By Vong Sokheng
Phnom Penh Post, Issue 15 / 21, October 20 - November 2, 2006
After more than 10 years of repeated political setbacks, including defeats at the polls, party defections, accusations of poor leadership, and military debacles resulting in the deaths of many Funcinpec loyalists, the Royalist Funcinpec party has voted to replace its president, Prince Norodom Ranariddh.
At an extraordinary Congress held on October 18, party members voted to replace the prince with Keo Puth Reasmy, currently Cambodian Ambassador to Germany. Reasmy is married to King Father Norodom Sihanouk's youngest daughter, Princess Norodom Arunrasmy.
Initially elected to the post in 1992, Ranariddh led the party to a stunning electoral victory in the UNTAC-sponsored elections in May, 1993, after which he subsequently became First Prime Minister of Cambodia until his violent ouster in July 1997.
Since then, the party's fortunes have continuously faltered with repeated declines in the number of National Assembly seats won in national elections in 1998 and 2003, and a substantial thrashing in commune elections in 2004.
More recently, the party was earlier this year jolted when Prime Minister Hun Sen sacked then-Co-Minister of Interior Norodom Sirivuth and Co-Minister of Defense Nhiek Bun Chay - a move that caused Ranariddh to resign from his position as president of the National Assembly on March 14.
The firings came amid thinly veiled public accusations by Hun Sen that Ranariddh was making political appointments of unqualified individuals, and that his mistress, Ouk Phalla, was a moral embarrassment.
Since then, Ranariddh has spent most of his time out of the country, and announced that he and his wife of 38 years, Princess Marie, will divorce.
Sources say one of the reasons Hun Sen became so embittered towards Ranariddh is that in December 2005, Hun Sen and Bun Rany attended the marriage of Ranariddh's daughter, Princess Norodom Rattana. The gala affair was held at Ranariddh's home down Route 1 on the Mekong. In part because it rained that night, Hun Sen spent almost three hours at the wedding dinner, a courtesy deemed highly significant in Cambodian social circles.
One week later, when Hun Sen's eldest son Manit was married, Ranariddh and his wife, Princess Marie, attended the wedding dinner at Hun Sen's. But halfway through the event Ranariddh was telephoned by his mistress and left the dinner party abruptly, forcing his wife to leave as well to avoid public embarrassment for the couple.
Hun Sen and his wife are said to have been terribly incensed by Ranariddh's behavior and the loss of face he caused Princess Marie.
The sackings by Hun Sen of Funcinpec officials in the executive branch began after the wedding snafu.
The whole problem was compounded by Ranariddh's mistress using her access with the prince to force through political appointees of individuals who were incompetent. Party sources say that one undersecretary of state appointed by Ranariddh had previously been responsible for polishing the prince's shoes.
Even Nhiek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec's secretary general, is said to have been bewildered by Funcinpec senior-level political appointees he met in the provinces who had almost no record of service to the party.
At the very least, the latest wrinkles in the Hun Sen-Ranariddh relationship are only a small part of a long and terribly rocky affair. But Bun Chhay told reporters at a press conference on October 17 that he expects the deteriorating relationship between the coalition partners to move forward with a renewed spirit of collaboration.
On September 18, Hun Sen called for Funcinpec to replace its president and suggested that he could only work with Bun Chhay.
"A small group of party members created a problem in the coalition government and made no justice because those looked for their own benefit, and caused problems with the CPP," Bun Chhay said. "The problem had to be immediately resolved."
Bun Chhay said that the cooperation between CPP and Funcinpec broke down and the two main parties could not continue to work as partners in the current coalition government.
"We don't want to oust the prince, but if we don't do it Funcinpec is in more difficulties than the current situation," Bun Chhay said. "I was a compromiser and the cooperation between Samdech Hun Sen and Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh was over."
Funcinpec, the French acronym of the National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, Economic and Cooperative Cambodia, was founded by King Father Norodom Sihanouk in 1981 in Paris.
Bun Chhay said that Funcinpec subsequently had a problem and it must immediately reform its structure by the enlargement the party's National Council to at least 600 members and the party's Steering Committee to 53 members. Ranariddh's portrait has been removed from the party's logo, and he has been given the title of "Historic President."
"It is come to a point when our former President, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, is not able to perform his duty, because he has been living abroad so long and he has no more good collaboration with our partner CPP," newly appointed second vice president Prince Sisowath Sirirath said.
Ok Socheat, Prince Ranariddh's public affairs adviser, told the Post on October 19 that Bun Chhay had made a coup against the president, but Bun Chhay denied the allegation.
Socheat said Bun Chhay was a traitor and will bring Funcinpec down in the commune elections scheduled for April 1, 2007.
Socheat said he will file a complaint with the Ministry of Interior on October 20 alleging that the selection of new Funcinpec president was illegal. If the MoI refuses to act on the complaint, Socheat says a lawsuit will be filed.
"The prince phones me almost every day and asked me to prepare for a new party if he loses in the court," Socheat said. "Without the prince Funcinpec will dissolve like the Son Sann party."
