NRP generation war

12 Feb 2009
By Ung Chamroeun
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the article in French

The two warring clans within this royalist party claimed to have found a negotiated solution to their crisis, on the other hand, they are increasing their exchange of barbs on one another.

For the last three weeks, the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) is split into two clans: the one led by Chhim Seak Leng, the party standing president, and the one led Suth Dina, the former deputy secretary-general of the NRP and the representative of the youths from the Khmer Front Party, which was the political party that formed the basis of the NRP.

The two camps tried to find a solution to their dispute. “Activists from our camp wish to see unity and we wish to put an end to the conflict,” Kim Sok, spokesman of the Suth Dina clan, indicated. “We, the party youths, want to reach a peaceful solution for the common interest (of both parties).”

Nevertheless, Kim Sok took opportunity of the occasion to criticize the attitude adopted by the “aging” party leaders who belong to the Chhim Seak Leng clan. He let it understood that the opposing camp, which includes You Hockry, consist of people who are “not very honest.”

“We will not let party members be removed without reason. We defend all the activists, not just Meas Sokun, the NRP representative in Banteay Meanchey who was expelled from the party at the end of January,” Kim Sok added.

According to communiqué distributed on Thursday 12 Feb by the Suth Dina clan, the internal conflict does not reflect the royalist party’s struggle for influence, “It is a conflict between a small group and a majority that fights for justice,” the communiqué read.

You Hockry, the NRP secretary-general, could not be reached by Cambodge Soir Hebdo on Thursday 12 Jan.

Sar Kheng, the (CPP) minister of Interior, told Em Sitha, a representative of the party youth movement, on that same day that his ministry would not allow the NRP to hold a congress on 15 Feb. Suth Dina whished to organize this congress to change the NRP party name, as Prince Ranariddh already left the party to work at the royal palace.

Sar Kheng indicated that only Chhim Seak Leng is authorized to call for a party congress.

NRP rift deepens, faction seeks to oust lawmakers [-NRP is still in disarray]

NRP acting president Chhim Seak Leng shown here in a file photo. (Photo by: HENG CHIVOAN)

Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Written by Neth Pheaktra
The Phnom Penh Post

Pre-empting his election as president of the NRP, Suth Dina makes public moves to oust You Hockry and Sao Rany

THE rift between the two factions of the beleagured Norodom Ranariddh Party deepened Monday, with one faction announcing an extraordinary congress to be held mid-February to elect a new president and change the name of the party to the Khmer National Front, officials said Monday.

"We are changing the name following the request of Prince Norodom Ranariddh not to use his photo and his name for the party. After the congress, we will send a list of candidates who will replace You Hockry and Sao Rany," Suth Dina, former spokesman of NRP, told the Post.

"We have already informed the National Election Committee and National Assembly about the end of You Hockry and Sao Rany as representatives," he said.

But You Hockry, secretary general of NRP, said that Suth Dina did not have the authority to end his time as a lawmaker.

"Who is the president of the party? It is Chhim Seak Leng. The Ministry of Interior recognises his legislation, and he is the legal representative of the NRP after Norodom Ranariddh resigned," he said.

"I have been informed that a group [led by Suth Dina] will organise a congress to chase us out of the party. But it will be illegal because only Chhim Seak Leng is the legal president.... I will send a letter to the Ministry of Interior to take measures against these illegal activities," he added.

Tep Nytha, NEC secretary general, said the commission was currently studying the legality of a letter requesting the removal of You Hockry and Sao Rany as lawmakers.

"According to the Ministry of Interior, only Chhim Seak Leng has the legal right to sign any document on behalf of the NRP. I have not received any changes from the Ministry of Interior," he said.

Disruptions within the Norodom Ranariddh Party: the party gives its explanations

02-02-2009
By Duong Sokha
Ka-set in English

On the occasion of the signature on Monday February 2nd of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the FUNCINPEC and the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) in Phnom Penh, NRP leaders went back over the tensions currently shaking the party's ranks. On Friday January 30th, members of the Khmer National Front party (KNF), which has been incorporated within the NRP, came to demonstrate outside the NRP headquarters and caused damage, as a sign of protest against the firing of one of their members, Mrs Meas Sokun. Other dismissals concerning KNF members came about in the meantime. Here are the explanations given by the NRP and Prince Ranariddh.

