Lawmaker’s morning at park ended by district guards
Senior opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua walked into Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park on Wednesday morning, trailed by a small group of news photographers, and stopped to pose in front of about 100 municipal riot police exercising in the park. Ms. Sochua’s small act of defiance against the CPP government’s vague and selectively enforced prohibition on public gatherings didn’t break any laws—and it could hardly be defined as a gathering. But she was quickly surrounded by a ring of young men in dark motorcycle helmets. The men—secretive district security guards under the employ of the Interior Ministry—seized Ms. Sochua and forced her to decamp to an adjacent street. … City Hall spokesman Long Dimanche said Ms. Sochua’s morning outing to Freedom Park was banned under existing laws. He said Ms. Sochua, who is also the CNRP’s director of public affairs, was required to apply in writing to the government before entering the park due to her tendency to begin protests. “As we know, under the demonstrations law, people need to ask or inform [the municipality] for permission first,” Mr. Dimanche explained. “When she arrived, she wanted to rally with people and express her views.” “That is against the law.” … Kim Vutha, commander of the helmeted Daun Penh district security guards, declined to say why Ms. Sochua’s public outings now count as protests. … General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, acknowledged that Ms. Sochua hadn’t violated any laws or edicts. He said that the district security guards, who were on their morning patrol of potential protest sites, simply didn’t like her. … Lao Mong Hay, a political analyst who formerly served as director of the Khmer Institute of Democracy, said the classification of Ms. Sochua’s presence at Freedom Park as a demonstration requiring permission was irregular. “This is another arbitrary interpretation of the law on demonstrations,” he said, explaining that the law was being used by the government as it saw fit. Mr. Hun Sen indicated in February that his blanket ban on public gatherings had been lifted. However, in the days that followed, Mr. Vutha’s helmeted security guards repeatedly clashed with those who dared to return to the streets to test the order. …
Alex Willemyns and Mech Dara
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/lawmakers-morning-at-park-ended-by-district-guards-55636/
