Opposition leader Sam Rainsy (Photo: Ayuthyea, RFA)Unofficial Translation from French by Ki-Media
January 17, 2010
Member of Parliament Sam Rainsy gave the following interview to French-language weekly magazine Cambodge Soir Hebdo, which published most of his answers on January 14, 2010.
Question: Do you think that the prime minister [Hun Sen] and the CPP really wish to see you arrested and sent to jail, or, is it rather just a threat that they do not plan to follow through with it?
Sam Rainsy: This is a problem that is beyond the reach of Prime minister Hun Sen, the CPP and even Cambodia altogether, because this involves relationships with Vietnam which is known to influence the current Cambodian leaders. One of the sensitive issues in these relationships with this powerful eastern neighbor is the border issue. By removing some wooden stakes planted in the middle of Cambodian rice fields that were presented as stakes for new border delimitation – in favor of Vietnam, as one would expect – I put my hands on a potentially explosive topic. I uprooted these stakes on 25 October, and the sharpest reaction to my action came from … Hanoi on 04 November, it was delivered by Vietnam’s prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung personally! (Read report here: http://tinyurl.com/ykt32ah). So, it is more serious than you imagine. They do not want to see other Cambodians following the footstep of Sam Rainsy and go to the spot to contest the new border delimitation – which is effectively very debatable as I will prove prior to the trial – and by doing so, they could risk opening a Pandora box. Therefore, an exemplary punishment should be inflicted on Sam Rainsy.
Question: You indicated that you are ready to return to Cambodia on the condition that the two farmers arrested in your place would be freed. You indicated in your autobiography that you were briefly detained during demonstrations following the 1998 election. Are you ready to go to jail, and if yes, do you think that it is possible to lead the main opposition party from a jail cell?
Sam Rainsy: I accept to assume, alone, the full and entire responsibility of my action. Without me, nothing would have happened on that day in this Svay Rieng border village. One must be logical: all the other people “implicated” in this affair are innocent. The two farmers who were arrested and who are currently still in jail must be freed, charges must be dropped against the three other farmers who fled, ancestral lands belonging to these unfortunate farmers must be returned and guaranteed to them. I don’t ask for anything for myself, and I am ready to go to jail if they fulfill my demand in favor of the innocent victims. The Cambodian pseudo justice must not be allowed to do anything it wants. Clearly, the two farmers who are jailed, Meas Srey and Prom Chea, are at worst scapegoats, and at best hostages. It is revolting. The popular movement will go on whether I am in jail or not, and replacement will come sooner or later.
Question: In case of sentencing, would you prevail your French citizenship? According to you, what role should France play in case one of its citizens is sentenced for political reasons? Did you already discuss this issue with the French ambassador in Cambodia?
Sam Rainsy: It is true that I have dual Cambodian and French citizenship. But in Cambodia, I am assuming my political responsibility as a Cambodian citizen, and I do not expect anything from the French authority.
Question: Following the examples set Kem Sokha, Cheam Channy, or even Dam Sith and Hang Chakra, do you consider that a stay in jail is a “classical” step for dissenters in Cambodia?
Sam Rainsy: I do not copy anybody in Cambodia. Each one of us must act according to our conscience.
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Original questions and answers in French
Question. Vous avez indiqué que vous étiez prêt à vous rendre au Cambodge à condition que les deux fermiers arrêtés à votre place soient libérés. Vous avez déjà été brièvement détenu lors des manifestations après les élections de 1998, comme vous l'indiquez dans votre autobiographie. Etes-vous prêt à aller en prison, et si oui, pensez-vous qu'il est possible de diriger le principal parti d'opposition depuis une cellule ?
Réponse. J'accepte d'assumer, seul, la pleine et entière responsabilité de mon geste. Sans moi, il ne se serait rien passé du tout ce jour-là dans ce village de la province frontalière de Svay Rieng. Il faut donc être logique: toutes les autres personnes "impliquées" dans cette affaire sont innocentes. Il faut libérer les deux paysans arrêtés qui sont actuellement toujours en prison, il faut cesser les poursuites contre les trois autres qui ont pris la fuite, et il faut rendre et garantir leurs terres ancestrales à ces malheureux paysans. Je ne demande rien pour moi-même, et je suis prêt à aller en prison si on satisfait à ma demande en faveur de victimes innocentes. Il ne faut pas laisser la pseudo justice cambodgienne faire n'importe quoi. Il faut le dire clairement: les deux paysans détenus, Meas Srey et Prom Chea, sont au mieux des boucs émissaires, et au pire des otages. C'est révoltant. Le mouvement populaire continuera même si je suis en prison et la relève sera prise tôt ou tard.
Question. Envisagez-vous, en cas de condamnation, de vous prévaloir de votre nationalité française ? Quel rôle, selon vous, devrait jouer la France en cas de condamnation d'un de ses ressortissants pour des raisons politiques ? Avez-vous déjà discuté de ce sujet avec l'ambassadeur de France au Cambodge ?
Réponse. Certes, j'ai la double nationalité cambodgienne et française. Mais au Cambodge je prends et assume mes responsabilités politiques en tant que Cambodgien et je n'attends rien des autorités françaises.
Question. Après les exemples de Khem Sokha, Cheam Channy ou encore Dam Sith et Hang Chakra, considérez-vous qu'un séjour en prison est une étape "classique" des opposants au Cambodge ?