Serei Kosal, a senior Funcinpec official, told the Post that Ranariddh's ouster was irregular and contrary to the party's internal regulations.
"I do not support the new president, and the ouster of the prince from his position ... will make the grassroots supporters confused in voting for Funcinpec," Kosal said. "Now we can see clearly that there are serious divisions in the party and we will lose in the elections."
But Bun Chhay said the by-laws of the party include a stipulation that the president or one-third of the members of the party's National Council can call for an extraordinary congress.
Keo Puth Rasmey said he will finish his mission as Ambassador to Germany and will resign when there is "a right time... in order to come to work for the party."
He said that it is too early to say whether King Father Norodom Sihanouk will or will not support his son Ranariddh's removal.
"The father always said that he keeps away from the political career," Rasmey said.
Rasmey worked on Prince Norodom Sihanouk's personal staff in the 1980s. In 1990 in Bangkok he married Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, a daughter of Sihanouk. For a few years he was in charge of the international politics section of the Funcinpec office in Bangkok and in 1994 was appointed head of the king's secretariat. He was also ambassador to Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia.
Khieu Kanharith, the CPP's spokesman, said Ranariddh's ouster was an internal problem of Funcinpec.
"We do not interfere in the internal problems of Funcinpec, but we hope that Funcinpec will continue to keep a good relationship with the CPP," Kanharith said.
Koul Panha, Executive Director of the local election monitoring NGO the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) told the Post on October 19 that the influence of the CPP has created serious divisions inside Funcinpec and the initiative to keep members of the royal families out of politics was the reason to oust Prince Ranariddh.
At an extraordinary Congress held on October 18, party members voted to replace the prince with Keo Puth Reasmy, currently Cambodian Ambassador to Germany. Reasmy is married to King Father Norodom Sihanouk's youngest daughter, Princess Norodom Arunrasmy.
Initially elected to the post in 1992, Ranariddh led the party to a stunning electoral victory in the UNTAC-sponsored elections in May, 1993, after which he subsequently became First Prime Minister of Cambodia until his violent ouster in July 1997.
Since then, the party's fortunes have continuously faltered with repeated declines in the number of National Assembly seats won in national elections in 1998 and 2003, and a substantial thrashing in commune elections in 2004.
More recently, the party was earlier this year jolted when Prime Minister Hun Sen sacked then-Co-Minister of Interior Norodom Sirivuth and Co-Minister of Defense Nhiek Bun Chay - a move that caused Ranariddh to resign from his position as president of the National Assembly on March 14.
The firings came amid thinly veiled public accusations by Hun Sen that Ranariddh was making political appointments of unqualified individuals, and that his mistress, Ouk Phalla, was a moral embarrassment.
Since then, Ranariddh has spent most of his time out of the country, and announced that he and his wife of 38 years, Princess Marie, will divorce.
Sources say one of the reasons Hun Sen became so embittered towards Ranariddh is that in December 2005, Hun Sen and Bun Rany attended the marriage of Ranariddh's daughter, Princess Norodom Rattana. The gala affair was held at Ranariddh's home down Route 1 on the Mekong. In part because it rained that night, Hun Sen spent almost three hours at the wedding dinner, a courtesy deemed highly significant in Cambodian social circles.
One week later, when Hun Sen's eldest son Manit was married, Ranariddh and his wife, Princess Marie, attended the wedding dinner at Hun Sen's. But halfway through the event Ranariddh was telephoned by his mistress and left the dinner party abruptly, forcing his wife to leave as well to avoid public embarrassment for the couple.
Hun Sen and his wife are said to have been terribly incensed by Ranariddh's behavior and the loss of face he caused Princess Marie.
The sackings by Hun Sen of Funcinpec officials in the executive branch began after the wedding snafu.
The whole problem was compounded by Ranariddh's mistress using her access with the prince to force through political appointees of individuals who were incompetent. Party sources say that one undersecretary of state appointed by Ranariddh had previously been responsible for polishing the prince's shoes.
Even Nhiek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec's secretary general, is said to have been bewildered by Funcinpec senior-level political appointees he met in the provinces who had almost no record of service to the party.
At the very least, the latest wrinkles in the Hun Sen-Ranariddh relationship are only a small part of a long and terribly rocky affair. But Bun Chhay told reporters at a press conference on October 17 that he expects the deteriorating relationship between the coalition partners to move forward with a renewed spirit of collaboration.
On September 18, Hun Sen called for Funcinpec to replace its president and suggested that he could only work with Bun Chhay.
"A small group of party members created a problem in the coalition government and made no justice because those looked for their own benefit, and caused problems with the CPP," Bun Chhay said. "The problem had to be immediately resolved."
Bun Chhay said that the cooperation between CPP and Funcinpec broke down and the two main parties could not continue to work as partners in the current coalition government.
"We don't want to oust the prince, but if we don't do it Funcinpec is in more difficulties than the current situation," Bun Chhay said. "I was a compromiser and the cooperation between Samdech Hun Sen and Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh was over."
Funcinpec, the French acronym of the National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, Economic and Cooperative Cambodia, was founded by King Father Norodom Sihanouk in 1981 in Paris.
