Monday, July 29, 2013

Cambodia's Hun Sen shaken as opposition rejects poll result

Cambodia's Hun Sen shaken as opposition rejects poll result

Sam Rainsy makes a point as he addresses reporters at his party's headquarters in Phnom Penh
Sam Rainsy, president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) makes a point as he addresses reporters
 
By Prak Chan Thul

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia's long-ruling Prime Minister Hun Sen faced his biggest political setback in two decades on Monday as the country's opposition rejected an election result as tainted by widespread fraud, despite heavy losses for the ruling party.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, buoyed by a near doubling of seats in parliament, called for an inquiry into what he called massive manipulation of electoral rolls in Sunday's vote.

The government announced late on Sunday that Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) had won 68 seats in the 123-seat parliament to the opposition's 55, a loss of 22 seats for the ruling party.

That marked the 60-year-old Hun Sen's worst election result since the war-torn country returned to full democracy in 1998, although the CPP retained a governing majority to enable the prime minister to extend his 28-year rule.

Prolonged wrangling over the result and a weakened Hun Sen could raise policy uncertainty in the small but fast-growing Southeast Asian nation that is drawing growing investor interest and has forged strong economic ties with China and Vietnam.

But the opposition's chances of overturning the outcome are slim given the ruling party's grip on the courts and with major foreign donors like the United States unlikely to reject the result without evidence of massive fraud.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), whose campaign was given a boost by the return from exile of leader Sam Rainsy, said it wanted an investigation committee set up with representatives from the political parties, the United Nations, the election authority and non-governmental organisations.

"There were 1.2 million to 1.3 million people whose names were missing and could not vote. They deleted our rights to vote, how could we recognize this election?" Sam Rainsy, a French-educated former finance minister, told a news conference.

"There were ghost names, names only on paper, over a million people that may been turned into votes."

The opposition appears to have tapped into growing concern among Cambodians over rising inequality and entrenched corruption that Hun Sen's critics say his policies have exacerbated.

Hun Sen may have to adjust some policies in light of the surge in opposition support, but he still has the ability to control policymaking through his majority and the entrenched networks of political influence he has built within the CPP.

"It's definitely unprecedented and unexpected but for now I don't think regime stability is at stake," said Giulia Zino, a Southeast Asia analyst at Control Risks group in Singapore.

 
"I think they are going to be able to govern unilaterally without taking into consideration the opposition too much."

ANGRY VOTERS

The CPP had 90 seats in the outgoing parliament and the parties that united to form the CNRP had 29, with minor parties holding the remaining four. Cambodia's election commission has yet to announce how many seats each party has won, and will not announce full, official results until August 15 at the earliest.

The loss of its two-thirds majority means the CPP will need opposition support to enact any changes in the constitution.

Rights groups have criticized the electoral system as heavily biased in favor of the ruling party. The European Union declined to deploy poll monitors for this election after Cambodia did not act on its previous recommendations.

Voting on Sunday, like the campaign itself, was for the most part peaceful, although a crowd angered by alleged irregularities set fire to two police cars outside a polling station in the capital, Phnom Penh.

The CPP, backed by a compliant domestic media and with superior resources, had been confident of victory ahead of the vote. Analysts had predicted a reduction in its majority after the merger of two main opposition parties, as well as the return of Sam Rainsy, but the extent of opposition gains was a surprise.

Rising garment exports plus heavy flows of aid and investment from China have fuelled rapid economic growth, but that has been accompanied by a rise in social tension.

Cambodians have protested more frequently over poor conditions in the garment industry and land rights in the country of 14 million, where a third of people live on less than 65 U.S. cents per day.

In rural areas, where more than 90 percent of Cambodians live and which have been a backbone of CPP support, there is growing anger over land concessions awarded to companies, and which have benefited close political allies of Hun Sen.

Cambodia's urban population has swelled in recent years, giving rise to a new generation of young voters who have access to wider sources of information online and who tend to support the opposition.

The United Nations organized an election in 1993 that put Cambodia on a rocky path towards stability after decades of turmoil that included the 1975-79 "Killing Fields" rule of the communist Khmer Rouge.

Hun Sen, a former junior commander in the Khmer Rouge who broke away during their rule, lost that election but refused to accept the result and negotiated a position as joint prime minister before seizing power in a coup in 1997.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

we lose in the name of being cheated by this bloodsucker, khmers'murderer and traitor of all times. But we are still the winners in everyone's eyes from all over the world, from inside out. Of course, nothing is worth more than that, the pride of CNRP where no money can buy.

For this evil Hun and Dynasty, God knows, you time is limitted and won't be long, I guarentee you this is a fact, because in the end the good always win. Right now, you all are brainless and soon, you all will scream out just like kingta did like, 'ah cro per=a crocodile'. The VC will finish you off just like they did always, 'kiling two birds with one stone' or 'making victims kill victims and then, will put the blame on victims (how nice!).

