Sunday, October 27, 2013

Cambodian Protests Continue, Hun Sen Open to Talks


AP photo
By Luke Hunt October 26, 2013

Cambodia’s political opposition has wrapped-up three days of peaceful protests and marches on foreign embassies, demanding international support for its push to have an independent inquiry conducted into the controversial results of the July 28 elections.

The Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) insists the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sen cheated at the poll, which gave opposition leader Sam Rainsy 55 seats in the 123-seat National Assembly, still a sharp improvement over its previous standing.

Numbers were down, just 10,000 to 15,000 people gathered at Freedom Park in the capital, but were sufficient to panic the government and bring it to the negotiating table with promises of electoral reforms to be decided upon at an open forum to be held by December.

Protesters were largely made up of impoverished villagers from the countryside. Gone were the tens of thousands of Cambodian youths who added a sense of fun and much color to the election campaign and delivered the CNRP its substantially improved result.
L-R: Ban Ki-Moon, Hun Sen

The CNRP timed the October 23rd start of the three-day rally to coincide with the 22nd anniversary of the Paris Peace Agreements that kick-started the Cambodian democratic process but failed to end decades of war.

That the United Nations and 18 countries that signed-off on the accord helped shaped Cambodia’s future and Sam Rainsy insists each now has an obligation to support opposition demands. Along with an inquiry the CNRP has also compiled a list of 10 items, including licenses for the establishment of their own radio and television stations and a ban on the granting of any more land concessions.

Petitions with more than two million thumbprints backing their demands were presented following cross town marches to the UN and embassies from the United States, Britain, Japan, France, Australia, Indonesia, Russia and China.

However, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and key donor countries Australia, France and Japan have already congratulated Hun Sen on winning the July election while the Phnom Penh diplomatic corps, including the U.S., attended the inauguration of Parliament without complaint.

Still the government threw an olive branch to the opposition.

The national-level workshop is really crucial for the election reforms and it helps strengthen the implementation of pluralist liberal democracy,” Minister of the Interior Sar Kheng said.

Riot police were on hand amid fears of a repeat of the violence that occurred following a similar rally last month when one person, who happened to be walking home from work following the demonstration, was shot dead and several others wounded. The mood this time around was far more convivial with police deciding not to erect barricades or string out the razor wire.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

i think hun sen has expert advisors from all across the globe. does the cnrp have expert advisors from all over the planet, too? if hun sen is now willing to listen and compromise due to the sake of the nation, why can't the traumatized cnrp supporters do the same. so one sided. why can't the cnrp be fair to all in cambodia? don't they know that cnrp is not the only supporters in cambodia, the cpp have lots of supporters, too! how could they pretend not to know that? shame on incompetent, ineffective cnrp leadership! cnrp let their supporters dictate to them, that's very unprofessional!

Anonymous said...

A smart Sar Kheng not cruelty this time because he not wants to repeated his mistakes to make abroads find out the frist strike that police shot the man came from work.Animal Viet they controle the gangs Hun Xen so smooth and sucess for 34 years.

Anonymous said...

Cambodia is only country on Earth that the foreign powers still maintain a puppet government due to geopolitic , economic, and militarty interest. So to have a weak Cambodia is better than a strong Cambodia because a weak Cambodia will always be at the mercy of Thailand and Vietnam...and through Vietnam or Thailand the foreign power can make or breake Cambodia to fit their special interest......So as you can see all the elections in past and in the present is not about democracy but more about foreign power influence and domination at the ezpense of Cambodia who are dying for real democracy....If Cambodian people don't have democracy and the civil conflict and soon will lead to civil war....the past Cambodian history will repeat itself.....People power will win..

Anonymous said...

but what is a weak cambodia and what is a strong cambodia, i may ask! what constitutes a weak or strong cambodia? khmer people must be inquisitive! forget foreign influence for a brief moment, let's analyze a weak cambodia: why? a strong cambodia: why? hope to shed light on the so-called weak cambodia and what makes a weak cambodia. which way should khmer people choose, a weak or a strong cambodia? think wisely about it! how so? and why? what for? power? money? influence? control? what is it? someone has to know the answer! don't be afraid to share your thoughts, evaluation, analysis with all khmer people here, and anywhere else. i sure am curious to learn about why something happen only to cambodia. don't be shy, share your thought here, so we all can understand better!