Reasons for the firing of Mrs Meas Sokun

NRP secretary-general You Hokry sees in this situation the result of a “personal conflict within the party”. During a meeting of the Governing Council meant to resolve internal issues, he explains, “some mentioned the case of Mrs. Meas Sokun, whose husband burst into our party headquarters carrying a fire weapon with him, with the intention of threatening a person who was in an open conflict with his wife”. He adds that this misconduct cannot be tolerated, and “this is why the Governing Council asked our member to explain her husband's attitude”.

This incident, You Hokry continues, was followed by another: Mrs Meas Sokun, a member of the NRP Steering Committee, allegedly spoke to Prince Ranariddh with disdain. “Even though the Prince has left the party, it continues to bear his name and still displays a portrait of him. We asked Mrs Meas Sokun to write an apology letter for Samdech Krompreah. We gave her some time but never saw any such letter! We gathered she does not support the NRP. In any event, two thirds of Governing Council members decided on her dismissal from the party. The decision was made on January 24th but because of the Chinese new year, we preferred to only make it public on January 30th.”

The NRP wants to files several complaints against KFP members

After reminding that the Khmer National Front party had been disbanded after the holding of a Congress at the NRP, the NRP secretary-general said: “Looking at the NRP and at the KNF, which one is legal? Our own party is registered at the Ministry of Interior and we have already taken part in several polls and won MP seats in the Assembly!” He then mentioned Suth Dina, official spokesman and deputy secretary-general of the NRP and a former member of the KNF who took the side of Mrs Meas Sokun. You Hokry naively asked himself: “Can a deputy secretary-general throw the secretary-general out?” Suth Dina was sacked from the party.

“We are filing a complaint with Justice against those who vandalised the NRP headquarters, with the Ministry of Defence against Mrs Meas Sokun's husband for illegally carrying a weapon, and with the Bar of Cambodia against this woman, who is herself a member of the Bar”, You Hokry announced.

Usurpation of power, according to Suth Dina

Suth Dina, reminding of his dismissal by the NRP on January 31st – the decision did not “surprise” him – also explained for his part that the Steering Committee of the former Khmer National Front party sent on February 2nd a letter to the Ministry of Interior, to the Royal Palace, to the Constitutional Council and to the government to denounce “the lack of legality in the NRP administration”. According to him, the NRP “usurped power”. “On November 16th 2006, at a Congress, the Khmer National Front party handed its power over to Prince Ranariddh, and not to its vice-president [Chhim Siek Leng] or even its secretary-general [You Hockry]!, he pointed out.

Norodom Ranariddh does not want his name to be used any more

Since he took up the new position of chair of the Supreme Council of King Sihamoni, Prince Ranariddh launched his [new website http://www.norodomranariddh.org/] and decided to take part in the debate raging on in his name. In a message dated January 31st , posted on his website and addressed “to citizens and members of the NRP”, he demands that his name and portrait stop being used in the field of politics so as to preserve the neutrality of the Royal Palace where he now works.

“Recently, incidents have tarnished my honour and my name and much criticism has arisen, accusing me of continuing to interfere in matters of the [Norodom Ranariddh] party. I asked NRP representatives to launch a procedure to remove my portrait and my name, in order to avoid criticism. But party representatives asked me to let them keep them until the elections of new councils in May.” Prince Ranariddh adds that he acceded to their request. Complaining about “unfair attacks which his name and portrait are subjected to”, he reminds at the end of his message that he “continues to serve the Nation, the Religion and the King” of Cambodia, with the new responsibilities he now holds.

Disarray deepens in NRP [-Everybody is firing everybody else]

Monday, 02 February 2009
Written by Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

Central committee ousts 17 student group members.

TURMOIL within the Norodom Ranariddh Party reached new depths Saturday, with the party's central committee moving to oust 17 officials linked to the Democratic Front of Khmer Students and Intellectuals, former NRP spokesman Suth Dina told the Post Sunday.

The move followed an angry confrontation between Democratic Front members and NRP leaders Friday at party headquarters, a party press release said.

