the emergence of a “Cambodia Town”.
Long Beach has the largest concentration of Cambodians in the United States, with more than 50 thousand families (approximately 13% of the population of this Southern California’s city).
For more information click at ANNOUNCEMENTS

26 March 2005

L’Express exposes Ranariddh’s corruption (1)
In its latest edition dated 28 March 2005, the French magazine L’Express publishes a detailed report on corruption in Cambodia titled “Pots-de-vin à Phnom Penh” [Kickbacks in Phnom Penh]. In particular, the report exposes Prince Norodom Ranariddh’s corruption in the signing of a $26.7 million contract for the construction of the National Assembly’s new building whereas the real construction cost doesn’t exceed $13 million. The dubious deal and its subsequent denunciation by opposition parliamentarians have led to what might be the murder of a key witness in order to protect Ranariddh from a scandal.
See full article in French by clicking at L'Express or at http://www.lexpress.fr/info/monde/dossier/cambodge/dossier.asp

Cambodians fascinated by events in Kyrgyzstan (2)
Cambodians – but probably also Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese, Laotians, etc – have been following with fascination the ongoing events in Kyrgyzstan, where another authoritarian (former communist) regime was toppled earlier this week by people’s power. Of course, there is a sense of déjà vu following recent and similar developments in Georgia and Ukraine. But what is unprecedented and explains the fascination is the fact that street protesters who are securing victory for democracy, as shown on television, have Asian faces. Looking on a map, Asians living under authoritarian rule can see that the world democratic revolution is definitely moving eastward: While Georgia and Ukraine are still in Europe, Kyrgyzstan is definitely in Asia, sharing all its eastern border with China.

23 March 2005

King-Father denounces illegal immigration (1)
In a March 19 statement from Beijing, King-Father Norodom Sihanouk denounces illegal immigration and illegal naturalization of foreigners flowing into Cambodia. In particular, the former King points out the presence of “millions of [allegedly] Khmer citizens [actually] of Vietnamese descent”, who have fraudulently obtained their Cambodian citizenship and who, “in the long run, will cause the death of the [genuinely] Khmer Cambodia.”
The King-Father denies being “Vietnamo-phobic”; he claims to only “defend the right of my Motherland – Cambodia – to survival with its territorial integrity.”
Actually the King-Father raises the issue of colonization through a politically-planned change in demography. Over the last centuries, through this type of colonization, Cambodia has lost large portions of her territories to neighbouring countries. Referring to a similar type of colonization in Asia, one may ask the question whether Tibetans led by the Dalai Lama should be accused of being “Sino-phobic” when they only denounce the growing number of Chinese settlers (of Han descent) being sent into Tibet to serve an obviously political purpose?
See King-Father Norodom Sihanouk’s original statement in French at http://www.norodomsihanouk.info/mes%202005/mars/textes/2003txt2.htm

Impunity for government officials involved in corruption (2)
Even though Cambodia is known as one of the world’s most corrupt countries, no Cambodian government official has ever been punished for any corruption-related crime. By contrast, in China, the March 22 edition of The International Herald Tribune (“China bank robbers: An inside story”) reported: “In the last four years, at least 25 government officials have been sentenced to death for accepting bribes and kickbacks. Hundreds more are serving long prison terms.” In Vietnam, the authorities have also been severely cracking down on corruption with similarly stiff penalties for corrupt government officials.

New Zealand supports a “strong and free opposition in Cambodia” (1)
In a March 17 letter to a SRP representative for Australia and New Zealand, Mr Phil Goff, New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, expresses his concern over “the disappointing turn of events in Cambodia concerning the recent removal of parliamentary immunity and charges against the three elected opposition MP's, including the leader of the opposition, Sam Rainsy (...).”  He notes “there are serious questions needing to be answered regarding the legality of the processes that have been followed” and understands that “the impasse remains with the [Cambodian political leadership] rejecting a proposed resolution by Cambodia's King Father Norodom Sihanouk.”  Finally, he assures the Cambodian community that there is a “strong [international] support for ensuring a strong and free opposition voice in Cambodia” and that “New Zealand supports the establishment of [such an opposition] and considers “the latest turn of events (...) a definite setback towards achieving that goal.”

19 March 2005

Donors unhappy with Hun Sen’s presentation on reforms (2)
Earlier this week, at the first quarterly meeting decided by the last donor conference in Phnom Penh in December 2004 (see KI, 4 November 2004: “Schedule of the December 6-7 Consultative Group meeting”; KI, 7 December 2004: “Donors reduce aid and spell out conditions for disbursement”) Prime Minister Hun Sen gave a rather disturbing presentation on “progress in the implementation of reforms”.
Actually, referring to the last three-month period, Hun Sen could not seriously give any example of any progress in any reform whatsoever, especially in the fields that obviously need fundamental and urgent reforms: forest, land, judiciary, and anti-corruption. Diplomats representing donor countries and institutions who attended the meeting were reportedly unhappy with Hun Sen’s presentation and with the way the Cambodian government arrogantly considers them unable to understand the real situation.

King will be the referee (2)
Following the March 15 joint letter from Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Mr Hun Sen to King Norodom Sihamoni (KI, 18 March 2005: “Party leaders confirm referral of political disputes to King”), opposition leader Sam Rainsy wrote to the Monarch on March 17, indirectly but clearly responding to the National Assembly President and the Prime Minister on all the points raised in their previous letters:
1- Source of information about Ranariddh receiving bribes: Articles in the (now pro-Funcinpec) newspaper Samleng Yuvachon Khmer citing different sources including a CPP informant, to which Ranariddh has never reacted with any denial.
2- Source of information about Hun Sen planning to kill political opponents: Before his death, union leader Chea Vichea – who was assassinated in January 2004 – made a video recorded statement accusing Hun Sen of planning to kill him. Chea Vichea's death prompted Sam Rainsy to make the revelation. The video cassette has been given to the Court.
3- Abdication of former King Norodom Sihanouk: “It is inaccurate and profoundly disrespectful towards the King-Father to accuse me [Sam Rainsy] of being responsible for his abdication.” The former King himself has denied such an allegation.
4- Anti-Thai riots in 2003: Despite Ranariddh’s denial, there are press reports showing that the Prince did accuse Sam Rainsy of being an instigator of the riots, which is a serious form of defamation with possibly far-reaching consequences.
By writing to the King and trying to make excuses before him, Hun Sen, Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy seem to implicitly recognize and welcome the constitutional role of the King as the nation's supreme referee.
See Sam Rainsy's letter in French to the King by clicking at Response
See a relevant SRP internal document in English by clicking at Son Chhay

18 March 2005

Party leaders confirm referral of political disputes to King (1)
On March 15, National Assembly President Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Prime Minister Hun Sen sent a joint letter to King Norodom Sihamoni in response to a March 2 letter from opposition leader Sam Rainsy to the Monarch (see KI, 02 March 2005: “Sam Rainsy asks the King to monitor the Judiciary”). In a relatively long letter compared to Sam Rainsy’s, Ranariddh and Hun Sen took pain to elaborate on the “legality” and the “regularity” of the lifting of Sam Rainsy's parliamentary immunity on February 3, as well as on the “independence of the judiciary”.
They also specified that 62 National Assembly members from the CPP and Funcinpec continue to accuse Sam Rainsy of causing King-Father Norodom Sihanouk’s abdication last year and want him to be prosecuted for bringing “political instability” to the country (see KI, 01 February 2005: “Status of ongoing political lawsuits”).
Finally, brushing aside all evidence, Ranariddh denied having accused Sam Rainsy of being an instigator of the anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh on 29 January 2003 (see KI, 04 March 2005: “Hun Sen denied allegations made by Ranariddh against Sam Rainsy”; KI, 01 March 2005: “Ranariddh’s immunity could be removed on the same grounds as Sam Rainsy’s”).
See Ranariddh and Hun Sen’s March 15 letter in Khmer by clicking at Ranariddh and Hun Sen to King
See Sam Rainsy’s March 2 letter in French by clicking at Sam Rainsy to King or at Cambodge Soir

