Phnom Penh - Cambodia's government strongly criticized
former UN human rights special envoy Yash Ghai Monday with a letter
to the editor published in a leading national newspaper.
Ghai resigned from the post a week ago. His relationship with the
Cambodian government broke down amidst claims from Ghai that the
government ignored him and from the government he was not neutral.
The national English-language Cambodia Daily newspaper published a
letter Monday from Information Minister and government spokesman
Khieu Kanharith rebutting quotes the paper ran Wednesday of Ghai's
resignation speech, which was read to the UN by a proxy.
The letter was entitled 'Ghai's quotes only prove his
incompetence,' and accused Ghai of lying to incite animosity.
On Wednesday, the paper also quoted Ghai as criticizing the UN and
the international community, saying they failed to support him.
'(Prime Minister Hun Sen) called me 'deranged,' 'short-term
tourist' and 'lazy,' while the government spokesman Khieu Kanharith
called me uncivilized,' the paper quoted Ghai, a Kenyan national, as
saying. 'Mr Kanharith said that Kenyans are rude and savage.'
In a strong letter, Kanharith strongly denied the final point,
saying he would never look down on an entire nation or people.
'The accusation made by Mr Yash Ghai is only aimed at creating
animosity ... and this shows his despicable attitude and manner are
unfit for the high role given to him by the UN,' he wrote.
Cambodia has said it will welcome a new UN rights envoy but had
refused to work further with Ghai, saying he was biased and favoured
groups whom the government views as pro-opposition and claims
sometimes misrepresent human rights issues for political gain.
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