The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia Cambodia's embattled royalist party began a new chapter Thursday after dumping Prince Norodom Ranariddh as its leader for alleged incompetence.
The Funcinpec party, at a hastily arranged congress Wednesday, voted to remove Ranariddh, saying he was unable to helm the fractious party because he is out of the country too often.
"The prince has rarely spent time inside the country, and we needed a leader who is regularly at work with the party in the country," Nhek Bun Chhay, the party's secretary-general, told a press conference Wednesday.
He said Ranariddh also was removed because his relationship with Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party had caused problems. Funcinpec is a junior coalition partner with the CPP.
The party elected Keo Puth Rasmey, Cambodia's ambassador to Germany and Ranariddh's brother-in-law, to replace the prince.
Ranariddh's dismissal came after a recent bitter verbal exchange with Hun Sen, who criticized the prince's weak leadership and called for Funcinpec to dump him.
In a statement broadcast on the state-run television late Wednesday night, Hun Sen's party lent Keo Puth Rasmey the warmest congratulations on his new job and said it hoped to maintain good cooperation with Funcinpec under his leadership.
Over the last six months, Ranariddh has lived in a self-imposed exile despite a brief return to Cambodia in September.
His current whereabouts were not clear, although his adviser, Ok Socheat, said Wednesday that the prince was in Malaysia.
Ok Socheat said Ranariddh doesn't recognize the vote and will file a complaint with Cambodian courts.
Political embarrassment was a key reason behind his long absence. In March, Hun Sen's party, which dominates seats in the National Assembly, or lower house of parliament, succeeded in changing voting rules from a two-thirds to a simple majority. This meant the CPP no longer needed the support of Ranariddh's lawmakers.
Ranariddh, who at the time was the National Assembly president, resigned in protest and left the country.
He has a residence in France where he normally has spent several weeks every year teaching at a university over the last 15 years of his political career.
Ranariddh's removal occurred as the party was trying to restore its credibility ahead of local elections in April 2007 and a general election in 2008.
Speaking after being chosen as the party's new leader, Keo Puth Rasmey said he would make every effort to reunite the party and lead it to victory in upcoming elections.
He is married to Norodom Arunrasmy, Ranariddh's half-sister.
Ranariddh is the son of Norodom Sihanouk, the country's retired but still-revered king, who founded Funcinpec and whose name helped the party win a U.N.-organized 1993 election.
But under Ranariddh's leadership, the party's popularity steadily declined. Funcinpec was defeated in the last two general elections, in 1998 and 2003, by its main rival, Hun Sen's party.
"Now he has nothing left," said Kek Galabru, president of the nonprofit Cambodian human rights group Licadho and one of the country's few political observers. "I'm afraid that, for Prince Ranariddh, his political career is over."
Ranariddh bears the biggest responsibility for his own ouster since he has failed to show a true leadership in reforming the party and restoring its credibility, said Kuol Panha, executive director of the independent Cambodian election monitoring group Comfrel.
The party congress has elevated Ranariddh to the rank of "historic leader," which is largely a ceremonial position.
The Funcinpec party, at a hastily arranged congress Wednesday, voted to remove Ranariddh, saying he was unable to helm the fractious party because he is out of the country too often.
"The prince has rarely spent time inside the country, and we needed a leader who is regularly at work with the party in the country," Nhek Bun Chhay, the party's secretary-general, told a press conference Wednesday.
He said Ranariddh also was removed because his relationship with Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party had caused problems. Funcinpec is a junior coalition partner with the CPP.
The party elected Keo Puth Rasmey, Cambodia's ambassador to Germany and Ranariddh's brother-in-law, to replace the prince.
Ranariddh's dismissal came after a recent bitter verbal exchange with Hun Sen, who criticized the prince's weak leadership and called for Funcinpec to dump him.
In a statement broadcast on the state-run television late Wednesday night, Hun Sen's party lent Keo Puth Rasmey the warmest congratulations on his new job and said it hoped to maintain good cooperation with Funcinpec under his leadership.
Over the last six months, Ranariddh has lived in a self-imposed exile despite a brief return to Cambodia in September.
His current whereabouts were not clear, although his adviser, Ok Socheat, said Wednesday that the prince was in Malaysia.
Ok Socheat said Ranariddh doesn't recognize the vote and will file a complaint with Cambodian courts.
Political embarrassment was a key reason behind his long absence. In March, Hun Sen's party, which dominates seats in the National Assembly, or lower house of parliament, succeeded in changing voting rules from a two-thirds to a simple majority. This meant the CPP no longer needed the support of Ranariddh's lawmakers.
Ranariddh, who at the time was the National Assembly president, resigned in protest and left the country.
He has a residence in France where he normally has spent several weeks every year teaching at a university over the last 15 years of his political career.
Ranariddh's removal occurred as the party was trying to restore its credibility ahead of local elections in April 2007 and a general election in 2008.
