THE LAST WORD: SAM RAINSY

They had to wait until after a key international aid meeting made its decisions in December. [Also] the economic situation, poverty and unemployment are worsening. Land grabs and deforestation are causing popular discontent to grow so fast that they had to make a pre-emptive move. They know that discontent will spur support for the Sam Rainsy Party. Hun Sen recently said that nongovernmental organizations and human-rights groups are creating problems for the government.

Does all this have a familiar ring?

It reminds me of when I was kicked out of the National Assembly [in 1995]. But this time I have my own political party, so they have to play another trick to get me out of Parliament--putting me in prison.

What kind of reception have you been getting abroad?

The verbal condemnation over the removal of immunity and the arrest of Cheam Channy is the strongest by the United States since the 1997 coup. In Washington, people are seriously considering imposing sanctions. When they [the Cambodian leadership] realize there is a real possibility of sanctions, they will back off.

Are you in favor of sanctions?