16 March 2005

Ranariddh’s more conciliatory attitude (2)
Two factors seem to have recently influenced the attitude of Funcinpec and National Assembly President Prince Norodom Ranariddh:
- The lawsuits filed by Funcinpec against opposition parliamentarians Sam Rainsy and Chea Poch appear increasingly flawed (KI, 07 March 2005: “Currently pro-Funcinpec newspaper was the first to accuse Ranariddh of corruption”; KI, 13 February 2005: “A bribe in the form of an aircraft”; KI, 07 February 2005: “Will Ranariddh file a defamation lawsuit against Le Figaro?”).
- Ranariddh himself appears increasingly vulnerable (KI, 14 March 2005: “Ranariddh says only Hun Sen can defuse tension”; KI, 02 March 2005: “Sam Rainsy asks the King to monitor the Judiciary”; KI, 01 March 2005: “Ranariddh’s immunity could be removed on the same grounds as Sam Rainsy’s”; KI, 22 February 2005: “Eliminated witness's widow goes into hiding”; KI, 20 February 2005: “Witness against Ranariddh might have been poisoned”; KI, 04 February 2005: “$25,000 to Ranariddh in exchange for $14,000,000 to the nation”; KI, 18 December 2004: “Basis for comparison to assess a corruption case involving Ranariddh”; KI, 22 October 2004: “Prince Ranariddh fears corruption lawsuits”; KI, 16 October 2004: “A strange clause in the National Assembly construction contract”; KI, 07 September 2004: “Evidence of corruption at the National Assembly”; KI, 16 August 2004: “Assembly officials share a $15-million commission”).

CPP changing tactic (2)
Because its attempt to eliminate the parliamentary opposition by judicial means – and by using Ranariddh’s Funcinpec as the apparent spearhead of the offensive – does not yield the expected result, the CPP is changing tactic in instigating defamation lawsuits against opposition leader Sam Rainsy (KI, 01 February 2005: “Status of ongoing political lawsuits”). This probably explains why Prime Minister Hun Sen is pushing some prominent business tycoons, whom Sam Rainsy has accused of giving bribes to Ranariddh, to also file defamation lawsuits against the opposition leader.
According to today’s edition of the pro-CPP newspapers Rasmei Kampuchea, businessman “Oknha” Ung Bun Heuv – whose company is controversially collecting tolls on National Road # 4 amid popular protests – lodged earlier this week an official complaint against Sam Rainsy (even though the 3-month period of limitation has already elapsed). Two other tycoons could follow suit: Ly Yong Phat (or Phat Suphapha on his Thai passport) and Ms Chin Sopheap better known as Ms Phou (KI, 11 October 2003: “Ms Phou, Cambodia’s richest lady”). Ly Yong Phat has reportedly been investigated by the Australian authorities in connection with money laundering, while Ms Phou of the Pheapimex group is notoriously known for her involvement in massive deforestation and land grabbing.
See press report in Khmer by clicking at Rasmei Kampuchea

Unanimous support for Cambodian democracy at the European Parliament (1)
As published previously (KI, 10 March 2005: “European Parliament adopts Resolution on Cambodia”; KI, 16 March 2005: “Debate on Cambodia at the European Parliament”), all the six political groups at the European Parliament (Christian Democrat, Socialist, Liberal, Green, United Left, and Independent) unanimously expressed  their solidarity toward Cambodian opposition parliamentarians who are victims of repressive measures.
The views of Socialist MEPs and Green MEPs are reflected as follows (translation from French):
- Marc Tarabella (Belgian Socialist): “It is essential that parliamentary immunity be given back [to Chea Poch, Cheam Channy and Sam Rainsy] in order for them to recover their role as elected representatives, a role that has been given to them by Cambodian voters (...). It is our duty [to help them through this Resolution].”
- Marie-Anne Isler Béguin (French “Green”): “By removing the parliamentary immunity of three opposition lawmakers (...) who have exposed rampant corruption in their country, Cambodia has, once again, distinguished itself as a very mediocre democracy, where autocracy brings arbitrary rule on political, but also economic and social, life (...). We deplore the fate of farmers who are victims of land grabs [associated with deforestation]. Since 1993, fifty percent of the Cambodian forest has been destroyed with the complicity of the corrupt power. It is time for the European Union to support those who really fight against corruption, for the establishment of the rule of law with due respect for democratic rules, for instance by conditioning the attribution of our aid to the respect of democracy, human rights and the environment.”  

Debate on Cambodia at the European Parliament (1)
A Resolution on Cambodia was adopted by the European Parliament last week (KI, 10 March 2005: “European Parliament adopts Resolution on Cambodia”).
During the debate that preceded the vote, 9 MEPs took the floor and spoke in 6 different languages:
- Eric Meijer (The Netherlands; group: European United Left) spoke in Dutch.
- José Ribeiro E Castro (Portugal; group: Christian Democrat) spoke in Portuguese.
- Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck (Belgium; group: Liberal) spoke in Dutch.
- Marc Tarabella (Belgium; group: Socialist) spoke in French.
- Marie-Anne Isler Béguin (France; group: Greens) spoke in French.
- Bernd Posselt (Germany; group: Christian Democrat) spoke in German.
- Jules Maaten (The Netherlands; group: Liberal) spoke in Dutch.
- Urszula Krupa (Poland; group: Independence/Democracy) spoke in Polish.
- Marios Matsakis (Cyprus; group: Liberal) spoke in English.
Finally, Siim Kallas, European Commission Vice-President (and Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud) responded to the MEPs in English. The session was chaired by European Parliament President Josep Borrell Fontelles (Spain; group: Socialist) who spoke in Spanish.
All the speeches in the original language can be read by clicking at Debate

15 March 2005

Political crisis blocks National Assembly’s works (1)
As on countless occasions in a recent past, the National Assembly will be unable to legally hold a plenary session in the next few days because of a lack of quorum: 87 members must be present out of 123 (70 percent). The CPP controls 73 parliamentarians and Funcinpec 26, forming a total of 99. But out of those 99 pro-government MPs, a dozen are also Cabinet members: this prevents them from being present at the Assembly when the Cabinet is also meeting at the Council of Ministers. To make things worse, at any point of time, there are always some parliamentarians who are sick or have some other commitments.
Therefore, a smooth functioning of the legislative body requires the participation and the cooperation of the three political parties, including the opposition SRP, which controls 24 seats. But following repressive measures against them (exclusion from all parliamentary committees, lifting of immunity for three of them, arrest and detention of one of them), the opposition has decided not to attend any plenary session unless and until the measures against them are reversed.   

Sam Rainsy to visit Japan and the Philippines (2)
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy will be in Tokyo later this month to seek solidarity from Japanese parliamentarians following the repressive measures taken last month by the Cambodian government against opposition lawmakers. In early April, he will be in Manila to attend a conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (see KI, 01 March 2005: “IPU to examine the case of Cambodian opposition MPs”) and to have discussions with fellow parliamentarians from the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) of which the Sam Rainsy Party is a member. www.cald.org

Mu Sochua to receive award from Hillary Clinton (2)
Mu Sochua, former Minister for Women Affairs and a high-ranking official of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, will receive – next month in Washington D.C. – an award from U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton for her work on combating trafficking of women and children in Cambodia.

