Rainsy Hopeful Jailed Activists will be Released

Cambodia National Recuse Party president Sam Rainsy speaks to reporters yesterday after visiting activists from his party who have been jailed at Prey Sar Prison. KT Photo: Chea Takihiro

 

Khmer Times/Chea Takihiro

Monday, 17 August 2015

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PHNOM PHEN (Khmer Times) – Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) president Sam Rainsy met with 14 of his party’s activists currently being held in Prey Sar prison.

Mr. Rainsy returned to Cambodia on Sunday after spending almost a month abroad. Eleven CNRP activists were convicted and three more arrested during this time.

Outside the prison he told reporters that a political solution was the only way to deal with the situation and called on members of his party to respect the culture of dialogue.

Mr. Rainsy spent more than an hour inside the prison speaking to the 14 activists. Mr. Rainsy said the men did not want the party to use their imprisonment as a political bargaining chip. 

“They trust the CNRP and understand that anything we do is for the national interest,” Mr. Rainsy said. 

“We need to unify, and I can meet him [Prime Minister Hun Sen] every time, but it depends on the opportunity or reason urging us to meet,” he said in response to those calling for him to meet Mr. Hun Sen to resolve the issue.

Reason for Hope

Mr. Rainsy said there was reason to have hope for the imprisoned activists because of successful political negotiations in the past. Last July, Mr. Rainsy was able to negotiate the release of activists who had been detained after the Freedom Park demonstrations.  

Tith Sothea, a spokesman for the Council of Ministers, rejected the idea that the culture of dialogue led to the release of prisoners in the past.

“It is the false interpretation by Mr. Sam Rainsy. So far, the government has never used the culture of dialogue for the release of a criminal. It just released them on temporarily while they were under investigation,” Mr. Sothea explained. 

Mr. Rainsy said he will discuss amending the Constitution with Prime Minister Hun Sen to ensure that border negotiations with Vietnam go smoother, he said.

Cooling Tensions

Politicians should stop speaking in public about the issue because it only exacerbates tensions between opposing sides, Mr. Rainsy said. Representatives should take the time to write down their positions and present them in a way that moves the conversation forward, he added.

“Prime Minister Hun Sen received a message from Sam Rainsy that he wanted to amend the Constitution and Samdech said in response that we can’t exchange the amendment for the criminal prisoners,” Mr. Sothea said.

Despite the response from the government, Mr. Rainsy expressed optimism when speaking to reporters after his prison visit.

“This case is similar to past cases, and the solution should be similar as well,” he said. “It is not an individual issue case, but a national issue.”