Cambodian PM urges to legislate against denying genocidal Khmer Rouge regime

English.news.cn   2013-05-27 16:02:11

PHNOM PENH, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday appealed to the parliament to make a law to convict those who say that the Democratic Kampuchea, or Khmer Rouge regime, had not executed peoples during its rule from 1975 to 1979.
"I'd like to appeal to the lawmakers of the ruling Cambodian People's Party and Funcinpec Party to make a law, like in Europe, to punish someone who says that Cambodia had neither genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, nor Tuol Sleng prison and torture center," he said during the inauguration of new achievements at Langka pagoda in Phnom Penh.
Phnom Penh's former Tuol Sleng prison was the main torture center during the regime, and around 14,000 people were killed at the center.
In February last year, the Supreme Court Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) sentenced the ex-chief of Tuol Sleng prison Kaing Guek Eav to life in prison for overseeing the deaths.
"In Europe, someone says that Hitler had not killed peoples will be punished by law," Hun Sen said, referring to Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, who oversaw fascist policies that resulted in millions of deaths during his rule from 1934 to 1945.
Hun Sen's appeal was made after Kem Sokha, vice president of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, has repeatedly and publicly said that the Khmer Rouge regime's Tuol Sleng prison and torture center was an "artificial killing place".
"The Vietnamese set up this place with pictures of the victims. If this place was truly Khmer Rouge, they would have demolished it before they left, not kept it as a museum to show tourists," Kem Sokha said in a speech on May 18 at the party's public forum in Prey Veng province.
"If the Khmer Rouge killed a lot of people, would they keep it to show to everyone?" said Sokha.
Hun Sen said that Kem Sokha's remarks were a serious insult to the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime.
On Saturday, survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime's Tuol Sleng prison held a press briefing inside the grounds of the former Tuol Sleng prison in order to demand Kem Sokha to apologize for his comments.
"It hurts me to hear Kem Sokha's remarks stating that Tuol Sleng prison was an artificial killing place," Chhum Mey, president of the Victims Association of Democratic Kampuchea and one of the survivors from the Tuol Sleng prison, said at the press briefing.
"His remarks insult people who lost lives at the prison and elsewhere in the country during the Khmer Rouge regime."
He warned to stage a mass protest against Kem Sokha if he does not apologize for his insulting expressions at the former Tuol Sleng prison.

Editor: Yang Yi

Cambodian, Swiss senior senators pledge to boost bilateral ties

English.news.cn   2013-05-27 16:16:52

PHNOM PENH, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian and Swiss senior senators on Monday pledged to help promote bilateral cooperation, particularly in legal field, economics and trade for mutual benefits.
The pledge was made during a meeting between First Vice President of the Senate of Cambodia Say Chhum and visiting President of the Swiss Council of States (Senate) Filippo Lombardi, said a press statement from the Senate of Cambodia after the meeting.
In the meeting, Say Chhum said Lombardi's visit was very important to further enhance good friendship relations, solidarity and cooperation between Switzerland and Cambodia, particularly between the two Senates, the statement said.
He also thanked the Swiss government for helping Cambodia in health sector development, woman and children rights protection and cultural heritage renovation and conservation.
Say Chhum also asked Lombardi to encourage Swiss investors and business people to Cambodia in order to promote bilateral economic and trade ties.
Lombardi agreed that it was very significant to strengthen bilateral ties in legal field, trade and investment in order to create closer relationship between the two countries.
He hailed Cambodia for its rapid development in all fields, especially the progress in economy, poverty reduction, democratic process and rule of law.
He invited Say Chhum to visit Switzerland at any convenient time to further promote the bilateral ties.
Cambodia and Switzerland forged the diplomatic ties in 1967.

Editor: Yang Yi

Car crash kills 6, injures 9 in northwestern Cambodia: police

English.news.cn   2013-05-27 18:47:36

PHNOM PENH, May 27 (Xinhua) -- At least six Cambodian people died immediately and nine others seriously injured when a land- loaded truck hit head-on with a mini-bus on Monday morning in northwestern Siem Reap province, police confirmed.
"All the victims were in the mini-bus," Men Chantha, chief of Prasat Bakong district, where the accident occurred, told Xinhua over telephone, adding that the truck driver fled the scene after the accident.
"Among the six dead were a 7-month-old boy and a 2-year-old boy, " he said. The injured people were sent to the provincial hospital soon after the accident.
He said the accident happened on National Road No. 6 when a cow walked across the road and the truck hit the cow and swerved to hit the full-speed mini-bus.
The death toll of road accidents has become the highest in Cambodia, higher than that of HIV/AIDS and mine casualties.
Last year, traffic accidents claimed 1,894 lives, costing the country about 300 million U.S. dollars, according to a report by the Ministry of Public Work and Transport.

