Sam Rainsy, leader of the opposition party, at a party grassroot meeting in Batheay district, Kampong Cham province on 18 March 2006. (Photo SRP)Monday 20 March 2006
By SG and KyS
Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by KI-Media
While his detractors accuse him of playing to the tune of prime minister Hun Sen since his return to the country on 10 Feb, Sam Rainsy – who maintains that the SRP is the “only opposition party, at least in the parliament,” and stresses that no member of his party takes part in the government – has worked tirelessly to reshape his party. The idea which he exposed yesterday from the province of Takeo, is to involve more the basis of his party in the decision process in order to reinforce transparency and democracy within the SRP featuring a president who will be elected from now on, and as such, a change in the name of the party [is necessary]. At the end of this year, during the national congress of the party, Sam Rainsy will put his position on the ballot box, Sam Rainsy is hoping that by “respect for democracy, other candidates [than him] will present their candidacy. But for the time being, nobody had shown their interest yet.”
The parliament opposition leader explains that he is visiting one commune at a time to meet the people there, to measure the efficiency of setting in place the new process instituted by his party. “The villagers are very happy because it is the first time that someone solicit their opinion. The fact that they have to elect local leaders make them feel that they are part of the process.” Sam Rainsy is presenting his reform as “a challenge launched against other political parties.” “I would like to see this democratic spirit spread all over the country,” he hopes. He recalled that this new impulse found its root at the end of 2004, during a meeting with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), an institution close the to the US Democratic party, which encouraged the SRP to adopt this approach. Sam Rainsy said that he observes the people are better mobilized, especially with “the recent political détente among the political leaders.”
From now on, according to Sam Rainsy himself, the designation system “which is sometimes quite arbitrary” will be replaced, persons in charge at all level will be elected. The process will start at the village level, the SRP has decided to establish the system only in provinces which are being represented by at least three MPs at the National Assembly, with the exception of the municipality of Pailin and Kampong Som where the SRP traditionally obtain good scores. “We come to each village to present ourselves and to identify militants already present there. We remind people of our [political] program, and we establish lists while taking care to verify that militants have all the papers needed to take part in the upcoming elections. The number of people on the list doubles after a second visit – we offer people a second chance to subscribe to the list – and those on the list will elect five representatives from their village.” The latter will chose through secret ballot, their commune delegates, these will in turn elect district delegates. The last two groups will meet to decide the composition of their provincial committee which will elect candidates to the next legislative elections. The district and province committees will meet at the national congress to choose the party president, and will also select a new directing committee. The latter will elect the permanent committee, the “supreme body of the party,” as well as the secretary-general. Right now, the SRP is still working on the selection of its representatives at the first two levels.
Kul Panha, director of Comfrel, the election observer organization, is happy with the internal reform of the SRP, saying that it “is not only useful to the party, but it participates in the democratic process in general.” He invites all parties to follow this example. However, the CPP did not see the need for such process. The [CPP] presidents and vice-presidents are nominated every 4 to 5 years, Cheam Yeap, the president of the Finance committee of the National Assembly, declared. During the [CPP] national congress, if the evaluation of their actions is good, they are supported. “One does not change a winning team!” he argued. “The last commune election proved it. The gap between the losers and the winners is enormous.”
The parliament opposition leader explains that he is visiting one commune at a time to meet the people there, to measure the efficiency of setting in place the new process instituted by his party. “The villagers are very happy because it is the first time that someone solicit their opinion. The fact that they have to elect local leaders make them feel that they are part of the process.” Sam Rainsy is presenting his reform as “a challenge launched against other political parties.” “I would like to see this democratic spirit spread all over the country,” he hopes. He recalled that this new impulse found its root at the end of 2004, during a meeting with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), an institution close the to the US Democratic party, which encouraged the SRP to adopt this approach. Sam Rainsy said that he observes the people are better mobilized, especially with “the recent political détente among the political leaders.”
From now on, according to Sam Rainsy himself, the designation system “which is sometimes quite arbitrary” will be replaced, persons in charge at all level will be elected. The process will start at the village level, the SRP has decided to establish the system only in provinces which are being represented by at least three MPs at the National Assembly, with the exception of the municipality of Pailin and Kampong Som where the SRP traditionally obtain good scores. “We come to each village to present ourselves and to identify militants already present there. We remind people of our [political] program, and we establish lists while taking care to verify that militants have all the papers needed to take part in the upcoming elections. The number of people on the list doubles after a second visit – we offer people a second chance to subscribe to the list – and those on the list will elect five representatives from their village.” The latter will chose through secret ballot, their commune delegates, these will in turn elect district delegates. The last two groups will meet to decide the composition of their provincial committee which will elect candidates to the next legislative elections. The district and province committees will meet at the national congress to choose the party president, and will also select a new directing committee. The latter will elect the permanent committee, the “supreme body of the party,” as well as the secretary-general. Right now, the SRP is still working on the selection of its representatives at the first two levels.
Kul Panha, director of Comfrel, the election observer organization, is happy with the internal reform of the SRP, saying that it “is not only useful to the party, but it participates in the democratic process in general.” He invites all parties to follow this example. However, the CPP did not see the need for such process. The [CPP] presidents and vice-presidents are nominated every 4 to 5 years, Cheam Yeap, the president of the Finance committee of the National Assembly, declared. During the [CPP] national congress, if the evaluation of their actions is good, they are supported. “One does not change a winning team!” he argued. “The last commune election proved it. The gap between the losers and the winners is enormous.”
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