US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK6947

UNCLAS BANGKOK 006947 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, CB, TH, CAMBODIA, Refugee 
SUBJECT: CAMBODIAN OPPOSITION FIGURE MU SOCHUA PESSIMISTIC 
ABOUT CURRENT CAMBODIAN POLITICAL SITUATION 
 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please handle accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary.  Cambodian opposition figure Mu Sochua told 
Western diplomats on November 3 that the general political 
atmosphere in her country was worsening and that additional 
Cambodian political activists would likely flee to Thailand. 
End summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Sam Rainsy Party member Mu Sochua briefed Western 
diplomats on the Cambodian political situation at a November 
3 meeting arranged by the New Zealand Embassy.  Sochua was 
accompanied by representatives from Forum Asia, a human 
rights NGO.  Sochua was on her way to Japan where she will 
speak at two human rights events. 
 
3. (SBU) Sochua described Hun Sen's political crackdown in 
the aftermath of Cambodia's signing of a border agreement 
with Vietnam.  She said that the general political situation 
was worsening, noting that she herself had felt threatened in 
the current atmosphere.  She stated that she and other party 
leaders were counseling calm, even though many in the 
rank-and-file wanted to take to the streets to protest 
against Hun Sen.  Despite current conditions, she would 
return to Cambodia even if it meant she would be arrested. 
She encouraged the diplomats present to put pressure on the 
Hun Sen government, including asking for permission to see 
recently-jailed political activists. 
 
4. (SBU) Sochua expressed concern about the safety of the 
three members of the Cambodia Watchdog Council (CWC) who 
recently fled to Thailand.  She said that she expected more 
Cambodian political activists to take the same course of 
action given the current political situation. 
 
5 (SBU) In a subsequent discussion, the diplomats present, 
including Refcoord, described their actions on behalf of the 
three CWC members.  The Canadian and EU representatives noted 
that their Missions had expressed concern about the three to 
the Thai government and urged the Thai not to deport them to 
Cambodia.  The Canadian representative said that he believed 
Canada would resettle the three if asked to do so.  There was 
agreement to remain in contact on the issue and to keep open 
the possibility of a joint demarche to the Thai if warranted. 
 
6. (U) This message was cleared by Embassy Phnom Penh. 
BOYCE