Suth Dina, one of the officials purged from the party, confirmed the ousters but argued the central committee had no grounds to remove the officials, as they were members responsible for creating the NRP.

"The decision was not valid. [NRP leaders] have no standing to remove officials who built the party in the first place. These [17] officials were members of the Khmer Front Party, which created the NRP for the sake of Prince Norodom Ranariddh," Suth Dina said.

He called the ousters revenge in response to efforts by the Democratic Front to remove three NRP leaders - Chhim Seak Leng, You Hockry and Sao Ranny - from power Friday.

"These leaders came to the party as assistants to Samdech Krom Preah. So, after his resignation from the party, they must go, too," Suth Dina said, referring to Prince Norodom Ranariddh.

No NRP leaders were available for comment Sunday, but a press release issued Friday stated that members of the Democratic Front "provoked turmoil" at party headquarters in Phnom Penh's Tuol Kork district.

"They destroyed NRP property and private property. Moreover, [they] erased the NRP logo and replaced it with the Khmer Front Party," the release stated.

It added: "The NRP would like to appeal to all levels of party leadership to strengthen the party's stand and not to be duped by propaganda from the Khmer Front Party."

Meanwhile, Prince Ranariddh issued a statement Saturday urging NRP leaders not to use his name or likeness for the party, despite requests to continue the connection through council elections scheduled for May.

Top Royalists Lock Horns in Lawsuit [-NRP's You Hockry vs F'pec Serey Kosal]

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
12 September 2008

Two senior officials from opposing royalist parties were called into a Phnom Penh court Friday, in a defamation and disinformation complaint highlighting the fractured nature of Cambodia's royal politics.

Norodom Ranariddh Party Secretary-General You Hockry filed a complaint on June 19 against Funcinpec Deputy Secretary-General Serey Kosal, accusing him of defamation and disinformation for comments made ahead of July's election.

Both men were called into court Friday. If found guilty, Serey Kosal faces up to five years imprisonment and 100 million riel, or $25,000, in fines.

Princess Ang Duong Nim Sophine called it quit from the NRP

Princess Ang Duong Nim Sophine (L) and You Hockry (R) (Photo: Sralanh Khmer newspaper)

Friday, February 29, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Princess Ang Duong Nim Sophine, the first vice president of the NRP election committee, told the Kampuchea Thmei newspaper on 28 February that she resigned from the NRP on 27 February because she is unhappy that You Hockry, NRP secretary-general, did not act properly towards her. The princess, whom not many people knew, discussed about her hurt feelings because You Hockry called her in to question on an irregular issue related to her talking to newspapers about internal party affairs, and her discussions led to internal party official dissensions. The princess claimed that her action is not against that in a democratic society. Muth Chantha, NRP spokesman, said that the party kicked the princess out since 23 February because she violated the party bylaws which forbid party members from discussing internal affairs in public, but the princess took all these issues to reveal to newspapers and created party dissensions.

You Hockry’s "rocket science" discovery: Nhiek Bun Chhay’s attack on Prince Ranariddh was for political gain

You Hocky (L) and Nhiek Bun Chhay (R) (Photos: RFA)

Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Kampuchea Thmei newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

You Hockry, vice-president of the NRP, said that the attack on Prince Ranariddh by Nhiek Bun Chhay was done for political gain only. He indicated that the prince never betrayed the Hero-King (King-Father), everything the prince did was decided by the constitution council only.

Nhiek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec secretary-general, is constantly attacking Prince Ranariddh, and he called the prince leadership as being weak, and it led to the demise of the party popularity. Recently, in Banteay meanchey province, during a meeting with Funcinpec party activists on 18 February, Nhiek Bun Chhay told his party activists that before the 1993 election, Prince Ranariddh made an election promise that should he win the election, he would turn over power to Hero-King Norodom Sihanouk, but after the election where he indeed won, the prince kept the power for himself instead (by becoming prime minister No. 1). At the same time, Nhiek Bun Chhay accused the prince of being involved in corruption in the nomination of party officials to government positions, and at the end, the prince purchased the party’s headquarters and assigned its ownership to his name.

