Alleged Anti-Government Force Stands Trial

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday tried six men accused of forming in 2006 an illegal armed anti-government force called Sovanna Phum, or Golden Village Movement. The six men-Chea Sarann, 49 Liv Soksovann, 49, Phlort Rey, 60 chum Vichey, 42, Yom Hev, 41, and Port Phor, 46-were arrested on March 31 and charged with forming an illegal armed group under Article 463 of the new penal code, a charge that carries a jail sentence of up to 30 years. Touch Kongkea, deputy chief of the information bureau for the national military police, said an investigation into the case had found that the movement was anti-government in nature, though he did not elaborate further on their philosophy or motivation. In court, Mr Sarann said he was responsible for creating the movement but that it was not anti-government, adding that the group had had no weapons. "We did not have a head office, salaries or weapons, and we were not against the royal government," Mr Sarann said. He explained that he had created the group on the group on the request of a man nicknamed Thab Thai, who had told him that they would receive $20 million in funds from Taiwan. Mr Saran said he did not know the whereabouts of Mr Thai. Mr Sarann said he had appointed Mr Vichey, Soksovann and Mr Rey to positions within the group, but did not know Mr Hev or Mr Phor. Mr Vichey and Mr Rey said they were government spies and had only become involved in Sovanna Phum in order to compile information on the movement for the government. In recent years, several similarly alleged anti-government groups have been uncovered and accused of plotting against the government. The leaders of a group called the Tiger Head Movement were convicted of placing small bomb-like devices around Phnom Penh in 2009 and received lengthy prison sentences, while scores were rounded up following the so-called Cambodian Freedom Fighters' attacks in Phnom Penh in 2000. Opposition parliamentarian Cheam Channy was also arrested in 2005 and jailed for his alleged role in setting up an illegal army. National and international human rights groups blasted his trial at the military court for lacking any credibility. The verdict in the Sovanna Phum trial is due to be announced Oct27.