Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Cambodia election challenge raises fears



Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) President Sam Rainsy, center, speaks during a press conference in his main party headquarters in Chak Angre Leu in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, July 29, 2013. Cambodia's opposition party CNRP said Monday it would challenge the results of a general election in which it made impressive gains even though the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sen retained power. HENG SINITH — AP Photo

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/29/3065908/cambodian-opposition-challenges.html#storylink=cpy


By SOPHENG CHEANG — Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Cambodia's opposition leader on Monday rejected the results of a weekend election showing a win for the long-time ruling party, raising fears of post-poll instability and setting the stage for a new showdown with Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The challenge by opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who returned from exile last week to campaign for his Cambodia National Rescue Party, comes despite his party's relative success in Sunday's polling, in which the opposition made its biggest gains in years.


Provisional results from Sunday's voting showed the opposition capturing 55 of the 123 seats in the National Assembly. Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party won 68 seats, or a majority of 55 percent.

 HENG SINITH — AP Photo
Rainsy — who had earlier vowed mass protests if the voters' will was denied — called for an independent investigation into allegations that as many as a million people may have been deprived of their right to vote, among other irregularities.

He said the challenge was not a bargaining chip to get into government but instead a sign that his party was "interested in rendering justice to the Cambodian people to ensure that the will of the Cambodian people not be distorted or reversed."

The rejection of the results raised the specter that Cambodia might return to a previous pattern of post-election instability that has several times led to political gridlock and turned violent.

If the opposition party boycotts the assembly, it may be impossible for Hun Sen to legally form a government.




Rainsy did not specifically threaten a boycott, but election experts pointed out that the constitution says a quorum of 120 assembly members is needed to open a parliamentary session, raising the possibility that an opposition boycott could leave the country without a fully functioning government.


Cambodia faced a similar situation most recently after its 2003 election, when Hun Sen's party failed to win enough seats to legally form a government on its own. The deadlock was broken only after 11 months and violence in the streets. But Hun Sen faced a divided opposition then, while his opponents this time are united.

Other polls in recent decades have been followed by confrontations and violence.

After his party ran second in U.N.-sponsored elections of 1993 — the culmination of a process to end decades of civil war after the Khmer Rouge's murderous 1970s regime — Hun Sen insisted on being named co-prime minister. He then ousted his partner in government four years later in a bloody coup.


Recent years' elections have mostly had a peaceful aftermath because Hun Sen's party, which controls most levers of power, won decisively over a divided opposition. But the strong showing of the more-united opposition this year may embolden Rainsy and his allies.

Supporters of Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) crowd in front of the main party headquarters as they want to know the voting result where their leader Sam Rainsy is holding a press conference in Chak Angre Leu in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, July 29, 2013. Cambodia’s opposition party CNRP said Monday it would challenge the results of a general election in which it made impressive gains even though the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sen retained power. HENG SINITH — AP Photo

Hun Sen has not spoken publicly since the election. At 60, he has a reputation as a wily survivor, starting with his defection from the Khmer Rouge to Vietnam, which after invading to oust the radical regime installed him first as foreign minister and later as prime minister.


Rainsy, 64, has long been the thorn in Hun Sen's side. He spent the Khmer Rouge years in France and served as finance minister in the government elected in 1993, but was kicked out from his party and his post for his outspoken anti-corruption stand.


He founded his own party in 1995, and two years later Rainsy narrowly escaped being killed in a grenade attack on a rally he was leading.

Rainsy said shortly after polls opened Sunday that his party would wait before deciding what to do about the alleged irregularities, but added that if it was clear the voters' will was being denied, "definitely, there will be protests."

The opposition's challenge could be mostly bluster. Hun Sen's party dominates nearly all the state bureaucracy and the courts, which will almost certainly affirm the CPP victory. It was unclear what the opposition would do if its complaints were not sustained.

Foreign countries such as the United States, which had expressed doubts before the election about its fairness, are unlikely to pursue the point with enthusiasm. They have accepted results of past elections with much more open intimidation and violence, and will likely regard this year's results as a major step forward.

Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) President Sam Rainsy looks on after a press conference in his main party headquarters in Chak Angre Leu in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, July 29, 2013. Cambodia’s opposition party CNRP said Monday it would challenge the results of a general election in which it made impressive gains even though the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sen retained power. HENG SINITH — AP Photo

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/29/3065908/cambodian-opposition-challenges.html#storylink=cpy

The opposition could nonetheless cause a lot of mischief by refusing to take its seats. Hun Sen could seek to open parliament through a legal loophole, though such a move would support charges of unfairness and autocratic behavior.

He could also simply try to wait out his opponent as head of a caretaker government. The position would be awkward, but also preserve the status quo, which leaves him in power.

Rainsy's party and nonpartisan groups charged that the ruling party used the machinery of government and security to reward or pressure voters. They also said that voter registration procedures were badly flawed, possibly leaving more than 1 million people disenfranchised.


The combined opposition had held just 29 seats in the last assembly. It was a precarious foothold — they were kicked out on highly technical grounds by their ruling party colleagues just before campaigning began.

But with many younger voters participating in this election, the opposition apparently gained seats with their support, analysts said.

"The run-up to elections has shown the emergence of a young generation, which rather than prizing stability as their elders, conceived of the elections in terms of 'change or no change,'" noted Astrid Norén-Nilsson, a Cambodia scholar from the University of Cambridge.


She added that Hun Sen will need to learn to work with the opposition. "Otherwise, there is a real possibility that a politically polarized population will raise the risk for social tension and social unrest."

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

ការសង្ឃឹមអំពីជ័យជម្នៈរបស់គណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ
គឺជាការសង្ឃឹមខ្យល់លើមេឃតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ!
ពួកនេះសុទ្ធតែជាពួកកាន់មាត់បាវអោយចោរ
និងជាអ្នកជួយទប់ជើងគ្រែអោយអា ហ៊ន សែន!
ហើយពួកប្រឆាំងទាំងនេះគឺគ្មានបំណងធ្វើការ
ផ្លាស់ប្តូរពិតប្រាកដទេ ក្រៅពីកៅអី និងងារជាឯកឧត្ដមតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ។

Anonymous said...

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/columns/bit-re-education-neededA bit of re-education needed

Mon, 29 July 2013
Roger Mitton
During the campaigning for yesterday’s election, much attention was given to the anti-Vietnamese rhetoric of opposition leader Sam Rainsy and his deputy Kem Sokha.

They both spewed equally shocking racist sentiments, using the expletive term “yuon” to refer to Vietnamese people and even alleging that the Tuol Sleng torture centre never existed but was invented by Vietnam.

Presumably, then, the conviction of Duch, the centre’s commander, and the cases now being investigated by the United Nations tribunal, are all without foundation.

Really, it defies comprehension.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has many faults, from blatant nepotism to media coercion to crudely threatening that if he lost civil war would result.

But he has not descended to spouting the kind of racist bile that issued from Rainsy and his team and which seems to be a key part of their party’s ideology.

Yes, the opposition has been treated unfairly, but that is hardly unusual in this region.

Anonymous said...

Fuck ah Roger Mitton of the PP Post!!!

Anonymous said...

He Might be Xenophobiic but he is Not a murderer like hun sen.
Roger please compare Apples with Apples.

Anonymous said...

I would like to congratulate Hun Sen and the CPP for a great victory. The people of Cambodia have spoken, by choosing the CPP again, the people of Cambodia chose stability, development, and prosperity for their future. By rejecting the oppositions, the people of Cambodia reject extremism, racism, xenophobia, and backwardness. Elected by the people to lead Cambodia, CPP does not need the oppositions’ consent to run the country. If the oppositions reject the outcome of the election, they are in fact rejecting the voice of the people, thus they forfeit their positions in the government. The oppositions are funded by the western powers to destabilize Cambodia, the CPP should expel these troublemakers from Cambodia permanently. Long live CPP!

Anonymous said...

TO ALL OF THE CPP SUPPORTERS, THE WAR IS NOT OVER YET. LAUGH NOW AND YOU WILL CRY LATER

Anonymous said...

