Hun Sen trying to divide and conquer?

Funcinpec secretary general Nhek Bun Chhay. (Photo: HENG CHIVOAN)

Friday, 08 August 2008
Written by Vong Sokheng and Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

Royalist parties greet possibility of joining ruling coalition with skepticism and accuse CPP of using divide-and-conquer tactics

OPPOSITION parties Thursday denied jockeying for posts in Cambodia's new government, saying that Prime Minister Hun Sen's suggestion of a broad coalition of political groups was a bid to split his opponents and weaken resistance to his ruling Cambodian People's Party.

Hun Sen, speaking publicly Wednesday for the first time since June, said he would welcome "honest men" into government and that the CPP, which is expected to win 90 of the National Assembly's 123 seats, would again form a government with its old coalition partner Funcinpec.

The royalists could get as many as 30 positions in government, including a ministerial post, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Thursday.

"We are waiting for the draft list of government appointments by Nhek Bun Chhay," Khieu Kanharith said, referring to Funcinpec's secretary general, whose faction inside the party has remained loyal to the CPP.

In an apparent allusion to the Human Rights Party (HRP) and Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), Hun Sen said that other political groups were also asking for a government partnership.

"I welcome all people...this new government will become bloated but it will not be a problem as long as we all keep working together," Hun Sen said, adding that opposition parties were "going back and forth over positions" in government.

But HRP president Kem Sokha told the Post Thursday that his party never considered an agreement with the CPP, saying his party was instead intent on "finding justice for people who [were disenfranchised]" when thousands of names were left off of voter registration lists, preventing them from casting their ballots.

Senior officials with the NRP and main opposition Sam Rainsy Party also denied asking the CPP for a coalition deal.

"The electoral process is not over, we do not recognise the election results. There is no point discussing coalitions," said Mu Sochua, deputy secretary general of the SRP.

She added that Hun Sen's overtures to other parties was "part of the same pattern - control by splitting."

"We are not falling for this at all," she said Thursday, adding that the opposition's complaints over vote irregularities had to be resolved before the parties could join the National Assembly.

The opposition has threatened to boycott the Assembly's first session, drawing an angry rebuke from Hun Sen, who said their seats - 31 in all - would be given to those parties present.

Once a CPP minion, always a CPP minion: Funcinpec's fate

F’pec is preparing for an alliance with the CPP

31 July 2008
By Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Unofficial translation from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the original article in French

Party leaders have cut short rumors of party rift which circulated since the beginning of the week. With two seats at the National Assembly, the party bets its future on the political arena.

Inevitably, the issue of party rift, fed by the declarations by party members during the last few days, was on everyone’s mind. On this topic, Keo Puth Rasmey, Funcinpec president, and Nhiek Bun Chhay, the party secretary-general, said in a single voice that there is no separation in the work. Keo Puth Rasmey asked the audience to act as witness, while saying: “If we were separated, why are we joining this meeting together this morning?”

Several hundreds of party commune and provincial leaders met at party headquarters in Phnom Penh on Thursday morning, following an invitation issued by their leaders. This event was aimed at comforting and motivating the troops again following the party downfall after the election. Funcinpec only received 2 seats at the National Assembly.

The issue of an upcoming alliance with the CPP, the largest winner of the election, remains to be resolved. On Friday, the party permanent committee consisting of 13 members are planned to meet. However, the suspense is short lived, Keo Puth Rasmey did not hide the fact that the decision ahs already been made: “There wouldn’t be any surprise, we work with the CPP since the beginning.”