Brad Adams: Hun Sen has a solid hold on power

06 July 2007

By Sok Serei

Radio Free Asia

Translated from Khmer by Socheta

On Friday, Brad Adams, Asia director of New York-based Human Rights Watch, presented the results of his research on the 5-6 July 1997 coup d’état which took place 10 years ago and allowed Hun Sen to have a solid hold on power until now.

Brad Adams, who is currently visiting Cambodia, said, this Friday, in a press conference recalling the 10-year anniversary coup d’état, that prime minister Hun Sen now has a solid grip on power, both in politics and in the control of the army.

He criticized the lack of strong well-being in Cambodia, and he said that Cambodian people will continue to live under this ruling system for a long time to come, but he hopes that next generations of Cambodians will bring about the change by being more politically involved.

He blamed the 5-6 July 1997 coup d’état on the power struggle between Hun Sen, the then-second prime minister, who wanted to confiscate armaments from troops loyal to Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the then-first prime minister, whereas, Hun Sen used the cleanup of anarchic troops as an excuse to perpetrate the coup d’état.

In reaction to this accusation, Khieu Kanharith, spokesman of the government, told RFA that Brad Adams is considering Hun Sen as an enemy, and that this is nothing new.

Khieu Kanharith said: “Since before, he used to work with the Khmer Rouge, and he is a man who always opposed Hun Sen. Secondly, we need to ask who in ’97 were warring in Cambodia, was it the Khmer Rouge or Funcinpec? I am currently congratulating Funcinpec officials because they are patriotic, that was why we fought only for two days. But because Brad Adams used to work for the Khmer Rouge, for those who live in the camps (resistance fighters along the border with Thailand), that’s why he is a mortal enemy of Hun Sen.”

On 5-6 July 1997, 10 years ago, troops loyal to Hun Sen, then-2nd prime minister, and troops loyal to Prince Ranariddh, then-first prime minister, clashed for two days in the middle of Phnom Penh. The event led to the killings of several high-ranking officials and army generals loyal to Prince Ranariddh. A number of people blamed the coup d’état on the power struggle, but the (Hun Sen) government of Cambodia considered this event as a cleanup operation to wipe out anarchic troops set up by Prince Ranariddh.

SRP MP Son Chhay who was also present at Brad Adams’ presentation said: “One issue which must be recalled: the use of guns in a power struggle is very dangerous and is a bad practice that we must avoid.”

Labels: Brad Adams, CPP, Funcinpec, HRW, Hun Sen 1997 coup d'état
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