Rumours surrounding the murder of Chea Vichea (4)
In a report dated 26 October 2004 to the International Labour Office (ILO), the Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) says that “many rumours are circulating” about the murder of union leader Chea Vichea on 22 January 2004:
“According to one rumour, the assassins were Vietnamese who returned to Vietnam immediately after having committed the murder (...).
Based on the same presumption that the CPP resorts to death squads in order to assassinate opponents, and afterwards kill the perpetrators to prevent any investigation, some believe that the gunmen could have been eliminated at Hun Sen’s house in Phnom Penh on 7 February. On that day two of the prime minister’s bodyguards were mysteriously killed, their bodies immediately cremated, and the police were “not allowed to make a report” according to the newspaper Cambodia Daily dated 10 February.
Finally there is also a rumour that the killing of Chea Vichea was a part of a plan conceived by the CPP to ultimately target SRP and Funcinpec leaders (...).”
As of today, police investigation into the murder of Chea Vichea and the subsequent murder of another union leader, Ros Sovannareth, has gone nowhere. This leads the ICFTU to conclude that “at best, the government of Cambodia is unable to carry out a proper investigation into the murders and ensure proper judicial process; at worst, it is unwilling to do so”.
See full ICFTU report by clicking at http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991220667&Language=EN

14 March 2005

Ranariddh says only Hun Sen can defuse tension (1)
In recent interviews (see KI, 12 March 2005: “Ranariddh blasts European Parliament”) Funcinpec and National Assembly President Prince Norodom Ranariddh says that he is willing to defuse the current political tension stemming from recent incidents at the National Assembly, but he specifies that a restoration of the parliamentary immunity of opposition leader Sam Rainsy depends on the good will of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Ranariddh apparently starts to acknowledge the fact that he is being used by Hun Sen – to do the dirty job – in the CPP's attempt to eliminate the parliamentary opposition.
Sam Rainsy’s immunity was lifted on February 3 exclusively on the basis of a defamation lawsuit filed by Funcinpec, while the CPP has been keeping a low profile. The CPP-dependent Court has been using only the Funcinpec-initiated lawsuit to try to prosecute Sam Rainsy, while all CPP-initiated lawsuits against the opposition leader have been practically or temporarily shelved.
The CPP’s tactic is illustrated by the 26 October 2004 official request from the Court to the National Assembly to remove Sam Rainsy’s immunity, which was the key document used to justify the 3 February 2005 decision.
See original document in Khmer at Request from the Court

European Commission’s response to Cambodian crisis (1)
In an answer given to the European Parliament on March 4, Mrs Ferrero-Waldner, member of the European Commission responsible for External Relations, says that “ the Commission believes these events [the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of three opposition lawmakers and the subsequent arrest of one of them] could (...) risk jeopardising the smooth functioning of the democratic process in the country” and that “an EU demarche to the Cambodian authorities on this issue is being prepared.”
See full text of the answer at European Commission

International unions express solidarity toward Cambodian workers (1)
On 7 March 2005, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) issued a statement condemning “the increasingly repressive policy pursued by the Cambodian government against workers who peacefully exercise their right to freedom of expression and freedom of association. The right is increasingly being denied in the clothing sector following the end of the commercial agreement between the United States and Cambodia under which the South East Asian country could increase its exports to the US by improving its respect for labour laws and international labour standards.”
The ICFTU recalled “the murders in 2004 of two independent trade unionists: Chea Vichea, the President of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) was assassinated on 22 January 2004, and Ros Savannareth, another leading member of FTUWKC, was killed on 7 May 2004.” The ICFTU specified that “these murders form the centrepiece of an ICFTU complaint submitted to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) last year.”
Finally, the international workers' organization declared that “unless the Cambodian authorities immediately stop disproportionate levels of violence against trade union leaders and workers – which, in the past, have resulted in fatalities – and launch serious investigations into existing cases of excessive violence, the country runs the risk of erasing one of the few advantages that it previously enjoyed over its rivals (for example China and Vietnam) in the clothing sector, namely a somewhat better respect for workers' fundamental rights.”
The ICFTU represents 145 million workers in 233 affiliated organisations in 154 countries and territories. http://www.icftu.org/

First consequences from the end of the quota system (2)
According to government and industry sources, 70 out of 290 garment factories registered since 1996 have been forced to close down, and 47,670 workers (out of 260,000) have lost their jobs as a result of the end of the quota system in the textile industry worldwide on 31 December 2004.

13 March 2005

50 families control Cambodia’s economy (2)
Cambodia’s political system is organized in such a way as to ensure that the economy is controlled by no more than fifty families made up of apparatchiks from the previous communist regime (1979-1989) who have managed to remain in power and have turned “capitalists”, and their long-time business associates whose dominant positions in all industries derive from a symbiotic relationship with powerful, authoritarian and corrupt politicians. This system has been consolidated and perpetuated through a perversion (and behind a facade) of democracy, manipulated elections, rampant corruption, nepotism, cooptation among members of the ruling elite, marriages among children of the ruling families, plunder of State assets and the country's natural riches under the form of “privatizations” and “concessions” in cooperation with the international organized crime. The functioning of this system is well described in an article in French titled “Thermidor au Cambodge”, by Jean-François Bayart (directeur de recherche au CNRS), and published in the March 2005 issue of Alternatives Economiques.
See full article by clicking at Alternatives Economiques

Most active parliamentarians (1)
According to a report titled “Parliamentary Watch for February 2005” published on March 10 by COMFREL (a prominent organization of the civil society), the three political parties represented at the National Assembly rank as follows, in terms of level of activities conducted by their respective parliamentarians in their respective constituencies last month:
1- SRP (24 parliamentarians): 66 visits to their constituencies.
2- CPP (73 parliamentarians): 51 visits.
3- Funcinpec (26 parliamentarians): 5 visits.
Similar observations for the previous months have been published by COMFREL.
See full report in Khmer at http://comfrel.org/khm/what_new.php?wnid=49

12 March 2005

Ranariddh blasts European Parliament (1)
In their today’s edition, pro-CPP newspapers Rasmei Kampuchea and Koh Santepheap quoted Funcinpec and National Assembly President Prince Norodom Ranariddh as blasting the European Parliament for its latest Resolution on Cambodia (see KI, 10 March 2005: “European Parliament adopts Resolution on Cambodia”). Ranariddh reportedly said the European Parliament, the Australian Senate and the US Senate were “all under Sam Rainsy’s influence” as evidenced by the wording of their statements which contain “well-known Sam Rainsy’s arguments”.
See article in Khmer published by Rasmei Kampuchea by clicking at
http://www.cambodiapolitics.org/news/rasmei_05/march_05/12_r2.pdf
See article in Khmer published by Koh Santepheap by clicking at
http://www.cambodiapolitics.org/news/koh_05/march_05/12-13_k2.pdf

10 March 2005

European Parliament adopts Resolution on Cambodia (1)
The European Parliament unanimously adopted this afternoon a Resolution on Cambodia in which the supra-national legislative body
[Quote]
- Calls upon the government of Cambodia to immediately and unconditionally release Cheam Channy [Point 3].
- Urges the government of Cambodia to put an end to persecution of political opponents and human rights activists in the country [Point 6].
- Calls on the National Assembly of Cambodia to restore immediately the immunity to all three members of the Parliament [Chea Poch, Cheam Channy, and Sam Rainsy] and to ensure that members of the opposition are allowed to sit in its parliamentary committees [Point 7].
- Calls on the [European] Commission, the [European] Council and the governments of the Member States to raise this question with the Cambodian government and to consider imposing appropriate sanctions if the National Assembly and the government of Cambodia do no reverse its recent actions [Point 8].
[Unquote]
The European lawmakers – from 25 countries and six different political groups – made the above decisions after recalling “the cooperation agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom of Cambodia, which entered in force on 1 November 1999 [and which contains a clause about the respect for human rights]”, and after noting that “the lack of independence and of impartiality of Cambodia’s judiciary system is a well-know matter.”
See full text of the Resolution in English by clicking at European Parliament Resolution
Voir texte entier de la Résolution en français en cliquant à Résolution du Parlement Européen

