Hello VOA Call-in Show Talk With Four Released Activists
Four recently released activists comment of democracy, and freedom of expression, and their missions
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-TN, made a statement on the recent series of activists arrests. He says the United States condemns the Cambodian government's attack on democracy and the rule of law. He urges Prime Minister Hun Sen to drop charges and allow the Cambodian people to freely express their views. The activists made comments regarding this statement. They thank Mr. Frist for his statement, and for having faith in them to carry out their missions. One of the activists says that he and the others unite for national interest, that the government is not fair, and there is corruption. Another activist says that he appeals to the government to implement democracy and to respect human rights. They say that Prey Sar prison's living condition is better than that before United Nations Transitional Authority for Cambodia (UNTAC) in 1993, but the cells are crowded and that the inmates with different offenses are kept in the same cells. The prison's personnels have high morals standard. They say there is no hygiene and the medicines' dates expire. The activists do not like a government official, Mr. Om Yentieng's comment about their release as a present for U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Asia Pacific affairs Christopher Hill, saying freedom cannot be bought. They say that The Cambodia Center for Human Rights (CCHR), Beehive 105 FM radio station, the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, and the Community Legal Education Center will operate as normal.