Wednesday, 09 February 2011
By Meas Sokchea
Phnom Penh Post
Watch Soy Sopheap's comment on Bayon TV here. Judge for yourself whether he had accused Mr. Son Sann of selling land to Thailand or not. Please drag the playlist icon to 23:18.
Son Soubert (pictured), the president of the Son Sann Foundation, has threatened popular news anchor Soy Sopheap with legal action if he does not retract comments to the effect that Son Sann – Son Soubert’s father and a leading nationalist figure – sold land to Thailand in concert with former Khmer Rouge head of state Khieu Samphan.
In a statement on Monday, Son Soubert said the comments, allegedly made during a broadcast on Bayon TV on Friday, were potentially defamatory.
“I therefore challenge Mr Soy Sopheap to produce evidence and to retract what he has falsely declared, or otherwise face legal actions for defamation,” Son Soubert wrote.
In 1978, Son Sann, who died in 2000, formed the Khmer People’s National Liberation Front to unite anti-communist refugees along the Thai-Cambodian border following the 1979 overthrow of the Khmer Rouge regime.
The Cold War calculus of the age, however, made strange associations. In June 1982, Son Sann entered into a coalition – the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea – with the royalist Funcinpec and remnants of the Khmer Rouge, an association that still prompts controversy.
But Son Soubert wrote that Soy Sopheap’s accusation not only affected Son Sann’s reputation but has also besmirched the reputation of King Father Norodom Sihanouk, the founder of Funcinpec.
“This gratuitous, grave and unfounded accusation goes as far as involving the reputation of His Majesty the King Father and that of Samdech Son Sann, recognised by the great majority of the Member States of the United Nations as the sole legitimate government,” the statement read.
“I have duty to condemn with extreme severity, the unfounded and gratuitous assertion unworthy of a real, genuine and conscientious journalist, [because of] his declaration accusing Samdech Bovor Setha Thipdei Son Sann of selling the land to the Thais with Mr Khieu Samphan in a signed document,” the statement read.
When contacted yesterday, Soy Sopheap dismissed the allegations, saying he has never accused Son Sann of selling land to the Thais. He said the comments were quotes from former leaders living along the Cambodian-Thai border.
“The words I said are the words that I quoted from the former leaders along the border. If they told me a lie, I followed what they said,” Soy Sopheap said.
“I have not accused anyone – I have quoted what they told me. Grandfather Son Sann, I have always valued him.”
Son Soubert (pictured), the president of the Son Sann Foundation, has threatened popular news anchor Soy Sopheap with legal action if he does not retract comments to the effect that Son Sann – Son Soubert’s father and a leading nationalist figure – sold land to Thailand in concert with former Khmer Rouge head of state Khieu Samphan.
In a statement on Monday, Son Soubert said the comments, allegedly made during a broadcast on Bayon TV on Friday, were potentially defamatory.
“I therefore challenge Mr Soy Sopheap to produce evidence and to retract what he has falsely declared, or otherwise face legal actions for defamation,” Son Soubert wrote.
In 1978, Son Sann, who died in 2000, formed the Khmer People’s National Liberation Front to unite anti-communist refugees along the Thai-Cambodian border following the 1979 overthrow of the Khmer Rouge regime.
The Cold War calculus of the age, however, made strange associations. In June 1982, Son Sann entered into a coalition – the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea – with the royalist Funcinpec and remnants of the Khmer Rouge, an association that still prompts controversy.
But Son Soubert wrote that Soy Sopheap’s accusation not only affected Son Sann’s reputation but has also besmirched the reputation of King Father Norodom Sihanouk, the founder of Funcinpec.
“This gratuitous, grave and unfounded accusation goes as far as involving the reputation of His Majesty the King Father and that of Samdech Son Sann, recognised by the great majority of the Member States of the United Nations as the sole legitimate government,” the statement read.
“I have duty to condemn with extreme severity, the unfounded and gratuitous assertion unworthy of a real, genuine and conscientious journalist, [because of] his declaration accusing Samdech Bovor Setha Thipdei Son Sann of selling the land to the Thais with Mr Khieu Samphan in a signed document,” the statement read.
When contacted yesterday, Soy Sopheap dismissed the allegations, saying he has never accused Son Sann of selling land to the Thais. He said the comments were quotes from former leaders living along the Cambodian-Thai border.
“The words I said are the words that I quoted from the former leaders along the border. If they told me a lie, I followed what they said,” Soy Sopheap said.
“I have not accused anyone – I have quoted what they told me. Grandfather Son Sann, I have always valued him.”
6 comments:
Ah Soy Sopheap must be brought to justic, because his big mouth base on untrue quote, before he comment he must study the true. if he say quote from someone 'who was someone who said that?'. Someone can say Soy Sopheap was or is corrupt journalist who got million of dollars from the prime minister for his pro the prime minister and then someone said quote from someone. You so stupid and unprofessional journalist Khmer ever seen.
3:20 AM
Hey dude, write in proper English form so people can understand what you're saying. Secondly, you criticize Soy Sopheap for false information? What about you accusing him of receiving money from Hun Sen? Where is your evidence? Sounds a little hypocritical to accuse people of something you're apparently guilty of?
Yep, Soy Sopheap did...
AH SOY SOPHEAP CAN SUCK AH HUN SEN KDOR
If someone comment about Soy Sopheap of receiving a million dollars from the prime minister, and he/she said " quote from friend ". The question is how does Soy Sopheap feel?
I personally believe that Soy is not comfortable with such comment, that what I mean Mr 3:24 AM
ah soy sopheap. hun sen dog the traitors team the day coming this guy and all hun family go to hell
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