Written by Meas Sokchea
Combined parties could compete with dominant CPP
As election results look increasingly likely to confirm a landslide victory for the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), civil society groups have begun suggesting that the Kingdom’s main opposition parties merge in a bid to better complete with the ruling party.
In an interview Sunday with a civil society radio program, Thun Saray, president of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), said that if the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), Human Rights Party (HRP) and Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) enter into a coalition, they could pool their political power.
Mu Sochua, the deputy secretary-general of SRP, said by telephone Sunday that the three parties could merge because they share the same goal to eliminate poverty and corruption.
“We could merge into one big vote in parliament, but we have not yet talked about one big party. But we have much optimism to merge,” Mu Sochua said.
Chea Vannath, an independent analyst and former director of the Center for Social Development, said the parties should join to help develop the country, while Chan Sophal, president of the Cambodian Economic Association, also said merging is an important point for the three parties because it would make them stronger.
Chan Sophal also said that a merger would make it easier on voters, explaining that instead of dividing the electorate, it could make for an easier decision to cast a ballot for a single party.
“When three parties merge, they are a good-looking competitor with the CPP because they have equivalent force,” Thun Saray said.
Protesting the election
NRP spokesman Muth Chantha acknowledged that the three parties, who engaged in their share of finger-pointing prior to the July 27 vote, could join. But he said their first priority was to continue contesting the election results.
The opposition is claiming the NEC rigged the vote by eliminating thousands of names from voter registration lists, giving the CPP an unfair advantage.
“We have long time to talk about merging. We will not deny our ability to merge, but what we are focusing on right now is rejecting the election results,” Muth Chantha said.
“We lost because of two reasons: The first is the fraud committed by the National Election Committee (NEC), the second is not having merged into one party,” Muth Chantha said.
As election results look increasingly likely to confirm a landslide victory for the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), civil society groups have begun suggesting that the Kingdom’s main opposition parties merge in a bid to better complete with the ruling party.
In an interview Sunday with a civil society radio program, Thun Saray, president of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), said that if the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), Human Rights Party (HRP) and Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) enter into a coalition, they could pool their political power.
Mu Sochua, the deputy secretary-general of SRP, said by telephone Sunday that the three parties could merge because they share the same goal to eliminate poverty and corruption.
“We could merge into one big vote in parliament, but we have not yet talked about one big party. But we have much optimism to merge,” Mu Sochua said.
Chea Vannath, an independent analyst and former director of the Center for Social Development, said the parties should join to help develop the country, while Chan Sophal, president of the Cambodian Economic Association, also said merging is an important point for the three parties because it would make them stronger.
Chan Sophal also said that a merger would make it easier on voters, explaining that instead of dividing the electorate, it could make for an easier decision to cast a ballot for a single party.
“When three parties merge, they are a good-looking competitor with the CPP because they have equivalent force,” Thun Saray said.
Protesting the election
NRP spokesman Muth Chantha acknowledged that the three parties, who engaged in their share of finger-pointing prior to the July 27 vote, could join. But he said their first priority was to continue contesting the election results.
The opposition is claiming the NEC rigged the vote by eliminating thousands of names from voter registration lists, giving the CPP an unfair advantage.
“We have long time to talk about merging. We will not deny our ability to merge, but what we are focusing on right now is rejecting the election results,” Muth Chantha said.
“We lost because of two reasons: The first is the fraud committed by the National Election Committee (NEC), the second is not having merged into one party,” Muth Chantha said.
12 comments:
when merging be careful with You Hockry, he is the spy of Hun Sen.
means nothin, even with all the combinations,,,cpp will win thru cheating directly and indirectly! hun sen can only be removed by revolution, arm struggle...otherwise let him rule forever!!
good ideas 1:25 pm.
Keep talking.
khmerism.
Look at some African countries, 1:25, your way of winning Hun Sen can really bring prosperity to Cambodia? or bring Khmer people to hell again? Don't we feel shy, when meet with a foreigner, and after we tell them that we are Khmer, they don't know where are we from, or they just feel that this nation used to kill each other, or afraid of us because they think that we like violent.
If the opposition is really good, they should try to get support from people peacefully, spend more time with people, understand people, do something for people (do more than say). I believe that if more than 50 % of people support opposition, CPP has no way the change the election result until landslide win.
I wonder if all oppositions can merge, because it seems to me that they have different fundamental point of views. If they still curse each other, still accused each other and have the history of betraying each other. And as before, a question will rise, who will be the leader of merged party? If every oppositions really consider national interest as the highest one, and respect democracy, then they may have internal election to appoint the leader. However, even do that,I worry after internal election, someone will not accept the result.
What I wrote above is just my own view. I said what I think.
4: 16
accept with your idea.
Let's try to do whatever to help cambodia in our own way.
stima,
A warning to the merging of the oppositions, EXCLUDE DUMicho, ranaIDIOT, You WHOREy, and all other royal clowns from the new party or you will loose support from many Khmer nationals including mine.
My beloved Khmers!
Why now? Why not before election?
One SamRainsy, Hun SenVarman ain't scare, but psychologically and poliSickally more million Khmer people who firmly start to think like SamRainsy, they will explicitly make Hun SenVarman vanishing eternally!
BLIND AMBITION'S FAULT. Anyone that knows how to do math would know how the ballots will devide and would be very very careful with too many stupid parties going on, but all mr. brilliant men thought they were above it all and guess what? they all lost. bye bye fool!
How many more years will the CPP stay in power to protect their own interests thru all kind of corruptions? My own answer to that question would be "Forever". Until all opposition parties join hands to form one stronger party, then they might have a chance somedays. Just a chance! I just don't understand these non-ruling political parties who always think that they can wrestle power away from the CPP without any coalision of all the opposition parties. How many more elections do we need to wake them up from their dreams? I understand that opposition is good for democracy; but we can do more for the country if we're in charge. So, please unite and fight together. I know quite well it's hard to combine all the different ideologies into one; but the alternative path will lead us nowhere.
Gone is the opportunity. They can wait to see if they could work together in parliament before merging. I doubt very much that they could united as one voice for the benefit of the country & people for their egos are too big. They seem to join together now to protest because of their own benefit not the benefit of the Cambodian people, otherwise they would have joint before the election.
You stupid toat! With all the past Ranarith did joint with Hun Xen, Cursing democracy, praise CPP court of justice, openly corrupted! and you thing will Help any parties who would joint with him? And will the corrupted prince can help Cambodia!
How many times would you let one person cheat you, stupid?
Find the hard way educated our people abour freedome, democracy, and laws! Do not give up hope and deal with the devil!
Stay with the good boy refuse the teptation of sleeping with the devil! Ok ah Pret?
Hun Sen's Saga is like the Star Wars's Trilogy...
We are in Chapter 4. The reign of Sith.
Well Star Wars 4 is a New Hope. :)
Maybe it's time that they should do a coalition.
Make that new hope happening.
Well maybe it's won't happen.
These people are too selfish like Hun Sen.
We need a new and clean leader of the coalition.
A new Jedi to make khmer win.
Hun Sen have is dark vader in Nhiek Bunn Chhay.
Or maybe, Eng Ieng Chhay is one of the Darth Vader too.
Ok OK stop think negative.
Poor people need help.
No more land grabbing please.
Khmer Canadian
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