Sam Rainsy
Encyclopedia
Sam Rainsy is a Cambodia
n politician
.
Sam Rainsy was born in Phnom Penh
, son of Sam Sary
, a member of Cambodia's government for a time in the 1950s. He moved to France
in 1965, studied there and then worked in a variety of Paris
ian financial companies. He is married to Cambodian Saumura Tioulong, who is also member of parliament, and has three children: Patrice Sam, Muriel Sam and Rachel Sam.
He became a member of the Cambodian Funcinpec
Party, and after returning to Cambodia in 1992 was elected a member of parliament for Siem Reap Province the following year. He became Minister of Finance, but was expelled from the party after losing a vote of no-confidence in 1994. In 1995, he founded the Khmer Nation Party (KNP), which changed its name before the 1998 elections to the Sam Rainsy Party
(SRP) to avoid registration issues http://www.samrainsyparty.org/about/about_the_sam_rainsy_party.htm. Sam was elected a member of parliament for Kompong Cham province in those elections, and the party polled 14% of the vote. In the 2003 elections, it polled 22% of the vote.
Sam went into self-exile on 3 February 2005, citing fear of arrest after a vote in the National Assembly removed parliamentary immunity
from himself and fellow SRP MPs Chea Poch and Cheam Channy http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/02/07/cambod10138.htm. On that same day, Parliamentarian Cheam Channy
was arrested, and detained in the Cambodian Military Prison. Sam faced multiple criminal defamation charges after accusing the Cambodian People's Party
and Funcinpec
of corruption in the formation of the current coalition government. He has also accused Prime Minister Hun Sen
of involvement in the 22 January 2004 murder of SRP-affiliated union leader Chea Vichea
.
At that time, the US Embassy in Phnom Penh said it was "deeply concerned" that the government appeared to be trying to "silence the opposition". Other embassies, local and international organizations shared the same concerns.
Sam was tried in absentia
on 22 December 2005 in relation to the defamation lawsuits. The court sentenced him to 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay around US$14,000 in fines and compensation.
On 5 February 2006, Rainsy received a Royal Pardon by King Norodom Sihamoni
at Prime Minister Hun Sen
's request. He then returned to Cambodia on 10 February 2006.
In 2009, Vietnam’s foreign ministry condemned Sam Rainsy’s actions and asked the government to protect the nations’ ongoing border demarcation process. The statement called Sam Rainsy’s act “perverse, undermining common assets, violating laws of Cambodia and Vietnam, treaties, agreements and deals between the two countries”.
In October 2009, Rainsy led local residents at the Cambodia-Vietnam border in a protest against alleged Vietnamese encroachment on Cambodian territory, in which he was alleged to have encouraged villagers to uproot border markings he claimed to have been illegally placed by Vietnam. On October 25, Rainsy was charged with racial incitement and destruction of property, and the Cambodian parliament stripped Rainsy of his immunity from prosecution was in November. Rainsy was issued a summons to appear in court for a hearing. On January 1, 2010, the Svay Rieng provincial court issued an arrest warrant for Rainsy after he failed to appear in court. Rainsy is currently in Australia
, and says that he will let the court try him In absentia
, as the charges against him are politically motivated.
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Sam Rainsy was born in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, son of Sam Sary
Sam Sary
Sam Sary was a Cambodian politician who participated in the so-called Bangkok Plot against Prince Norodom Sihanouk. He was a son of Sam Nhean, a prominent politician in the 1940s and father of Sam Rainsy, presently a leader of the main Cambodia's opposition party...
, a member of Cambodia's government for a time in the 1950s. He moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1965, studied there and then worked in a variety of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian financial companies. He is married to Cambodian Saumura Tioulong, who is also member of parliament, and has three children: Patrice Sam, Muriel Sam and Rachel Sam.
He became a member of the Cambodian Funcinpec
Funcinpec
FUNCINPEC is a royalist political party in Cambodia. Before the 2008 election, FUNCINPEC and the Cambodian People's Party formed a coalition government, although FUNCINPEC's significance has decreased steadily since 1998, when it had an equal relationship with the CPP in the coalition.FUNCINPEC is...
Party, and after returning to Cambodia in 1992 was elected a member of parliament for Siem Reap Province the following year. He became Minister of Finance, but was expelled from the party after losing a vote of no-confidence in 1994. In 1995, he founded the Khmer Nation Party (KNP), which changed its name before the 1998 elections to the Sam Rainsy Party
Sam Rainsy Party
The Sam Rainsy Party is a personalist and more or less liberal party in Cambodia. The party is a member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats...
