Call for Action Against Sovantha

KHMER TIMES
PECH SOTHEARY

Ms. Thy Sovantha, president of Social Affairs Youth Organization, met with villagers in Tbong Khmum province's O Raing Euv district. Photo supplied

The Federation of Cambodian Intellectuals and Students (FedCIS) asked the Interior Ministry to check and take legal action against youth activist Thy Sovantha if any practice is found contrary to the Law on Associations and NGOs when she uses public forums to criticize and attack the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).

In a letter to Interior Minister Sar Kheng dated August 16, FedCIS president Leng Seng Hong said that as head of the Social Affairs Youth Organization, Ms. Sovantha always denounces and attacks the CNRP on Facebook regularly, causing some to believe this may be contrary to article 4 of the Law on Associations and NGOs, and a ministry announcement on NGO registration.

“Please check and take legal action against the actions of president of Social Affairs Youth Organization Ms. Thy Sovantha in case of any law infraction or contrary to legal regulations in force,” the letter requested.

Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said officials were checking if legal action could be taken and the outcome was still known.

“Interior Minister Sar Kheng informed expert officials to check this problem before the letter came. We will wait for officials to check and evaluate this problem,” he said.

Ms. Sovantha could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The request by FedCIS was made as Ms. Sovantha has organized nearly 30 forums in the provinces as president of the youth organization. In the forums, she surveyed citizens’ opinions, criticized CNRP leaders and has since posted a video from a forum on her Facebook page.

One Facebook user, a monk named Un Sin, said in a comment on Ms. Sovantha’s page that the organization cannot be run to serve a single party. It must have integrity to serve the people faithfully and impartially with no affiliation to any party.

“If you can stop, stop it, don’t use the organization’s name as the thing to tend to the ruling party, it is not right,” he said.