Human Rights Watch: Cambodian People's Party Extends Control of Security Forces

Security force personnel can be ordinary party members, but as soon as they take a leadership role, they are crossing the line. Cambodia won’t have impartial, rights-respecting security forces so long as their commanders are beholden to the ruling party.

Brad Adams, Asia director

End Partisanship of Security Force Leaders

FEBRUARY 4, 2015

(New York) – Cambodian security force commanders should no longer also be officials of political parties. On February 1, 2015, the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) greatly enhanced the party’s centralized political control over the county’s security forces by adding at least 80 commanders and other officials with security duties to the CPP Central Committee.

The leaders of the army, gendarmerie, and police have long been CPP officials. Cambodia’s donors should call for an end to this practice and urge the creation of genuinely nonpartisan and professional security forces, Human Rights Watch said.

“Security force personnel can be ordinary party members, but as soon as they take a leadership role, they are crossing the line,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Cambodia won’t have impartial, rights-respecting security forces so long as their commanders are beholden to the ruling party.”

The CPP convened an Extraordinary Nationwide Representative Congress from January 30 to February 1. The congress dropped the names of 29 persons on the existing 268-person Central Committee who had either died, resigned, or been expelled from the body before the congress, but otherwise kept veteran party leaders in place. It also added 306 new names, expanding the number of people in the Central Committee to 545. Most of these are well-known CPP veterans, although they also include the politically emergent sons of Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior party leaders.

The party congress appointed virtually every important national, regional, and provincial officer and official with command authority over security forces as members of the Central Committee. An analysis of the old and added members reveals that the number of persons with operational command over Cambodian security forces has more than tripled—from 36 on the previous committee to at least 116.

The new Central Committee members include officers of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, Royal Khmer Gendarmerie, and the police. Also now in the Central Committee are all provincial and municipal governors, who are appointed to office but are almost all heads of the CPP in their areas of administration. Cambodian laws on security force personnel and civil servants, who include provincial and other governors, require them to perform their official functions with political neutrality. The governors play a security role by chairing provincial and municipal “unified command committees.” These committees exercise command authority over “mixed forces” comprising local army, gendarme, police, and public order para-police, whose heads are subordinated to the governor as members of these committees.

Details of the security force command authority of previous and added CPP Central Committee members are provided in an appendix below.

Cambodia’s Law on Political Parties stipulates that security force personnel must not act in favor of or against any political party, and furthermore that political parties “must not set up organizational structures” in security force institutions. However, military officers have told Human Rights Watch that covert CPP cells normally headed by commanding officers exist in military units. The existence of a hierarchy of CPP cells in the police and in provincial and municipal civil services is openly reported by CPP and pro-CPP media.

Adhering to both Cambodian law and CPP rules would create a conflict of interest for security force commanders, Human Rights Watch said. The CPP Statute and Internal Rules requires that Central Committee members “effectively organize and implement” party policies and decisions in the realms for which they are responsible.

Human Rights Watch expressed concern that many of the new members of the Central Committee, such as Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police Mok Chito, Deputy Navy Commander Srun Saroeun, Deputy RCAF Supreme Commanders Hing Bunheang and Chhin Chanpoar, Deputy National Gendarmerie Commander Rat Sreang, and Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police Chuon Sovan and Phnom Penh Governor Pa Socheatevong, have been implicated in serious human rights abuses.

Many of the units for which the new Central Committee members are responsible have long histories of violating human rights, such as national Intervention Division 2, navy and regional infantry Brigades 21, 31, 41, 42, 51, 52, and 53, constituent units of Police Regions 3 and 4, the Phnom Penh gendarmerie and police, and other “mixed forces” in provinces throughout Cambodia. The violations for which they have been responsible include use of excessive force to kill protesters or forcibly evict people from their land or homes, political assassinations and other murders, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, arbitrary arrest and detention, rape, and human trafficking.

“Holding a senior post in Cambodia’s ruling party has proven to be a handy way for human rights abusers to escape justice,” Adams said. “Lower level police officers, prosecutors, and judges are afraid enough of the security forces, but now they also have to worry about retaliation from the CPP if they do their jobs.”

