Interior Minister Sar Sokha issued an order to provincial governors, the police force and military police to tighten security to restrict people from entering Phnom Penh as a group to prevent extremist groups from carrying out a “color revolution to overthrow the government”.
The order follows protests by several thousand Cambodians living overseas who demanded the government withdraw from the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Areas (CLV-DTA) due to concerns of Cambodia ceding territory in border provinces to Vietnam.
According to Sokha, a restriction on travel will be imposed from August 15 till the end of the month after a Telegram channel named “Roub Roum Dermbei Cheat” (United For The Nation) planned a demonstration on August 18 in Phnom Penh to demand the government to withdraw from the CLV-DTA.
At the time of writing, the Telegram group had a total 17,578 members while another group on Telegram, which supported the CLV-DTA, had 19,937 members.
“We have received information that they are asking people to come to Phnom Penh on the 18th [of August] to join the demonstration to demand Cambodia to leave the CLV-DTA. There are also people who are taking advantage of this issue by calling for a color revolution and asking the government to step down,” Sokha mentioned in an audio message, which was leaked to a Telegram group recently.
The voice was later identified as Sokha’s by ministry spokesperson Touch Sokhak.
The National Police will issue instructions on security issues to provincial police commissioners, especially provincial governors not to allow groups to gather between August 15 till the end of this month and to “restrict group travels to Phnom Penh”, particularly neighboring provinces near Phnom Penh, Sokha said.
“[We] can’t underestimate this issue because there is a group [Telegram channel] which is anti-CLV-DTA. Every day, there is a significant increase. Before the meeting it was 7,100 [members], then it became 7,500 [members], the increase is very rapid,” Sokha said.
“So, provincial governors please pay attention and do not allow gatherings if there is a request to hold demonstrations in public places,” he added.
He also urged the police, military police, as well as security guards who work closely with people at grassroots level and those who are “very well known” moving in and out, to keep watch on any gathering and to report immediately to the provincial authorities.
During a press conference on Tuesday, National Police chief Sar Thet said the police force was ready to take action against any group which plans to organize protests against the legitimate government using “undemocratic ways”.
“I would like to inform people who have joined a group or are thinking [of carrying out a protest] please don’t believe inciters or individuals who are against the government and development,” Thet said.
“We must not remain silent and must not be neutral. We have to protect the legitimate government, constitution, peace and achievements in our country,” Thet said.
He said the police have already collected evidence such as gasoline bottles and slingshots from “small extremist groups” that have gathered people to riot, which is a serious illegal act.
“We, the national police forces are not allowed [to bring down the government] because the armed forces are instruments of the state, we have to protect the state, and must not allow anyone to destroy the country in undemocratic ways,” he added.
Thet declined to comment when asked by CamboJA News if any arrests of people planning a demonstration against CLV-DTA have been made. Chhay Kim Khoeun, national police spokesperson, could not be reached for comment.
Phnom Penh Municipal deputy governor Keut Chhe confirmed that the Phnom Penh authority received the order from the Interior Minister but declined to elaborate as it involved national security, saying that it was not the media’s duty to ask questions regarding it.
“I think you as a reporter should not ask about security issues which [we] can’t speak about because it involves national security,” he said.
“The government and authorities have been maintaining peace, social stability and public order for the country and our people, so please don’t panic,” Chhe said.
The Justice Ministry issued a statement on August 14, stating that the collective force within the country which plans to demonstrate against CLV-DTA “is not an expression of opinion”, but a plot to “overthrow” the government.
It underlined that plotting to grab power without an election in a democratic multi-party country was a serious felony punishable under Article 451 and 452 of the Criminal Code with a 15 to 30 years’ jail sentence. If it was committed by public officials, the penalty was life sentence.
Former Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is now Senate president, reiterated that the government has no right to share Khmer territory with any country. The CLV-DTA is an agreement to boost economic development and commercial trade with Laos and Vietnam.
Cambodia was invited to establish CLV-DTA in 1999, which had the support of Laos and Vietnam. It covered 13 border provinces within the three countries. In Cambodia, border provinces Stung Treng, Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri and Kratie are part of the CLV-DTA.
Phnom Penh municipal police spokesperson Sam Vichhika said the order from Sar Sokha was a statement from the leadership and he cannot comment on it.
Asked how the authorities were prepared to protect social order, he replied, “it is the job of the authorities, we cannot inform [the public]”.
Phnom Penh governor Khuong Sreng said the protection of social order was a priority of the local authorities and competent forces.
“So far, Phnom Penh is fine but protecting people is a very important duty for us as a local authority,” he said, declining to comment further.
Kandal provincial governor Kuoch Chamroeun declined to comment. Governors in Takeo, Kampong Speu, Kampong Cham and Battambang provinces could not be reached for comment.
Cambodian Institute for Democracy president Pa Chanroeun said if the measure by the authorities was related to concerns about the development triangle, all parties should come up with positive solutions, demands or constructive input to avoid potential tragedies, and promote common national interests.
“For me, I can only call on all parties to calm down or don’t stress about the problem […] to avoid any possible tragedy,” he said.
