VZCZCXRO0569
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #2210/01 3550120
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210120Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7732
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 002210 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM KJUS PREF CB
SUBJECT:  REACTION TO FINNISH VISA FOR CONVICTED CAMBODIAN COP 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  While the Cambodian government has reacted 
angrily to the Finnish government's decision to offer a visa to 
convicted senior police official Heng Pov, Cambodian human rights 
NGOs and the political opposition are pleased with the decision. 
Following the announcement on December 6, Cambodian Foreign Minister 
Hor Namhong held a press conference that was played repeatedly on 
government-controlled media in which the MFA sharply criticized the 
GOF decision.  Some NGOs suggest that Heng Pov could face legal 
problems in Finland, where Cambodian citizens may take the former 
RGC police official to court.  End Summary. 
 
Cambodian MFA:  GOF Decision "Very Regrettable" 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶2.  (U)  Following the GOF's confirmation of the December 6 
announcement in Malaysia that Finland would grant Heng Pov a visa, 
the Cambodian government criticized Finland's government of giving 
asylum to a Cambodian criminal, and sardonically urged Finland to 
accept other criminals interned in Cambodia's prison system.  In a 
letter by Hor Namhong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign 
Affairs and International Cooperation, to his counterpart in 
Finland, Hor Namhong expressed anger and obvious frustration that 
Finland's government had decided to issue a visa for convicted 
criminal Heng Pov.  "I would recall that this is the second time a 
convicted criminal from Cambodia has been offered shelter in your 
country," Hor Namhong said in the letter dated on December 7.  "Sok 
Yoeun, who was convicted for a rocket attack and attempting to 
assassinate Prime Miniter Hun Sen in 1998 was also given sanctuary 
by your country on a similar pretext". 
 
¶3.  (U)  "It is very regrettable indeed that criminals who 
fabricated claims against the Royal Government of Cambodia to 
masquerade their actual crimes have gained protection from Finland," 
Hor Namhong said.  In the letter, Hor Namhong said there are many 
convicted criminals in Cambodia; and suggested if Finland wishes to 
provide care for them, Cambodia will be very pleased to send them to 
Finland.  On behalf of the RGC, Hor Namhong urged the Government of 
Finland to reconsider its decision. 
 
¶4.  (U)  Ex-Municipal police chief Heng Pov, who is being detained 
on immigration charges by Malaysian police, fled from Cambodia in 
late July -- shortly before Cambodian authorities issued an arrest 
warrant.  A Cambodian court later convicted Heng Pov in absentia to 
18 years imprisonment on several counts, including the murder of 
Judge Sok Sethemony in Phnom Penh.  In Singapore where Heng Pov 
first arrived, Heng Pov rebuffed the government's accusations, 
countering that senior RGC officials were behind such unsolved 
political crimes as the murder of union leader Chea Vichea in 2004, 
the 1997 grenade attack that killed 16 protesters outside the 
National Assembly, and the murder of famous actress Pisith Pilika. 
Singapore later expelled Heng Pov to Malaysia, the point of entry 
for his arrival in Singapore.  Malaysian immigration authorities 
arrested Heng Pov on October 3, and his lawyers appealed to 
Malaysian authorities to resist RGC calls for his deportation to 
Cambodia. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  With the GOF visa offer, the Cambodian press has given 
extensive coverage to the Heng Pov case once again.  Hor Namhong 
gave a press conference on December 7, which was broadcast on both 
state and privately-owned television and radio that same evening. 
Numerous stories appeared on the front pages of the local print 
media on December 8.  Press reports also quoted Finland's Ambassador 
to Malaysia as saying that the GOF arrived at the decision as a 
result of human rights concerns raised by Heng Pov's lawyers as well 
as unnamed NGOs.  The latter reference ensured that Cambodian NGOs 
contacted by the press for reaction to the GOF decision were 
circumspect in their public remarks for fear of being too closely 
identified as supporting Heng Pov's case. 
 
NGO Reaction to Finnish Offer 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) Director Kem 
Sokha characterized Finland's offer of an entry visa to Heng Pov as 
a humanitarian gesture.  Kem Sokha told us that he believes Finland 
offered the visa to Heng Pov after careful consideration of the 
case.  He added that Finland has provided asylum to other 
Cambodians, e.g., SRP official Sok Yoeun, as well as family members 
of slain union leaders Chea Vichea and Ros Sovannareth.  Kek 
Galabru, LICADHO Director, said that many Cambodians in Canada, 
Australia, the United States and Finland do not want Heng Pov to be 
deported to Cambodia because of the lack of an independent judiciary 
and prospects for a fair trial.  Many of those individuals have 
lobbied other countries, including Finland, for asylum for Heng Pov, 
she said. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Thun Saray, Director of ADHOC, offered no insight into 
Finland's decision.  He said that Heng Pov's issue is complicated 
because Heng Pov was also involved in crimes in Cambodia and is not 
 
PHNOM PENH 00002210  002 OF 002 
 
 
an innocent man.  However, Cambodia's judiciary is neither neutral 
nor fair for cases like Heng Pov's, the human rights leader added. 
Heng Pov would never have a chance to disclose information regarding 
his crimes and those involving other senior RGC officials if he were 
sent back to Cambodia, said Thun Saray.  Nay Dina, Executive 
Director of Khmer Institute for Democracy (KID), added that the 
truth about many unsolved crimes in Cambodia may come to light once 
Heng Pov is safely relocated to Finland or another third country. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  When contacted by the press, Sam Rainsy, leader of 
Cambodia's main opposition party, claimed  surprise over the offer 
of asylum.  Since Heng Pov's flight from Cambodia, Sam Rainsy has 
instructed his colleagues to distance themselves from the issue, 
comparing the issue to a "conflict among rascals."  Privately, 
however, Rainsy has indicated a strong desire to see Heng Pov 
receive asylum from a third country and not face return to Cambodia, 
where the opposition leader has opined that Pov would likely be 
killed. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Comment.  Cambodia's public believes that Heng Pov is 
culpable for many crimes, but also has knowledge regarding other 
crimes his ranking supervisors ordered or covered up.  NGOs have 
mixed feelings about Heng Pov, but all noted respect for Finland's 
decision.  However, it is not clear Heng Pov was involved in the 
crimes for which he has been charged and convicted in absentia.  No 
one contacted believes Heng Pov's trial was fair and impartial, nor 
do they have confidence the ex-police official will be able to tell 
his full story if returned to Cambodia.  Heng Pov has claimed that 
he has proof of his allegations, but to date has offered nothing 
specific.  Some sources speculated that Heng Pov could face charges 
in Finland brought by other Cambodians, as the former MOI official 
may have been involved in the cases that led to their decision to 
seek asylum abroad.  While the process for removing Heng Pov from 
Malaysia to Singapore and then possibly on to Finland remains 
unclear, Heng Pov is likely to prefer risking legal action against 
him in Finland to going to jail in Cambodia.  End Comment.