Comparison between ASEAN and the EU (2)
At a lecture given earlier this week at the Institut Français des Relations Internationales (see KI, 03 March 2005: “Conference on Cambodia in Paris”), opposition leader Sam Rainsy made a comparison between ASEAN and the European Union, underscoring three fundamental points that contribute to the success and the rayonnement of the EU:
1- Democracy and respect for human rights are common values forming the foundations of this unique multinational institution [whereas ASEAN sticks to the old-style diplomatic principle of “non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs”].
2- A real economic solidarity among member countries – through clear and sound common policies – allows countries that first were among the poorest members (e.g. Ireland, Portugal, Greece) to progressively catch up with much richer partners (e.g. Germany, France, UK) [there is no such a process in ASEAN where the poorest countries such as Cambodia are plunged deeper and deeper in poverty compared to the rest of the grouping].
3- There is no fear – especially for small countries (e.g. Luxembourg) in their relations with much larger neighbours (e.g. France and Germany) – because there is real mutual trust based on truth, reconciliation (e.g. between France and Germany), a common vision and a strict respect for commitments [whereas conflicting interpretations of history and nationalistic agendas continue to stifle mutual trust among ASEAN members who do not share the same values as stated in point 1].
Sam Rainsy recalled that when he met with the Vietnamese leadership in Hanoi in 2002 and tried to share with them his vision of a new ASEAN built on the European model, “they looked at me as if I were an insane person.”

08 March 2005

How sensible are sanctions against an authoritarian regime? (2)
In a letter published in today's Cambodia Daily, opposition leader Sam Rainsy clarifies his position about possible sanctions against the current Cambodian government. He notably says: “Imposing sanctions on any authoritarian regime is a controversial issue as it may be argued that only ordinary and innocent people – not the privileged and guilty leaders – would suffer from such sanctions. But for Cambodia, the ordinary people have been already and intensively suffering following decades of authoritarianism, neglect and corruption (...). I am not asking for a suspension of any well-intended foreign assistance to Cambodia, [but for] guarantees that [the] assistance will actually reach those who need it most, meaning the poor and innocent Cambodian people, instead of being diverted into the pockets of a small number of corrupt leaders.”
See full letter by clicking at OPINION
See original text as printed in the Cambodia Daily by clicking at Friends of Cambodia

Funcinpec parliamentarians opposed to removal of their SRP colleagues’ immunity (2)
When Funcinpec and National Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh considered stripping opposition leader Sam Rainsy of his immunity in 2003 (see KI, 5 March 2005: “Ranariddh had threatened to lift Sam Rainsy’ immunity since 2003”), a number of Funcinpec parliamentarians said they would oppose the move if they were allowed to vote according to their conscience. The French-language newspaper Cambodge Soir, in an 11 February 2003 article titled “Funcinpec deputies would oppose a lifting of Sam Rainsy’s immunity”, gave the name of two of them: Princess Norodom Vacheara, chairperson of the National Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Mon Sophan, chairman of the Committee on Legislation.
Vacheara was quoted as declaring she “would not take part in the move”, which would “affect not only Sam Rainsy’s status but also that of all the other members of the legislative body.” Reflecting the opinion of “a number of other parliamentarians”, Mon Sophan was quoted as demanding a “secret ballot” if a vote were to be organized (KI, 05 March 2005: « Assembly's Legislation Committee Chairman: “Secret ballot required for vote on immunity” »).
Cambodge Soir concluded in 2003 that “given the reactions from royalist parliamentarians, there is no sure sign” that Prince Ranariddh could secure the two-thirds majority required to remove Sam Rainsy’s immunity. This logically explains why in 2005 Ranariddh had to impose a vote by a show of hands in order to attain his goal. But it was at the cost of violating the Parliament’s own rules that the Speaker was able to secure an impressive unanimous vote from all the parliamentarians who were supposed to support him.
See Cambodge Soir’s article dated 11 February 2003 by clicking at Hands up!

Potential scandal at the World Bank (3)
King-Father Norodom Sihanouk has noticed a 1^st March 2005 article in the Bangkok-based newspaper The Nation that points to a potential scandal at the World Bank. The article titled “Cambodia, the World Bank and demobilization”, by Sophie Richardson, elaborates on “bank complicity”, involving “staff members in Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Singapore and Washington”, in the fraudulent collapse of a multi-million dollar demobilisation program in Cambodia. The “bank complicity” is allegedly responsible for up to 40 percent of all misused funds (see KI, 26 January 2005: “World Bank begins to discover the practice of overpricing government procurements”).
See full article posted on the King-Father’s Web site by clicking at http://www.norodomsihanouk.info/mes%202005/mars/textes/0703txt5.htm      

07 March 2005

Hun Sen revives old accusation against Sam Rainsy (1)
According to the minutes of a 4 February 2005 meeting of the Council of Ministers presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen, the government has decided to revive an old accusation dated 1994 against then-Minister of Finance Sam Rainsy. The Cambodian authorities are apparently trying very hard to discredit the opposition leader with this second or third revival of an “investigation” into a payment made eleven years ago by Sam Rainsy in his capacity as Finance Minister, “without the authorisation of the [two] Prime Ministers.” The payment was related to the procurement of the first bunch of “Kingdom of Cambodia” passports from a UK-based printing company, at the request of Prince Norodom Sirivudh, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, with the approval of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, then First Prime Minister of the Royal Cambodian Government. Only then-Second Prime Minister Hun Sen did not formally confirm his approval for the payment.
See the above-mentioned minutes signed on 9 February 2005 by Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, by clicking at Council of Ministers

Currently pro-Funcinpec newspaper was the first to accuse Ranariddh of corruption (1)
In its 14 July 2004 edition, the Khmer-language newspaper Voice of Khmer Youth was the first to accuse Funcinpec President Norodom Ranariddh of taking bribes before joining a new coalition government led by Hun Sen. Just one day before the formation of the new government on 15 July 2004, Voice of Khmer Youth alleged that, according to a CPP source hostile to Hun Sen [i.e. belonging to the pro-Chea Sim faction] Prince Ranariddh had received bribes worth $30 million in cash and in kind [in the form of an aircraft] from pro-CPP businessman Ly Yong Phat. The newspaper also specified that Ly Yong Phat had been laundering money in Australia and that the Australian authorities were investigating his dubious transactions.
As of today, neither Prince Ranariddh nor Funcinpec has reacted to the allegations published in Voice of Khmer Youth, now a pro-Funcinpec newspaper. But in late September 2004, opposition leader Sam Rainsy repeated the allegations made by Voice of Khmer Youth, then prompting Funcinpec to file a defamation lawsuit against him.
In a decision adopted in Geneva in January 2005, the Inter Parliamentary Union “notes that Mr. [Sam] Rainsy reportedly based his statements on media reports which have remained uncontested.” (See KI, 01 March 2005: “IPU to examine the case of Cambodian opposition MPs”).
The above-mentioned press article can be read by clicking at Voice of Khmer Youth

06 March 2005

Golf course premises used as brothels for the ruling elite (2)
There are two golf courses near Phnom Penh reserved for the ruling political elite and their business associates and other close friends. Those exclusive sport facilities are notorious facade for brothels where carefully selected young women and little girls are offered to the distinguished sportsmen and their guests. Some newly declared golf addicts, including foreign diplomats, need discretion and appreciate the alibi for legally or politically reprehensible encounters.  

