Tea Banh arriving at the Pentagon for talks with Robert Gates.Source: Khmer Sthapana newspaper and Radio Free Asia
Reported in English by Khmerization
The United States government has banned a certain number of Cambodian military officers from entering America due to charges of gross human rights violations, said Defence Minister Tea Banh.
Gen. Tea Banh said this during an interview with Radio Free Asia after he had met Defence Minister Robert Gates and Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, who he said expressed concern over human rights and democracy in Cambodia.
In regard to human rights abuses raised by the US officials, Mr. Tea Banh told Radio Free Asia like this: "Let me say in short: when the United States does (say) something, they don't do it lightly, they do it very thoroughly. I want to say that, if there is something inappropriate has happened that affects the US policy, the US will inform us immediately. In fact, right now, there are a number of Cambodian army officers who are refused entry to the US. There are a number of them, I don’t want to name them now, because I want to continue to educate them so that they can change. It’s nothing major. There are only a small number of them, they are not that many."
According to Mr. Tea Banh, 8 US congressmen and Congresswomen had written to Secretary of Defence Robert Gates accusing commanders of brigades 31, 611 (911?) and 70, all bodyguard units of Prime Minister Hun Sen, of committing gross human rights violations. but he denied that they have done anything wrong has have been accused by the 8 US politicians.
Reported in English by Khmerization
The United States government has banned a certain number of Cambodian military officers from entering America due to charges of gross human rights violations, said Defence Minister Tea Banh.
Gen. Tea Banh said this during an interview with Radio Free Asia after he had met Defence Minister Robert Gates and Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, who he said expressed concern over human rights and democracy in Cambodia.
In regard to human rights abuses raised by the US officials, Mr. Tea Banh told Radio Free Asia like this: "Let me say in short: when the United States does (say) something, they don't do it lightly, they do it very thoroughly. I want to say that, if there is something inappropriate has happened that affects the US policy, the US will inform us immediately. In fact, right now, there are a number of Cambodian army officers who are refused entry to the US. There are a number of them, I don’t want to name them now, because I want to continue to educate them so that they can change. It’s nothing major. There are only a small number of them, they are not that many."
According to Mr. Tea Banh, 8 US congressmen and Congresswomen had written to Secretary of Defence Robert Gates accusing commanders of brigades 31, 611 (911?) and 70, all bodyguard units of Prime Minister Hun Sen, of committing gross human rights violations. but he denied that they have done anything wrong has have been accused by the 8 US politicians.
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