Muth Chantha, NRP spokesman, said the transfer of power to the Hero-King or not, depends on the decision of the constitution council, and there was no issue with the power transfer. Raising such issue was done with a decision by the constitution council.

You Hockry said in the afternoon of 19 February that: “I don’t want to talk about anything outside the documents, beyond that, I didn’t know. I used to say, and I even wrote an open letter a few years ago, and later on, I even issued a clarification, therefore, I don’t know what to say to let the public understand it.”

You Hockry added that after the election, the constitutional council did not hold a meeting yet, and on its first meeting, Prince Ranariddh asked to transfer power to King-Father for governing the country. The constitutional council decided on 14 June 1993, to: (1) provide justice for King-Father by considering null and void the 18 March 1970 coup d’état which was conducted illegally against the constitution, against the public opinion, and it considered King-Father as the legal state leader from 1970 on; (2) give the full power and all the special power to King-Father in his duty as state leader so that he has the full ability to salvage the Nation, and lead the country to prosperity, just like under the Sangkum Reastr Niyum era.

Therefore further decisions were for King-Father to make. You Hockry indicated that after the agreement on the constitution, everybody took the decision to present the case to the Hero-king in Pyongyang, North Korea, and the trip included the participation of the CPP, Funcinpec, and the Son Sann party. You Hockry said that he did not know the final outcome, only that Hero-King Norodom Sihanouk decided to adopt the monarchy, that is he reigns but he does not rule.

You Hockry indicated also that, until now, whether to transfer power to King-Father or not, it is too late already. He said that the perpetual attack on the prince was done for political gain only, and he does not trust it too much because Nhiek Bun Chhay lied to him so many times already.

SRP Exposes CPP, Ranariddh, You Hockry in Illegal Vietnamese Immigrants Deal

You Hockry (L) and Prince Ranariddh (R)

11 Dec 07
By Roat Visal
Sralanh Khmer newspaper
Translated from Khmer and posted online

The Cambodian National Assembly passed the Immigration Law in 2001. However, not only has the Hun Sen government failed to enforce this law but it has tried to cover up the presence of illegal Vietnamese immigrants by allowing them to live in the country and helping these millions of Hun Sen's Vietnamese brothers and sisters to fill forms and documents. Besides receiving documents making them Cambodian citizens, millions of illegal Vietnamese immigrants also have been issued voter cards that allow them to vote for the Cambodian People's Party [CPP] officials, especially for Hun Sen, Heng Samrin, and Chea Sim, so that they would continue to wield power for a long time and keep repaying Vietnam for the service it rendered them.

The CPP officials are not the only ones to have legitimized the immigration of the Vietnamese all over the country, the FUNCINPEC [National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, and Peaceful Cambodia] Party when Prince Ranariddh was its historical president also connived with the CPP in forcefully helping these illegal Vietnamese immigrants. For instance, former Minister of Interior You Hockry co-signed with Sar Kheng, the then co-minister of interior, an order in April 2003 permitting the illegal Vietnamese spearheaded by an army of prostitutes to establish associations in 19 provinces and cities throughout the country.

Now, You Hockry, secretary-general of the Norodom Ranariddh Party [NRP], and Prince Ranariddh are making great noise about their so-called campaign to oppose the illegal immigrants. The Cambodian public understands that this vociferation is just a maneuver or a dark scheme of dishonest politicians in the NRP.

The Sam Rainsy Party [SRP] counts the enforcement of the Immigration Law among the 10 measures set for the SRP government. This measure is that the SRP government will thoroughly and effectively enforce this law as of 2008 because to let the illegal Vietnamese immigrants live in full anarchy throughout the country like this constitutes a most impertinent violation of Cambodia's sovereignty, and the presence of these illegal Vietnamese is also a demographic war to implement the Vietnamization of Cambodia. The most serious danger to the survival of the Cambodian nation and people is if the present ruling CPP continues to rule the country.

