Fact-Check: Have Sar Kheng and Sam Rainsy had a recent meeting in France?
In August, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng announced he would have been absent from his home country for two weeks due to a trip to France for a “personal issue.” This led to a claim published on social media saying Kheng had met self-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy in France. The claim author also posted a photo showing Kheng shaking his hand with Rainsy. The claim had been shared many times by Khmer-speaking Facebook users; some of them expressed their belief the claim was true. After running Google Reverse Image, however, the claim is misleading.
Social Media Claim
On August 25, a Facebook user posted a photo showing Minister of Interior Sar Kheng – also a Vice President of Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) – shaking hand with self-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy who is Cambodia’s prominent political opponent to the country’s ruling party CPP and Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The social media user claimed Kheng met Rainsy, and both of them decided to form a transitional government. The claim author added Kheng was in charge of training armed forces, and Rainsy was responsible to mobilize finance.
The photo along with the caption had been multiple shared by Khmer-speaking Facebook users along with a mixture of comments; some of them expressed comments believing both politicians really had a meeting in France.
Below is a capture of the claim posted by the social media user read: “The meeting between Samdech Sar Kheng and H.E. Sam Rainsy today decided to form a transitional government in which Samdech Sar Kheng was in charge of training armed forces, and Sam Rainsy is responsible to mobilize financial resource. Hundred thousand of Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand are ready to join as volunteer soldiers in the transitional government to topple Hun Sen’s dictatorship regime.”
Fact Check
Fact Crescendo Cambodia began verifying the photo mentioned above by running Google Reverse Image and clarifying from Sar Kheng’s office, leading us to find out the truth as below.
By running Google Reverse Image, we found the photo was published by Radio France International (RFI) in 2015, nearly six years ago. In its article, RFI reported Sar Kheng and Sam Rainsy met on September 23, 2015, and the photo was taken by a photojournalist Siv Channa.
Both politicians met and discussed election reforms after a series of mass protests against a controversial election in 2013, according to the media reported in Khmer.
The claim mentioned above took place amidst Sar Kheng was on a trip to France for two weeks. He said in the press release issued on August 22 that he was on “personal business.”
Below is a capture of the press release posted on Sar Kheng’s official Facebook page, saying Kheng was away from Cambodia from August 22 until September 05 in 2021.
As the motive was not clear, it was questioned a feasibility if Kheng could have a secret meeting with Rainsy in France.
However, Sar Sokha – Secretary of State of Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, and also Sar Kheng’s son – rejected the claim above, saying his father traveled to France for a health checkup and did not meet any politician. Below is a capture of Sar Sokha’s post saying his father never met self-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy.
A day after Sar Kheng left Cambodia, Interior Ministry’s spokesman Phat Sophanith told local media VOD that Kheng had not met any opposition leader.
Men Sothavarin – former opposition lawmaker – also told VOD that there was a wish for a meeting between Sar Kheng and Sam Rainsy, but he said the prominent politician was on a trip to the United States at the same time.
Sam Rainsy said on his official Facebook page that he was in the United State and met supporters there from 22 to 27 in August.
Sam Rainsy Facebook Post | Archived Link
Mu Sochua – Vice President of dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) – told Fact Crescendo Cambodia that Rainsy was in the United States at the time, and that he had no meeting with Sar Kheng at all.
Mu Sochua added Rainsy was on a visit for two months from August 18 until October 11 in this year.
Conclusion
Fact Crescendo Cambodia found out the claim above is misleading. There was no meeting between Sar Kheng and Sam Rainsy on August 25 in France. The photo was a meeting between both politicians in 2015. As Sar Kheng was on a trip in France from August 22 until September 05, Sam Rainsy was in the United States from August 18 until October 11.
Title:Fact-Check: Have Sar Kheng and Sam Rainsy had a recent meeting in France?
Fact Check By: Jay UdomResult: Misleading