Bun Chhay said that Funcinpec subsequently had a problem and it must immediately reform its structure by the enlargement the party's National Council to at least 600 members and the party's Steering Committee to 53 members. Ranariddh's portrait has been removed from the party's logo, and he has been given the title of "Historic President."
"It is come to a point when our former President, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, is not able to perform his duty, because he has been living abroad so long and he has no more good collaboration with our partner CPP," newly appointed second vice president Prince Sisowath Sirirath said.
Ok Socheat, Prince Ranariddh's public affairs adviser, told the Post on October 19 that Bun Chhay had made a coup against the president, but Bun Chhay denied the allegation.
Socheat said Bun Chhay was a traitor and will bring Funcinpec down in the commune elections scheduled for April 1, 2007.
Socheat said he will file a complaint with the Ministry of Interior on October 20 alleging that the selection of new Funcinpec president was illegal. If the MoI refuses to act on the complaint, Socheat says a lawsuit will be filed.
"The prince phones me almost every day and asked me to prepare for a new party if he loses in the court," Socheat said. "Without the prince Funcinpec will dissolve like the Son Sann party."
Serei Kosal, a senior Funcinpec official, told the Post that Ranariddh's ouster was irregular and contrary to the party's internal regulations.
"I do not support the new president, and the ouster of the prince from his position ... will make the grassroots supporters confused in voting for Funcinpec," Kosal said. "Now we can see clearly that there are serious divisions in the party and we will lose in the elections."
But Bun Chhay said the by-laws of the party include a stipulation that the president or one-third of the members of the party's National Council can call for an extraordinary congress.
Keo Puth Rasmey said he will finish his mission as Ambassador to Germany and will resign when there is "a right time... in order to come to work for the party."
He said that it is too early to say whether King Father Norodom Sihanouk will or will not support his son Ranariddh's removal.
"The father always said that he keeps away from the political career," Rasmey said.
Rasmey worked on Prince Norodom Sihanouk's personal staff in the 1980s. In 1990 in Bangkok he married Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, a daughter of Sihanouk. For a few years he was in charge of the international politics section of the Funcinpec office in Bangkok and in 1994 was appointed head of the king's secretariat. He was also ambassador to Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia.
Khieu Kanharith, the CPP's spokesman, said Ranariddh's ouster was an internal problem of Funcinpec.
"We do not interfere in the internal problems of Funcinpec, but we hope that Funcinpec will continue to keep a good relationship with the CPP," Kanharith said.
Koul Panha, Executive Director of the local election monitoring NGO the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) told the Post on October 19 that the influence of the CPP has created serious divisions inside Funcinpec and the initiative to keep members of the royal families out of politics was the reason to oust Prince Ranariddh.
5 comments:
I was on my way home from work, and came to a dead halt in traffic, and thought to myself, “Wow, this traffic seems far worse than usual for the Funcinpec Headquarters, nothing is moving.”
I noticed a police officer walking back and forth between lines of cars and motor doups, so I asked, “What’s the hold-up, officer?”
The officer replied, “Prince Ranariddh is just so depressed about what he has been put through that he stopped his motorcade in the middle of the street, and threatened to douse himself in petrol and set himself on fire unless he could raise enough money for his new party. I am walking around taking up a collection for him.”
“Oh, really, How much have you collect so far?”
“So far only about one hundred litres, but I have got a lot of people still siphoning from their petrol tank.”
SiS
Rannarith !! This is a kampir which you have made to Cambodian people. You wanted us only to suffer. Your cheekies words are no longer win our heart to have pity on you anymore. You are worst than an animal. You was born as a prince and have acted just like an animal withour any little of morality toward your people. We are enough with you. If I am like you, I must commit myself suicide like the last King of Ming Dynasty. He has hang himself for the lost of all his entourage. He has lost his dynasty to Manchu King to set up the seconf qin dynasty from 1644 in China. Your father has destroyed all the royal families in the name of Moha lotplors of KR. Now he tried to destroy Thomico. I think now Cambodian will be behind Thomico for good. He is very poor ( your father has cut out his US$600 salary to stop him setting up political party). But he has a big heart in helping Cambodia.
Bravo Thomico !!!!Bravo Thomico!!!!!
Rannaridh does not worth any cent. Public opinion has predicted his poor management. It is quite different between "born to be a leader" and "learn to be a leader". Rannarith has learned for so many years to be a leader, and he has to learned to death before he can become a leader. His behavor is nothing better than a playboy.
COMME ON GUY, rANARITHN NOT A PLAYBOY! HE START HAVING MISTRESS ONLY AFTER HE BE CAME RICH.
HE GET WOMEN WITH $.
HE NOT A PLAYBOY HE IS A DIRTY OLDMAN, STOOL MONEY FROM THE POOR TO PLEASE HIS GROIN!
Let's look at the big picture. Reading the article gives me sense of sadness. No, not for the prince whose behavior is indefensable. It is sad in the sense that our politicians (I use the our because I am a Cambodian)use Cambodia's political arena to settle personal scores. What is worst is that they cannot distincquish between what is personal and public. I am afraid that if this kind of game continues to be played, the people will be hurt.
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