HRP wants stats on immigration

Thursday, 10 December 2009
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

Ou Chanrith, a lawmaker for the Human Rights Party, has written a second letter to Minister of Interior Sar Kheng, asking him to provide statistics on the number of immigrants who have been naturalised as Cambodian citizens during the past decade. “[People] are concerned because there are many immigrants. If they are naturalised foreigners who entered [Cambodia] illegally, they should be sent back,” he said in the letter.

HRP to confirm alliance with SRP tomorrow

Kem Sokha (L) and Ou Chanrith (R)

05 October 2009
By Sopheap
Khmer Sthabna
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

High-ranking Human Rights Party (HRP) officials indicated that in the afternoon of 06 October 2009, Kem Sokha, HRP president, will hold a press conference to discuss about the alliance with the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP).

Kandal HRP MP Ou Chanrith indicated over the phone that, tomorrow, the HRP will hold a press conference, following the return of Kem Sokha from Europe. The latter will also report about the outcome of his trip overseas and about the HRP’s stance in the alliance with the SRP.

Ou Chanrith added that, during tomorrow’s press conference, there will be no SRP official present, and only HRP officials will be there. Furthermore, Kem Sokha should be returning from Europe this evening also.

Regarding the conditions for the alliance, Ou Chanrith said that officials from both parties have met on several occasions. However, he declined to provide further comments on these meetings.

The committee that is involved in the discussion of the alliance conditions include: Ou Chanrith and Nhem Ponhrith from the HRP, and Son Chhay, Yim Sovann and Mu Sochua from the SRP.

On 15 January 2009, Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha signed a joint statement regarding the union of their political forces, and leaders from both parties agreed to form a democratic movement, in order to provide an alternative to people who want to see a change in the country’s leadership in order to bring in a new era for the country’s economy, society, and politics to foster development. The alliance would be put to test in the upcoming 2012 commune election, as well as in the 2013 general election. During these elections, only one party name will be used by the alliance.

The 3 HRP MPs will be sworn in [-HRP will cooperate with SRP]

08 Oct 2008
By Duong Sokha
Ka-set
Unofficial tanslationom French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Absent from the opening ceremony for the National Assembly on 24 September, in order to protest the 27 July election results, the three HRP MPs will finally be sworn in on Thursday 09 October. The three MPs are: Yem Ponhiarith, MP from Prey Veng, Kem Sokha, MP from Kampong Cham, and Ou Chanrith, MP from Kandal province.

The ceremony will be held at the Royal Palace along with the presence of 17 new ruling CPP MPs. This ceremony will also mark the official position for the new CPP MPs who are replacing other CPP MPs who have resigned.

“We received today the invitation from the National Assembly president. We sent in our request [to be sworn in] to the [NA] secretary-general on Friday 26 September,” Yem Ponhiarith explained to Ka-set. “In the future, we will continue to cooperate with the Sam Rainsy opposition party in order to amend the NA internal rule, and in particular for the distribution of speech time between all the MPs at the NA.”

Kem Sokha’s HRP asked to change name

Thursday, June 14, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) which is a coalition of 18 NGOs issued a statement of 13 June asking Mr Kem Sokha, HRP President, to change his party name in order to avoid a confusion by the public that the civil society which is involved in human rights affairs and the Human Rights Party form a single group that are looking for political power just like any other political party. Kem Sokha could not be contacted yet for comment because he left Cambodia to Europe on Tuesday. However, Ou Chanrith, HRP spokesman, said that he has no plan to change the party name because the party name reflects the party’s mission. Ou Chanrith said that his party has several thousands of supporters who also support this name, and only a handful of NGOs that do not like this name.