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Mam Sonando case Cambodia's attempt to silence critics, rights
group
Slug: Cambodia activist
Reporter: Borin Noun
Date: 2/10/2012
INTRO:
Prominent Cambodian journalist and activist Mam Sonando has been
sentenced to 20
years in jail.
He was arrested in July, accused of masterminding a secessionist
plot in the Kratie
Province.
The village has been the site of a long-running and violent land
dispute.
Mam Sonando's Beehive Radio station is one of the few
independent media outlets in
Cambodia and regularly airs the voices of opposition parties and
those critical of the
government.
Rights groups say his sentencing is the latest attempt by the
government to silence its
critics in the lead-up to next year's national elections.
Borin Noun reports.
TEXT:
SFX:2 atmostphere in Court room
The court was packed with international and local human rights
defenders.
The decision was what they feared.
20 years in jail for inciting villagers to try to form their own
state.
An accusation Mam Sonnando denies.
Mam Sonnado clip 1 (Male/Khmer): Im happy to save Cambodian poor
people. I will
get justice at the final moment.
SFX: 4 many supporters crying before court home
Hundreds of Sonandos supporters protested outside the court
room.
They chant, sing a national song to respect human rights amid a
heavy police presence.
Thun Sarin travelled 100 kilometres from his home in the Prey
Veng Province to be here.
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Thun Sarin clip 1(Male/Khmer): Government has to release and
give justice to Mam
Sonando. We are poor people and we demand him to be freed. The
government and
court should not detain him. Hes innocent. If Sonando is not
released, I will continuefighting till I die.
Mam Sonando was arrested in July, accused of masterminding a
plot to establish anautonomous region in Pro Ma Village in eastern
Kratie province.
Farmers there have been evicted from their land to make way for
a Russian-ownedagribusiness.
In May a teenage girl was shot dead when security forces clashed
with protestors.
SFX: 5 his radio station voice relating to Sonandos
activists
Mam Sonando also runs Beehive Radio, one of the few independent
media outlets in the
country.
It regularly gives airtime to the opposition parties and those
critical of the government.
And this has made Prime Minister Hun Sen angry.
In a nationally broadcasted speech last June, he called for
Sonandos arrest.
Hun Sen clip 1 (Male, Khmer): Were calling all civil and NOGs to
find lawyers to
defend this case. We will seek to arrest him. We will bring him
to be sentenced.
Rights groups say the the case is shocking and the latest
attempt from the government
to silence critics ahead of next years election.
Amnesty Internationals regional spokesperson Rupert Abbott says
the verdict is
politically motivated.
Rupert Abbott Clip 1 (Male/ English): It shows as a political
thing, so we have to have a
political solution. I think there are two factors that are
relevant. One is that next year we
will have the national election. And that Mam Sonand has been
given slots for oppositionparties on his radio station. So theres a
motivation to stop the voice.
Long Pha from Takeo province is a member of the Association of
Democrats, a group ofactivists lead by Sonand.
Long Pha ( Male/ Khmer): On behalf of his Association in Takeo
province, I will standup for him and protest until the chief Mam
Sonando gets justice and is released from
prison.
SFX: 3 car sound carrying Mon Sonando back prison
