[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 18, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5-S6]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                CAMBODIA

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today, I would like to address a troubling 
series of events that has recently transpired in Cambodia. In the past 
year, the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen has engaged in a 
widespread campaign to silence his critics, stifle dissent, and 
enfeeble his political opposition.
  The result of these actions has been a very disturbing erosion of 
Cambodia's commitment to democratic principles, the rule of law, and 
the protection of human rights.
  Nearly a year ago, in February 2005, Cambodia's National Assembly 
voted to revoke the parliamentary immunity from prosecution of 
opposition leader Mr. Sam Rainsy and two of his colleagues. The alleged 
offense was defaming the Prime Minister.
  Just after this vote, Mr. Rainsy and one of his colleagues, Chea 
Poch, managed to escape Cambodia to avoid arrest. However, the other 
opposition parliamentarian and an ally of Mr. Rainsy, Cheam Channy, was 
arrested.
  Several months later, in August 2005, Cheam Channy was sentenced to 7 
years in prison for allegedly forming ``a secret army to overthrow the 
government.'' And, in December 2005, Sam Rainsy was sentenced in 
absentia to 18 months in prison for defaming the Prime Minister and the 
President of the National Assembly.
  The Cambodian Government's assault on its political opposition is 
only the tip of the iceberg. The Prime Minister has also carried out a 
campaign against human rights activists in Cambodia.
  In a period of 5 days, just before and after the new year, three of 
Cambodia's top human rights activists were arrested. These included Mr. 
Kern Sokha, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights; Mr. 
Yeng Virak, director of the Community Legal Education Center; and Pa 
Nguon Teang, a journalist and the acting leader of Mr. Kern Sokha's 
human rights organization.
  Again, these activists and critics of the Government were detained on 
trumped-up defamation charges.
  These arrests and detentions are just the latest in a series of 
actions aimed at silencing the critics of the Cambodian Government. In 
addition to members of the political opposition, Cambodia's Government 
has also targeted prominent individuals in the media, trade unions, and 
civil society.

[[Page S6]]

  The United States has rightly condemned these actions, and I applaud 
Ambassador Mussomeli and his staff at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh 
for raising this troubling issue with senior officials in the Cambodian 
Government.
  I am also encouraged that the international community is responding 
to Cambodia's recent transgressions. In particular, the World Bank has 
issued a stark warning that Cambodia's actions are jeopardizing the 
millions of dollars in international financial assistance that it 
receives each year.
  I call upon Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian Government to 
end this troubling series of events. Although the Cambodian Government 
has released Mr. Kern Sokha, Mr. Yeng Virak, Pa Nguon Teang, and other 
high-profile political prisoners on bail, the charges have not been 
dropped and other dissidents remain in custody. The Cambodian 
Government needs to release all political prisoners and drop the 
spurious charges being levied against them. These actions point to the 
obvious conclusion that democracy, the rule of law, and the protection 
of human rights are no longer priorities or principles of the Cambodian 
Government.
  I also urge the international community to increase pressure on 
Cambodia to reverse its recent actions and to demonstrate to the world 
its commitment to freedom and to allowing its citizens to express their 
political opinions without fear and intimidation.

                          ____________________