Anonymous said...

not true, just opinion and speculation about cambodia. i think cambodia has a mind of its own! everything else is just an excuse to blame others! it's hard to believe a country as old as cambodia could be easily manipulated by foreign power. cambodia will bite the hand that feeds it if necessary. don't be fool by wise cambodians! i prefer to praise my own country and people, the khmer race!

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen just issued a decree to halt the logging again ! but this time .. He did not promise to self suicide ( cut his head off ) ?
The remnant of Khmer Rouge cadres are trying to lure the greedy politicians into their camp before smashing . Things will
be worst than that of the Pol Pot era because Khmers will lose
Cambodia to their neighbors on top of repression ( killing , torturing , neglection of human right.. ) . 28 years of empty promise plus another 5 years of. what ? )

Anonymous said...

To 5:32 am

Here is a hint....No country on Earth can become fully industralized as long as a puppet government still in power...Now understand that what does it take to come fully industralized country...?

Anonymous said...

HUN SEN has committed a lot of crimes and killing many Cambodians. HUN SEN agreed to give Cambodian land and sea to Vietnam and Thailand asking them to help him. HUN SEN destroyed a lot of forestry protect not allow any one to escape him to live in the jungle. HUN SEN has well prepared to seat on the power. HUN ZEN is not smart but his advisers Vietcong are smart advise him how to deal with opposition party. HUN SEN will use Chinese and Vietnamese money if the world community will cut off the aid which is unlikely for now. SO the best way to liberate our country from Vietcong and HUN ZEN family just sending Nuclear and Chemical bomb to his compound this is the best solution.

Anonymous said...

PUPPETS GOVERNMENT!!!

Anonymous said...

Nothing to talk beside agree to SET UP an Independent Probe Committee in to the massive election irregularities and then trying to move the country forward together. Excepting the CNRP as the head of National Assembly is off the agenda. Don't take this election result for granted. Don't you see the people have stand up and want CHANGE !!!

Anonymous said...

ទោះជាពួកអាអស់ឯងខំប្រឹងស្រែក ធ្វើមហាតបាតុកម្ម ឬ មហាតបាតុកម្មសូត្រធម៌,,,,, មហាតបាតុកម្មស្មូត្រ, មហាតបាតុកម្មភាវនា, មហាតបាតុកម្មសមាធិ, លុតជង្គុង ក្រាបទូល
ក្រោមល្អងធូលីព្រះបាទ, ប្តឹងទៅតុលាការ ឬ ចង់ប្តឹងទៅអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិជាមួយស្នាមមេដៃ ឲ្យបែកមេឃ រញ្ជួយផែនដីទៀត
ក៍ផែនដីនេះមិនទាន់ដល់វេនពួកអាអស់ឯងដែរ នៅមានឯកឧត្ដមបណ្ឌិត
ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត ហ៊ុន ម៉ានិត ទៀត ។ល។ និង។ល។
ផែនដីនេះមិនអាចមាន ព្រះអាទិត្យពីររះលើផែនដីតែមួយបានឡើយ។
ចេះច្បាប់បោះឆ្នោតទេ? ចេះគណិតសាស្ដ្រទេ? ៥០+១ = ១២៣/២=៦១.៥+១=៦២.៥
លេខចេញយ៉ាងច្បាស់ចាញ់ហើយ មិនព្រមចាញ់ទៀត
ត្រូវចាំណា សមេ្តចបណ្ឌិតអគ្គមហាសេនាបតីតេជោ ហ៊ុន សែន វរ្ម័នទី១ មិនមែនជាមនុស្សលោកទេ សមេ្តចជាព្រះបាទ ហ៊ុន ទៀន ចាប់ជាតិ សមេ្តចជាព្រះបាទធម្មិក សមេ្តចជាព្រះអាទិទេព សមេ្តចជាទេវតារស់មកសង្គ្រោះប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា និងប្រទេសកម្ពុជាឱ្យ សម្បូរសប្បាយ រង់រឿង និងសុខក្សេមក្សាន្ដ!!!