Editor: Yang Yi

Cambodian, Thai FMs to meet next month for talks on border development cooperation

English.news.cn   2013-05-27 20:12:52

PHNOM PENH, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong will meet with his Thai counterpart Surapong Tovichakchaikul on June 11 here to discuss ways to promote development cooperation along the border of the two countries, officials said Monday.
The two ministers will meet at the 9th Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between Cambodia and Thailand, Long Visalo, secretary of state at Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said after an internal meeting to prepare agendas and documents for the upcoming meeting.
"A number of issues will be discussed in the forthcoming meeting to boost bilateral cooperation along the border," he told reporters. "Among those are the issues concerning laborers, illegal cross-border logging, mine clearance, epidemic fight, cross-border trade and investment, new border opening, and road connectivity development."
Speaking at the meeting on Monday, Hor Namhong said the upcoming meeting was intended to further promote cooperation between the two countries, particularly cooperation along the boundary in order to build a border of peace and economic development.
Cambodia and Thailand have had sporadic border conflicts over territorial dispute near Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple since UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008, as Thailand claims the ownership of a 4.6-square-km scrub next to the temple.
Deadly clashes between the two sides' troops happened in February and April 2011 during the rule of former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Military tensions have eased since August 2011 when ex-Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Pheu Thai Party won a general election and led the current government.
Last month, the two countries delivered their oral statements on the dispute to the World Court in the Netherlands and the court is expected to issue a decision on who owns the disputed land around the temple later this year.

Editor: Yang Yi

Cambodian Prince Thomico to quit as personal secretary to Queen Mother

English.news.cn   2013-05-26 18:15:41

PHNOM PENH, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prince Sisowath Thomico said Sunday that he would resign from his current position as personal secretary to Queen Mother Norodom Monineath in order to focus on his political career towards July's general election.
The position of personal secretary to the Queen Mother is equivalent to that of a minister.
"I told the Queen Mother already and I will give my resignation letter to her on Wednesday next week," he told Xinhua over telephone.
"I don't want politicians to involve the names of the Queen Mother and King Norodom Sihamoni in political issues because of me, " said Thomico, who has recently joined the main opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party and runs as a candidate for the members of parliament to represent Preah Sihanouk province in the upcoming polls.
The prince's resignation was made after Prime Minister Hun Sen on May 16 criticized him for using his association with the royal family to round up votes for the opposition party ahead of July's general election.
"This poses a danger to the royal family because this prince uses the name of former King Norodom Sihanouk and uses the name on behalf of the royal cabinet of the Queen Mother Norodom Monineath to gain popularity for the opposition party," the premier said.
At that time, he also suggested to Queen Mother Norodom Monineath that she remove Thomico from his position for using the royal family as a political tool.
Cambodia will have a general election on July 28, according to the National Election Committee. Eight political parties will run in the forthcoming election, and some 9.67 million eligible Cambodians are expected to vote.
Three major parties are competing in the poll, including the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party led by self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy, and the royalist Funcinpec Party headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.
Political analysts predict that the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sun will win the majority in the election.
Hun Sen, 61, has been in power for 28 years and vowed to stay in office until he is 74.

Editor: Fu Peng

UN envoy urges Cambodian parties, election body to play by rules in polls

English.news.cn   2013-05-25 14:02:40

PHNOM PENH, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Surya P. Subedi, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights to Cambodia, on Saturday appealed to all political parties and the election body to do everything in accordance with law in order to ensure that the July's general election would be free and fair.
"I once again urge all parties and National Election Committee to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections," he said in a press briefing after a one-week fact-finding mission on human rights situation in Cambodia. "All sides should play by the rules, demonstrate maturity in debate, and not engage in insulting games. "
The envoy also urged for fair and equitable access to the state media and the strict prohibition of use of state resources by any political party during the election campaign.
Moreover, he appealed to all sides concerned to refrain completely from exploiting racial sentiments to garner support for their election campaign.
"I will continue to monitor the electoral system and process in the country," he said.
Cambodia is scheduled to hold a general election on July 28, according to the National Election Committee. Eight political parties will run in the forthcoming election, which will be voted by some 9.67 million eligible Cambodians.
Three major parties among them are the ruling Cambodian People' s Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party led by self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy, and the royalist Funcinpec Party headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday expressed his "firm confidence " that his party would undoubtedly win in the upcoming polls.
"The opponents always say that Hun Sen will lose in the election, but Hun Sen will win forever because of the support from the people," Hun Sen said during the inauguration of a large-scale Buddha statue in eastern Kampong Cham province.
Hun Sen, 61, has been in power for 28 years and vowed to stay in the office until he is 74.

Editor: Yang Yi

Cambodian PM firmly confident of victory in forthcoming polls

English.news.cn   2013-05-24 16:37:04

PHNOM PENH, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday expressed his "firm confidence" that his Cambodian People's Party would undoubtedly win in the July general election.
"The opponents always say that Hun Sen will lose in the election, but Hun Sen will win forever because of the support from the people," Hun Sen said during the inauguration of a large-scale Buddha statue in eastern Kampong Cham province, which was attended by about 15,000 people.
The premier recalled that during the last election in 2008, the opposition group also said that he would lose the election, but at the time, his Cambodian People's Party won up to 90 seats out of the 123-seat parliament.
Hun Sen, 61, has been in power for 28 years and vowed to stay in the office until he is 74.
Meanwhile, he appealed to people to continue supporting him as the Prime Minister by casting their ballots for the Cambodian People's Party in the general election on July 28.
He also urged people not to use violence or discriminate against the others in different political parties during the upcoming election campaign and on the Election Day.
Eight political parties will run in the forthcoming election, which will be voted by some 9.67 million eligible Cambodians, according to the National Election Committee.
Three major parties among them are the ruling Cambodian People' s Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party led by self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy, and the royalist Funcinpec Party headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

Editor: Hou Qiang