Opposition Faces Police Investigation
Police have opened an investigation into Sam Rainsy Party members, following allegations the opposition was involved in anti-government
Military police and police have opened up an investigationinto allegations opposition Sam Rainsy Party members have been involved inviolent plots against the government. Last week, Sam Rainsy Party defector Lek Bunnhean accusedopposition officials of being involved in the Cambodian Freedom Fighters, anAngkor Empire Movement, and the rocket attack on Prime Minister Hun Sen in SiemReap in 1998. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said Tuesday the accusationswere "unbelievable." "Because the election is nearly approaching, the CPPknows that Sam Rainsy has more popularity and the CPP has a problem when thepeople are angry with it over land disputes and the price of goods, and thepeople don't believe CPP anymore," he said. Lek Bunnhean, who joined the ruling Cambodian People's Party lessthan two weeks ago, said Tuesday he had documents implicating Sam Rainsy,Eng Chhay Ieng and former senator Thach Setha in the various plots. Lek Bunnhean left his position after he worked in Pursat province forthe Sam Rainsy Party and as a representative for SRP Secretary-General EngChhay Ieng. He took the documents from a Sam Rainsy Party office in Thailand, hesaid, but he refused to provide copies. The documents include photographs ofSam Rainsy with jailed CFF president Chhun Yasith, he said. Sam Rainsy said Tuesday he had met with many Cambodianexpatriates at different demonstrations in Cambodia and was oftenphotographed with people, but that didn't mean he knew what organizations theybelonged to. Eng Chhay Ieng could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Lt. Gen. Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for the Ministry ofInterior, said the investigation was being conducted at the behest of "thegovernment." "In this investigation, the government needscollaboration with Sam Rainsy Party defectors," he said. "We are doing this work," he said, but declined togive further details. Gen. Sao Sokha, commander of the military police, alsoconfirmed his police were investigating, following the order of Prime MinisterHun Sen. "Regarding the information we obtained, we mustinvestigate with utmost care," he said. "We must work in accordancewith the law and without partiality."