Expelled Internet pornographer Dan Sandler has embarked on a revenge and
slandering campaign against Funcinpec and Minister of Women's Affairs, Mu
Sochua.
Using an e-mail address registered under the name of "Funcinpec,"
Sandler recently sent a primitive advertisement promoting child sex tourism in
Cambodia to several recipients in Phnom Penh. The ad was signed with Funcinpec's
party name and an official looking logo.
The ad reads "Call your travel
agent. VISIT TODAY!" and features a photo of a young Cambodian girl, said to be
a 12-year-old child prostitute. Though Sandler's name appears nowhere in the ad
or on the e-mail address, the photo is the same as one sent out earlier from
Sandler's private e-mail address.
Among the recipients of the ad were
government spokesman Khieu Thavika, Minister of Information Lu Lay Sreng, the
French embassy and NGO Forum.
"This is totally wrong. To misuse the
Funcinpec party name to promote child sex could cause very serious court action.
I must strongly deny that this has anything to do with our party," said an
outraged Lay Sreng.
He intended to bring the issue of the false ad up at
a Funcinpec steering committee meeting last night.
Sandler was deported
from Cambodia in early November after having set up a web site that contained
images of violent sexual conduct. He was arrested and detained for three weeks
after Mu Sochua filed a complaint against him.
Recently, Sandler has also
posted messages on Internet newsgroups attacking the Cambodian government and
NGOs in the country. Again using the "Funcinpec" e-mail address he defends his
actions in Cambodia and claims that he will one day return to the
country.
He also asks if he can post pictures of Cambodian porn on the
newsgroup.
Sochua seems to be one of Sandler's main targets. One message
only reads "MOO MOO MOO" while another asks for information about the
minister.
It is unclear whether Sochua has been notified of Sandler's
actions. The minister is currently visiting the USA.
According to private
e-mail correspondence from Sandler, who is now residing in the USA, he plans to
continue his pornography web site from there.
His aim is to promote
Cambodia as a sex tourist destination. His web site will feature both Sochua and
Prime Minister Hun Sen. Sandler believes this will help shut down child sex
activities in Cambodia.
At the same time, Sandler has written to the US
Department of Commerce, requesting assistance in filing a complaint against the
Cambodian government. Sandler wants $15,000 in compensation for economic losses
suffered by the closing of his business in Phnom Penh. He also wants a license
to produce on-line adult entertainment in Cambodia.
According to US
ambassador Kent Wiedemann, there is not much that American authorities can do
about Sandler's current activities.
"Nobody polices the Internet. But
legal action can be taken against promotion of child sex exploitation in the
USA. If Sandler engages in such activities and it is brought to our attention,
I'm sure that the authorities will be very keen on investigating," says
Wiedemann.