05 March 2005

Ranariddh had threatened to lift Sam Rainsy’ immunity since 2003 (1)
When Sam Rainsy said two years ago that he would sue Prince Norodom Ranariddh for defamation following the latter's accusations related to the anti-Thai riots in 2003, Ranariddh defied Sam Rainsy to find a two-thirds majority at the National Assembly to possibly strip him [Ranariddh] of his parliamentary immunity. But he [Ranariddh] proudly said he could – with the support of Hun Sen – garner the required majority to lift Sam Rainsy’s immunity any time. Cambodge Soir dated 5 February 2003 quoted Ranariddh as boasting: “Moi, en revanche, je pourrai réunir cette majorité. » [As for me, contrary to the other guy, I will be able to garner that majority].
See Cambodge Soir’s article by clicking at Ranariddh’s threat

Assembly's Legislation Committee Chairman: “Secret ballot required for vote on immunity” (1)
When, on 3 February 2005, National Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh organized a vote by a show of hands (and behind closed doors) to lift the parliamentary immunity of opposition lawmakers Chea Poch, Cheam Channy and Sam Rainsy, many independent legal experts considered the vote illegal because it violated the Assembly’s rules that require a secret ballot for any vote concerning any person (for a nomination, promotion, demotion, sanction, etc). This opinion is confirmed by a previous statement made by Funcinpec Assembly member Mon Sophan, who is the Chairman of the Legislation Committee. When talks were going on about a possible removal of Sam Rainsy’s immunity in 2003 (see KI, 05 March 2005: “Ranariddh had threatened to lift Sam Rainsy’ immunity since 2003”), Mon Sophan publicly said any vote on lifting of immunity would require a secret ballot.
For the effective removal of their parliamentarian colleagues' immunity in February 2005, as for the controversial “Package Vote” in July 2004 (see KI, 29 June 2004: “A coup against the King”), Hun Sen and Ranariddh could be assured to secure the required two-thirds majority only by imposing a vote by a show of hands, implying threat and intimidation.
See Cambodge Soir’s corresponding article dated 11 February 2003, by clicking at Mon Sophan      

04 March 2005

Visit cancelled for Cambodian delegation (2)
A delegation from the Cambodian National Assembly was due to pay a one-week visit to the British Parliament starting on 14 March 2005. But the visit was cancelled about two weeks ago given the recent developments in Cambodia.

Hun Sen to visit the UK next June (2)
A visit by Prime Minister Hun Sen to the United Kingdom has been planned for a long time with the help of former British Ambassador to Cambodia, Stephen Bridges. It is scheduled for June 2005 to allow Hun Sen to attend his son Hun Manet’s graduation ceremony at Bristol University. Another reason given for the semi-official visit is for Hun Sen to inspect the newly-reopened Cambodian Embassy in London (it had been closed from 1975 to 2004). But most importantly, the planned visit reflects Hun Sen’s craving for international recognition since it will be his first semi-official visit in a western country.

Hun Sen denied allegations made by Ranariddh against Sam Rainsy (1)
On 3 February 2003, National Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh accused opposition leader Sam Rainsy of being an instigator of the 29 January 2003 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh (see KI, 01 March 2005: “Ranariddh’s immunity could be removed on the same grounds as Sam Rainsy’s”). But in an 11 February 2003 letter to then-King Norodom Sihanouk, Prime Minister Hun Sen said the government had no proof implicating Sam Rainsy. The official letter reads as follows: “I [Hun Sen] wish to inform Your Majesty that so far there is no evidence that H.E. Sam Rainsy joined the rioting on 29 January 2003 (...).”
For more details, see the Cambodia Daily dated 12 February 2003, by clicking at Denial
To see Hun Sen's original letter in Khmer, click at Letter

Appeal by Cambodian civil society to the international community (1)
On 3 March 2005, some twelve independent – among the most respected – NGOs representing Cambodia’s civil society (*) jointly launched an appeal to the international community to “help normalize” the political situation in this country. They called for the restoration of parliamentary immunity for opposition lawmakers Sam Rainsy, Chea Poch, and Cheam Channy, and for the release from the military prison of Cheam Channy. While “strongly supporting the resolutions and statements by the European Union, the United Sates' Senators, Australia's Senators, and the United Nations Secretary General's Special Representative” following the recent developments in Cambodia, they denounced numerous irregularities in the moves by the two ruling parties (CPP and Funcinpec), and condemned the fact that “the military court and indeed the National Assembly have been used as [political] tools to weaken and finally eliminate the opposition.”

(*) including COMFREL/ADHOC, NICFEC/LICADHO, Center for Social Development, Cambodian Center for Human Rights, Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee, Human Rights Vigilance, Open Forum of Cambodia, Cambodian Defenders Project, Cambodian Legal Education Center. 

The US labels human rights situation in Cambodia as “poor” (1)
In late February 2005, the US State Department issued its “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – 2004”, where the situation in Cambodia is depicted as worrying. Citing politically motivated killings, violent suppressions of public demonstrations and numerous cases of illegal detentions, the State Department concluded that Cambodia’s human rights record “remained poor, and the Government continued to commit abuses” in 2004. 

03 March 2005

Conference on Cambodia in Paris (1)
The prestigious Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI) will organize a conference on Cambodia in Paris on 8 March 2005.
For more information click at ANNOUNCEMENTS

02 March 2005

Sam Rainsy asks the King to monitor the Judiciary (1)
In a today’s letter written from Paris to King Norodom Sihamoni, opposition leader Sam Rainsy asks for an intervention from the Monarch to solve the present crisis in accordance with the Constitution.
Sam Rainsy says in substance to the King:
« Because your constitutional role as the nation’s supreme Referee is to guarantee the regular functioning of the public powers, and because you are also the guarantor of the independence of the Judiciary while presiding over the Supreme Council of Magistracy, I beg you to ensure that the Court’s decisions be more consistent and more equitable :
- The Court has asked for the lifting of my parliamentary immunity as a matter of urgency. What kind of urgency is it when, one month after the lifting was actually pronounced in a hasty way behind closed doors, the judicial proceedings against me are at a complete standstill? I have already answered all questions from the Prosecutor and am waiting impatiently to be summoned and prosecuted by the Court.
- The Court has asked for the lifting of my immunity under the pretext that I am faced with a defamation lawsuit because I have accused Prince Ranariddh of taking bribes. But Prince Ranariddh also is faced with a defamation lawsuit because he has accused me of being an instigator of the anti-Thai riots in 2003. Why has the Court not asked also for the lifting of Prince Ranariddh’s immunity? Why the double standard? »
See full letter in French at http://www.samrainsyparty.org/national_assembly/2005/mar/050302-LettreAuRoi-bis.htm

Sam Rainsy’s driver has gone into hiding (2)
Kem Phannara, 46, who has been Sam Rainsy’s driver for more than ten years, has gone into hiding in a neighbouring country following threats he has recently received. He was under pressure to falsely confess that, on 29 January 2003, he was driving Sam Rainsy behind the anti-Thai demonstrators who were going to burn down the Thai Embassy and other Thai-owned buildings in Phnom Penh, in line with accusations made by Prince Norodom Ranariddh (see KI, 01 March 2005: “Ranariddh’s immunity could be removed on the same grounds as Sam Rainsy’s”). The riots caused at least one dead and up to $50 million’s worth of damage, partly paid for by the Cambodian government.

01 March 2005

Ranariddh’s immunity could be removed on the same grounds as Sam Rainsy’s (2)
National Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh has pushed for the lifting of Sam Rainsy’s parliamentary immunity on the grounds that the opposition leader has defamed him by saying publicly that he (Ranariddh) has taken bribes from Prime Minister Hun Sen. In reaction to Sam Rainsy’s allegations, Ranariddh’s Funcinpec has filed a defamation lawsuit against Sam Rainsy, which prompted the Court to complacently ask for the lifting of his immunity.
But Sam Rainsy has also filed a defamation lawsuit against Norodom Ranariddh who has publicly accused him (Sam Rainsy) of being behind the violent anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh on 29 January 2003, as reported in several newspapers:
- The Cambodia Daily of 4 February 2003: « The prince [Norodom Ranariddh] blamed opposition party leader Sam Rainsy for Wednesday’s rioting. »
- Cambodge Soir of 5 February 2003: « Lundi, à la sortie de la séance de l’Assemblée nationale, Norodom Ranariddh avait, devant la presse, critiqué certains politiciens cherchant à tirer avantage des violences de la semaine dernière. Il avait désigné nommément Sam Rainsy, affirmant qu’“il avait été vu derrière les manifestants. »
- Rasmei Kampuchea dated 5 February 2003: « National Assembly President Prince Norodom Ranariddh said on February 3 that “people have clearly seen Mr. Sam Rainsy in a car going behind the protesters who were demonstrating.” »
Sam Rainsy has been stripped of his immunity on the grounds that he is faced with a defamation lawsuit. If such grounds are considered valid, Prince Ranariddh also is to be stripped of his immunity if the Court doesn’t show double standards.
To see full text of the above-mentioned newspapers articles, click at
Cambodia Daily
Cambodge Soir
Rasmei Kampuchea    