សមេ្តចជាព្រះអាទិត្យតែមួយ រះលើផែនដីនេះ...។
ជយោ! សមេ្តចបណ្ឌិតអគ្គមហាសេនាបតីតេជោ ហ៊ុន សែន វរ្ម័នទី១ ជាទេវតានៃកម្ពុជា!!!

Anonymous said...

To 10:36AM

Why do you want to swim against the current of change? Come on Gary Ung...you should join Hun Sen Vietnamese puppet government to collect more taxes from corrupt officials, Okhnas, and business tycoons...I heard that you are the tax expert! Hun Sen is looking for you and please stop hiding in the United States...You go work for Hun Sen Vietnamese puppet government to clean up corruption in Cambodia...By the way, are CPA certify? If you are not CPA certify and don't bother apply!

Anonymous said...


NO, NO talk with thief! First to talk for to SET UP an Independent Probe Committee in to the massive election irregularities and then the topic of talk will start.

Anonymous said...

The government tried to lure CNRP to become co-author of illegal logging, natural resource destruction, which contributed to regional natural disasters.

Let's hope they will not borrow CNRP's hands to ill-treat their own citizens afterward as they did to FUNCINPEC.

Anonymous said...

បរាជយ័! អាចមន៏អគ្គមហាជោ ហ៊ុន សែន យួនមែនទី១ ជាបីសាចបំផ្លាញជាតិខ្មែរ!!!

Anonymous said...

As long as Hun Sen continues to go to Vietnam for advices, Cambodians will continue to have problems with each others. Education will never be a top priority for development... Priorities are not prioritized. So Cambodia will continue awkward developments and weak govt. to make Vietnam looking good and to continuing its policy of moving Westward into Cambodia. Vietnam policy of moving Westward is a constant or chronic problem for Cambodia's loss of territory and the political infighting among Cambodian politicians for one side supporting Vietnam policy and the other one is not. This is a divide and conquer policy of a foreign country. Thanks to Hun Sen for making it possible. Vietnam is very very happy about this man being a leader for Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

DO NOT negotiate with Hun Sen with any agreement beside to Set up an Independent Probe Committee, the only agreement. If the CNRP failed to do that, its party will has NO CHANCE to win any future election. The time to remove Hen Sen is right now or never. The People have stood up and demand for the CHANGE and the world community is aware of that. The People themselves MUST take necessary actions for the CHANGE !!! Protest, Protest, and more Larger Protest continue...

Anonymous said...

some people talk like it's easy to do, removing hun sen or whatever. remember, the election put him there, he didn't do it himself, so think wisely! nobody in their right mind going to support and back you up with your intention to remove an elected official from official without people retaliate that! if you can't find solution, let other people who can do it, you don't have to get involve in this because your idea is out of the question!

even if people read this blog to understand what others are saying, they're not going to side with the use of force or violence or unethical way, etc. of course, we can say whatever on the internet, but people who specialized in cambodia, will not necessarily take your advise to heart. people abide by their work ethics and professionalism, etc. that's how it works in the real world out there. so say whatever, other educated people will probably ignore your comments if they make any decision at all. they want to see what if fair and just, not unruly, uncivilized, unethical, unprofessional. know that already!

Anonymous said...

Ah mice,shut up ah kro'puer! ah kwak was Khmer rouge and all his Cpp's thugs were Khmer/VC/Khmer VM started from 1953 associated with Uncle Ho.Ah mice is a rat lived on poor Khmer expenses! Shut up,ah gook!!!

Yobal Khmer

Anonymous said...

សូមបារមីវត្ថុសក្តិសិទ្ធទាំងអស់ក្នុងលោកមេត្តាដាក់ទំនាយ ពួកអាចោរក្បត់ជាតិលួចឆ្នោតប្លន់ឆន្ទះរាស្ត្រទាំងមេទាំងកូនដូចជាអាអឹុុំមសួស្តីអាទេពនីថា ះាឈាងវុនអាជាមយៀប អាផៃសុីផាន អាហ្គា រីអឹងនិងក្រុមគ្រួសាររបស់ពួកវា អោយរន្ទះបាញ់ងាប់តៃហោង ក្រឡាប់ឡានងាប់យា៉ងវេទនា ធ្លាក់នរកអវិចីទាំងពូជរបស់វាទៅហោង។