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Supporters take pictures with Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen at the inauguration of a new boat terminal in Phnom Penh on Aug. 1, 2018. Pring Samrang—Reuters
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The U.S. Is Expanding Cambodia Visa Bans Over Last Month's 'Flawed' Election
TIME | 16 August 2018
The U.S. announced new visa restrictions against Cambodian officials responsible for “anti-democratic” actions taken in the run-up to the country’s election last month, which was widely condemned by rights groups and international observers as flawed and illegitimate.
The State Department said Wednesday that it was extending a previous round of travel bans passed against an undisclosed number of Cambodia officials in December. The sanctions came amid a crackdown on dissent that disbanded the country’s chief opposition party and left domestic media and independent institutions in tatters ahead of the July 29 national election. In a statement, the White House said the poll was “neither free nor fair and failed to represent the will of the Cambodian people.”
The new visa restrictions will pick out individuals “both within and outside the Cambodian government” responsible for “the most notable anti-democratic actions taken in the run-up to the flawed July 29 election,” State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
“We reiterate our call for the Cambodian government to take tangible actions to promote national reconciliation by allowing independent media and civil society organizations to fulfill their vital roles unhindered,” Nauert said, calling for the release of Cambodian political prisoners, including imprisoned opposition party president Kem Sokha.
The announcement came the same day that Cambodia’s National Election Committee released the poll’s official results, which showed longtime Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) winning all 125 seats contested. The CPP also swept Senate elections in February.
The number and identities of those included in the State Department’s new round of visa bans were not released. The Cambodia Democracy Act of 2018, which the U.S. House passed last month, identified 17 figures as potential sanctions targets, including Hun Sen and two of his children, as well as five state ministers and the country’s anti-corruption chief.
Oh man, the Cambodians voted for Mr. Hun Sen by the majority. How stupid can they be? Scam Rainsy already gave them a clear instruction, do not go to vote. And it meant: Do not vote.
ReplyDeleteAs the Cambodians were threatened to be jailed by Hun Sen, according to Scam Rainsy, the people became stupid and voted for Hun Sen instead of other opposition parties.
Scam Rainsy was a castrated chicken this time and dared not accuse Japan for failing to monitor the voting process.
Australia will soon sanction Cambodia for wrongfully imprison their citizen.
ReplyDelete------------------
Ricketson told the court Mr Sam Rainsy wanted to take power through a bloodless coup regardless of the outcome of the 2013 elections but added the CNRP leader was concerned that young people did not fear Mr Hun Sen and were prepared to die.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/cambodian-judges-question-aus-filmmaker/news-story/8f3a68f6e04144639ec020fd5f3ea027
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PM Hun Sen is so committed to eliminating fake news that he talks candidly to GZ (Drgunzet) about his current worries:
ReplyDeleteGZ: You often use a vulgar language in public. Why?
HS: Sometime I could not hold it inside when some people [CNRP] are just pure evil and absurd, I burst it out to relieve my internal frustration. That's why the [Cambodian] people view me folksy, the leader of the people..
GZ: Many succumb to your threats; a few don’t...
HS: That is because some had balls and challenged my threat, others ran away with no balls like cowards such as Sam Rainsy, his wife and Mu Sochua.
GZ: But sir, Sam Rainsy's wife and Mu Sochua are women. Clearly you know...
HS: [Snap] That proves my points, they both have no balls.
GZ: One of the recalcitrant is Kem Sokha whom you lock up in his room like a naughty kid.
HS: He is a still a kid and naughty alright, and still likes to have sex with young girls. But he has been very cooperative after I helped him to usurp the Presidency of CNRP from Sam Rainsy.
GZ: No conditions?
HS: Indeed, there is. He must denounce Sam Rainsy, like Kong Korm did.
GZ: What is the difference between the two men?
HS: Kong Korm is smart and accommodating. I told him I could drum up cases to confiscate all the land he ever owns. What do they say? If you’ve got them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow. I have got Kem Sokha’s balls even before he was locked up.
GZ: What if Kem Sokha has no balls?
HS: Kem Sokha has balls. He went to my prisons twice. He never ran away in exile like the no-ball Sam Rainsy or his two women.
GZ: Why are these concessions so important to you?
HS: They are not important to me, just something to toy with the losers CNRP in exile.
GZ: What do you mean? Are you worried about possible revolts if factories’ workers lose their jobs due to a possible export cut?
HS: No, the workers knew that Sam Rainsy are behind it as he has been a couple years ago when he was caught calling EU to embargo Cambodia so that he would become the next PM. The union leaders were livid and called Sam Rainsy, a politica- suicide miniac.
GZ: I guess that's why last year, your party won a land slide victory at the poll.
HS: It will take any opposition party to change that.
GZ: So, what is your main worry?
HS: My top minions and generals. They can anytime mount a revolt against me. Cambodians are dog-eat-dog, any thing goes for few thousand riels.
GZ: How so, sir?
HS: They have direct financial interests in those factories and in the “Made-in-Cambodia” label they have sold to apparel factories in China for years.
GZ: Is this why you called a meeting of the CPP Central Committee a few days ago?
HS: Yes, and I have worked out who a potential challenger to my power is.
GZ: And who may I ask?
HS: I asked the members of some 900 or so to nominate – in a secret ballot – their preferred candidate among Hun Manet, Say Chhum, Sar Kheng, Aun Pon Monirath, and Prak Sokhon to succeed me.
GZ: So, they know who your successor is…
HS: Not quite. I brought the ballot box home to count and keep the outcome to myself.
GZ: It must be your son Hun Manet.
HS: Yes he was.
GZ: No surprise at all.
HS: Yes, everyone knows Hun Manet has always been favored by the West. USA sponsored him to West Point, trained and loved him. UK sponsored him to Oxford for a doctorate in Economics. They showered him with Western values and ideas. If the relationship with China goes wrong, Hun Manet can quickly turn to the Western power to lean against.
GZ: I think your son Hun Manet will make you and Cambodia proud, sir.