Friday, September 1, 2006

By Kong Sothanarith
Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by Luc Sâr


SRP. Sam Rainsy returned home around noontime on Thursday from his US tour where he met with SRP militants in the US. Questioned by reporters at the Pochentong airport, he repeated that he asked his militants not to get involved in the Heng Pov affair which according to him, is an “internal” CPP conflict. He nevertheless said that he met an FBI investigator in charge of Cambodian affairs to ask him to verify the claims made by Heng Pov, in particular regarding the grenade attack on March 30, 1007. He assured that he did not meet Prince Ranariddh who left for overseas [last] Friday, and he said that it was pure “coincidence” that his wife, Tioulong Saumura, landed a few hours earlier from the same flight as that of Prince Sirivudh. Asked about the two law bills which are making the headlines right now, Sam Rainsy was quite critical of them. Regarding the proposed law on polygamy and incest, he judged that there are more important laws that should passed, such as the anti-corruption law, the administration of properties, the forced evictions, or the independence of the judiciary. “Since the law is about to pass, I do not object to it, but I am asking that it is being applied equally for everybody.” Regarding the law on the immunity of MPs which passed on Wednesday, he regrets that it “limits” the freedom of speech of the elected officials whose voice is “that of the citizens