Sam Rainsy holds Press Conference during int’l parliamentary gathering in Manila

(April 7, 2005/ Manila) Mr. Sam Rainsy, MP, leader of the opposition of the Kingdom ofCambodia, held a press conference as part of the non-official activities of the 112th Interparliamentary Union (IPU) General Assembly at the Philippine International Convention Center.

The press conference was sponsored by Council of Asian Liberals & Democrats (CALD). The Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) is a CALD member and Mr. Sam was CALD Chairman from 2000 to 2002.

During the press conference, Sam Rainsy stated that he is not part of the Cambodian delegation in IPU since SRP, the leading opposition with 24 out of the 123 seats in the Cambodian Parliament, was denied official participation. “The Sam Rainsy Party would have very much wanted to participate in the discussions in IPU but since we were not official delegates, we could not even speak,” Mr. Sam declared.

“Prince Ranariddh, who as President of the Cambodian Assembly and head of the delegation, was supposed to speak last April 4 but was absent from the plenary. He left yesterday without uttering a word at the General Assembly. Despite the poverty of my country, Prince Ranariddh has come to Manila in a private jet which he recently purchased in France. In the meantime, 500,000 Cambodian farmers are currently facing food shortage as a result of drought, deforestation and land grabbing. Prince Ranariddh’s private jet is just one of the countless cases of corruption in Cambodia,” Mr. Sam stressed.

A vocal critic of corruption, Mr. Sam and two opposition parliamentarians, Messrs. Chea Poch and Chean Channy,  were  recently stripped of  their parliamentary immunity last February 2. Messrs. Sam and Chea were able to flee the country but Mr. Chean was arrested on the same day.

“The Cambodian government heavily depends for its survival on foreign aid,” Sam Rainsy appealed, “only a vigorous international protest can help free Cheam Channy and restore the parliamentary immunity of the three of us. We are encouraged to see the effectiveness of international solidarity on the Burmese issue. Another member of CALD is the National Council of the Union of Burma. CALD has been at the forefront of lobbying efforts especially among ASEAN parliamentarians for the freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi and the Burmese people.

“There is ground to fear that Cambodia is becoming another Burma. We need the support of the community of nations to protect the little democratic gains made in Cambodia following the UN intervention from 1991 to 1993.”

Rep. Ruffy Biazon then read the statement of support of the Liberal Party of the Philippines signed by Dr. Neric Acosta, MP, LP Executive Vice President and member of the CALD Executive Committee. Rep Biazon extended the apologies of Dr. Acosta who had to be in his home province of Bukidnon for the official visit of Education Secretary Florencio Abad. The Liberal Party is a founding member of CALD and was chairparty from 1998 to 2000 with Secretary Abad, who was then a member of parliament, serving as CALD Chairman.

Dr. Acosta emphasized the party’s full support to its sister party in Cambodia.  “Especially in times where the very foundations of freedom and democracy are under threat,” stated the declaration of Dr. Acosta, “the Liberal Party is deeply concerned by the impunity that characterized the lifting of immunity of Sam Rainsy and two fellow oppositionists.”

The Liberal Party affirmed its belief that parliamentary immunity is absolutely essential in a functioning democracy for without it, opposition parliamentarians will be subjected to groundless and politically motivated accusations. Having been suppressed during the dark days of Martial Law, the Liberal Party statement cautioned against the dangers of having democratic institutions such as the judiciary and the legislature manipulated by the ruling regime in order to perpetuate its own interests.

The Liberal Party reaffirmed its support to the resolution of the Council of Asian Liberals & Democrats warning that “the lifting of parliamentary immunity of oppositionist legislators creates a dangerous precedence that weakens the legislature as an institution and as a separate branch of government whose independence and credibility are essential in any democratic country.”

In conclusion, Dr. Acosta delared that “The Liberal Party, therefore, joins the call of parliamentarians worldwide for the immediate restoration of the parliamentary immunity of Mr. Sam Rainsy and his colleagues and the immediate release of Mr. Chean Channy who continues to remain in detention.”

Rep. Loretta Anne Rosales, Chair of the Committee of Human Rights of the Philippine House of Representatives, expressed her support to the Sam Rainsy Party. Ms. Rosales vowed to raise the issue in the Philippine Congress.

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This post was written by CALD