But now, you are being caught as the criminal of all times. You cheated the French, US, USSR, China, Loas, Champa, Khmer Krom and a whole lot more across the globe. Now, everyone that your nation is like cancers, and it is time for the international community to remove you out of this planet for good.

You have fooled the international community so much so, now, they look at your nation like pests, diseases shouldn't be existed in the first place. You Viets people will pay big time in the end for such, since justice will be done on earth and in heaven, what do you think? so, karma is coming your way viet people, your punishment will be, being swallow by the sea, very soon! believe me, mark my words, VEREY SOON!!!! So, piss off, leave my country now before it is too late.

Anonymous said...

US government say "Khmer people must raise up to throw out evil dictator Hun Sen that cheat an election 2013"

If evil dictator Hun Sen dares to use force US government, NATO, UN won't stand and watch the injustice.

Cambodia must follow Arab Spring, Jasmine revolution and must be positive that if you are keep fighting The Khmer people will win the evil.

To date, rulers have been forced from power in Tunisia,[1] Egypt (twice),[2] Libya,[3] and Yemen;[4] civil uprisings have erupted in Bahrain[5] and Syria;[6] major protests have broken out in Algeria,[7] Iraq,[8] Jordan,[9] Kuwait,[10] Morocco,[11] and Sudan;[12] and minor protests have occurred in Mauritania,[13] Oman,[14] Saudi Arabia,[15] Djibouti,[16] and Western Sahara.[17]

Anonymous said...

Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten

By “any patriot Khmers”

Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 30,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?

Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 30,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?

Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 30,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?

The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.

Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 30,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?

Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen is Gaddafi!

Hun Sen's faith = Gaddafi's faith at the end!

US drones are watching Evil Hun Sen and his families movement.

Khmer people must rise up together to fight for our home, land, farms, our future, our dignity and our Khmer nation from Vietnam slave regime Hun Sen.

Under Hun Sen for 30 years Khmer people have learn and suffer enough!

No more talk or negotiation as that only prolong Khmer people suffer as 30 years already.

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Let's the 7 revolution start today as USA stand behind all Khmer people!

Anonymous said...

All Khmer people must keep fighting at the end result Khmer people will win the evil manipulating dictator Hun Sen!

No more talk or negotiation with evil because that only prolong Khmer people suffer as 30 years Khmer people experienced enough!

Let's the 7 revolution start today to save our self, to save our future, to save our next generation as well as our Khmer nation and Cambodia from disappear from world map.

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen is still not learning from Gaddafi. US government asks him to step down peacefully but he refuses so now evil Hun Sen must accept his faith as Gaddafi.

64 billion American dollars won't help Gaddafi and his families at the end.

The trusty personal bodyguards gave Gaddafi and his families to the Libyan people.
Hun Sen families have over 40 billion American dollars that is not even include his relatives and friends wealth yet.

That money is belonging to all Khmer people that living in Cambodia now.
Each Cambodian people in Cambodia can claim at least US$ 3000 from Hun Sen wealth that steal from the Khmer people so far.

Base on 14.5 million Cambodians today.

Anonymous said...


Because Khmer people have been overwhelmingly supporting the CNRP, it is rational that this crook NEC cheated with a reasonable number to let the SEE PEE PEE won.

The percentage to win might have fixed before the election, making the CNRP an "almost winner" (Neak Biss Chneas).

I have cried out loud before the election that the CNRP's back was against the wall, there was no way to escape. The CNRP got to fight to death to get this NEC done before the election. The election needed to be postponed.

I have even called on the CNRP's leaders to stop campaigning for a few hours and discuss this NEC's issue. How can you fill your basket when someone named NEC cut a hole at the bottom of your basket? I saw the CNRP was working so hard, but may be not so smart.

The right way was that you worked that hard and push hard for that NEC change. No NEC change, the election must be postponed. Period.

What the CNRP should do with the current problem?

If you file a complaint, you got to do a follow up. The CNRP must not stop with the NO answer from the crook NEC because this answer NO you knew already.

After the NO from the NEC, you take your second option or second step. You escalate your demand, mounting the pressure until something concrete come out, and maybe the international community intervene and force a new election.

You got to know that Cmabodia's problem has always been so complex because we have an evil Vietnam behind the scene and it is the CNRP's job to explain to the world about this evil Vietnam's ill intention toward Cambodia.

I have kept writing so many times before the election that it is easy to mount a demonstration to chnage the NEC because we have the whole international community behind us and we would be successful at getting that NEC change and the CNRP will win the election.

If the "new election" was unprecedent, Cambodia may be an exception to the rule.

Has any country in the world suffered like Cambodia?