(SRP) to avoid registration issues http://www.samrainsyparty.org/about/about_the_sam_rainsy_party.htm. Sam was elected a member of parliament for Kompong Cham province in those elections, and the party polled 14% of the vote. In the 2003 elections, it polled 22% of the vote.
Sam went into self-exile on 3 February 2005, citing fear of arrest after a vote in the National Assembly removed parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity, also known as legislative immunity, is a system in which members of the parliament or legislature are granted partial immunity from prosecution. Before prosecuting, it is necessary that the immunity be removed, usually by a superior court of justice or by the parliament itself...
from himself and fellow SRP MPs Chea Poch and Cheam Channy http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/02/07/cambod10138.htm. On that same day, Parliamentarian Cheam Channy
Cheam Channy
Cheam Channy is a Cambodian politician and member of parliament for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party . He was elected as a representative for Battambang Province in the 1998 National Elections, then again for Kompong Cham province in 2003.On 3 February 2005, a vote in the Cambodian National...
was arrested, and detained in the Cambodian Military Prison. Sam faced multiple criminal defamation charges after accusing the Cambodian People's Party
Cambodian People's Party
The Cambodian People's Party is the current ruling party of Cambodia.This party was formerly known as Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party...
and Funcinpec
Funcinpec
FUNCINPEC is a royalist political party in Cambodia. Before the 2008 election, FUNCINPEC and the Cambodian People's Party formed a coalition government, although FUNCINPEC's significance has decreased steadily since 1998, when it had an equal relationship with the CPP in the coalition.FUNCINPEC is...
of corruption in the formation of the current coalition government. He has also accused Prime Minister Hun Sen
Hun Sen
Hun Sen is the current Prime Minister of Cambodia.He has been the sole leader of the Cambodian People's Party , which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979...
of involvement in the 22 January 2004 murder of SRP-affiliated union leader Chea Vichea
Chea Vichea
Chea Vichea was the leader of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia until his assassination on Chinese New Year, 22 January 2004...
.
At that time, the US Embassy in Phnom Penh said it was "deeply concerned" that the government appeared to be trying to "silence the opposition". Other embassies, local and international organizations shared the same concerns.
Sam was tried in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
on 22 December 2005 in relation to the defamation lawsuits. The court sentenced him to 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay around US$14,000 in fines and compensation.
On 5 February 2006, Rainsy received a Royal Pardon by King Norodom Sihamoni
Norodom Sihamoni
Norodom Sihamoni is the current reigning King of Cambodia. He is the eldest son of Norodom Sihanouk and Norodom Monineath Sihanouk. Previously Cambodia's ambassador to UNESCO, he was named by a nine-member throne council to become the next king after his father Norodom Sihanouk abdicated in 2004...
at Prime Minister Hun Sen
Hun Sen
Hun Sen is the current Prime Minister of Cambodia.He has been the sole leader of the Cambodian People's Party , which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979...
's request. He then returned to Cambodia on 10 February 2006.
In 2009, Vietnam’s foreign ministry condemned Sam Rainsy’s actions and asked the government to protect the nations’ ongoing border demarcation process. The statement called Sam Rainsy’s act “perverse, undermining common assets, violating laws of Cambodia and Vietnam, treaties, agreements and deals between the two countries”.
In October 2009, Rainsy led local residents at the Cambodia-Vietnam border in a protest against alleged Vietnamese encroachment on Cambodian territory, in which he was alleged to have encouraged villagers to uproot border markings he claimed to have been illegally placed by Vietnam. On October 25, Rainsy was charged with racial incitement and destruction of property, and the Cambodian parliament stripped Rainsy of his immunity from prosecution was in November. Rainsy was issued a summons to appear in court for a hearing. On January 1, 2010, the Svay Rieng provincial court issued an arrest warrant for Rainsy after he failed to appear in court. Rainsy is currently in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and says that he will let the court try him In absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
, as the charges against him are politically motivated.
University degrees
- Business Administration (Master of Business Administration from INSEAD - Fontainebleau - France) - 1980.
- Accounting (Diplôme d'Etudes Comptables Supérieures issued by the French Ministry of Education) - 1979.
- Economics (Maîtrise + Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures de Sciences Economiques de la Faculté de Droit et des Sciences Economiques de Paris) - 1973.
- Political Science (Diplôme de l'Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris) - 1971.