sVar Kim Hong fesses up: “Border posts installation was not correct like what we want”

Outside the Svay Rieng court (Photo: DAP)

Svay Rieng court holds its hearing on Sam Rainsy

Wednesday, January 27, 2009
DAP-news
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

sVar Kim Hong, the chairman of the government border committee, used to tell reporters that the installation of these border posts was not done correctly as we wanted (sic!). sVar Kim Hong indicated that: “When Vietnam planted border posts with China, there were some encroachments back and forth, it is not just in Cambodia alone.”

The Svay Rieng court held a hearing on Wednesday 27 January to decide on the uprooting of stakes for border post no. 185. However, Sam Rainsy was not present in the audience.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, the Kampong Cham MP, was charged by the prosecutor of the Svay Rieng court of destroying public properties for uprooting stakes at border post no. 185 in Chantrea district, Svay Rieng province, on 25 October 2009.

Choung Chou-ngy, Sam Rainsy’s defense lawyer, indicated that he is prepared to defend Sam Rainsy. Choung Chou-ngy indicated: “The hearing will start at 8AM. I have no concerns, I have a lot of information from Mr. Sam Rainsy, therefore contact is not a problem because I am fulfilling my role. What I need to do, I did them already. What I need to prepare for, I already prepared them all, it’s nothing.”

Choung Chou-ngy indicated that for the 5 villagers who were also charged with destruction of public properties, the Svay Rieng court plans to put their cases on trial on Wednesday 27 January as well.

Prach Rim, the Svay Rieng province police commissioner, indicated that during the hearing, he will post two groups of cops to protect security just in case there is any incident that could take place. Prach Rim said: “We posted two groups of cops around the hearing location, and they will abide by the internal order.”

The Svay Rieng prosecutor claimed that the accusation leveled against Sam Rainsy and the 5 villagers will be sentenced by the court based on articles 53 and 61 of the criminal law dating from the UNTAC era. Article 61 of the UNTAC criminal law stipulates that incitation to racial discrimination will be sentenced between 1 month to 1 year of jail time and a fine of 1 million riels ($250) to 10 million riels ($2,500).

The Yuon puppet government plans to bring additional charges on opposition leader Sam Rainsy in regards to the uprooting of these border stakes. Tith Sothea, the government advisor and mouthpiece of the Quick Reaction Unit (QRU) of the Council of Ministers warned today that, in the case of Sam Rainsy, the Cambodian government will add another charge if he still claims that the 15-page document posted by the SRP is correct.

Tith Sothea claimed that: “What Sam Rainsy raised was due to lack of thoughtfulness, and I can say that Mr. Sam Rainsy always had this inciting attitude. He created untruthful documents and proofs, and they are just excuses to hide his faults only.”

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy who is currently staying in France, revealed a 15-page document in English [KI-Media note: the document is bilingual Khmer and English] on the SRP website. The document claims that the installation of border posts and the installation of border stakes were not done properly, the majority of them are planted in Cambodian territories [KI-Media note: In fact of the 4 border posts examined by the SRP, all 4 of them are planted inside Cambodian territories].

Sam Rainsy claimed on the Candle Light radio program that these border posts are installed 200 to 500 meters inside Cambodian territories.

sVar Kim Hong, the chairman of the government border committee, used to tell reporters that the installation of these border posts was not done correctly as we wanted (sic!). sVar Kim Hong indicated that: “When Vietnam planted border posts with China, there were some encroachments back and forth, it is not just in Cambodia alone.”

According to the report issued by sVar Kim Hong’s office regarding the result of the of the border posts installation along the Cambodia-Viet border, the two sides have agreed to install 375 posts in the field along the 1,270-km border separating the two countries. The border posts installation is planned to be completed in 2012.