IPU to examine the case of Cambodian opposition MPs (1)
At its next meeting in Manila (Philippines) on 3-8 April 2005, the Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will continue to examine the case of the three Cambodian opposition parliamentarians whose immunity has been recently lifted (Sam Rainsy, Cheam Channy, and Chea Poch).
In a decision adopted in Geneva in late January 2005, the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians recalled that “the [Cambodian] authorities, including the President of the National Assembly, in their meeting with the [IPU] Secretary General during the latter's visit to Cambodia (13-17 September 2004), acknowledged that statements made by members of parliament inside and outside the parliamentary premises were covered by parliamentary immunity as established by the Constitution, and that as such, the President did not intend to seek the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of the two parliamentarians concerned [Sam Rainsy and Chea Poch].” The IPU Committee also noted that “Mr. Rainsy did indeed appear before an investigating judge” and “reportedly based his [allegedly defamatory] statements on media reports which have remained uncontested”. It finally pointed to the fact that “Mr. Rainsy and Mr. Poch are being targeted”.
See full text of the IPU decision by clicking at IPU
Voir la décision de l'Union Inter-Parlementaire en français en cliquant à IPUfrançais

Both Funcinpec and CPP have been losing votes to SRP (1)
It is clear to all observers that Funcinpec has been losing votes to both the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) and the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP). Since 1993, the number of Funcinpec’s seats at the National Assembly has decreased from 58 to 26. But there is another trend that has been hardly noticed: the SRP, whose seats at the National Assembly have increased from 0 to 24 since the party’s inception in 1995, has been taking votes from both Funcinpec and the CPP, at least in some provinces, as evidenced by the chart below.

NUMBER OF SEATS WON BY EACH PARTY

Therefore, it is not surprising that the CPP and Funcinpec join hands to try to contain the SRP – which represents an alternative to the current regime – by all means.

KI’s audience reached record level in February 2005 (1)
- Number of visits to KI website in February 2005: 19,176 (versus 13,693 in January).
- Number of visits per day: 684 (versus 441 in January).
- Number of “persons” (each with a specific IP address) who visited KI website in February 2005: 6,394 (versus 4,835 in January).
- On top of the anonymous but regular 6,394 “visitors”, there are 2,367 “subscribers” to KI electronic news service as of 28 February 2005.
- Main countries where visitors and subscribers reside: Cambodia, USA, France, Australia, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Thailand, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Singapore, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany (more than 50 countries in total).
(Source: Seanic /Net Web Hosting Control Panel).

28 February 2005

Eyadema and Ranariddh had the same mentor (2)
The late Togolese dictator Gnassingbe Eyadema and Cambodia’s National Assembly president Norodom Ranariddh had the same mentor: Charles Debbasch, a French dubious professor of law, of the same type as Claude Gour. “Both men have made careers and wealth advising dictators around the world how to trick the law.”
See details at OPINION

27 February 2005 

Corruption in the telephone sector (2)
With a revenue of $25 million to $30 million a year, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication (MPTC) has been a major contributor to the State budget. However, revenue from the telephone sector has been on the decline over the last few years in spite of the industry’s rapid development. The MPTC explains this decline in revenue by pointing to the reduction in telephone fees: For the consumer, the cost per minute for international calls has been divided by 5 over the last ten years [though it remains much higher than in other countries]. The MPTC forgets to specify that, in the same period of time, the number of telephone sets (especially mobile phones with access to international network) has increased 40 times! Moreover, service volume expressed in number of minutes of phone communication involving international network has increased by an even larger proportion.
In any country, in an environment characterized by rapid technology progress and intensifying competition, the competent authorities reduce telecommunication fees to boost traffic, with the ultimate goal of increasing revenue.
In Cambodia the reason for the decline in revenue from the telephone sector can only be related to mismanagement and/or corruption, including the recent award of the VOIP gateway (telephone via the Internet) to the shady AZ Company [the very same company that collects tolls on National Road # 4]. In 2004, the State reportedly incurred an estimated loss of revenue of $12 million to $15 million, which can be proven by any independent audit. The World Bank – which has been denouncing corruption – can order such an audit to expose some of the MPTC’s dubious operations and projects (KI, 28 May 2004: “World Bank will multiply independent audits in Cambodia”; KI, 19 February 2005: “Inflated cost for Japan-financed telecommunication project may conceal corruption”).

European Parliament President welcomes Sam Rainsy (1)
During a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 23 February 2005, President Josep Borrell Fontelles (Socialist Group, Spain) welcomed Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy. President Borrell Fontelles recalled in his welcoming address that he had written to the President of Cambodia’s National Assembly reminding him that “the respect for political pluralism is absolutely necessary for the functioning of democratic institutions” and that the “human rights situation in Cambodia remains a source of concern” for the European Parliament. He concluded by expressing the “solidarity” of European lawmakers toward their Cambodian colleagues who are currently “facing a difficult time”, and by wishing Sam Rainsy “success in his endeavor to bring about a democratic transition” in Cambodia.
President Borrell Fontelles’s statement as officially recorded in Spanish can be read at EP President’s statement

24 February 2005

“Myanmar” or “Cambodia”: Confusion comes from China (1)
Following the correction Khmer Intelligence made earlier today (KI, 24 February 2005: “Correction of a mistake”) and the statement by the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia titled « United States has not designated Cambodia as an “outpost of tyranny” » that was issued also today to deny “a report by the Khmer Intelligence electronic wire service on February 23 that was picked up by other media”, our source of information “CambodiaNews” has just revealed the name of the organization that had first distorted Condoleezza Rice’s words: China’s XINHUA News Agency, in a report in French posted on its Web Site on February 22. XINHUA did make the mistake when translating the corresponding Financial Times’s article from English to French: “Myanmar” became “Cambodge”.
See XINHUA original report in French at  XINHUA or at http://www.french.xinhuanet.com/french/2005-02/22/content_82308.htm

Correction of a mistake (1)
Khmer Intelligence received today an e-mail from U.S. Ambassador Charles A. Ray, saying: « Your statement that Secretary Rice is quoted by Financial Times as including Cambodia as one of six “outposts of tyranny” is incorrect. The six countries she listed, and as stated in the FT article of January 22, are: Myanmar, Cuba, Belarus, North Korea, Iran, and Zimbabwe. »
KI acknowledges Ambassador Ray’s correction and apologizes to all its readers for publishing an inaccurate piece of information (KI, 23 February 2005: « US Secretary of State calls Cambodia an “outpost of tyranny” ») from the electronic news service “CambodiaNews” (22 February 2005: « Condoleezza Rice : Cambodge, Cuba, ... considérés comme des “avant-postes de la tyrannie” »). “CambodiaNews” apparently made a mistake in their translation of the corresponding Financial Times’s article from English to French (Myanmar instead of Cambodia). In the future, KI will carefully check any alleged translation made by other people before publishing any news. All “news” proven inaccurate have been deleted from KI Web site.

23 February 2005

Chea Poch in the USA (2)
Opposition lawmaker Chea Poch who was stripped of his parliamentary immunity on February 3 – along with Sam Rainsy and Cheam Channy – and left Cambodia shortly after for a neighboring country where he stayed for nearly three weeks, arrived today in the USA.

