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| Sam Rainsy has been formally accepted as the head of the newly formed Cambodia National Rescue Party (Credit: ABC) |
Veteran Cambodian politician Sam Rainsy says he wants Australia to join international pressure on Cambodia to reform its election system.
5 October 2012
ABC Radio Australia
Audio: Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy speaks to Connect Asia:
He has been formally accepted as the head of the newly formed Cambodia National Rescue Party, which plans to take part in next year's national elections.
Sam Rainsy was convicted in 2010 on disinformation charges, and a government spokesman Keo Remy says he will be arrested and sent to prison if he returns to Cambodia.
He's told Radio Australia's Connect Asia he hopes international pressure will mean that won't be the case.
"This time I expect international pressure on the Cambodian Government to reform the international system, in line with recommendations from the United Nations," he said.
"Among the UN recommendations there is an amnesty for all those who have been sentenced by the Cambodian Government...because of political charges, so they can return and run in the next election.
"Australia is a major donor and I call on the Australian Government to put pressure on the Cambodian Government to respect the United Nations and to reform the election system.
The party is a merger between the Sam Rainsy Party and the Human Rights Party, led by Kem Sokha, and plans to compete in the national elections to be held next year.
Sam Rainsy says setting a fair minimum wage and taking action on land claims will be the party's main issues.
"We have to rescue our country, meaning to rescue the living conditions of the population," he said.
"[That means] to give back the land, the rice fields, the forests, the natural resources that have been taken from the ordinary people...to give back to them and stop the land concessions."
In the last election, the Sam Rainsy Party, won 26 seats and the Human Rights Party won 3 seats, well short of the 90 seats secured by the Cambodian People's Party, led by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
"If the elections are free and fair and meeting international standards, then the result would be totally different from the results that we've seen in the past," he said.
"The ruling party, especially Mr Hun Sen, who is the longest serving leader in the world...so I think it his turn now to stop ruling the country in the way he has been doing for 30 years.
"There will be a democratic change for sure."
5 comments:
Ear KIM SRENG you have to apologia
to MAM SONANDO that you accused him work for HUN SEN.
This convicted criminal Sam Rainsy has problem with time: "He said he came to Cambodia only recently, when the United Nations intervened..." (Sic) In fact it was nearly 20 years ago, but he is shamelessly said that only recently. That is why whenever he stated that he will return back to Cambodia soon, but it has never happened. Therefore, what he said recently or soon means at least 18 years to be precisely.
Khmer in Sydney CBD
It is a lost cause, the current thugs would never reliquish their grip and control. Even when they were overwhelmingly confronted with several fighting forces of the opposition and enormous international pressure and isolation, they would still not give up and worked to fool all these gullible donors!
So, what kind of hope should anyone have with these little actors of the opposition? The destinity of Cambodia will for a long time depend on the dictates, games, and strategies of the global and regional powers. Or, another possibility is the in-fighting within the ruling clique.
Long live Mr. Sam Rainsy !!! Long Live Cambodia National Rescue Party !!!
អាសម រង្សី និង អាកឹម សុខា អាពីរនាក់នេះជាបិសាចស៊ីពែអា CPP
ជួយសង្រ្កោះអាយួនហ៊ុន សែន
កាត់ដីខ្មែរឲ្យយួន....ពួកវាក៏ត្រូវតែមានទោសដែរ!
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បើខ្មែរមិននាំគ្នារើបំរះទេ ខ្មែររង់ចាំតែថ្ងៃងាប់ប៉ុណ្ណោះ…
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