Friday, October 27, 2006

Pro-Prince Ranariddh Officials Expelled from Nhiek Bun Chhay's FUNCINPEC Party

25 Oct 06
By Pheakdei
Moneakseka Khmer Newspaper

Translated from Khmer

This is the first time that a group of persons perceived as obstacle to the FUNCINPEC [National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia] Party, born out of the recent party coup, was officially expelled from the party yesterday.

Keo Puth Rasmey, new chairman of the FUNCINPEC Party, signed the expulsion of Serei Kosal, deputy secretary-general of the FUNCINPEC Party, Ok Socheat, spokesman for Prince Ranariddh, Mam Bun Neang, deputy secretary-general of the FUNCINPEC Party, and Sao Rany, a confidante of Prince Ranariddh, under the excuse that they had provoked complications to paralyze the party's functioning.

In the dismissal letter it was emphasized that their removal was only temporary. But it is believed that this was merely a diplomatic language as these persons had launched energetic opposition to the party coup and they did not expect to return.

The announcement of the expulsion was made after the pro-Prince Ranariddh group had made new provocations against the group that staged the party coup under the leadership of Nhiek Bun Chhay, showing their resolute support for Prince Ranariddh, the extremely pathetic party leader who was catapulted as party chairman on 18 October.

Ok Socheat publicly stated early this week that Prince Ranariddh, expected to return to Cambodia either today or Sunday, would organize an extraordinary congress to reject the results of the congress staged by the Nhiek Bun Chhay group. He also said that the prince would demand the return of FUNCINPEC and would not let the Nhiek Bun Chhay group take it away without fight.

The principle of this opposition to the extraordinary congress organized by Nhiek Bun Chhay was explained to the media by virtually everybody in Ok Socheat's group, including Serei Kosal, Mam Bun Neang, and Sao Rany. This was very sensitive to the party-coup makers headed by Nhiek Bun Chhay. They could not take it anymore and decided to expel Ok Socheat's group from the party.

Nevertheless, the wide publicity of the pro-Prince Ranariddh group, according to several observers, would not affect the running of the new FUNCINPEC Party by Keo Puth Rasmey and Nhiek Bun Chhay because this is the result of Hun Sen's wish. It has been known that in Cambodia, Hun Sen is the top boss. What Hun Sen wants, Hun Sen gets.

At the same time, it has also been said that along with his return to the country Prince Ranariddh would push for court actions against the congress or, in other words, the party coup staged by Nhiek Bun Chhay to expel him.

Serei Kosal echoed this plan against Nhiek Bun Chhay by saying that he would be a witness in the lawsuit and calling the congress held by the Nhiek Bun Chhay group a violation of the bylaw and internal rules of the FUNCINPEC Party.

It was noted that those who have shown resolute support for Prince Ranariddh are mostly people dismissed from their government jobs by Hun Sen. Some of these political figures have admitted that their pro-Prince Ranariddh attitude is just a kind of art to prolong their political life at this time that they have no choice and are facing an impasse.

According to Ok Socheat, Prince Ranariddh also plans to ask the Ministry of Interior for permission to set up a new political party named after him, that is, the Norodom Ranariddh Party. However, the prince would initially refrain from appointing himself chairman of the new party as he is waiting for the outcome of his protest against the FUNCINPEC Party's controversial extraordinary congress led by Nhiek Bun Chhay.

Nevertheless, it is said that Prince Ranariddh has little chance of winning this lawsuit. Moreover, it is said that the prince could also be stripped of his status as the FUNCINPEC Party's MP for Kampong Cham constituency. A source in the FUNCINPEC Party said that Prince Ranariddh's recent announcement that he was forming a new party meant his complete severance from the FUNCINPEC Party.

Regarding the decision taken by the Nhiek Bun Chhay group to expel Ok Socheat, Serei Kosal, Sao Rany, and Mam Bun Neang from the party yesterday, it is described as a smart step by this group to pull the thorn off its side. However, this does not mean the final success. It is believed that once Prince Ranariddh sets his feet in Phnom Penh, FUNCINPEC will go through another round of trouble. Then, in this final round, people will see whether it is Nhiek Bun Chhay or Prince Ranariddh who is the real boss of FUNCINPEC.

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