Tuesday, 03 June 2008Neth Pheaktra
The Mekong Times
In what many saw as an assault on the Royalist support base ahead of election campaigning, Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday appealed for King Sihamoni to ban political parties from using the monarchy in campaigning. The request comes after a National Election Committee (NEC) prohibition on campaign references to the retired monarch Norodom Sihanouk, including photos, words and messages.
“I would like to appeal to the King to … stop political parties from using the monarchy as their own possession,” the premier said yesterday during a Siem Reap address.
The premier said that problems begin “when royalist parties cannot win the common people’s children ... They are always using the former King.”
“We want to protect monarchy but they destroy it,” he added.
The premier’s remarks were supported by Prince Sisowath Thomico, a member of the Cambodian royal family. “[I]f we cite the monarchy during campaigning, some Cambodian groups will no longer support the monarchy,” he said. “To avoid rejection and to show Cambodian people are unified and have a consensus on the monarchy, we mustn’t talk about the monarchy when campaigning.”
Muth Chantha, a spokesman for the royalist Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), totally rejected Hun Sen’s statement. He said he opposed the NEC’s ban because “monarchism belongs to all Cambodian people.”
“We are the NRP, the royalist party, and we have a bigger obligation than the CPP in protecting monarchism, because we do not want the Kingdom of Cambodia to become a second Nepal,” he said. “We intend to maintain constitutional monarchism.”
Keo Puthreasmy, president of the pro-royalist Funcinpec, said that while “Funcinpec adheres to the politics of monarchism … when conducting field visits, we do not use the name of the King to campaign.”
“We just remind [people of] the history of forming Funcinpec. Funcinpec also adheres to policies based on Sihanoukist policies and Sihanoukist leadership, like the policies of various countries adhere in the rest of the world,” he said. “It does not mean that the ex-King [Norodom Sihanouk] is involved in politics in Funcinpec.”
Thun Saray, director of local human rights group Adhoc, said political parties often twist monarchism to fit their own political ends. “What the civil society wants is a free and fair election,” he added.
Tep Nytha, NEC secretary general, warned that the NEC would take legal action if any party violates election rules.
“I would like to appeal to the King to … stop political parties from using the monarchy as their own possession,” the premier said yesterday during a Siem Reap address.
The premier said that problems begin “when royalist parties cannot win the common people’s children ... They are always using the former King.”
“We want to protect monarchy but they destroy it,” he added.
The premier’s remarks were supported by Prince Sisowath Thomico, a member of the Cambodian royal family. “[I]f we cite the monarchy during campaigning, some Cambodian groups will no longer support the monarchy,” he said. “To avoid rejection and to show Cambodian people are unified and have a consensus on the monarchy, we mustn’t talk about the monarchy when campaigning.”
Muth Chantha, a spokesman for the royalist Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), totally rejected Hun Sen’s statement. He said he opposed the NEC’s ban because “monarchism belongs to all Cambodian people.”
“We are the NRP, the royalist party, and we have a bigger obligation than the CPP in protecting monarchism, because we do not want the Kingdom of Cambodia to become a second Nepal,” he said. “We intend to maintain constitutional monarchism.”
Keo Puthreasmy, president of the pro-royalist Funcinpec, said that while “Funcinpec adheres to the politics of monarchism … when conducting field visits, we do not use the name of the King to campaign.”
“We just remind [people of] the history of forming Funcinpec. Funcinpec also adheres to policies based on Sihanoukist policies and Sihanoukist leadership, like the policies of various countries adhere in the rest of the world,” he said. “It does not mean that the ex-King [Norodom Sihanouk] is involved in politics in Funcinpec.”
Thun Saray, director of local human rights group Adhoc, said political parties often twist monarchism to fit their own political ends. “What the civil society wants is a free and fair election,” he added.
Tep Nytha, NEC secretary general, warned that the NEC would take legal action if any party violates election rules.
20 comments:
Now Hun Sen is worried that those small parties may lure the people who love the monarchy to vote for them not him.
It is said the old monarch is still always very popular among his people in Cambodia.