Hun Sen, Heng Samrin, and Chea Sim of the CPP are taking care of the millions of illegal Vietnamese in Cambodia because Vietnam has installed them in power through the 7 January 1979 Vietnamese aggression against Cambodia. Another reason is that these millions of Vietnamese constitute an important force that has voted for the group of Vietnamese lackeys in Phnom Penh so that they can keep on wielding power and controlling Cambodia on behalf of Vietnam according to the late Ho Chi Minh's Indochinese Federation policy, which is to make Cambodia a Vietnamese province in the future just as the Vietnamese ancestors annexed Champa and Kampuchea Krom in the past. If the CPP leaders, especially Hun Sen, Heng Samrin, and Chea Sim do not protect and take care of the illegal Vietnamese their political and non-political lives would not be pleasant, especially vis-a-vis their Vietnamese bosses because history showed many times before that any Vietnamese pawns who did not obey Hanoi's orders never escaped punishment. For this reason, it can be said that the CPP leaders have inextricably bogged themselves down in the policy of perpetual servitude toward the Vietnamese.

Let alone the CPP, particularly the three Governors General (the three Samdech), who cannot free themselves from the steel dragnet of the Vietnamese, but You Hockry and Prince Ranariddh also sided with the CPP in legitimizing the Vietnamese.

Ranariddh to supporters: Get me home; You Hockry: For Ranariddh, it’s either overseas or Prey Sar jail

Ranariddh calls on his supporters to find a mean for him to return back home

Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Koh Santepheap newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Prince Norodom Ranariddh, NRP president, who is currently living overseas indefinitely, called on his supporters to redouble their actions so that he can return back home.

Prince Ranariddh made his call through a phone message delivered to his supporters on 09 December 2007, during a meeting of his supporters in Phnom Penh. You Hockry, NRP secretary-general, told the party members during this meeting that it is normal for the prince to live overseas, he did that also when he was Funcinpec president.

You Hockry said: “If he does not stay overseas, he will be in Prey Sar jail, and if he is overseas, he can still talk with his party members, but if he were to be in Prey Sar jail, he wouldn’t be able to talk.” Prince Ranariddh was sentenced by the military tribunal once already in 1997, he was handed down a 35-year jail and fined by $200,000. At that time, the prince also remained outside the country, just like now. However, he was later pardoned by the former monarch, King Norodom Sihanouk.

You Hockry said: “We cannot say when the prince will be able to return back home yet, but, we predict that if the prince does not come back, people will say that we want power, and we do not allow the prince to return back home.” Thav Kim Hor, NRP deputy secretary-general, said that if the prince’s party members really support him, then he will surely be able to return back home to Cambodia.

Political observers who follow up on the prince case, said that if his case remains complicated until the election registration (for the political parties), his candidacy will surely face difficulties because, then, the prince will not have the right to be on the MP list as he is considered a jailed convict. The only path left for him, is to return home through Funcinpec, however, the prince had already rejected this option.

Hun Sen does not understand Prince Ranariddh’s letter

Friday, November 30, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

A letter sent by Prince Norodom Ranariddh to Prime minister Hun Sen dated 27 November 2007 was annotated by Hun Sen saying that he does not know what the prince is talking about and he does not understand it. The Kampuchea Thmei newspaper published the content of a letter from Prince Ranairddh which bears the following content:

“To Samdach Akkak Moha Sena Bat Dey Dek Cho Hun Sen, Prime minister of the royal government of Cambodia,

Highly respected Samdach prime minister,

I want to inform Samdach prime minister that I, Norodom Ranariddh, President of the Norodom Ranariddh Party, have designated H.E. You Hockry, the NRP secretary-general, as my representative to meet with a representative of Samdach prime minister, to discuss the work which has been pre-determined already.

Please Samdach prime minister accepts my deepest thanks and cordiality.”

Hun Sen wrote a short annotation on the prince’s letter saying: “What is this pre-determined thing? I don’t understand.”

NRP Officials Testify Over Ousting

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
17 July 2007

High-ranking officials of the Norodom Ranariddh Party submitted affidavits and testimony Tuesday to Phnom Penh Municipal Court in hopes of proving the October 2006 ouster of Prince Ranariddh from Funcinpec was illegal.

NRP officers You Hokry and Chhim Siek Leng were called to testify as witnesses in the case against Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhek Bun Chhay.

The suit claims Nhek Bun Chhay falsified public documents and illegally held a party congress in Prince Ranariddh's absence to have him unseated as the president of the party, which remains the coalition partner of the ruling Cambodian People's Party.

