Institute Disowns Ex-Director

More than three months after Lao Mong Hay’s resignation, the Khmer Institute of Democracy has disavowed connection with its former executive director.

“He’s been making a lot of comments lately and there has been some confusion,” acting Executive Director Julio Jeldres said Sunday.

The institute issued a statement last week announcing that it is moving to new offices and that anything Lao Mong Hay says is “made under his own personal responsibility and should not be linked in any way to” the institute.

The disavowal statement, however, should not be considered a condemnation of Lao Mong Hay, Jeldres said.

“We will always recognize the tremendous work he has done for this country,” Jeldres said.

Lao Mong Hay resigned from the institute March 7, after seven years as its leader. On Monday, Lao Mong Hay said he could not understand why the statement was sent out, but he said his poor relationship with Jeldres, the institute’s board chairman, was one reason behind his resignation.

Jeldres was one of the co-found­ers of the institute and served as its director until 1995, when Lao Mong Hay took over. He re­sumed the helm after Lao Mong Hay’s resignation.

Lao Mong Hay now serves as the chief of the Center for Social Development’s legal unit, where he said he is working to convince the government to pass its long-awaited anti-corruption law.

 

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