Kampong Thom (FN), March 18 – The United States Ambassador to Cambodia William A. Heidt on Sunday morning said that Radio Free Asia’s reporter Chun Chanbuth’s fear of being in the U.S is silly and not worth for discussing.

"I don't know whether Chun Chanbuth, the RFA reporter, is afraid to be in America, whether he was pressured by the American government. I’ve never met Chun Chanbuth. I don't know his situation. So the idea that Chun Chanbuth is afraid of being in America is just silly and just not even worth of discussing," Ambassador William Heidt told reporters at the event in Kompong Thom on Sunday.

"Ten of thousands of journalists from every country in the world file story every day in America. They write story that is supportive of the American government and stories of critical of the American government. They do the same thing for China, Russia, for big and little countries. In fact, America is the freest, most open media environment in the world. And I am telling you none of those journalists are afraid. Not even one," the ambassador added.

Lieutenant General Mao Sophan, Commander of Brigade 70, gave a special exclusive interview with Fresh News CEO Lim Chea Vutha on Saturday regarding Chun Chanbuth, asking for assistance to escape from the murder of the CIA.

“Chun Chanbuth messaged to me through WhatsApp on March 15, 2017 to ask for my assistance to protect him from the murder of CIA like Kem Ley. At 10:00 pm on March 22, 2017, I managed three men to escort him from Phnom Penh International Airport to Sunway Hotel. On March 23, 2017, at 12:15 pm, Rotha Visal, former staff of RFA, arranged a meeting for me and Chun Chanbuth. We had a lot of talks. I had a complete recording of my conversation with Chun Chanbuth”, said Lieu. General Mao in the interview.

General Mao added that in the past, Chun Chanbuth had mentioned some of the issues at RFA. He wanted to quit, but did not know how. He told me that he had to follow the U.S, saying what they want, otherwise, would be killed.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, on Friday, said in a meeting with approximately a thousand Cambodian people in Sydney that Chun Chanbuth used to request assistance from Lieutenant Gen. Mao Sophan and General Hun Manet to protect his life from being killed by CIA like Kem Ley, and that Chanbuth used to be a spy for the premier.
=FRESH NEWS