Cambodia strongman derides democracy

PHNOM PENH:Cambodia's strongman leader Hun Sen lashed out at Western governments forpushing "democracy and human rights" on his country, capping off atumultuous political year with a fiery speech yesterday. The 66-year-old primeminister has ruled Cambodia for over three decades, with the Southeast Asiancountry tilting towards China in recent years thanks to loans forinfrastructure and few complaints on human rights issues.

Hisadministration was renewed for another five years in July following electionscritics condemned as a sham, inciting threats from the European Union to revokeduty-free access to EU countries. But Hun Sen remained defiant yesterday as heinaugurated a monument with carvings showcasing his government's achievements."Don't make war by using what is called democracy and human rights, inwhich democratic countries used to make the mistake of supporting Lon Nol'scoup," he said in a speech to thousands of officials.

Lon Nol'sUS-backed regime was ousted by the ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge in 1975,jumpstarting four years of horror as Cambodians were forced to live on farmingcommunes, endure hard labor, and were tortured and murdered if they weresuspected of plotting against leader Pol Pot. Hun Sen was a former Khmer Rougecadre who defected and had a role in toppling the genocidal regime in 1979,although the US later sought to keep the ousted Khmer Rouge at the table in theUnited Nations.

"You as ademocratic country ... supported Pol Pot, who used to kill people with noregards for respecting human rights," Hun Sen said, without naming the US."You supported them to keep a seat at the UN." Cambodia's governmentdissolved the main opposition party and jailed its leader ahead of July electionsin which it won every seat in parliament, transforming the nation into aone-party state. - AFP