AP Photo
U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia Willam Heidt has dismissed claims by Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen that Washington was behind the assassination in 2016 of prominent political analyst Kem Ley as “absurd” and “offensive,” and reiterated calls for an independent investigation into his death.
While speaking to supporters in Sydney on March 16 ahead of a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) hosted by Australia, Hun Sen claimed that U.S.-based RFA Khmer Service reporter Chun Chanboth—also known as Vuthy Huot—contacted his son, Lt. Gen. Hun Manet, and Lt. Gen. Mao Sophann to request their protection from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which the prime minister alleged was responsible for the murder of Kem Ley.
“You scold me [in your reporting] in order to satisfy the U.S., yet at the same time, you are afraid of being murdered by the Americans just like Kem Ley,” the Cambodian strongman said, referring to the popular commentator, who was gunned down in broad daylight in Phnom Penh on July 10, 2016—hours after discussing a report by London-based Global Witness detailing the wealth of Hun Sen’s family.
On Sunday, Heidt hit back at the prime minister, saying that to make such accusations against Washington on the eve of the ASEAN summit and on the soil of a steadfast American ally was “not a friendly act.”
“Those comments are both absurd and they are offensive to the United States,” he said.
“Everybody in Cambodia knows that we’ve been a strong, strong supporter of human rights and democracy. We’ve supported NGOs and groups, and we’ve supported those kinds of issues because it’s a thing we believe in.”
He noted that Washington had always called for an “open and transparent investigation” into Kem Ley’s death “so that people in Cambodia can believe in the results of that investigation and what happened.”
Though authorities later charged a former soldier with the murder and sentenced him to life in prison, many in Cambodia did not believe the government’s story that Kem Ley was killed by the man over a debt.
Heidt also noted that “there have been a string of these killings connected to political issues in Cambodia,” including a 1997 grenade attack on anti-government demonstrators that left 16 dead and the 2004 shooting death of union leader Chea Vichea, “and nobody ever really has a feeling that justice is done and that we know who is responsible.”
“And that’s why open, independent, transparent investigations are so important,” he added.
Hun Sen said last week that Chun Chanboth had sent messages to Hun Manet via WhatsApp saying he feared that he would be murdered by agents from the U.S., who Cambodia’s government has accused of assisting the now-dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) in trying to take over the country.
“Tens of thousands of journalists from every country in the world file stories every day in America—they write stories that are supportive of the American government and they write stories that are critical of the American government,” Heidt said Sunday.
“In America, we have the freest, most open media environment in the world, and I’m telling you, none of those journalists are afraid—not a one. This idea that Chun Chanboth is afraid of being in America or something, frankly it’s just silly … it’s not even worth discussing.”
On Monday, Cambodia’s Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan told RFA that “action will be taken” in response to Heidt’s remarks.
“Whatever Ambassador William Heidt says, he has to be held accountable and we will take action,” he said.
“I support what Prime Minister Hun Sen has said. He may have significant evidence to back up his claims.”
Phay Siphan also rejected Heidt’s call for an independent probe into Kem Ley’s murder, saying “the investigation has been fully carried out.”
“Whether Cambodia undertakes an investigation or not won’t be dictated by the ambassador of any country.”
Attempts to reach Ministry of Interior spokesperson Khieu Sopheak for comment on the likelihood of a new investigation into Kem Ley’s death went unanswered on Monday.
