Defense Ministry Statement Claims CNRP Belittles Troops

30 January 2014
The Cambodia Daily
Civil society / Crime and law enforcement / Elections / Government / Law and judiciary / Ministries and other national bodies / Ministry of National Defense / Social development
Cambodia National Rescue Party / CNRP / Hun Sen / Ministry of Defense / RACF / Royal Cambodian Armed Forces / Yim Sovann

The Ministry of Defense released a statement Wednesday condemning an opposition party spokesman for allegedly “looking down on” Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government and the armed forces. The statement, dated Tuesday, attacked CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann for comments made to the media on January 23, in which he referred to the current CPP government as “illegal” and added that “troops that serve the illegal government are also illegal.” “The Defense Ministry denies and absolutely condemns words that look down on and discredit the reputation of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces,” the statement said. … Tuesday’s Defense Ministry statement also said that the July 28 election had been held democratically and “in a free, fair and transparent manner,” and that the CPP had legitimately won 68 parliamentary seats. “RCAF’s troops must absolutely defend the Constitution and defend the legal government that was elected by the legal National Assembly,” the ministry statement adds. … Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said that recent Defense Ministry statements in support of the government were problematic, demonstrating that there is no clear distinction between the army and Mr. Hun Sen’s ruling party. … Lieutenant General Chhum Sucheat, the Defense Ministry spokesman, said Wednesday that armed forces were sworn to defend the legal government, no matter what party was in power..

 Khy Sovuthy and Lauren Crothers
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/defense-ministry-statement-claims-cnrp-belittles-troops-51131/