Speaking after being chosen as the party's new leader, Keo Puth Rasmey said he would make every effort to reunite the party and lead it to victory in upcoming elections.
He is married to Norodom Arunrasmy, Ranariddh's half-sister.
Ranariddh is the son of Norodom Sihanouk, the country's retired but still-revered king, who founded Funcinpec and whose name helped the party win a U.N.-organized 1993 election.
But under Ranariddh's leadership, the party's popularity steadily declined. Funcinpec was defeated in the last two general elections, in 1998 and 2003, by its main rival, Hun Sen's party.
"Now he has nothing left," said Kek Galabru, president of the nonprofit Cambodian human rights group Licadho and one of the country's few political observers. "I'm afraid that, for Prince Ranariddh, his political career is over."
Ranariddh bears the biggest responsibility for his own ouster since he has failed to show a true leadership in reforming the party and restoring its credibility, said Kuol Panha, executive director of the independent Cambodian election monitoring group Comfrel.
The party congress has elevated Ranariddh to the rank of "historic leader," which is largely a ceremonial position.
5 comments:
I always honor The Prince's decision for quiting. He did himself and us a huge favor.
He should be a man and able to make up his mind one way or the other and leaving is better. It's a long process of dying away from politic. He should have known and picked that up since the year of 2001 or 2003. Instead of staying on and draged everybody else into hell. Remember when Mr. Sam Rainsey was striped and removed from the Parliment and everything. It was a huge mess.
Life is better somepalce else sometimes and knowing when it should be over is the best. Beside, he has everything and everything to be happy, money, Being A Prince and a new young wife. Life is too short. If he is afraid that the rest of Royalty will disown him. He shouldn't, but it's probably he who will disown them himself.Reason? Embarassement.
I feel sorry for Mr. Newman ( Koe Rasmey ) that have to put up with the CPP. Good luck with your freedom to do thing for the country!. I adore royalty, but in my heart, only Lok Sam Rainsey is by all mean true to Khmer people.
I have two ways look for this situation:
1). Why the prince has to stay until he was thrown out because he needs to collect money and power. These two things are very heavy addicted substances powerful enough to cigarettes and streets drugs addiction. 99% of Cambodian leaders and officials can't stay away from these two.
2). Just only superstition: There is a curse among royal family. Ex King was kicked out in March 18, 1970. and his son October 18, 2006. The day of 18th (NOT Friday the 13th) is a black cat day for royal family.
To 8:49p.m
Good point and memory.
It makes me wonder when would Mr. Hun Sen choose his day? It probably will never happen. To think that he has a gut to say " Hey, I have enough and I decide to choose another path to enjoy my life or do something else ", it would be a foolish idea.He doesn't have it.
PLEASE LEARN NEXT POLITICIANS:
KNOW YOUR TIME AND GO INTO YOUR RETIREMENT WITH AN HONORARY TITTLE, PEACE AND RESPECT. Not Like Mr.Thackin or our own Prince Ranarith ( well, he isn't so bad, at least he was more/less part of abondance his own party ). You sure know the result or the consequence of not being smart and quick. Good Luck & best wishes!
On one hand, i must say "it's a pity you prince Ranariddh!!". But on the other hand, the royal highly prince! you are too weak and too ignorant, you should deserve this expected bad chance. Sure, you did less bad things to the country than Hun Sen does, but you are not strong leader for the party or of the country as well. This kind of your leadership would not be much beneficial for the country and cambodian, anyway. So accept your fate, please.
Now come to the Funcinpec's new machinary. I still doubt whether:
- this new development would lead to a thouroughly efficient reform of the party in order to gain back popularity or
- this is just motivated to satisfy your boss Hun Sen of CPP, Mr. Nhik BunChhay!!!
All Funcinpec, you must learn the history of Lok Ta Son San's party. If you forget, your fate will be the same.
Mr. Keo Puth Reaksmey, this is a very heavy task for you! Are you ready to lead this party??? What is your vision??? Do you want to be prime minister or just want to share a small piece of cake from the strong dirty man Hun Sen??? Don't forget,na, 50 % votes only to form a government.
Heeeee....Mr. Nhik Bun Chhay, Mr. Lu Laysreng, Mr. Puth Reaksmey and Prince Sereyroth, is this new movement the royal family conflict or true democracy development in the party?????
Anyway, democracy should be used to replace unpredictable and torn royal conflicts which happened frequently in our past history.
Norodom or Sysowath links??
To Mr. eight or nine fingers or NBC:
Painfull memory, aren't you? Remember you were chased by Hun's troops on 07/06/1997 all the way to O Smach camp. You ended up, were treated at Thai hospital for exhaustion and injury.
This memory has made you cross your heart and swear to God that you never play this game with HUN again. "IF YOU CAN'T WIN HIM, JOIN HIM"
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