Ousted royalist party leader joins new Cambodian political party
The Associated Press
The deposed leader of Cambodia's royalist party said Thursday he has joined a little-known political party, a key step in resurrecting his career.
Prince Norodom Ranariddh — who was removed as president of the Funcinpec party on Oct. 18 — became the president of the Norodom Ranariddh Party, formerly known as the Khmer Front Party.
The Khmer Front Party, founded by a group of student activists critical of Prime Minister Hun Sen's government, endorsed the prince as its leader during a special meeting Thursday.
The Khmer Front party's former president, Suth Dina, said that it had decided to "make a sacrifice" and make Ranariddh its president despite the decision of mainstream parties to exclude him.
Ranariddh said in his acceptance speech that he has "nothing else left" after his ouster. He described his new role as "the first necessary step" in resuming his political career.
Funcinpec cited Ranariddh's alleged incompetence and frequent absences from the country as reasons for dumping him. The party's new leaders said Ranariddh's sacking was also necessary to restore the party's credibility and popularity ahead of local and national elections in 2007 and 2008.
Ranariddh's longtime political rival, Prime Minister Hun Sen — the powerful head of the ruling Cambodian People's Party — had encouraged Ranariddh's ouster. Funcinpec is the junior partner in Hun Sen's coalition government.
After he was removed, Ranariddh's loyalists applied to Cambodia's Interior Ministry for permission to form a party. But the ministry has so far not granted an approval, citing Ranariddh's failure to complete necessary paperwork.
Ranariddh has accused Hun Sen's government of trying to block him from creating his own party.
He thanked the Khmer Front Party for taking him in.
"I thank very much the leadership and members of the former Khmer Front Party," he said. "I would like to assure you of my sincerity and patriotism."
Ranariddh's political misfortune has been accompanied by the breakup of his marriage. Last month, Ranariddh told The Associated Press that he and his wife, Marie, are no longer living together. She has remained with Funcinpec and recently was appointed by Hun Sen as a senior minister in charge of an unspecified mission.
On Thursday, Ranariddh demanded that Marie, who used to go by the name Norodom Marie Ranariddh, stop using his name along with hers. Her maiden name was Marie Eng.
"I do not refer to her as Marie Ranariddh anymore, nor can I allow her to have Ranariddh attached to her name either," the prince said. "She can keep the Norodom," he said, referring to name of his royal family line, also carried by his father, retired king Norodom Sihanouk.
Marie could not be immediately reached for comment.
Prince Norodom Ranariddh — who was removed as president of the Funcinpec party on Oct. 18 — became the president of the Norodom Ranariddh Party, formerly known as the Khmer Front Party.
The Khmer Front Party, founded by a group of student activists critical of Prime Minister Hun Sen's government, endorsed the prince as its leader during a special meeting Thursday.
The Khmer Front party's former president, Suth Dina, said that it had decided to "make a sacrifice" and make Ranariddh its president despite the decision of mainstream parties to exclude him.
Ranariddh said in his acceptance speech that he has "nothing else left" after his ouster. He described his new role as "the first necessary step" in resuming his political career.
Funcinpec cited Ranariddh's alleged incompetence and frequent absences from the country as reasons for dumping him. The party's new leaders said Ranariddh's sacking was also necessary to restore the party's credibility and popularity ahead of local and national elections in 2007 and 2008.
Ranariddh's longtime political rival, Prime Minister Hun Sen — the powerful head of the ruling Cambodian People's Party — had encouraged Ranariddh's ouster. Funcinpec is the junior partner in Hun Sen's coalition government.
After he was removed, Ranariddh's loyalists applied to Cambodia's Interior Ministry for permission to form a party. But the ministry has so far not granted an approval, citing Ranariddh's failure to complete necessary paperwork.
Ranariddh has accused Hun Sen's government of trying to block him from creating his own party.
He thanked the Khmer Front Party for taking him in.
"I thank very much the leadership and members of the former Khmer Front Party," he said. "I would like to assure you of my sincerity and patriotism."
Ranariddh's political misfortune has been accompanied by the breakup of his marriage. Last month, Ranariddh told The Associated Press that he and his wife, Marie, are no longer living together. She has remained with Funcinpec and recently was appointed by Hun Sen as a senior minister in charge of an unspecified mission.
On Thursday, Ranariddh demanded that Marie, who used to go by the name Norodom Marie Ranariddh, stop using his name along with hers. Her maiden name was Marie Eng.
"I do not refer to her as Marie Ranariddh anymore, nor can I allow her to have Ranariddh attached to her name either," the prince said. "She can keep the Norodom," he said, referring to name of his royal family line, also carried by his father, retired king Norodom Sihanouk.
Marie could not be immediately reached for comment.
7 comments:
This is sory state, we (Khmer) are in. Why can anyone just get rid of the problem, Norodumb Ranaridh?
KFP, how can you accept a person with evil reps? A man with multiple partners, a man who sold Khmer pride, a man who stole from the poor to benefit himself, a man that signed the boarder treaty to ah Youns, and a man of many other reasons...
KFP, you haven't begun yet and you have Cast a Shadow over your head. Please preserve Khmer culture if YOU CARE ABOUT NOTHING ELSE.
CONCERN KHMER
This KFP has nothing. They just have only name with a handful of members. Its president suth dina, vice president soun sokunmealea... they have been cheaters for a long time. These people are so crazy for power and the so-called extremists in Cambodia. They are not royalist, and yet they can work together because they have COMMON CHARACTERISTICS - CHEATER, BLOOD SUCKER, AND GREEDY FOR POWER.
Ranariddh demanded that Marie stop using his name along with hers.
Because Ranaridh autorize to his young wife "PHALLA RANARIDH" using his name.
Weak leaders name what they own after themselves.
SiS
I think all of the Norodom lineages are like Dinosaur, a tiny brain! Perhaps more like John Kerry, flip-flop person. His demented father, Shithanouk, continue to write his Fucking short story that he thinks he can enlightened us readers.
Why don't God make Phnom Pehn an epicenter of the 10.0 Rictor Scale Earth Quake -- take all those mother fucker corrupted official into the Earth's into core. They liked it Hot, ah!
I think all of the Norodom lineages are like Dinosaur, a tiny brain! Perhaps more like John Kerry, flip-flop person. His demented father, Shithanouk, continue to write his Fucking short story that he thinks he can enlightened us readers.
Why don't God make Phnom Pehn an epicenter of the 10.0 Rictor Scale Earth Quake -- take all those mother fucker corrupted official into the Earth's into core. They liked it Hot, ah!
Those KFP leaders and members have never cheated. I have lived in Cambodia since I was born. I have never seen those guy have cheated anyone. But those fuckking Cambodian living a broads are stupid. They never contributed to the country's developement but they are happy to be enslaved by the foreigners.
Post a Comment