22 February 2005

Eliminated witness's widow goes into hiding (2)
The widow of businessman Kim Khieng, who died earlier this month in mysterious circumstances (KI, 20 February 2005: "Witness against Ranariddh might have been poisoned"), has gone into hiding following pressure from the police ordering her not to talk to the press and human rights workers. Family's members specified that Kim Khieng had complained about pain in the chest before his sudden death and that his tongue and nails became black after his death.

Sam Rainsy to attend plenary session of the European Parliament (2)
As previously indicated (KI, 21 February 2005: "Sam Rainsy in Strasbourg and Brussels") the Cambodian opposition leader is currently in Strasbourg (France). He will be welcome by European lawmakers at the opening of the European Parliament's plenary session tomorrow, Wednesday, February 23. The European Parliament, normally based in Brussels, meets once a month in Strasbourg.

21 February 2005

Cambodia: Rotten at the core (2)
The above is the title of a February 19 article in the London-based The Economist. Excerpts: « Cambodia’s democracy [does not] look very robust: Sam Rainsy, the leader of the opposition, has fled the country after parliament stripped him of his immunity from prosecution. Hun Sen, the prime minister of 20 years, recently announced that he would have to stay on indefinitely (...). [Cambodia’s dire poverty is essentially due to] bad governance (...). Hun Sen is more a survivor than a visionary (...). Addressing a conference in Cambodia earlier this month, James Wolfensohn, the president of the World Bank, said the government’s top three priorities should be “fighting corruption, fighting corruption, fighting corruption.” (...) The government claims to be cleaning up its acts, but has little to show for it (...). If anything, it is whistleblowers who are at risk. Parliament lifted Sam Rainsy’s immunity, after all, so that Hun Sen and other grandees could pursue libel cases against him. »
See full article at The Economist    

Sam Rainsy in Strasbourg and Brussels (2)
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who took part in a public demonstration in Paris on February 20, will be in Strasbourg and Brussels on February 22 to 24, to meet with Members of the European Parliament from the four major parliamentary groups, as well as officials from the European Commission.
See details at www.samrainsyparty.org

20 February 2005 

Witness against Ranariddh might have been poisoned (2)
According to latest press reports (Cambodia Daily, 18 February 2005: “One Sam Rainsy Witness Dies, Another Goes Missing”), a key witness for an important lawsuit exposing government corruption died earlier this month in mysterious circumstances. « One of four witnesses scheduled to give evidence in a lawsuit filed by opposition leader Sam Rainsy against National Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh has died, and a second witness cannot be located, a lawyer said Thursday [Feb 17]. Kim Khieng, manager of the Yang Sy construction, was scheduled to appear at Phnom Penh Municipal Court to give testimony supporting Sam Rainsy’s claim of corruption related to the construction of a new multimillion dollar Assembly building. Kim Khieng, who was about 40 years old, died Feb 7 [reportedly] from illness following a night of drinking (...). A second witness, Nuon Sampha, a representative of the Golden Star investment company, was due to appear in Court on Thursday [Feb 17] afternoon but has apparently “disappeared” (...). A Thai [citizen] and an Australian national have also been called as witnesses [but their willingness to testify before the Court is now uncertain] (...). Kim Khieng’s family could not be contacted Thursday [Feb 17]. »
Khmer Intelligence has collected the following information from Kim Khieng’s family (some of them are living in the USA) and former colleagues and friends:
- Kim Khieng’s company’s exact name is “Giang Shi Trading & Construction Co. Ltd”.
- Kim Khieng had over the last two years met with and/or written to opposition lawmakers Sam Rainsy and Son Chhay complaining about corruption in the award of the construction contract related to the National Assembly’s new building. The $27-million contract was awarded to Ly Chhuong Construction & Import/Export Co., a little-known company with personal links to National Assembly's leaders, while Kim Khieng’s Giang Shi Trading & Construction Co., in collaboration with a group of Thai and Australian partners, had offered to erect the same building with exactly the same specifications for only $13 million.
- Kim Khieng was 48 years old. He was a sober man who did not smoke nor drink, and was in very good health.
- The day of his death (Feb 7), a group a people his family knew little about, invited him to “dine out”.
- He came back the same night feeling very sick.
- He was transported to Phnom Penh’s Calmette Hospital but doctors there refused to admit him, saying his condition was “desperate”.
- He died the same night. His tongue and nails had become black.
- Under pressure from unspecified authorities, his family decided to cremate his body the following morning (without any forensic being performed).

For further information about the ongoing corruption lawsuit against Prince Ranariddh, see previous news from Khmer Intelligence at the following dates with the following headlines:
- 16 August 2004: “Assembly officials share a $15-million commission”.
- 07 September 2004: “Evidence of corruption at the National Assembly”.
- 16 October 2004: “A strange clause in the National Assembly construction contract”.
- 22 October 2004: “Prince Ranariddh fears corruption lawsuits”.
- 18 December 2004: “Basis for comparison to assess a corruption case involving Ranariddh”.
- 04 February 2005: “$25,000 to Ranariddh in exchange for $14,000,000 to the nation”.
See the above-mentioned Cambodia Daily’s article by clicking at Witness

19 February 2005 

Inflated cost for Japan-financed telecommunication project may conceal corruption (2)
Earlier this year, Minister of Post and Telecommunications So Khun revealed that a fiber-optics project, to be financed by a loan from Japan, would cost $34 million (see the Cambodia Daily, 21 January 2005: "Proposed Fiber-Optics Project Will Cost Government $34 million"). According to industry specialists who speak on condition of anonymity, the project which consists in installing 400 km of fiber-optic cables from Kompong Cham city to Sihanoukville (via Skoun, Phnom Penh, Takeo, and Kampot) should cost no more than $15 million, with the following breakdown:
- Cable: $6.0 million (for 400 km, compared to a German-made 600 km-long similar fiber-optic cable linking Poipet-Phnom Penh-Bavet that cost $8 million in 1999).
- Phnom Penh ring network: $ 0.5 million.
- IP core Switch system: $1.0 million.
- Billing system: $1.5 million.
- Interconnect facility: $1.0 million.
- OSP for 7,250 subscribers: $1.0 million.
- ADSL and multi-wireless LAN: $1.0 million.
- Buildings and electricity power: $2.0 million.
- Miscellaneous: $1.0 million.
____________________________________________________

Total : $15.0 million, compared to the $34.0 million stated above.
Independent experts are in the opinion that an open bidding procedure would decrease the cost of this Japanese-funded project, and warn that an over-billed investment of this type will not be profitable.

See the above-mentioned Cambodia Daily's article at Press cut
 

More support for King-Father’s intervention (1)
A growing number of people and organizations, both in Cambodia and overseas, have been expressing support for an intervention from King-Father Norodom Sihanouk in order to secure the release from prison and/or the restoration of the parliamentary immunity of opposition lawmakers Cheam Channy, Sam Rainsy, and Chea Poch.
On 15 February 2005, the respected Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee – which groups 18 independent NGOs – sent a letter to King-Father Norodom Sihanouk supporting the Retired Monarch’s 5-point plan for a return to normalcy (see KI, 11 February 2005: “King-Father proposes a 5-point solution to the current crisis”).
The letter from the NGO umbrella organization and the King-Father’s reply, both in Khmer, were posted today on the royal Web site:
http://www.norodomsihanouk.info/mes%202005/fevrier/texte/1902txt4.htm

18 February 2005 

US Senate Resolution on Cambodia (1)
On 17 February 2005, Senators Sam Brownback and Mitch McConnel introduced a Resolution on Cambodia (S. Res. 65) “Calling for the Government of Cambodia to release Cheam Channy from prison, and for other purposes”. The Resolution also
- “Calls upon the Cambodian National Assembly to reverse its recent action to strip the immunity of opposition parliamentarians Sam Rainsy, Cheam Channy, and Chea Poch;
- Urges the Secretary of State, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, international financial institutions, and democracies around the world to continue to publicly and forcefully condemn the Cambodian National Assembly vote;
- Urges international donors to consider imposing appropriate sanctions against the National Assembly and the Government of Cambodia unless and until it reverses its recent action;
- Calls upon the Secretary of State to impose visa restrictions on members of the Cambodian National Assembly and their families who voted to strip the immunity of Sam Rainsy, Cheam Channy, and Chea Pok, consistent with the President’s Proclamation of January 12, 2004, regarding the denial of visas to corrupt public officials and their families; and
- Calls upon Prime Minister Hun Sen and Cambodian National Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh to cease and desist their efforts to undermine democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Cambodia.”
See full text of Resolution at S. Res. 65

16 February 2005

Sam Rainsy on European tour (2)
After visiting the USA last week, opposition leader Sam Rainsy is currently undertaking a vast European tour to meet with government officials, members of parliament, and representatives from pro-democracy and human rights organizations. He had official meetings in Paris on February 14, is currently (February 15 and 16) in London, will be tomorrow (February 17) in Berlin, and is expected to be in Brussels later this month to meet with officials from the European Commission and the European Parliament.