Appendix                         

Continuing Central Committee Members with Security Force Command Authority

1	Pol Saroeun	General; Member; Supreme Council of National Defence; Supreme Commander of RCAF
2	Kun Kim	General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF; Chief of the RCAF Mixed General Staff
3	Meas Sophea	General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF; Commander of the Army
4	Net Savoeun	General; Supreme Commissioner of National Police
5	Khvan Seam	General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF; Commander of the Engineering Headquarters
6	Kieng Savut	General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF
7	Chea Saran	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Army; Chief of Army General Staff
8	Chea Man	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Army; Commander of Military Region 4
9	Choeun Sovantha	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Army; Commander of Military Region 2
10	Dam Vuthy	General; Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police
11	Bun Seng	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Army; Commander of Military Region 5
12	Prum Din	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Army
13	Meas Thang	Vice Admiral; Deputy Chief of the Mixed General Staff; Deputy Commander of the Navy
14	Mak Sarun	General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF
15	Samrit Dy	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Army
16	Lanh Kao	General; Deputy Chief of the RCAF Mixed General Staff; Commander, Armor Headquarters;
17	Ung Samkhan	General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF
18	Ul Navy	Lieutenant General; Deputy Chief of the RCAF Mixed General Staff; Commander of the Air Defense Headquarters
19	Chan Ean	General; Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police and Chairman of the Personnel Directorate of the Supreme Commissariate of National Police
20	Chap Pheakadey	Lieutenant General; Deputy Chief of the RCAF Mixed General Staff; Commander of Paratrooper Special Forces Brigade 911
21	Chea Tara	General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF;  Director, Directorate of Military Research and Intelligence of the RCAF Supreme Command; Chairman, Supreme Unified Front Command of Military Region 4;
22	Mao Chantara	General; Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police
23	Mao Sophan	General; Deputy Chief of the Mixed General Staff; Commander of Intervention Brigade 70
24	Yoeung Sokhon	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Army; Commander of Military Region 3
25	Soeng Samnang	General; Commander of the Air Force
26	Seum Sophal	General; Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police; Commander of Police Region 3
27	Sok Phal	General; Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police
28	Sao Sokha	General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF; Commander of the National Gendarmerie
29	Huot Chheang	Lieu ant General; Deputy Commander of the Army; Commander of Military Region 1
30	Um Bot	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Army
31	Chieng Am	Chairman, Svay Rieng Province Unified Command Committee
32	Prach Chan	Chairman, Tbaung Khmum Province Unified Command Committee
33	Chhin Sokhon	Chairman, Preah Sihanouk Province Unified Command Committee
34	Ken Satha	Chairman, Kep Province Unified Command Committee
35	Ou Sam-aun	Chairman, Kampong Speu Province Unfired Command Committee
36	Khauy Khunhuor	Chairman of the Kampot Province Unified Command Committee

