Opposition leader Sam Rainsy claimed on Thursday that he is the target of an elaborate plot to frame him for last week’s anti-Thai riots and the government is preparing his arrest for allegedly masterminding the Thai Embassy mayhem.
Sam Rainsy said a document—alleged to be penned by the Sam Rainsy Party—is being circulated by e-mail and contains instructions for opposition supporters to undertake violent, anti-government activities, including rioting.
The 52-point document, written in English, contains instructions for Sam Rainsy Party supporters to set up “a suicide group in order to fight horribly, against the CPP party.”
“Without any sacrifice of lives, the [Sam Rainsy] party could not win the CPP party at all,” the e-mail stated.
“[Sam Rainsy Party] members must do strong propaganda by secret and even open actions to poison the situation, causing the riots and confusion among people and make them hate the CPP party,” the e-mail added.
Sam Rainsy said the document was obviously fake and another ploy by the government to build a case against him in an attempt to prosecute him for last week’s riots in Phnom Penh.
“This forged document is obviously part of a plot to shift the blame for the January 29 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh onto the opposition Sam Rainsy Party from the real masterminds,” Sam Rainsy said.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has blamed the riots on unnamed “extremists” and politicians while Thai media reported last week that co-Minister of Defense Tea Banh put the blame squarely on Sam Rainsy.
However, Tea Banh subsequently denied naming the opposition party leader as the chief suspect.
Thai Embassy officials have kept their most strident criticism of the violent events for Cambodian security forces who stood idly by as hordes of young arsonists descended on the Thai diplomatic compound and Thai businesses.
Sam Rainsy also claimed Thursday that several Funcinpec members had warned him to prepare for possible arrest, as the government was obtaining a warrant.
The opposition party leader said he was also warned of a National Assembly vote to have his parliamentary immunity removed—a necessary step before arrest.
Neither Phnom Penh Municipal Court nor Funcinpec officials could confirm the opposition leader’s claims
But, two royalist party members did say they too had overheard a third Funcinpec party member warn an opposition member about the impending arrest.
Interior Ministry spokesman General Khieu Sopheak said on Thursday he was unaware of any moves to arrest Sam Rainsy.
Sam Rainsy denies being anywhere near the embassy riots and has brought a slander case against Assembly President and Funcinpec leader Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who claimed earlier this week that the opposition leader was seen driving in his vehicle behind the protesters.
Other points in the alleged Sam Rainsy Party e-mail circulated on Thursday refer to the opposition working closely with Mam Sonando’s Beehive Radio, and with US-backed Voice of America and Radio Free Asia networks to produce propaganda for the July elections.
Mam Sonando is currently jailed on charges of inciting last week’s mobs, and his radio station remains off the air.
“The [SRP] will get money right away as long as the [SRP] party win the CPP party. The money will be granted by the USA,” the document claimed.
