NGO Kurawal Foundation chief of board Darmawan Triwibowo cancelled a meeting with Mu Sochua, the vice-president of the Supreme Court-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party, after receiving a letter from Ambassador of Cambodia to Indonesia Hor Nambora.
Sochua had been invited by Darmawan to a lunch discussion scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Sochua tweeted on Wednesday that Nambora had attempted to stop her press conference from happening and had “lectured the organiser who is Indonesian that he has broken the law [saying] I’m a fugitive”.
Nambora wrote to Darmawan on Tuesday, telling him that he made a big mistake in the invitation letter to Sochua for the discussion.
“You mentioned that Cambodia had a ‘one-party dictatorship’. But for your information, 20 political parties including the ruling Cambodian People’s Party took part in last year’s general election in Cambodia.
“We have a multiparty system and more than 83 per cent of eligible voters cast their votes in the last elections. Why are you spreading false information about Cambodia?” Nambora questioned Darmawan in the letter.
Nambora informed Darmawan that Sochua is a wanted fugitive in Cambodia as the court had issued an arrest warrant for her on October 2. Therefore, it would not be appropriate for Darmawan and the Kurawal Foundation to host her, he said.
Darmawan could not be reached for comment.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation spokesperson Koy Kuong said on Wednesday that Nambora had made a good point in the letter.
Kuong said he was unsure of Kurawal Foundation’s background, but what the foundation said does not represent the Indonesian government’s views.
“In my view, this foundation is partial or leaning to the opposition party. Normally, in a country with a multi-party system, the opposition party has ties with opposition parties from other countries,” he said.
Referring the Cambodian government as a “one-party dictatorship” could be a move to satisfy the opposition or extremist group from Cambodia, which was normal practice for the opposition in any country, Kuong said.
Meanwhile, Nambora also requested the Indonesian government to arrest Sochua and deport her to Cambodia.
In another letter issued on Wednesday, Nambora said the Cambodian government had sent a request to all Asean member states to arrest her if they find her in their country.
“Unfortunately, fellow Asean member state Indonesia allowed Sochua to enter the country despite her arrest warrant and conduct of anti-government activities in Jakarta,” Nambora wrote in a press release.
He said Indonesia and Cambodia have been close friends for 60 years. Cambodia asks for Sochua’s arrest and deportation immediately, he said.