Newly Added Central Committee Members with Security Force Command Authority

37/1	Yun Chhuny	Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police
38/2	Kheng Sumet	Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police; Commander of Police Region 4
39/3	Kang Sokhan	Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police
40/4	Chuon Sovan	Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police; Phnom Penh Police Commissioner
41/5	Yuk Sokha	Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police
42/6	Kiet Chantharit	Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police; National Police Spokesperson
43/7	Thaong Lim	Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police
44/8	Chhay Sinarit	Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police
45/9	Mok Chito	Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police
46/10	Heum Yan	Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police
47/11	Touch Narot	Deputy Supreme Commissioner of National Police; Chairman, Bodyguard Directorate
48/12	Hing Bunheang	General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF; Commander of the Prime Minister's Bodyguard Unit
49/13	It Sarat	General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF
50/14	Chhin Chanpoar	Lieutenant General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF
51/15	Kim Bunthan	Lieutenant General; Deputy Supreme Commander of RCAF
52/16	Tie Vinh	Admiral; Commander of the Navy
53/17	Hun Manet	Lieutenant General; Deputy Chief of the Mixed General Staff; Deputy Commander of the Army; Commander of the Counter-Terrorism Special Forces
54/18	Nop Rattana	Lieutenant General; Deputy Chief of the Mixed General Staff; Commander, Artillery Headquarters
55/19	Srey Doek	Lieutenant General; Deputy Chief of the Mixed General Staff; Commander of Intervention Division 3
56/20	Keo Thy	Lieutenant General; Deputy Chief of the Mixed General Staff; Commander of Intervention Division 2
57/21	Prum Pheng	Lieutenant General; Commander, Intervention Brigade 1
58/22	Phang Yot	Lieutenant General; Commander, Intervention Brigade 11
59/23	Sem Sovanny	Lieutenant General, Supreme Director, National Center for Peace-Keeping Forces
60/24	Vong Pisen	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander and Chief of the General Staff, National Gendarmerie
61/25	Chan Lumphat	Lieutenant General; Deputy Chief of the Mixed General Staff
62/26	Ses Vongsetha	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander and Chief of State of the Air Force
63/27	Pin Narit	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Air Force
64/28	Chau Tol	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Prime Minister's Bodyguard Unit
65/29	Dieng Sarun	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Army; Deputy Commander of the Prime Minister's Bodyguard Unit
66/30	Prak Sovanna	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the Army
67/31	Teng Chhuon	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the National Gendarmerie
68/32	Prak Set	Lieutenant General; Deputy Commander of the National Gendarmerie
69/33	Sin Sophanny	Lieutenant General, Deputy Commander of the National Gendarmerie
70/34	Srun Saroeun	Vice-Admiral; Deputy Commander of the Navy; Commander of Coastal and Island Defense Brigade 31
71/35	Uk Seiha	Vice-Admiral; Deputy Commander of the Navy; Commander of the Ream Naval Base
72/36	Van Bunlieng	Vice-Admiral; Deputy Commander and Chief of the Navy General Staff
73/37	In Sidara	Major General; Commander of Infantry Brigade 21 (Military Region 2)
74/38	Kung Bunthan	Major General; Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of Military Region 3
75/39	Peou Heng	Major General; Deputy Commander and Chief of the General Staff of Military Region 4
76/40	Neang Khim	Major General; Commander of Infantry Brigade 41 (Military Region 4)
77/41	Pen Vauy	Major General; Commander of Infantry Brigade 42 (Military Region 4)
78/42	Ek Sam-aun	Major General; Deputy Commander and Chief of the General Staff of Military Region 5
79/43	Chhoeun Sarit	Major General; Commander of Infantry Brigade 51 (Military Region 5)
80/44	Mey Soenghan	Major General; Commander of Infantry Brigade 52 (Military Region 5)
81/45	Chea Phuongphirum	Major General; Commander of Infantry Brigade 53 (Military Region 5)
82/46	Pou Sabutdy	Major General; Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Special Military Region
83/47	Sorn Sea	Major General; Commander of Intervention Brigade 4 (Intervention Division 2)
84/48	Samreut Saret	Major General; Commander of Intervention Brigade 5 (Intervention Division 2)
85/49	Chhum Kheng	Major General; Commander of Intervention Brigade 6 (Intervention Division 2)
86/50	Ou Narin	Major General; Deputy Commander of Intervention Division 3
87/51	Duong Samnieng	Major General; Commander of Intervention Brigade 7 (Intervention Division 3)
88/52	Ly Sun	Major General; Commander of Intervention Brigade 8 (Intervention Division 3)
89/53	Duong Chan	Major General; Commander of Intervention Brigade 9 (Intervention Division 3)
90/54	Keum Sengngorn	Major General; Commander of Intervention Brigade 14
91/55	Uch Vantha	Major General; Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army and Commander of the Army Engineers
92/56	Rat Sreang	Major General; Deputy Commander of the National Gendarmerie; Commander of the Phnom Penh Gendarmerie
93/57	Hul Sam-aun	Major General; Commander of Logistics Brigade 99
94/58	Nuon Neou	Lieutenant General; Commander of Unified Battlefront 2
95/59	Chhor Sok	Major General; Commander, Logistics Brigade 90
96/60	Kim Reuthy	Major General; Deputy Chief of the Mixed General Staff
97/61	Hun Manit	Colonel, Deputy Chief, Directorate of Military Research and Intelligence of the RCAF Supreme Command
98/62	Bun Lert	Chairman, Koh Kong Province Unified Command Committee
99/63	Ut Sam-orn	Chairman, Kampong Thom Province Unified Command Committee
100/64	Chhuor Chandoeun	Chairman, Kampong Chhnang Province Unified Command Committee
101/65	Chan Sophal	Chairman, Battambang Province Unified Command Committee
102/66	Khim Bunsong	Chairman, Siem Reap Province Unified Command Committee;
103/67	Sar Chamrong	Chairman, Kratie Province Unified Command Committee
104/68	Sar Thavy	Chairman, Oddar Meanchey Province Unified Command Committee
105/69	Pa Socheatevong	Chairman, Phnom Penh Municipality Unified Command Committee
106/70	Um Mara	Chairman, Preah Vihear Province Unified Command Committee
107/71	Kol Sam-ol	Chairman, Steung Trang Province Unified Command Committee
108/72	Kaosum Saroeut	Chairman, Banteay Meanchey Province Unified Command Committee
109/73	Lun Leumthay	Chairman, Kampong Cham Province Unified Command Committee
110/74	Eng Bunheang	Chairman, Mondulkiri Province Unified Command Committee
111/75	Thang Savun	Chairman, Rattanakiri Province Unified Command Committee
112/76	Mao Phirun	Chairman, Kandal Province Unified Command Committee
113/77	Mao Thornin	Chairman, Posat Province Unified Command Committee
114/78	Lay Vannak	Chairman, Takeo Province Unified Command Committee
115/79	Hoas Saret	Chairman, Prey Veng Province Unified Command Committee
116/80	Kaoet Sothea	Chairman, Pailin Province Unified Command Committee