Who’s who: putting faces to names

Fri, 18 July 2014

Post Staff

CNRP parliamentarian Mu Sochua is the best-known of the seven arrested opposition lawmakers-elect, but her six fellow detainees are important players, too.

Ho Vann Ho Vann Deputy steering committee chief Ho Vann is no stranger to controversy. In 2009, the Phnom Penh representative was sued for defamation by military officials for allegedly doubting the validity of degrees they received from a Vietnamese academy. He was ultimately exonerated. Over the years, he has been a prominent voice on issues in the capital.

Real Camerin Real Camerin Lawmaker-elect Real Camerin has also been outspoken. As a representative of Svay Rieng, Camerin has drawn attention to alleged Vietnamese encroachment into as-yet unmarked border areas – an opposition pet issue. Last month, he was filmed confronting a Vietnamese soldier on what he maintained was Cambodian territory.

Men Sothavarin Men Sothavarin An elected SRP official since at least 2009, Men Sothavarin has long been a strong advocate of his Kampong Thom constituency. In 2010, Sothavarin accused government officials of fraud for allegedly taking parcels of land intended as compensation for wronged evictees and grantingthem to the very company responsible for their eviction.

Keo Phirom Keo Phirom Keo Phirom, who once served as cabinet chief under the Sam Rainsy Party, is a member of the party’s steering committee – as are all of his fellow detainees – and is also the highest-ranking party official in Kratie, the province that he represents. “In the party, he is the chief of the working group in Kratie province,” said CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann.

Long Ry Long Ry Banteay Meanchey province lawmaker-elect Long Ry has been an opposition asset since the Sam Rainsy Party days, back when he was active in Kratie province. “Sam Rainsy didn’t have a seat in Kratie before, but Long Ry went there and won one,” Sovann said. As party security chief, Ry is also “very important” in providing security for party leadership.

Nuth Romduol Nuth Romduol Nuth Romduol, a representative of Kampong Speu province, left the Senate in 2013 for a chance torun for the National Assembly, and has since become a key figure in what Sovann characterised as an important province. “He’s very popular in Kampong Speu, and as you know, we get a lot of sup