Demonstrators held placards calling for justice and calling Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for three decades, a “killer.”
 |
| Hundreds of Cambodian-Americans from across the United States rallied at Sunnylands, California, Monday, February 15, 2016, to protest the visit of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and to demand greater respect of human rights in Cambodia, just hours before the Cambodian leader is expected to meet US President Obama and other Southeast Asian leaders at a US-ASEAN Summit nearby. The Cambodian-American protesters are joined by Thai-American, Lao-American, Vietnamese-American, and Latin-American protesters who were advocating for similar human rights causes and by U.S. protesters against the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) global trade agreement. (Sok Khemara/VOA Khmer) |
Sok Khmemara, VOA Khmer
16 February 2016
RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA—
Hundreds of Cambodian-Americans demonstrated outside the Sunnylands Estate, in Southern California, on Monday, as Prime Minister Hun Sen and other ASEAN leaders met there with US President Barack Obama.
Demonstrators demanded justice and respect for human rights from Hun Sen’s government and the president, while inside, the leaders discussed trade potential and broader security concerns.
“We want to demand that President Barack Obama focus on human rights and democracy in Cambodia,” said Vannak Men, a protest leader from Lowell, Massachusetts. “The Cambodian People’s Party, led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, has gravely violated international treaties on human rights and democracy.”
Demonstrators held placards calling for justice and calling Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for three decades, a “killer.” “Don’t kill people; don’t sell the nation,” read one protester’s sign.
 |
| Hundreds of Cambodian-Americans from across the United States rallied at Sunnylands, California, Monday, February 15, 2016. (Sok Khemara/VOA Khmer) |
“We want to tell [Hun Sen] that all the people here want freedom, peace, and democracy in Cambodia,” Vibol Touch, president of the Cambodian American Alliance, told VOA Khmer. “We want respect for human rights in Cambodia. We want him to fully respect democratic principles.”
Hun Sen had met with a group of some 500 supporters in the US on Sunday, calling for unity and discouraging disputes among Cambodian people, both in their home country and in the US.
Sam Rainsy, the president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, earlier this month called on his own supporters to avoid the Sunnylands protests, in Rancho Mirage, California.
But demonstrators here called for the release from jail of Rescue Party Senator Hong Sokhour and for the release of Meach Sovannara, a Rescue Party activist who also hold US citizenship.
Demonstrators also called for an end to land grabs, particularly those involving corrupt government officials.
“Their main source for enriching their cronies is through grabbing land from the people,” Touch Vibol said.
4 comments:
to make it clear , am not a supporter of Hun sen but i did tell you that the secret service will not let protest near the meeting site.. well i read in the desert sun paper [ usa ] that the bob hope drive was closed and protesters all , khmer, viets, laos and even thais were sent to protest on the corner of bob hope dr and gerald ford drive , in a empty lot which is about half a mile from the sunnylands ... and they were given less space to protest than when chinese prez Xi was visiting... basically all those dictators never get to be confronted ''face to face '' as some khmer leaders were hoping... this is only FYI .. you don't have to post it for public reading ..just to point out that there is law for protesting in the US , not all freedom of speech as you have been led to believe that anything goes here.
Next you are going to tell us that you are 007, right? Thanks a lot, again for nothing, as usual!
The problem in Cambodia is hard to solve when the Khmer traitor Hun Sen does not know who he is.
You (Hun Sen) have facilitated Ho Chi Minh's plan of swallowing Cambodia.
Yuon Penh Srok Heuy Ah Kwack Hun Sen Euy !! Phnheak Leung Ah Chkuot !!
[Next you are going to tell us that you are 007, right? Thanks a lot, again for nothing, as usual!
16 February 2016 at 14:15]
are U smart enough to read this article for yourself ? or you need google to translate for you ? here 's a a link , i dare you
http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2016/02/15/protesters-line-up-early-voice-discontent-summit/80405290/
and while you're at it research '' secret service protesting ban ''on google ,you might learn something new instead of being so GULLIBLE... thanks for your time.
Post a Comment