The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 592
“Vietnam Airlines and the Yuon [Vietnamese] authorities prevented two members of the European Parliament to travel by plane from Cambodia to Yuon yesterday, on 23 December 2008, under the pretext that there will be a huge demonstration by Yuon citizens in Hanoi against the presence of the two European Parliament members.
“This prevention by the Yuon authorities happened when the two European Parliament members planned to meet parliament members and officials of the Hanoi government to talk about the demands for human rights and freedom for tribal Montagnards, and about the demands for full freedom of religious practices, and for the rights for Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks and citizens, who are living in their homeland under the control and restrictions of their right by the Hanoi government, and about the demand for the release of Monk Tim Sakhan and five other Kampuchea Krom monks in Kleang [former Khmer name – now the Trăng Province of Vietnam] who are in jail.
“At 12:40 p.m. on 23 December 2008, Mr. Marco Panella and Mr. Marco Perduca, members of the European Parliament, arrived at the Phnom Penh International Airport to get into a plane of Vietnam Airlines to Saigon. But before they got into the plane, they had to wait for a period of time and then, Vietnam Airlines gave them a letter which is not from the Vietnamese government, but it is a letter of a Vietnamese travel agency, the Vungtau Intourco Hanoi saying, ‘According to a request by the Vietnamese Embassy in Rome in Italy, regarding the visas proposed for permission to travel to Vietnam from 18 December 2008 to 18 January 2009, Mr. Marco Panella and Mr. Marco Perduca have to show documents about their work program for their visit to Vietnam, according to Vietnamese laws about visas to enter Vietnam.
“Vietnam Airlines added that it could not contact the European Parliament members [who were traveling] to ask for their work program in Vietnam, according the Vietnamese law; therefore, Vietnam Airlines notified them that the company cannot allow them to board he plane to Vietnam.
“Mr. Marco Perduca told journalists in a press conference at a park in front of the Hotel Le Royal in the afternoon of 23 December 2008. According to information he got from the Italian Embassy in Hanoi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam delivered the information that there are letters of Vietnamese citizens opposing the presence of both of them. That is the reason why the Vietnamese government is worried that it cannot protect the security for them and the Vietnamese government suggested both of them not to travel to Vietnam.
“Mr. Marco Perduca went on to say that both of them come to visit Cambodia and after that, they will move to Vietnam for an unofficial visit. In Cambodia, he met Khmer Kampuchea Krom communities and monks on Sunday of 21 December 2008, and he met also members of the National Assembly from the Sam Rainsy Party. They will continue their travel to Vietnam to meet government officials as well as members of the Vietnamese parliament. They will visit Khmer Kampuchea Krom communities, members of the Catholic church, and Montagnards, and will demand the release of five Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks who are being jailed, and demand to send Monk Tim Sakhan to be sent back to Cambodia and to release a 90-year-old man, a religious leader, who is being held in his home. He added that according to officials of the Italian Embassy in Hanoi, their visas have not yet been canceled, and parliament members and government officials of Vietnam are prepared to greet them. It is strange what happened at the Phnom Penh International Airport of Cambodia, preventing them to get on the plane to fly to Vietnam.
“Mr. Marco Panella said that it is a simple thing that two of them want to travel to Vietnam to meet with government officials and parliament members of Vietnam, but they could not even get into the plane. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy told that there is no change and the visas to Vietnam are still valid. As for the information that there will be demonstration against them when arriving Vietnam, he said that it is an honor if Vietnamese citizens hold demonstration against them and that the Vietnamese authorities cannot protect both of their lives.
“Mr. Marco Panella continued to say that the European Parliament members aim to demand the Vietnamese government for rights and freedoms for Montagnards, for Catholics, and for Khmer Kampuchea Krom citizens and demand the release of five Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks, including Yen Toun, Ly Soeung, Kim Moeun, Thach Soeun, and Theun, who are jailed by the Vietnamese authorities in Kleang province [now Trăng Province of Vietnam] in 2007 as well as to send Monk Tim Sakhan back to Cambodia.” Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3647, 24.12.2008
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
Deum Ampil, Vol.2, #100, 24-26.12.2008
- [Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian] Son Chhay: Creating an Expert Group to Limit Fuel Prices Is Better Than the Prime Minister’s Begging [to fuel companies to reduce fuel prices]
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1828, 24.12.2008
- The Prices of Fuel Stay Still after an Appeal by Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen [gasoline is around Riel 3,100 per liter, corresponding to approx. US$0.77]
- The Manager and the Owner of Mikado Club Who Have a Website to Sell Cambodian Woman’s Sex Services Were Apprehended [they are still detained in order to conduct further investigations]
- The Ministry of Environment Encourages the Media to Publish Environmental Problems in Detail
Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #166, 24.12.2008
- Tourists Guide Groups Support the Adoption of a Tourism Law to Be Applied in Cambodia for the Cities and Provinces
Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6533, 24.12.2008
- [Minister of Foreign Affairs] Hor Namhong Goes to Preah Vihear; Military Officials Reject War Rumor
- New Thai Government Held a Swearing-in Ceremony [with 36 members]
Mate Neak, Vol.1, #15, 24-30.12.2008
- Income of the Naga Casino Increased [the biggest casino in Cambodia released figure for six months of 2008, showing that the its income increased by 26%, compared to the same period last year, corresponding to US$25.5 million]
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3647, 24.12.2008
- The Yuon Authorities Prohibit Vietnam Airlines to Pick Up European Parliament Members from Cambodia to Yuon [Vietnam]
- US Embassy Official [Mr. John Johnson] Said that Robberies on Foreigners Increased
- [Former Prime Minister and Human Rights Party Vice-President] Pen Sovann: If Hun Sen Is Strong, Let the National Television Publish the “2 December” Documentary Film That I Have [reacting against Prime Minister Hun Sen’s recent criticism, for Mr. Pen Sovann had written in a recently published book “Autobiography of Pen Sovann and the Fundamental Reason of Cambodia’s History,” that he was the Father of “2 December 1978” – the date of the creation of the National United Front for the National Salvation of Kampuchea (NUFNSK) – and that Prime Minister Hun Sen was really his follower during the early days of the People’s Republic of Kampuchea – 1979–1989; Pen Sovann was deposed and arrested 1981 and imprisoned in Vietnam for 11 years]
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4776, 24.12.2008
- Because the Road Was Too Dusty Making It Impossible to See, a Car Collided with a Truck, Resulting in Two Deaths and Seven Injured People [Thma Puok, Banteay Meanchey]
- Man Hit His Wife After Childbirth to Death [the man escaped, leaving his children – Prey Veng]
- The Puea Thai Party [พรรคเพื่อไทย] Demands Removal of the New Minister of Foreign Affairs [Kasit Piromya, because he was involved with the People’s Alliance for Democracy demonstrators, who occupied two airports and he said that it was a happy organization; if he is not removed, the Phua Thai Party groups will demonstrate in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok]
- China Provides Nearly US$19 Billion to Taiwan [to create warmer ties between both territories]
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