"There was nothing happening over there" - Tea Banh
Cambodia's band of criminals?
Officials Continue Dismissals of US Rights Hearing
By Sok Khemara and Taing Sarada
Washington
24 September 2009
A rights hearing held by a US House of Representatives commission earlier this month constituted a breech of Cambodia’s sovereignty and constitution, a government spokesman said Monday, while a senior military official dismissed concerns of rights abuses by soldiers.
“We regret that it contrasted with the Cambodian constitution,” said Phay Siphan, a spokesman for the Council of Ministers, referring to the rights hearing.
“We need to maintain our independence and sovereignty,” he said, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”
The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission held a hearing Sept. 10, inviting opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua and two other rights leaders to speak on concerns the government has increased its human rights abuses and restricted freedoms.
The government was accepting of criticism, Phay Siphan said, “but we do not want attacks and incitement at all, because we are preparing additional strengthening of the rule of law.”
He called the hearing biased for excluding Cambodian government officials and said Cambodia would not accept assistance with conditions.
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