Cambodian PM warns foreign countries not to interfere in internal affairs

Source: Xinhua   2016-05-01 

PHNOM PENH, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Sunday warned foreign countries not to interfere in the country's internal affairs over recent arrests of opposition politicians and human rights activists.

"Foreign countries must respect Cambodia's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and must not interfere in Cambodia's internal affairs (because) Cambodia has never meddled in their internal affairs,"he said during the celebrations of International Labor Day at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port in southwestern Preah Sihanouk Province.

"We just take action against the anarchists," the prime minister said. "Lawbreakers must take responsibilities before the law."

Hun Sen also rejected a report by the opposition lawmakers claiming that Cambodia was in chaotic situation after the recent jailing of opposition politicians and human rights defenders.

"It is an untrue report,"he said, referring to the report that some 53 lawmakers from the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) wrote to King Norodom Sihamoni on Wednesday.

Hun Sen said Cambodia is now full of peace and stability and does not have any political crisis.

"People are living happily because they do not make any mistakes, but you have committed crimes, so you must sleep at the Prey Sar (prison),"he said, referring to those jailed politicians and activists.

Recently, two opposition politicians -- a senator and a lawmaker -- had been arrested for falsifying a Cambodia-Vietnam border treaty and accusing the Cambodian government of using fake border map with Vietnam.

An opposition commune chief and five human rights activists were also arrested this week over claims they convinced the alleged mistress of CNRP vice president and lawmaker Kem Sokha to deny a sexual relationship.