Hun Xen, the eternal PM of Nambodia

Cambodia's Eternal PM?

Hun Xen still unease by pressure for PM’s term limit

04 April 2011
By Pech Bandol
Free Press Magazine
Translated from Khmer by Soch
Click here to read the original article in Khmer

While the Arab block is being hit by unrest to unseat a group of dictators who have clung to their power for a very long period of time, Hun Xen, the Cambodian leader who clung to his power for the past 26 years, is also expressing his great concerns over the opposition pressure demanding for a term limit to the country’s premiership.

During a school inauguration in Ksach Kandal district in the morning of 04 April, Hun Xen issued a warning to the opposition party, telling them to stop demanding term limit for the position of prime minister. Hun Xen claimed that everything depends on what the people have determined, if the people still support the CPP, then Hun Xen will continue to preserve his premiership candidacy forever.

It should be noted that (1) Cambodia chose to follow democracy on 23 October 1991 as stipulated in the Paris Peace Agreement on Cambodia, this agreement was signed by 4 Cambodian parties – the People’s Republic of Kampuchea, the Democratic Kampuchea regime, the KPNLF (Son Sann) and the Funcinpec movements; and (2) leaders among the democratic countries in the world are subject to term limit – from 2 terms or 10 years – but after that there would be a change in leadership. However, on the contrary, Hun Xen choses to declare publicly that he will remain PM for the rest of his life.

Cambodia: A banana democracy with a perpetual dictator

Cambodian Ruling Party's Plenum Reaffirms Hun Sen for PM Post in Next Terms

2010-07-22
Xinhua

The Cambodia's ruling party -- the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) on Thursday reaffirmed at it plenum Hun Sen's candidate for prime minister post for the next terms.

"The plenum reaffirms its endorsement of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen's candidacy for the post of prime minister for the next terms," announced the party's communique released at the ending of the 35th Plenum of the Fifth-Term Central Committee of the CPP.

Almost 900 party members from across the country gathered at its headquarters in Phnom Penh to have a two-day plenum started on Wednesday.

Party President Chea Sim, Vice President Hun Sen attended the 35th central committee meeting. This was the first meeting of CPP' s Central Committe this year and it usually assembles twice annually.

Last month, at the gathering to commemorate CPP's 59th founding anniversary, Chea Sim also reaffirmed party's decision to support for the candidacy of Hun sen for the post of prime minister for the following terms.

Hun Sen, 59, has ruled the country, as the prime minister for more than 20 years.

Cambodia is holding general election every five years. The last election was held in 2008 and the next one will come in 2013.

In last general election, the CPP won 90 seats out of 123-seat parliament, following by opposition Sam Rainsy Party with 26 seats, Human Rights Party with 3 seats, and two each obtained by Norodom Ranariddh Party and FUNCINPEC party.

CPP was found on June 28, 1951 and is, so far, the biggest political party in the country.

The CPP is now headed by Chea Sim who is also president of the Senate and Hun Sen is positioned as deputy chairman of the party while Heng Samrin is honorary chairman and also president of the National Assembly.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Premiership Candidate

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

CPP agenda: Support for Hun Xen’s future PM candidacy and Viet border encroachment in border delimitation

Hun Xen’s PM candidacy and the planting of border posts with Vietnam

27 June 2010
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Soch
Click here to read the article in Khmer

The CPP which has ruled Cambodia for the past 30 years indicated on Monday 28 June that it will continue to support the Cambodian government in its resolution on border issues and in the planting of border posts with Vietnam and Laos until the end.

At the same time, the CPP declared that it will continue to support Hun Xen’s candidacy to the premiership in the upcoming mandates.

These declarations were made during the party’s 59th anniversary (1951-2010) held under the leadership of Chea Xim, the party president, and Heng Xamrin, the party honorary president. However, Hun Xen, the party vice-president, was not seen in the celebration. Various sources indicated that Hun Xen has other obligation.

Thousands of party members and supporters joined the celebration held at the party’s headquarters in Phnom Penh. Embassy officials from Cuba, North Korea, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam were also present.

Chea Xim read his speech, saying that the CPP continues to support the government in the planting of border posts with Vietnam [KI-Media Note: Local villagers have complained that some of these border posts encroached on Cambodia] and Laos until they are completed.

If the CPP was the liberator of Cambodian people from the KR, then what was the Vietnamese army doing in Cambodia for more than a decade?

Hun Sen remains the CPP (stale) PM candidate

12 January 2008
By Moeung Tum
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Chea Sim, CPP party president and Senate president, said on 07 January that the CPP still selects Hun Sen, the current prime minister, as the party prime minister candidate – just like what it did in the three previous mandates – for the upcoming July 2008 general election.

Chiem Yeap, a member of the CPP permanent committee and a MP, told the Phnom Penh Post newspaper published at the end of last week, that the CPP received a lot of support from the voters because it was the historical liberator of the Cambodian people from the genocidal KR regime from 07 January 1979 on.

However, opposition leader Sam Rainsy said that the CPP should explain to the people to understand that 07 January was the day that Cambodia lost her independence and national integrity.