Back to “darkness”? Concern about dictatorship resurrection Cambodia 3 December 19:16

Cambodia has lost more than 1.7 million lives under the former dictatorship by slaughter and forced labor. Now, there is a sense of anxiety about going back to that “dark” era. Concerns over the revival of dictatorship are growing, with more than 70 opposition parties being arrested one after another under Prime Minister Hun Sen, who stands out for power. What is happening now in Cambodia, where 26 years ago, a democratic country started again.
(Director, Hanoi branch)

“I was arrested just for sharing my SNS”

Min Sin Lim (33) 's husband, Li Main Kin (34), who lives near Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, was suddenly called by a local police station and arrested in September. .

The reason why the husband was arrested was that Mr. Kin was told by the husband when he met a detained husband with the help of a lawyer.

“I was arrested just for“ sharing ”a post about the opposition in SNS.”

Her husband, Kin, was an enthusiastic supporter of the largest opposition party, the “National Party”.

He thinks that “Cambodia needs democracy where you can freely express your opinions,” and he has helped with meetings by seizing busy work.

In addition to two small children, Lim will refrain from giving birth next February. How should we live from now on? Lim was simply confused by her sudden arrest of her husband.

(Min Shin Lim)
"I'm scared because I'm not doing anything. I'm up to them to interpret the law. I don't know what I'm thinking."

Over 70 people arrested in 3 months

In Cambodia, over the last three months from mid-August to November, more than 70 people including opposition officials were arrested one after another, just like Kin.

The suspicion was that he was planning a coup.

Why are you arrested in large numbers? The trigger is the political enemy's return notice

The direction was given by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in power for 34 years.

The chance was that Sam Rensie, the head of the party before the National Salvation Party, now living abroad, foretold that he would return to Japan on November 9th independence day.

Sam Renshi is a long-time political enemy of Prime Minister Hun Sen, and is one of the leading figures who made a major breakthrough in the general election last time (2013).

However, since my arrest warrant was issued four years ago, I have been living abroad.

Prime Minister Hun Sen decided that “Sam Lenci is returning home and plans a coup” and arrested all the parties and supporters of the SRC as a cooperator.

Fear and blockage spread to the public

Even SNS share can lead to arrest. Now, many citizens deliberately avoid talking about politics.

I tried interviewing citizens in Phnom Penh about a series of arrests, but uniformly said, `` I can not answer '', `` I keep it in my chest '' etc., responding to interviews in front of the camera did not.

Under such circumstances, one man responded to the interview under the condition of anonymity.

The man revealed in his heart that "Many people are hoping to change their politics, but they don't accept different opinions and have no fear of arrest."

“The Hun Sen administration is no longer dictatorship”

A sense of blockage spreading throughout the country. Lao Mon Hai, a political analyst who has also served as an advisor to the opposition party, has criticized it harshly saying that the Hun Sen administration is no longer dictatorship.

(Mr. Lao Mon Hai)
“Some people who have power control all the functions of the country and privateize the country like a private company. The abuse of power is causing corruption and disparity, leading to public dissatisfaction. This situation is not right. "

Prime Minister's political enemy abandoned to return

Sam Lancy, who made a “notice of returning home”, eventually refused to board the airline when he was heading to Thailand, and gave up returning to Japan on the day of independence.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is wary of returning home, is believed to have influenced the neighboring countries such as Thailand to “return home”.

In response to NHK's interview in Malaysia, where Sam Len-si stayed for a while, Prime Minister Hun Sen was strongly accused.

(Mr. Sam Lenny)
“Current Cambodia is no longer a one-party rule, but the prime minister is in control of everything.” “The pressure for democratic change is stronger than ever in Japan and abroad.”

Bail opposition officials, but ban political activities

Following the withdrawal of Sam Renshi, Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the bail of more than 70 opposition officials arrested by the 15th of last month.

Mr. Kin, who was arrested just for sharing with SNS, was also released on bail.

Reunited with children for the first time in 2 months. I was delighted to shed tears on the children who embrace with a voice of joy, “Paper!”.

However, Mr. Kin was signed by a police force before the bail. It was a document that promised not to participate in any political activities in the future.

Tightening by authorities until desperate. Kin and other opposition parties are concerned about repression.

(Re Maine Kin)
"The police didn't even explain what allegedly they were being charged to the end. The police have committed crimes that they had to arrest, such as robberies and murders. do not know"

Prime Minister Hun Sen strengthening his power

Prime Minister Hun Sen has strengthened his power over the past few years. Once a young leader entrusted with democratization in Cambodia.

In the late 1970s, over 1.7 million people, one-fifth of the people, were killed by slaughter and forced labor under the Pol Pot regime, which set out extreme communism in Cambodia.

The fierce civil war continued even after the collapse of the administration, but finally a democratic election was realized in 1993 with the support of Japan and the international community. Cambodia relaunched as a democratic country, and its reins were entrusted to the young Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been strengthening his sovereign attitude, has been given a harsh look by the international community, saying, “We are going against the democratization process”. Western countries in particular are increasingly criticized, and the EU is also considering economic sanctions against Cambodia.

However, Prime Minister Hun Sen is not at all concerned. Not only that, they are repelling the EU, saying, “I'm flickering sanctions in order to manipulate Cambodia the way I want.

Hun Sen ’s bullish attitude. The background is the presence of China. Such a powerful administration is possible only because China, which is expanding its influence by leveraging massive economic cooperation such as large-scale infrastructure development, is supported.

How the international community faces Cambodia

Japan has also been heavily involved in the progress of Cambodia's democratization. In the meantime, there were great sacrifices, including the death of two Japanese people, a young man who was active as a UN volunteer and a police officer who was involved in UN peacekeeping operations.

However, with the efforts and contributions of the international community including Japan, the democracy that has been rooted by Cambodian people is in a critical situation. In order to protect the accumulation of these 26 years, I think that we Japanese also have to face Cambodia and firmly support the next step.

Hanoi branch