Réponse. Je ne prends exemple sur personne au Cambodge. Chacun agit selon sa conscience.
Question: Do you think that the prime minister [Hun Sen] and the CPP really wish to see you arrested and sent to jail, or, is it rather just a threat that they do not plan to follow through with it?
Sam Rainsy: This is a problem that is beyond the reach of Prime minister Hun Sen, the CPP and even Cambodia altogether, because this involves relationships with Vietnam which is known to influence the current Cambodian leaders. One of the sensitive issues in these relationships with this powerful eastern neighbor is the border issue. By removing some wooden stakes planted in the middle of Cambodian rice fields that were presented as stakes for new border delimitation – in favor of Vietnam, as one would expect – I put my hands on a potentially explosive topic. I uprooted these stakes on 25 October, and the sharpest reaction to my action came from … Hanoi on 04 November, it was delivered by Vietnam’s prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung personally! (Read report here: http://tinyurl.com/ykt32ah). So, it is more serious than you imagine. They do not want to see other Cambodians following the footstep of Sam Rainsy and go to the spot to contest the new border delimitation – which is effectively very debatable as I will prove prior to the trial – and by doing so, they could risk opening a Pandora box. Therefore, an exemplary punishment should be inflicted on Sam Rainsy.
Question: You indicated that you are ready to return to Cambodia on the condition that the two farmers arrested in your place would be freed. You indicated in your autobiography that you were briefly detained during demonstrations following the 1998 election. Are you ready to go to jail, and if yes, do you think that it is possible to lead the main opposition party from a jail cell?
Sam Rainsy: I accept to assume, alone, the full and entire responsibility of my action. Without me, nothing would have happened on that day in this Svay Rieng border village. One must be logical: all the other people “implicated” in this affair are innocent. The two farmers who were arrested and who are currently still in jail must be freed, charges must be dropped against the three other farmers who fled, ancestral lands belonging to these unfortunate farmers must be returned and guaranteed to them. I don’t ask for anything for myself, and I am ready to go to jail if they fulfill my demand in favor of the innocent victims. The Cambodian pseudo justice must not be allowed to do anything it wants. Clearly, the two farmers who are jailed, Meas Srey and Prom Chea, are at worst scapegoats, and at best hostages. It is revolting. The popular movement will go on whether I am in jail or not, and replacement will come sooner or later.
Question: In case of sentencing, would you prevail your French citizenship? According to you, what role should France play in case one of its citizens is sentenced for political reasons? Did you already discuss this issue with the French ambassador in Cambodia?
Sam Rainsy: It is true that I have dual Cambodian and French citizenship. But in Cambodia, I am assuming my political responsibility as a Cambodian citizen, and I do not expect anything from the French authority.
Question: Following the examples set Kem Sokha, Cheam Channy, or even Dam Sith and Hang Chakra, do you consider that a stay in jail is a “classical” step for dissenters in Cambodia?
Sam Rainsy: I do not copy anybody in Cambodia. Each one of us must act according to our conscience.
-------
Original questions and answers in French
Question. Vous avez indiqué que vous étiez prêt à vous rendre au Cambodge à condition que les deux fermiers arrêtés à votre place soient libérés. Vous avez déjà été brièvement détenu lors des manifestations après les élections de 1998, comme vous l'indiquez dans votre autobiographie. Etes-vous prêt à aller en prison, et si oui, pensez-vous qu'il est possible de diriger le principal parti d'opposition depuis une cellule ?
Réponse. J'accepte d'assumer, seul, la pleine et entière responsabilité de mon geste. Sans moi, il ne se serait rien passé du tout ce jour-là dans ce village de la province frontalière de Svay Rieng. Il faut donc être logique: toutes les autres personnes "impliquées" dans cette affaire sont innocentes. Il faut libérer les deux paysans arrêtés qui sont actuellement toujours en prison, il faut cesser les poursuites contre les trois autres qui ont pris la fuite, et il faut rendre et garantir leurs terres ancestrales à ces malheureux paysans. Je ne demande rien pour moi-même, et je suis prêt à aller en prison si on satisfait à ma demande en faveur de victimes innocentes. Il ne faut pas laisser la pseudo justice cambodgienne faire n'importe quoi. Il faut le dire clairement: les deux paysans détenus, Meas Srey et Prom Chea, sont au mieux des boucs émissaires, et au pire des otages. C'est révoltant. Le mouvement populaire continuera même si je suis en prison et la relève sera prise tôt ou tard.
Question. Envisagez-vous, en cas de condamnation, de vous prévaloir de votre nationalité française ? Quel rôle, selon vous, devrait jouer la France en cas de condamnation d'un de ses ressortissants pour des raisons politiques ? Avez-vous déjà discuté de ce sujet avec l'ambassadeur de France au Cambodge ?
Réponse. Certes, j'ai la double nationalité cambodgienne et française. Mais au Cambodge je prends et assume mes responsabilités politiques en tant que Cambodgien et je n'attends rien des autorités françaises.
Question. Après les exemples de Khem Sokha, Cheam Channy ou encore Dam Sith et Hang Chakra, considérez-vous qu'un séjour en prison est une étape "classique" des opposants au Cambodge ?
Réponse. Je ne prends exemple sur personne au Cambodge. Chacun agit selon sa conscience.
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