Hun Sen calling Global Witness a group of thieves

Mr. Hun Sen sitting on the far right.

By Khmerization
Source: RFA

Prime Minister Hun Sen has again angrily denied a UK-based NGO Global Witness' accusation that Cambodia has received corrupt payments from Australian mining company BHP Billiton, reports Radio Free Asia.

In a public speech during the International Conference on Mining in Phnom Penh on 26th May, Mr. Hun Sen asked Global Witness to stop lecturing Cambodia on how to govern itself and accused people working for Global Witness of being a group of thieves because they know how to steal money and commit corruption. "Now, we don't see any money (from the mining sector) yet, but they already lectured us on how to spend the money and even accused us of being corrupt with the expenditures of the money we haven't got. So, it means that this group (Global Witness) is a group of thieves. The thieves used to steal, that's why they know about the thieves, they learned from the thieves or they are the leaders of the thieves, that's why they know how the thieves steal", he said.

Global Witness has not reacted to Mr. Hun Sen's remarks yet, but Mr. Ou Virak, director of the local human rights group called Cambodian Centre for Human Rights said he regrets Mr. Hun Sen's negative remarks against Global Witness. "At present, it is better to discuss about what is right and what is wrong rather than launching a personal attack. I think it is regrettable that (Mr. Hun Sen's remarks) reflect a negative political will toward any critism", he said.

Global Witness was hired by the Cambodian government to monitor the forest conservation in Cambodia. The Cambodian terminated the contract and kicked Global Witness out of Cambodia in 2002 after Global Witness released a critical and damning report about the extent of illegal deforestation in Cambodia.

In April 2010, there are reports that the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating BHP Billiton for allegedly making corrupt payments to the Cambodian government in exchange for a contract to mine bauxite in Rattanakiri province.