NRP delegation paying a visit to Prince Ranariddh after he declared that he’s willing to live overseas all his lifelong

Monday, June 25, 2007
Rasmei Kampuchea
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

A NRP delegation is paying a visit to Prince Ranariddh in Malaysia after the latter declared that he is willing to live overseas all his lifelong rather than being forced to recognize the spirit of the 18 October 2006 event, in exchange for his (safe) return back home.

Prince Thomico told the Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper on 23 June, that a (NRP) delegation left Cambodia on 22 June to report hot news to the prince.

Among those included in the delegation are: Noranarith Anandayat and Nuth Nin Doeun. Even though Prince Thomico did not reveal about the essence of the visit to the prince, a source from the NRP revealed that the search for a pardon resolution for the prince so that he can return back home is the main topic of discussion of the delegation during its visit to the prince.

The NRP delegation departed to Malaysia at a time when the prince declared from abroad on 23 June that he would live overseas all his lifelong rather than being forced to accept the conditions imposed on him during the 18 October 2006 when he was removed from his position as Funcinpec party president, and he was subsequently nominated by Funcinpec as the party historical leader, thus cutting him off from direct management of the party.

According to this interview, Prince Ranariddh rejected his return to Funcinpec, and he wants a resolution that is acceptable to him. Prince Ranariddh said that another formula can be found for this issue that would avoid him of having to accept the decision made by 18 October (2006 Funcinpec extraordinary congress).

Furthermore, Prince Ranariddh scolded Ok Socheat and Prince Thomico for negotiating with Funcinpec. However, both Ok Socheat and Prince Thomico rejected the claim that they participated in any negotiation with Funcinpec. Prince Thomico said that he did not negotiate with Funcinpec party. However, when meeting his old friends who are in Funcinpec party, Prince Thomico noticed that his Funcinpec friends want to invite Prince Ranariddh to return back to Funcinpec to unite all royalists. Furthermore, Prince Thomico said that he does not want any personal nomination for himself, and that he is organizing the list of his former Sangkum Jatiniyum Front Party (SJFP) members at the national, provincial, and district levels, so that they may be integrated with the NRP. The SJFP list will be handed over to the NRP permanent committee.

Prince Thomico explained that the reason he merged the SJFP with the NRP was because he wanted to see a union of all royalists. His next goal is to unite the NRP and Funcinpec. He said that nationalists in Cambodia cannot be without Prince Ranariddh and that they need Prince Ranariddh to lead them.

After the Voodoo ceremony for "Princess" Ouk Phalla, now comes a Buddhist ceremony to rid Ranariddh of his woes

Norodom Ranariddh's followers are praying for him (Photo: Choup Chamnap, Cambodge Soir)

Tuesday, May 08, 2007
By Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir
Unofficial translation from French by Luc Sâr

Click here to read Cambodge Soir's original article in French

While the return of Prince Ranariddh is now suspended pending his request for pardon for the 18-month jail sentence handed to him by the Phnom Penh municipal court for breach of trust, his supporters is attempting to do all they can to pull him out of his troubles.

In March, his lieutenants, who followed him [from Funcinpec] to the fledgling NRP – formed shortly after his eviction from the Funcinpec leadership – requested King Sihamoni’s intervention to pardon Ranariddh, however, this request did not receive any reply yet so far.

Yesterday, the prince’s followers decided to place the fate of their leader in the hands of Buddha (religion) by organizing at Wat Botum a ceremony aiming at chasing away all dangers from the prince.

The occasion was also an opportunity for the prince followers to collect more thumbprints from party activists, for a petition calling for the prince pardon that will be handed over to the cabinet of the king, a petition which allegedly bore thousands of thumbprints already.

In the room of Monk Bou Kry, the leader of the Dhammayut sect, NRP and Sangkum Jatiniyum Front Party (SJFP) leaders gathered to pray. “We noted that luck turns its back on Prince Ranariddh. Therefore, we decided to organize a ceremony to bring luck back to him,” Prince Thomico explained about the celebration. Prince Thomico is called to become the NRP Vice-President, once the merger of his party and the NRP will be completed.

The main person whom the ceremony was celebrated for was absent, it was the officials from the two parties (NRP and SJFP): Chhim Siek Leng and Pok Than for the NRP, and Thomico and Suth Dina for the SJFP, who burned and offered the incense sticks. As for Ranariddh, he is abroad since January, a stay which he had to extend following the lawsuit brought up against him by Nhiek Bun Chhay, his former colleague and Funcinpec secretary-general. The lawsuit subsequently led to the prince sentence.

Sisowath Thomico underscored the fact that Buddhist path, rather than human justice, is needed to resolve the prince woes. “A large NRP delegation should meet soon with the king. I cannot say more than this,” the prince said. He is currently being seen quite often at the forefront in the defense of the NRP interests. “We dedicate this ceremony to the ancestors so that they help the prince (Ranariddh) return home, and help him overcome on all his enemies,” Muthh Chantha commented after Prince Thomico. He also slipped that a request for an audience with the king will be sent over this Tuesday at the latest.