Mon, 23 February 2015| Tat Oudom and May Titthara | The Phnom Penh Post
Prime Minister Hun Sen publicly warned environmental activist Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson to leave the country voluntarily or risk making his situation worse.
Outspoken environmental activist Alex Gonzalez-Davidson has been arrested by Interior Ministry officers and taken in an unmarked car to the Ministry of Interior, a rights group and witnesses have said.
Cheang Sophos, a senior investigator for local rights group Licadho, said that Gonzalez-Davidson was arrested at about 1:15pm at the Fish & Co restaurant in the riverside area of Phnom Penh.
The news was confirmed by a spokesman for the Community Legal Education Centre and a witness at the scene.
Prime Minister Hun Sen earlier in the day warned the defiant activist to leave Cambodia voluntarily or be blacklisted from the country.
Gonzalez-Davidson - who is facing deportation after the government refused to renew his visa - has vowed to remain in the country despite the fact that his visa expired on Friday.
Outspoken activist Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson is arrested on the riverside on Monday. Photo By Mony Sar.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh on Monday, the premier also warned NGOs not to rally behind the cause of the embattled co-founder of Mother Nature, lest they face problems of their own.
"Regarding Alex [Gonzalez-Davidson], let the Ministry of Interior take measures. It's not just foreigners, it's also Khmers that will be sentenced and other NGOs shouldn't express much," Hun Sen said.
"We'll let him stay until his visa is invalid. So you should leave first then ask for a new visa, it doesn't matter. [You] don't need to make this situation get worse. If we deport you, it means [you're] on the blacklist, that's it".
Gonzalez-Davidson is legally entitled to stay for 37 days after his visa expiration provided he pays related fines, but he has vowed to remain in Cambodia indefinitely.
A staunch advocate on environmental causes, particularly that of the threatened Areng Valley, Gonzalez-Davidson has previously told the Post he is certain that if he leaves the country to obtain a new visa, the government will not let him back in. His situation has attracted huge support on social media, where the fluent Khmer-speaking activist has become something of celebrity.
Should I stay or should I go?
On Monday morning, Gonzalez-Davidson was unavailable for comment, but San Mala, a co-founder of Mother Nature, said support for his colleague in the Cambodian community was absolute.
"Hun Sen is going against what the Khmer people want, as we know 100 per cent of Khmers want Alex to stay. [Hun Sen's actions are] opposite to Khmer people," he said, pointing out that Alex has grown to be considered "Khmer" by his supporters.
"Our team won't let Alex leave this country, as he is Khmer, lives here, can speak Khmer like a native and, most importantly, is the one who helps to protect the Areng Valley from illegal logging and the hydropower dam".
សកម្មជនការពារធម្មជាតិតំបន់
Mon, 23 February 2015
The Phnom Penh Post
សកម្មភាពចាប់ខ្លួនលោក អាឡិច នៅភោជនីយដ្ឋានមាត់ទន្លេ។ រូបថត ហ្វេសប៊ុក លោក វ៉ន់ ពៅ
ភ្នំពេញៈ សកម្មជនការពារធម្មជាតិក្នុ
7 comments:
This is exactly what I meant when I wrote my comment on the Fin's Govt aid to Hun hen to get him richer. Any govt aid Hun sen without any conditions attached is just wasting your tax payers' hard-earned money. Hun sen is an asshole,but when you help an asshole is getting stronger so he can do what he wants you are just as much an asshole as he is.
You see Hun sen win again it doesn't matter what.He will be come out win win. it doesn't care how many organization against him and especially Hun Sen Keep kick cnrp that mean keep kick until cnrp fall and when cnrp fall than Cambodia will have one pary rule like his master China and YOUN.
តិរិច្ឆាន ហ៊ុន សែន រិតតែបញ្ចេញគំនិតជាសត្វតិរិច្ឆានជាងមុន។
Khmer Pouch Neak chambaing Euy !!
When are you going to wake up and make a huge demonstration against Ah devil Yuon slave Hun Sen for arresting Alex Gonzalez, who has been risking his life to protect our natural resource ??
Stop lamenting and crying when Cambodia becomes a part of the evil Vietnam in the near future because we have a major role in protecting our motherland.
Alex Gonzales is a true Khmer hero and a role model for Khmer people. Please adopt his bravery and determination to fight for justice.
Bun Thoeun
Instead of Alex, Hun Sen himself should have
been arrested.
Hun Sen is the cause of why Alex took
up his cause and now paying the price
for it.
Bunthoeun you die first. .cheater why so coward if you idiot move i move but you idiot keep cheating and forcing khmer to die. ..
http://www.cen.com.kh/local/01972709
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