Unsigned paper circulated across capital accuses Hun Sen of diminishing Kingdom's glory.
Photo by: Tracey Shelton
A man examines copies of the anti-government leaflets that accuse Prime Minister Hun Sen of destroying the Khmer nation’s once-great reputation.
A man examines copies of the anti-government leaflets that accuse Prime Minister Hun Sen of destroying the Khmer nation’s once-great reputation.
HUNDREDS of anonymous anti-government leaflets condemning Prime Minister Hun Sen as an "absolute leader" and a "puppet of Vietnam" appeared around the streets of Phnom Penh in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The leaflets, bearing a small picture of the premier, warned Cambodian citizens that their present leader was single-handedly responsible for reducing the once-great Khmer nation to ruins.
Partly handwritten and partly typed in Khmer, they accuse the prime minister of "selling the nation" and called on the people of Cambodia to oppose Hun Sen's "puppet regime".
"I am so proud that I was born Khmer," reads one, a copy of which has been obtained by the Post. "The Khmer race built Angkor. I remember the time when Khmer glory was well-known all over the world. We were feared and admired for our civilisation, culture and fine arts, but all that has now disappeared because of the absolute regime of the present government."
The leaflets were printed on A4 paper and appeared in prominent public places across the city - including Wat Phnom - before sunrise, but were swiftly taken down by police, witnesses said.
The government played down the leaflets' significance on Wednesday, insisting that Cambodians would not be swayed by acts of political subversion, and that the real test of their loyalty would be the ballot box.
"This is not the first time such a thing has happened," Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said. "This has happened many times before, but the result is always the same at the elections."
Police confirmed on Wednesday that they were investigating the incident, but said the allegations made in the leaflets were "out of date" and failed to take into account the government's current rate of development.
Kirt Chantharith, chief of general staff and spokesman for the commissioner general of the National Police, said: "[They] should not use words like this to insult the leader, but the leaflet is out of date. This game is very old and hasn't worked. National development has been thinking ahead."
Phnom Penh police Chief Touch Naruth echoed the sentiments. "Some people had burned it already because it is saying the same old thing, but they know the true situation," he said.
Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, was critical of the language used in the leaflets, warning that the use of such openly inflammatory rhetoric could be counterproductive.
"Insulting someone is not necessarily freedom of expression," he said. "Writers should have clear morals and avoid insulting the government."
3 comments:
One man cannot damage a nation. Only a nation can damage a nation. Cambodia's reputation suffers because its people do not protest or criticise their leaders excesses, even when the leaders claim to act in accordance with the wishes of the people; 'you voted for me, so you that allows me carte blanche in whatever I want to do'.
Rememnber: democracy and freedom are just words. You can say them as often as you like, but that doesn't mean either freedom or democracy exist.
For example, why don't I put my name to this comment? Because the country is not free and I am not free to express my views without concern for my safety and that of my family.
22 August 2009 2:04 PM, your first paragraph and you second paragraph are contradictory statements.
People are afraid to do what you stated in your first paragraph for the same simple reason as you have stated in your last paragraph.
In the last 16 years since 1993, Cambodians who do not like Mr. Hun Sen's and the CPP's style of leadership did try very hard to "protest" and "criticize", but they were nailed down brutally every time they tried to voice opinions.
Mu Sochua's case, Hang Chakra, Chea Vichea, and soon to be Chea Mony's case, are good examples of the reasons people are scared to "protest" and "criticize" Mr. Hun Sen. Kem Sokha, Rong Chhun, Cheam Channy, Mam Sonando were all jailed for speaking out.
At the moment people cannot depend on anything to protect them when they get punished for speaking out against Mr. Hun Sen. The international community seem to turn a blind eye to human right abuses and excesses by providing financial aid to Mr. Hun Sen's government without any string attached. If the international community can rein down Mr. Hun Sen and give a bit of backbone to the people, I'm sure people will not allow Hun Sen a free rein.
Hey 2:04pm, what did Ho Chi Minh do to his north Vietnam nation? he lead his people to the wrong path to be slaughtered by American. How many millions Vietnamese died in the Vietnam War,1, 2,3,4,5 millions, maybe? It was raining bombs, it had to be in millions dead Vietnamese. Not too many Vietnamese hail uncle Ho as their saviors, is there? now the north and south Vietnam hailing Hanoi and Viet Cong, not uncle Ho. So one man can destructively destroyed his nation. Please use logic when making comments in here.
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