By Srei Ka
Moneakseka Khmer
Translated from Khmer and posted online
A high-ranking Cambodian People's Party [CPP] official said that the CPP is seeking a new partner for the post-2008 election period. This CPP official said that in reality the CPP could have easily rule the country alone but because it has prepared tricks to win the elections and subsequently the power, it would be ugly to be accepted without a political partner or a political ally.
Besides, ruling alone gives the impression of being authoritarian and the international community might feel that Cambodia is drifting toward dictatorship under the control of a single party or a single individual, for not long ago Yash Ghai, UN envoy in charge of human rights in Cambodia, already claimed that all power in Cambodia is concentrated around one individual. Because Yash Ghai's remark was so direct against him, Hun Sen was angry and he called Yash Ghai insolent.
Last week again when a Radio Free Asia [RFA] reporter asked questions too directly to Hun Sen concerning the future relationship between the CPP and the FUNCINPEC [National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia] Party, Hun Sen also called RFA insolent, that is, he said both the radio and the man who asked him questions were insolent. This is because the relationship between the CPP and the FUNCINPEC Party is already over. There is nothing to talk about. However, RFA asked him about this issue, which is quite sensitive to the CPP or Hun Sen. That is why Hun Sen was furious and accused RFA of being insolent.
The high-ranking CPP official said that from now on the FUNCINPEC Party is no longer worth being an ally of the CPP. It can only be a CPP puppet like many other small parties that used to be CPP puppets. The FUNCINPEC Party no longer has any quality to be a CPP ally, for the CPP does anything only if it is going to profit from it. For instance, the CPP was an ally of the FUNCINPEC Party in the past because the latter was useful to the CPP. It could voice support for the CPP in parliament. But now that the FUNCINPEC Party can hardly help itself, why should the CPP remain its ally?
The same CPP official aid that Hun Sen already publicly stated that he did not want a dumb, useless friend, for he did not want to be in a situation in which he has to fight his foe with one hand and dig a trench for his friend with another. Therefore, he prefers having a smart foe rather than a stupid friend. Therefore, because it knows that the FUNCINPEC Party is en route toward its demise, the CPP is seeking a new ally.
This high-ranking CPP official said that the CPP Permanent Committee has already determined in a recent meeting that the FUNCINPEC Party is no longer a CPP ally after 2008, but it can be a puppet sheltering under the label of the CPP. Sheltering under the label of the CPP here means living under the CPP, not sharing power with it as in the past.
This is because currently the CPP considers the FUNCINPEC Party as being no different from Nguon Soeur's Khmer Citizen Party and Ung Huot's Reastr Niyum Party. This is why the CPP does not care about the FUNCINPEC Party and is seeking a new partner.
The CPP's search for a new partner is to make the world see that Cambodia adheres to democracy, has a coalition government, permits participation of other parties, and does not concentrate power around a despot although the 50 percent plus 1 formula can allow the CPP to rule the country alone.
Besides, in the upcoming 2008 general elections, the CPP is not sure that it will be able to maintain the same number of seats it has in the National Assembly now. For this reason, it is seeking a new ally with equal potentials.
Besides, ruling alone gives the impression of being authoritarian and the international community might feel that Cambodia is drifting toward dictatorship under the control of a single party or a single individual, for not long ago Yash Ghai, UN envoy in charge of human rights in Cambodia, already claimed that all power in Cambodia is concentrated around one individual. Because Yash Ghai's remark was so direct against him, Hun Sen was angry and he called Yash Ghai insolent.
Last week again when a Radio Free Asia [RFA] reporter asked questions too directly to Hun Sen concerning the future relationship between the CPP and the FUNCINPEC [National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia] Party, Hun Sen also called RFA insolent, that is, he said both the radio and the man who asked him questions were insolent. This is because the relationship between the CPP and the FUNCINPEC Party is already over. There is nothing to talk about. However, RFA asked him about this issue, which is quite sensitive to the CPP or Hun Sen. That is why Hun Sen was furious and accused RFA of being insolent.
The high-ranking CPP official said that from now on the FUNCINPEC Party is no longer worth being an ally of the CPP. It can only be a CPP puppet like many other small parties that used to be CPP puppets. The FUNCINPEC Party no longer has any quality to be a CPP ally, for the CPP does anything only if it is going to profit from it. For instance, the CPP was an ally of the FUNCINPEC Party in the past because the latter was useful to the CPP. It could voice support for the CPP in parliament. But now that the FUNCINPEC Party can hardly help itself, why should the CPP remain its ally?
The same CPP official aid that Hun Sen already publicly stated that he did not want a dumb, useless friend, for he did not want to be in a situation in which he has to fight his foe with one hand and dig a trench for his friend with another. Therefore, he prefers having a smart foe rather than a stupid friend. Therefore, because it knows that the FUNCINPEC Party is en route toward its demise, the CPP is seeking a new ally.
This high-ranking CPP official said that the CPP Permanent Committee has already determined in a recent meeting that the FUNCINPEC Party is no longer a CPP ally after 2008, but it can be a puppet sheltering under the label of the CPP. Sheltering under the label of the CPP here means living under the CPP, not sharing power with it as in the past.
This is because currently the CPP considers the FUNCINPEC Party as being no different from Nguon Soeur's Khmer Citizen Party and Ung Huot's Reastr Niyum Party. This is why the CPP does not care about the FUNCINPEC Party and is seeking a new partner.
The CPP's search for a new partner is to make the world see that Cambodia adheres to democracy, has a coalition government, permits participation of other parties, and does not concentrate power around a despot although the 50 percent plus 1 formula can allow the CPP to rule the country alone.
Besides, in the upcoming 2008 general elections, the CPP is not sure that it will be able to maintain the same number of seats it has in the National Assembly now. For this reason, it is seeking a new ally with equal potentials.
5 comments:
Looks like beginning of the empty promises. I hate to be pessimistic & sour pus, but anything coming from a horses ass -- it's hard to swallow!
I'll be your ally to the grave!
Dumb HE Shithanouk Norodumb
Forget the FUNCINPEC; Its dead,
better to look at the HRP.
SRP don't be happy. The CPP intentionally spread this information to please SRP so that democratic forces are not united. And next time the fade of SRP will be the second FUNCINPEC.
For the CPP, Funcipec is already dead and burried while the NRP is dying.
Looking for a servile partner like Funcipec is not easy, except the "VER LUISANT" parties..
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