That's right, and make sure Ah Spam Rainxy stops using the King name for his own gain. The motherfucker doesn't know anything but cheating and accusing other people of this and that.
I thought that the Sihanouk era will end soon with that old man. Somehow Sihamoni is acting just like his father. Hey Shampanzy, i mean Sihamoni can you act like a normal person, not like your father, you remind me the old man.
That's what you think 1057am.
As million Cambodians love the King, your Rainsy will always lose.
Ah Hun Kvak is not an educated man but he sure how to get million Monarchists to vote for him while you play a lose-lose.
You don't curse people and expect them to vote for you?
10 57 pm is a youn/CPP who messing up SRP. SRP has to get votes from the monarchists.
Two millions Cambodians die because of that king, and they still worship that old man.
Wow!!!
All King Kong's family were born and raise by Hoyourn Sen. You animal got to listen to your boss.
If not you will be release back to the jungle.
They are the million Khmer people in Cambodia you are talking about. They don't believe what said.
Eh ah Youn 11 24 AM. Go back to where you came from.
Stop your Youn propaganda breaking up Khmer people.
11:24 what a childish comment. no need to say futher. thai and youn even worst came from the jungle of china.
Who else 11 24am is than ah youn kantorb pretended to be Khmer?
Vea chea ah pourk parasite neung einh. Tov srok youn vea tha vea chea youn tov srok Khmer vea tha vea chea Khmer. Do mae ah chhleung youn.
11 24 if he has some Khmer blood and if he came form a good family background he did not make that type of comments. This person is not Khmer. I second that.
i know, it is sometimes obvious that some political party wanted to drag the monarchy into political in order to make themselves look good at the expense of the monarchy. it had happen too many times in the past already. take the notorious KR regime for example, when they first came into power in cambodia they used the monarchy's name to get overwhelmed supports from the khmer people, but then later the dignity and name of the monarchy would be dirtied and look bad. it's dirty politics in cambodia and sometimes, the monarchy is the one to suffer from it. i'm sure the monarchy begged to be left out of politics, many members of the royal family, if no all, do not want to get involved in politics, but some political groups just kept using the monarchy's name and dignity for their own political gain, and i think people need to know and understand the truth and maybe they can stop accusing the monarchy for something wrong in cambodia. please know the truth, before jump to a conclusion or become so gullible. education is the key to understanding and knowing the facts. thank you. and god bless cambodia and her beautiful khmer people.
That is correct, 1:40. However, those anti-monarchy are Ah-Khmer-Yuon and the late Lon Nolian (Spam Rainxy). They are pissed at Sihanouk for allying with Hanoi because they are retarded. If we look at what happened to the monarchy in Laos for being anti-Hanoi, the fact is clear.
This freaking Viet-born troller, a parasite @ 4:50 AM that pretends to be Khmer and speaks as if he were Khmer must be castrated and have his dick fed to the Viet dog...
Viet Go home!
The world sees and knows you Viet true color already and that is the universal language!
Mate 4:50AM. You don't know then don't speak for us CPP. Our Monarchy is not under your Hanoi.
Our King did it because of Chen and Russie helped Youn Hanoi, and we are friend with Chen. Then w egot to be friend with neighbor.
Don't compare Laos with us Cambodia. Our King is a very good friend with Chen and if you are Youn know what it means.
die more than two millions peopls during Pol Pot regime from 1975 to 1979, all the killing are Youn/Vietnamese hidden face behind the killing field not former King at all, Youn/Vietnamese they use A Yuon/Vietnamese can speak Khmer very well better than Khmer own peoples, but I really misunderstanding why our Khmer still not know anything, please our Khmer peoples to wake up and not to listening to A Yuon Khmer too much ok.
And how many yuons do you know who can speak Khmer very well?
One is you 4;17pm and two is Sok Kong...
what will it take for all people (khmer, youn, siem - neighbors) to get along and to stop so much hates and animosity toward one another? why can't we all accept each other the way we are, because this way the entire region will benefit form peace and cooperation. i guess, it's all about respect for one another, like in a marriage, if no mutual love and respect, then no harmony. maybe it will take a lot of education to achieve that respect. god bless cambodia.
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