Cambodian communities worldwide sending petitions and organizing demonstrations (1)
Cambodian communities in the USA are sending petitions to their Congressmen and the White House asking for US intervention to help free opposition lawmaker Cheam Channy and reinstate parliamentary
immunity for Sam Rainsy, Cheam Channy and Chea Poch. Some 3,000 signatures from Cambodian Americans have been collected as of today.
In Australia, similar petitions have been signed by over one thousand Cambodian Australians and sent to the relevant authorities in Canberra. A public demonstration backing the same demands was organized in Melbourne (Federation Square) last Sunday, February 13.
In France, a public debate with the participation of Sam Rainsy will be organized in Paris (Eglise chinoise de la Porte de Choisy, at 2:30 pm) next Saturday, February 19, and a peaceful demonstration will take place Sunday, February 20 (see KI, 14 February 2005: "Public protest in Paris").

Question about the future of the Cambodian monarchy (3)
A point of view ("Ranariddh stabbed the King in the back") is presented at  OPINION

15 February 2005

Australian Senate adopts Resolution on Cambodia (1)    
On 10 February 2005 the Australian Senate unanimously adopted the following Resolution on Cambodia:
“The Senate
(a) notes
(i) that a closed session of the Cambodian National Assembly, under the direction of Prime Minister Hun Sen, has removed the rightful parliamentary immunity of leading opposition figures, including Sam Rainsy, and
(ii) the subsequent arrest of Sam Rainsy Party Member of Parliament, Cheam Channy;
therefore
(b) calls on the Australian Government to immediately make representations to the Cambodian Government to:
(i) have parliamentary immunity reinstated, and
(ii) ensure the safety of Mr Rainsy and his colleagues and the release of Mr Cheam Channy without condition.”

European Union expresses concern about lifting of parliamentary immunity (1)
On 10 February 2005, the Presidency of the European Union – Luxemburg on behalf of 25 European nations – issued the following Declaration:
“The European Union, friend and partner of the Kingdom of Cambodia, expresses concern about the actual political situation characterised notably by the multiplication of actions brought before justice by the political leaders against each other, by the recent suspension of the parliamentarian immunity of three opposition members and the arrest of one of these parliamentarians.
This situation does not seem favourable to a balanced functioning of the institutions, to the respect of the democratic opposition’s rights, to the national reconciliation and to the recovery of the country engaged in the construction of a state of law.
The European Union makes an appeal to the leaders of all political parties to work together in a spirit of responsibility and concord in the interest of all Cambodian people.
The European Union will continue to follow the situation.” 

Sam Rainsy in Lowell (1)
At the end of his visit in the United States, opposition leader Sam Rainsy presided over a public meeting in Lowell (Massachusetts) on 12 February 2005. As reported in The Sun (the main local newspaper) on the following day, Sam Rainsy said before a sympathetic audience: “I have a deep faith in the universality of freedom, and its transformative powers (...). [After being stripped of my parliamentary immunity and my departure from Cambodia] I may be jobless, may be homeless, but I am not helpless.”
See The Sun’s full article at OPINION

14 February 2005
 
Hun Sen and Ranariddh reject King-Father’s proposal (1)
In a jointly signed letter dated 11 February 2005 in response to Retired King Norodom Sihanouk’s latest proposal (see KI, 11 February 2005: “King-Father proposes a 5-point solution to the current crisis”), Prime Minister Hun Sen and National Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh reject the Royal proposal, saying in substance that “everything is now in the hands of the Court and nobody should interfere with the Court.” Hun Sen and Ranariddh also specify in their letter that they are not willing to follow the King-Father’s suggestion that all lawsuits filed by political leaders against each other be dropped altogether, because their [defamation] lawsuits against opposition lawmakers are “rightful”, whereas those [for murder and/or corruption] filed by opposition leader Sam Rainsy against them are “groundless”.
The official letter in Khmer was posted only today on the Royal Web site: Please click at http://www.norodomsihanouk.info/mes%202005/fevrier/texte/1402txt6.htm

Public protest in Paris (1)
Cambodians living in France are organizing a peaceful demonstration in Paris on February 20 to protest the ongoing “totalitarian drift” in Cambodia. They are demanding the release of opposition lawmaker Cheam Channy, the reinstatement of their parliamentary immunity to all the concerned National Assembly members (Sam Rainsy, Cheam Channy, Chea Poch), and a commitment from the current Phnom Penh government to “stop harassing the democratic opposition”.
For more information click at ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sam Rainsy on BBC World Television (2)
Following an interview tomorrow in London, Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy will appear on BBC World Television during a 25-minute “HARDtalk” programme. He will elaborate on the latest developments in Cambodia. The programme is to be broadcast worldwide on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 at 00:30, 04:30, 11:30, 15:30, and 19.30 GMT.
“HARDtalk” is BBC World TV’s flagship interview programme and is reportedly seen in more than 200 countries and in more than 300 million homes. The programme has a reputation for interviewing high profile figures from all over the world. Highlights of past interviews can be assessed at
www.bbc.co.uk/hardtalk

13 February 2005
 
Sam Rainsy subscribes to King-Father’s proposal (1)
In a February 12 letter from Washington DC to King-Father Norodom Sihanouk in Beijing, opposition leader Sam Rainsy wrote: « The Sam Rainsy Party and all its Deputies involved in the current “political tragedy” fully and unconditionally subscribe to [your] 5-point “Plan” aimed at putting an end to the ongoing conflicts between several Cambodian political leaders. » (See KI, 11 February 2005: “King-Father proposes a 5-point solution to the current crisis”).
See full letter in French at Lettre au Roi-Père

A bribe in the form of an aircraft (1)
Two months before Funcinpec joined a new coalition government led – as previously – by CPP Vice-President Hun Sen after a controversial vote (“Package Vote”) by the National Assembly on 15 July 2004, Funcinpec President Norodom Ranariddh received an aircraft from Mr. Hun Sen. On 17 May 2004, caretaker Prime Minister Hun Sen signed a “Decision” to transfer an aircraft (Type: Falcon-20E; Serial number: 323) belonging to the Government (a State property) to Prince Norodom Ranariddh in his capacity as a political party leader whose allegiance Mr. Hun Sen wanted to secure.
See original document in Khmer at Ranariddh's aircraft  

11 February 2005

King-Father proposes a 5-point solution to the current crisis (1)
In a February 10 "Open Letter" written in French from Beijing to National Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh and Prime Minister Hun Sen, King-Father Norodom Sihanouk proposes a 5-point plan to solve the current "political tragedy":
1- Ranariddh and Hun Sen, as "good Buddhists and wise statesmen" should declare that they grant their "pardon to those who have hurt [them]".
2- The parliamentary immunity of Sam Rainsy, Cheam Channy and Chea Poch should be im