លទ្ធផល ការបោះឆ្នោត ត្រូវបាន គ.ជ.ប. កែប្រែ តួលេខ តាម បញ្ជា ផ្ទាល់ ពី ខៀវ កញ្ញារិត ដែល ធ្វើតាម បញ្ជា ផ្ទាល់ របស់ ហ៊ុន សែន

ហ៊ុន សែន ត្រូវតែ បញ្ចប់ ការដឹកនាំ របស់ខ្លួន ចាប់ពី ឆ្នាំ 2013 នេះ ព្រោះ 28 ឆ្នាំ ក្នុង អំណាច, ហ៊ុន សែន បានបំផ្លាញ ប្រទេស ខ្មែរ គ្មាន សល់ អ្វី!

សហរដ្ឋ៖ ដល់ ពេល ហ៊ុន សែន ត្រូវតែ ចុះចេញ ពី តំណែងហើយ ដោយ សន្តិវិធី

គ្មាន សង្គ្រាម ទេ ពេល គណបក្ស សង្គ្រោះជាតិ ឈ្នះ ឆ្នោត!
ហ៊ុន សែន ចាញ់ឆ្នោត ពិតជា មាន សង្គ្រាម ឬ?


<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=639150612764591&set=vb.435746146472255&type=2&theater>សម រង្ស៊ី និង កឹម សុខា ប្រកាសសំរេច CNRP បានឈ្នះ ដឹកនាំប្រទេស ក្នុង ការបោះឆ្នោត ថ្នាក់ជាតិ ជ្រើសតាំង តំណារាស្ត្រ អណត្តិ 5 ដែល បានប្រព្រឹត្តិ នៅ ខែ កក្កដា 28, 2013 កន្លង</a>

Anonymous said...

12:38 AM

Don't try to sugar coate Dictator & Traitor Hun Sen's track records !!!

Anonymous said...

I would like to congratulate Hun Sen and the CPP for playing the dirty tricks. The people of Cambodia can be bought to support CPP again; the people of Cambodia chose money, no development, and no prosperity for their future. By rejecting the oppositions, the people of Cambodia reject cheaters, crooks, murders, and Viet-back prime minister. Elected by buying the people to lead Cambodia, CPP does not need the oppositions’ consent to run the country. If the oppositions reject the outcome of the election, they are in fact rejecting the voice of the people that we bought, thus they forfeit their positions in the government. The oppositions are funded by the western powers to destroy the crooks in Cambodia; the CPP should expel themselves from being the troublemakers from Cambodia permanently. Next year we will grab more of your land and we will give you back “Be Cheng & Sarong” for the next electron term. OK? Short live CPP!

Anonymous said...

To the 1st post @ 12:18 AM

ឣា ប្រហោងក្តិត ឣើយ បិទ ប្រហោងមាត់ ហ្ឣែង ទៅ ហ្ឣា ស្ឣុយណាស់ ។

Anonymous said...


Khmer people are so sick to hear anything that related to the word Hun Sen and are also so sick to see this traitor Hun Sen and his crook families' pictures.

The word Hun Sen shorten Khmer people life span.

This traitor Hun Sen, who has destroyed most of Khmer natural resource and ceded land to the evil Vietnam must go to somewhere that he cannot destroy Cambodia anymore, including hell.

Hun Sen needs to kill more than one half of Cambodia population in order to validate his cheating victory. That victory is absolutely unacceptable. Hun Sen did the cheating in the past to win, but this time is different because people are so fed up with Hun Sen. At a time when people feel that dying is better than living under Yuon's slave Hun Sen, Hun Sen must watch out. Your body guards might not guard you but shoot you instead.

Hun Sen should go on his own term because when the people take him down, it would be extremely difficult to predict the damage.

In the past, I never supported the idea that Sam Rainsy should return to Cambodia to serve his unjust jail time. That idea was largely stemmed from the Yuon slave party because they wanted to kill Sam Rainsy. Dying like that means Sam Rainsy was lost to Vietnam's trick.