Who killed millions of Khmer people? The world will find the answer when it successfully brought up cases 003 and 004 in the KRT. And these cases 003 and 004 made the evil Vietnam and Hun Sen SO SO apprehensive.

If Vietnam and Hun Sen did not have Khmer blood on their hands, why they are so scare about cases 003 and 004?



Therfore, Khmer people deserve an exception to the rule: a new election to reflect Khmer people' wills with a new NEC.

Bun Thoeun

Anonymous said...



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យ៉ាងណា​ក៏ដោយ ខ្មែរមិនត្រូវអស់សង្ឃឹមទេ ព្រោះឥដើមទុននៃ លទ្ធិប្រជាធិតេយ្យ របស់យើងកាន់តែកើនហើយ យើងត្រូវតែមានអំណត់តស៊ូរ បន្តរទៅតៀត! សូមកុំភ្លេច យួនធ្លាប់ដៀលយើងថា៖
"ខ្មែរធ្វើអ្វីៗឆេះតែមួយឆាវដូចភ្លើងចំបើងរួចក៏រលត់បាត់ ក្រោយពីនោះយួនយើងប្រើល្បិចថ្មី ចាក់ឲ្យខ្មែរឃើញយើងល្អឥតខ្ចោះ ឲ្យកើតទៅជាគ្រោះសម្រាប់ខ្មែរងើបមិនរួចជាបន្តរបន្ទាប់ នោះហើយវាជាការងាយស្រួលសម្រាប់យួន ញ៉ើង"

យើងថា៖ យួនអើយ ថ្ងៃអន្សាឯងក៏មានដែរ!!!!!

ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរត្រូវតែដឹងហើយថាខ្លួនជានណា៖ ម្ចាស់ប្រទេសជាតិ គឺជាអស់លោកទាំងអស់គ្នា សួរថា៖ តើ​ "រឿងនយោបាយ ទុកឲ្យតែ​អ្នកនយោបាយគេធ្វើបានហើយ តរទៅទៀតឬទេ?" ល្មមត្រូវគិតថា៖ មិនគួរសម្ងំសុខ​ ហើយបន្ទោស មកពីអញ្ចេះ មកពីអញ្ចុះ ត្រូវតែដឹងថាបើមិននាំគ្នាចូលរួមតស៊ូរដើម្បីយកអ្វី​ ដែលកំពុងនាំគ្នាទាមទានោះទេ តើឲ្យនណាគេធ្វើឲ្យយើងទាំងស្រុងបាន? អស់លោកគួរស្ញប់ស្ញែងដែរឬ ដែលមានជាច្រើនគ្នា មិនមែនកំពុងធ្វើអ្វីទាំងនោះសម្រាប់ គ្រួសារ ផ្ទាល់សោះឡើយ គឺសម្រាប់ជាតិខ្មែរទាំងមូល! កំពុងអត់ធ្មត់រងចាំទទួលអស់លោកមកចូលរួម​​ ជាក់លាក់ណាស់ កំពុងតែចំហរទ្វារងចាំអស់លោកជានិច្ចជាកាល!

អ្នកដែលឆ្លាត សូមចែករម្លែកពេលខ្លះពីការឈ្លាតរកប្រយោជន៍ផ្ទាល់ខ្លួនមកចួលរួមនឹងគេនឹងឯង ឲ្យទាន់ពេលជាតិយើង នូវអាចសង្គ្រោះបាន!

ចាប់តាំងពីពេលនេះតរទៅ គណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិចាំបាច់ ត្រូវតែចុះផ្ទាល់ ជាមួយប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ​ អោយបានញឹកញាប់ជាអចិន្ត្រៃ បើមិនចង់ឲ្យគេថា​ អ្វីដែលកំពុងតែធ្វើនេះ វាសម្រាប់ឈ្មោះឲ្យគេហៅ៖ "ឯកឧត្ដម្ភ ឬ ឲ្យបានកៅអីសម្រាប់ស៊ីប្រាក់ខែពីរដ្ឋ!"

ឥឡូវនេះ អន្ដរជាតិ ត្រូវការ ឲ្យខ្មែរក្រោកឈរឡើងដោយខ្លួនឯងដើម្បីបញ្ជាក់ថាខ្មែរចង់បានអ្វី?

យើងត្រូវការឲ្យ អស់លោកវែកញែកពន្យល់ អន្ដរជាតិឲ្យយល់ច្បាស់ថា​៖ តើខ្មែរយើងកំពុងតែមានជម្ងឺ នយោបាយយួនវង្វក់ធ្ងន់ប៉ុណ្ណា?

LEOSIMON said...

HUN SEN PROMISE YOURN OR YEAKCONG TO STAY IN POWER TO SERVE YOURN CAN HOLD OUR KAMPUCHEA KROM AND KOH TROL .KRANHUN EASAN.KOHROKA PREY VENG.