Cambodian Opposition leader detained by Vietnam
PHNOM PENH: Cambodian opposition leader Sam
Rainsy and 25 supporters were detained briefly on
Saturday by Vietnamese soldiers at a village on the
border between the two countries, his party and
Cambodian officials said.
Sam Rainsy was detained opposite Kirivong district of
Cambodia's eastern Takeo province after crossing into
Vietnam.
He was released after agreeing to delete video footage he
had filmed there, his wife Tioulong Saumura said.
Om Yentieng, personal adviser to Cambodian Prime
Minister Hun Sen, said that his staff had talked to
Vietnamese authorities and that Sam Rainsy and his
group had been released and were on their way back to
Phnom Penh.
A diplomat at the Vietnamese embassy in Phnom Penh,
speaking earlier on condition of anonymity, said the
embassy had no knowledge of the reported detention.
One other lower house lawmaker and two senators from
the Sam Rainsy Party were among the 25 people, who
were visiting the area to distribute food to 500
Cambodian families hit by heavy monsoon floods this
year, party officials said.
Sam Rainsy was also investigating reports of Vietnamese
encroachment on Cambodian territory - an accusation
often repeated by the outspoken opposition leader.
Tioulong Saumura, who is also a Sam Rainsy Party
lawmaker, said the group had crossed into Vietnam
through an official border checkpoint.
She said Den village where he was detained belonged to
Cambodia but had come under the control of Vietnam.
Another party official Ou Sovann said Sam Rainsy had
gotten into trouble for videotaping an area where there
was border dispute between Cambodian and Vietnamese
authorities.
A key element of Sam Rainsy's political platform is that
Vietnam has progressively encroached on Cambodian
territory, particularly after it invaded Cambodia in 1979
and maintained a large occupying force for a decade.
Last week, Cambodia's Interior Ministry asked the
Foreign Affairs Ministry to review alleged Vietnamese
encroachment in a different Cambodian province.
Cambodians traditionally fear encroachment by their
larger eastern neighbour.
Associated Press - November 26, 2000.
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