But this time is different when I heard that he is going to lead a nationwide protest against the electoral fraud. The CNRP has shown its calmness before the election by not mounting a demonstration to change the NEC. But the CNRP's good deed has been exploited by the "Cheating People Party" to win the election.

It is the right thing that the CNRP invokes Mahatma Gandhi's concept to liberate Cambodia by marching peacefully all over Cambodia.

If the evil Vietnam lost thousands of its soldiers to conquer Cambodia, it would be absurd that Khmer people want to liberate Cambodia without losing any life. It is simply against logic.

When the most difficult time hits Cambodia, there have always been Khmer heroes emerged to save it. And this time it looks like people in the whole country are heroes.

Hun Sen closes the door to hit the dogs and the dogs bite his penis out and chew it...

Bun Thoeun

Anonymous said...

The term "Youn" or "Khmer" is not a racist term it in our everyday language.
The problems here is Cambodian Citizen does not have a right to vote while illegal Vietnamese or Youn Hun Sen CPP via the NEC have given them all the rights as they know that illegal Vietnamese or Youn are their only votes.

Why would Cambodian want to vote for the CPP where they have no policy at all the benefits and advance it own citizen. Fine that all of articles said Cambodian economic growth is at 7%, but at what cost to the environments, people and resources? further more only the CPP offical and their group of business partners stand to gain from those "economic growth" The Cambodian citizen got nothing from the CPP until these daym which is contrary to the CNRP policies that bring about changes to the way it advance national interests including the interests of it people. They is why many Cambodian voted for the CNRP and move alway from the CPP. There is NO more Khmer Rouge accepts for Hun Sen, so regardless of Hun Sen in Power or Not there is NO WAR Cambodian citizen does not want war. But Hun Sen a cheat and rigged the elections know well that he lost this election and call on the NEC to block all access to vote counting so he can manipulate in any way he like which he did and moment after they annouce they have won!! it discuss me and all voter of Cambodia.

The CNRP leader and supporters are united in Cambodia and abroad. So if Hun Sen think he is so good, why block, TV, Radio & Internet access and prevent transparancy to the general public?
If you were in his position the answer is simple so that you and cheat and manipulate the real vote just like he did in every other elections.

Please write and analyse the situations and imagine what you would do to win in a disastified electorate if you were from the CPP seat and Hun Sen position. Look at the feedback from the people on the streets... how much did Hun Sen and CPP members spent in this elections? how much did the CNRP spent in this elections.
What was the supporters number turn out for CNRP vs CPP?

Did CPP buy a supporters during the campaign? did they continue to buy voters during the voting time, have the CPP paid those voters and how much?

NEC have a habbit of loosing voting paper when audit & here is a reason for that...it call cheat.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, The Cambodian People have spoken and ah Hun Sen Communist Pirate Party otherwise known as CPP has lost to the CNRP already!!!

Anonymous said...

Let's claim back our culture and educate the West that we eat "Chi Youn" in different Khmer soups including Nom Ba Chhok.

Youn by itself is neutral and those illiterates colluded with VC and pretend to be Khmer Academicians to make a fuss in inculcating us about the word "Youn."

Anonymous said...

Take to ICJ? Base on what .. ? That is why all the khmer are so so stupid and should not live in this planet..

NEC and your whole goverment COntrol from Hanoi... and IJC have no jurisdiction. we even control your life and your family and wife and children and your many lovers..

your culture and tradition have been lost and you stupid khmer peoples ever did was copies musics from musics from Thailand .. and even your Angkor Wat we control too..

wake up you all usless khmer ..

and wake up to your new province of VietNam .. Long Live Viet Nam and Hun Sen and soon Hun Manet will the be the Cambodia Arm Forces Chief...

Anonymous said...

KILL ALL THE CPP CROOKS NOW ! ! ! DON'T LET THEM KILL OUR NATION & OUR CHILDREN.
DONT LET THEM GET AWAY. TIME IS NOW NOW NOW NOW ! ! !

SIGNED: KHMER YOUTH MOVEMENT