Arrest of Cambodian Opposition Leader Kem Sokha

[PadieNerkBrapone 341]

More disturbing news as it relates to US - Cambodia relations.

https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/09/273808.htm

 

Cambodia arrested Sokha for "American-backed" treason.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/02/world/asia/cambodia-kem-sokha-arrest-hun-sen.html?mcubz=0

 

Now Cambodia is accusing the US of contributing to the Khmer Rouge.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2017-08-24/cambodia-accuses-us-of-political-interference-calls-us-democracy-bloody-and-brutal

 

I am disturbed as to how this will affect human beings (both Cambodian and American) in the process of immigration. We the people are usually left in the cold when people fight over political power.

[WandY 430]

Thank you for bringing this up. The arrest of Kem Sokha is very disturbing and bad news for Americans seeking K-1 and CR-1 visas. I have traveled and worked in Cambodia, a beautiful country with beautiful people. I was there in 2013 and 2014 when Prime Minister Hun Sen used force against the citizens of Phnom Penh. I was there when garment workers were attacked for nothing more than voicing opinions in public. Later, opposition leader Sam Rainsy was forced into exile and today the Cambodia Daily newspaper was forced to shut down (trumped-up tax charges, but really b/c  they reported the truth about Hun Sen). The reputable American NGO's are all but gone, creating suffering among the poor and vulnerable. These turn of events will likely create more difficult conditions for Americans seeking anything in Cambodia. But what do you expect from Cambodia's prime minister, a former member of the Khmer Rouge?

 

Contact the U.S. embassy in Cambodia and express your concerns. Read the embassy statement here. https://kh.usembassy.gov/ 

Good luck to you and everyone seeking love, work, and/or freedom for Cambodia. It's at a turning point - now is the time to act.

Edited September 4, 2017 by WandY