Manekseka
Sangkum:
Meanwhile in Rattanakiri and else where trees
and endangered animal species are being poached and plundered to extinction by
armed Vietnamese and Laotians
crossing the border at will as Cambodian authorities are being preoccupied with
civilians peacefully protesting unjust detention of human rights defenders and
politically orchestrated crackdown on the Opposition.
Scholars and historians may debate and empathise as to the identity of Pol
Pot, Sihanouk and now Hun Sen and insist that these figures were/are indeed
'Cambodians'. But, the bottom line is that their short-sightedness, stupidity,
intoxication with the wielding of unaccountable power, as well as their narrow
elevation of personal and clan's interests above those of the nation and
ordinary Cambodians are undeniably not characteristic of Cambodians envisioned
and willed to defend or advance
Cambodia's national causes. One does not have to be ethnically
'Vietnamese' per se to advance
Vietnamese interests in Cambodia and at Cambodian
expense, and so long as this reality prevails, the likes of those just mentioned
will justifiably be referred to as 'traitors' to their people and as willing,
bought instruments of foreign powers; a fact that might be altogether far more
of a crime and disgrace in the eye of the Cambodian people than simply being
called or considered 'Vietnamese'.
<<<>>>
Acting opposition leader Kem Sokha talks to
CNRP youth members last week at the party’s headquarters in Phnom Penh. Hong
Menea
MPs refuse to
attend court for 'prostitution' summons
ppp Tue, 17 May
2016
Meas Sokchea and
Mech Dara
CNRP lawmakers Tok Vanchan and Pin Ratana
yesterday ignored a summons to appear in court to answer questions about an
alleged rendezvous between opposition leader Kem Sokha and a purported
prostitute in Thailand.
In a case widely slammed as politically
motivated, Vanchan and Ratana, both dual Cambodian-American citizens, are
accused of meeting alleged mistress Khom Chandaraty in Bangkok and taking her to
meet Sokha. Chandaraty has been accused of “prostitution” by police
investigating the scandal.
Sokha, who has also been sued for defamation in
a separate but related case, has been summonsed to appear in relation to the
prostitution accusation today but is expected to ignore the summons as
well.
The CNRP has maintained its lawmakers are not
obliged to go to court, citing their parliamentary immunity.
Vanchan and Ratana could not be reached for
comment yesterday. Party spokesman Yim Sovann said Ratana had travelled to the
US but said Vanchan was in Cambodia.
However, an opposition source said yesterday
that he believed both men were in the US, though the source said the pair had
previous arrangements to travel there prior to being implicated in the scandal.
