30 December 2009
By Rithipol
Free Press Magazine
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
As pointed out by Hanoi’s government leader, Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy and three other Cambodian farmers – the latter were summoned by the court to show up as witnesses, but fled – now have their names listed on an arrest warrant.
Even though there is no public announcement for the arrest warrant, an official of the Svay Rieng provincial court indicated that the court had issued an arrest warrant on 29 December against those who were involved in the uprooting of stakes along the Khmer-Yuon border on 25 October. The warrant ordered the arrest of opposition leader Sam Rainsy and 3 other villagers as they are accused of willfully destroying public properties and inciting racial discrimination.
The arrest warrant against Cambodia’s opposition leader is taking place only one day after the court rejected Sam Rainsy’s request to delay his court appearance on 28 December because he is currently busy with his overseas mission. Choung Chou Ngy, Sam Rainsy’s defense lawyer, indicated that the uprooting of border stakes is not a criminal case, but it is in fact truly a political case.
Sam Rainsy indicated that the recent arrest of two Cambodian farmers, Mrs. Meas Srey and Mr. Prum Chea, was an intimidation so that these farmers lose their courage to protect their rice fields encroached by Vietnam. Sam Rainsy said that the real court is not the Svay Rieng court, nor a court in Cambodia, but rather it is in the Hanoi court that he wants to see his case put on trial.
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