Border Spat

Lawmakers from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party said Wednesday that they would defy a government order and travel today to Takeo province’s Borei Cholsa district to investigate encroachment allegations against Vietnam. On Tuesday, National Assembly President Heng Samrin said the group would not be permitted to travel to the area while demarcation was in process. But party spokesman Yim Sovann said at least 16 lawmakers would make the trip to border post No 270, which villagers claim has been planted in Cambodian territory. “No people’s representative who goes to help people must ask permission,” he said at a press conference Wednesday. “We must visit [to see] whether [demarcation] affects people’s land or not.” Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said defiance on the part of the SRP would be illegal as well as inconsistent with democratic procedure. “The authorities will take legal action if they would go because the authorities respect the law,” he said. He added that the SRP should take the issue of border demarcation up with the government.