Radio Free Asia
By San Suwit
15th February, 2009
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization
A senior official from the Defence Ministry and the Council of Ministers have denied rumours that Gen. Ke Kimyan (pictured), the ex-Commander-in-Chief who was sacked on 22nd January 2009, has been detained at the headquarter of the Military Police on the weekend.
Gen. Tea Banh, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, denied the rumours when interviewed by Radio Free Asia. He said: “Don’t believe these sorts of rumours…There is no arrest or charge against anyone. None at all.”
The rumours were circulating within the circles of senior government officials and politicians on the weekend that ex-army Commander-in-Chief Ke Kimyan, ex-Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Military Police, Gen. Chhin Chanpor, as well as two other senior military officers have been arrested and detained.
Mr. Phay Siphan, Secretary of State of the Council of Ministers, chastised those who leaked a declassified minutes of the meeting on the Council of Ministers for incitement, but he said that the rumours are too new, therefore he cannot confirm nor deny it. He said: “At this hour there are surprised news spreading around the whole country that Gen. Ke Kimyan has been detained at the headquarter of National Military Police. These are just rumours. I don’t know anything. I cannot respond to your question because it is so new. And these information are passing from one mouth to one mouth, and as such no one can be sure that they are true as have been circulating publicly, unless those who circulated the rumours have confirmed the information with the authority or the officials involved in the case (arrests/detentions).”
Radio Free Asia has repeatedly attempted to contact the official at the headquarter of the Military Police regard the rumoured detention of Gen. Ke Kimyan, but was unsuccessful.
However, a source close to the headquarter of the Military Police who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the rumours are true.
Reacting to the news of Gen. Ke Kimyan’s arrest, Mr. Son Chhay, member of parliament from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said that Gen. Ke Kimyan’s case should be dealt with through judicial process, not through the order of the country’s top leader. He said: “We never seen any countries deal with these sorts of things through a top leader of the country. The case must be dealt with through a national mechanism, such as an investigative institution (police?) and they are required to formally lodge a complaint to the court. But when one person points a finger, it can be a case of judicial interferences, that’s why our country has come under criticism that authority only listen to one person’s orders. These sorts of case should involve a lot of people, therefore there must be a mechanism to deal with it in order to avoid accusations that, because of a personal conflict and because one controls the government, one can use the power of a government to take measures against anyone one doesn’t like. But for others who commit the same offences or even worse, but who have no personal conflict with the top leader, can escape the punishment.”
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The Khmer Nation newspaper has reported on its Monday 16th of February's issue that a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity has confirmed that Gen. Ke Kimyan and Gen. Chhin Chanpor have been arrested and detained at the headquarter of the Military Police on Sunday the 15th February.
15th February, 2009
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization
A senior official from the Defence Ministry and the Council of Ministers have denied rumours that Gen. Ke Kimyan (pictured), the ex-Commander-in-Chief who was sacked on 22nd January 2009, has been detained at the headquarter of the Military Police on the weekend.
Gen. Tea Banh, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, denied the rumours when interviewed by Radio Free Asia. He said: “Don’t believe these sorts of rumours…There is no arrest or charge against anyone. None at all.”
The rumours were circulating within the circles of senior government officials and politicians on the weekend that ex-army Commander-in-Chief Ke Kimyan, ex-Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Military Police, Gen. Chhin Chanpor, as well as two other senior military officers have been arrested and detained.
Mr. Phay Siphan, Secretary of State of the Council of Ministers, chastised those who leaked a declassified minutes of the meeting on the Council of Ministers for incitement, but he said that the rumours are too new, therefore he cannot confirm nor deny it. He said: “At this hour there are surprised news spreading around the whole country that Gen. Ke Kimyan has been detained at the headquarter of National Military Police. These are just rumours. I don’t know anything. I cannot respond to your question because it is so new. And these information are passing from one mouth to one mouth, and as such no one can be sure that they are true as have been circulating publicly, unless those who circulated the rumours have confirmed the information with the authority or the officials involved in the case (arrests/detentions).”
Radio Free Asia has repeatedly attempted to contact the official at the headquarter of the Military Police regard the rumoured detention of Gen. Ke Kimyan, but was unsuccessful.
However, a source close to the headquarter of the Military Police who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the rumours are true.
Reacting to the news of Gen. Ke Kimyan’s arrest, Mr. Son Chhay, member of parliament from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said that Gen. Ke Kimyan’s case should be dealt with through judicial process, not through the order of the country’s top leader. He said: “We never seen any countries deal with these sorts of things through a top leader of the country. The case must be dealt with through a national mechanism, such as an investigative institution (police?) and they are required to formally lodge a complaint to the court. But when one person points a finger, it can be a case of judicial interferences, that’s why our country has come under criticism that authority only listen to one person’s orders. These sorts of case should involve a lot of people, therefore there must be a mechanism to deal with it in order to avoid accusations that, because of a personal conflict and because one controls the government, one can use the power of a government to take measures against anyone one doesn’t like. But for others who commit the same offences or even worse, but who have no personal conflict with the top leader, can escape the punishment.”
--------------
The Khmer Nation newspaper has reported on its Monday 16th of February's issue that a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity has confirmed that Gen. Ke Kimyan and Gen. Chhin Chanpor have been arrested and detained at the headquarter of the Military Police on Sunday the 15th February.
1 comment:
Gen. Ke Kimyan's fate is like the fate of Gen. Heng Pov who was jailed for more than 30 years after a fallout with Mr. Hun Sen. Hun Sen will stop at nothing. Next will be Sar Kheng and Chea Sim.
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