"The evidence that I submitted some time ago will confirm that Nhek Bun Chhay intended to hold the congress and that the national council's meeting was in violation of the [party] chapter and internal rules," You Hokry told VOA Khmer. "Because he understood that he had no rights in convening a national council meeting and the congress—which is the president's sole right—he then altered the content of some letters and created documents that did not go through Prince Ranariddh as president."

Funcinpec spokesman Nov Sovatharo said the congress was legal and according to the party's bylaws.

Prince Ranariddh, who is out of the country, was found guilty in absentia earlier this year on charges related to embezzlement for the sale of Funcinpec's headquarters. He runs his eponymous party, which he started after his ouster from Funcinpec, from abroad.

NRP officials summoned by the court

Saturday, July 14, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Phnom Penh municipal court issued a summon for You Hockry, the former 2nd vice-president of the National Assembly and current NRP secretary-general, and Chhim Siek Leng, the former minister of rural development and current NRP vice-president, to show up in court in the afternoon of 17 July, to act as witnesses in the lawsuit lodged by Prince Norodom Ranariddh against Nhiek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec secretary-general, for breach of trust and letter falsification. A source at the court indicated that the court summoned the two NRP officials to come to the court to clarify this case as major witnesses in Prince Ranariddh’s lawsuit. The same source indicated that Prince Ranariddh’s lawyer received the summons and already handed them over to the two NRP witnesses. The two NRP officials will show up in court at the prescribed time.

Khmer Intelligence News - 01 June 2007

01 June 2007

Voice of Democracy to stop its programs (1)

Voice of Democracy (VOD), initially a department of the US-funded Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), will stop all its programs after 30 September 2007. According to the Truth Committee formed by former CCHR employees, funding for CCHR has dried up since 01 May 2007. A recent statement by the Truth Committee points to "the dishonesty of [former CCHR president] Kem Sokha, who abused his position as leader of an NGO [so as to serve his] personal interest and [to pursue a] hidden political agenda under the banner of human rights." The Truth Committee, which includes renowned journalists and lawyers, accuses Kem Sokha of corruption and has filed a lawsuit against him for breach of trust. Click here to read the statement in Khmer.

CPP electorate shrinking (2)

At the recent 2007 commune election, the CPP collected 61 percent of the vote (3.1 million ballots out of a total of 5.1 million valid ballots). Officials from the ruling party claim that this result is as good as the outcome for the 2002 commune election, which also showed 61 percent of the vote going to CPP (2.7 million ballots out of a total of 4.4 million valid ballots). However, there is a big difference between the two elections. In 2002, voter turnout was 87 percent (4.5 million actual voters for 5.2 citizens/potential voters). In 2007, voter turnout dropped to 65 percent ( 5.1 million voters for 7.8 million citizens). This year, 2.7 million potential voters were discarded from the election process (versus 0.7 million five years ago) as a result of a deliberate policy by the CPP-controlled National Election Committee to disenfranchise non-CPP voters. If an additional 2.0 million non-CPP voters were actually included in the electorate, the CPP would have collected only 44 percent of the vote, a significant drop from the 61 percent obtained in 2002. At the 2003 legislative election, the CPP share of the electorate had already dropped to 47 percent.

Click here for more information on manipulation of voter list and disfranchisement of non-CPP voters.

Suspicious role of You Hockry in the NRP (3)

Some officials of the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) express their concern that their newly appointed Secretary-General You Hockry might be a spy for the CPP, whose role would be to manipulate and control their party from within. After the 1997 coup d'état, then Funcinpec Co-Interior Minister You Hockry did not leave the country with the rest of the Funcinpec leadership loyal to Prince Norodom Ranariddh, but chose to remain in Cambodia where he maintained a suspicious relationship with CPP Second Prime Minister Hun Sen, at a time when Funcinpec First Prime Minister Ung Huot had already sold out to the CPP.

[End]

You Hockry Appointed NRP Secretary-General

Seng Ratana and Heng Reaksmey
VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
29/05/2007

Former Funcinpec parliamentarian You Hockry Monday was appointed secretary-general of the Norodom Ranariddh Party, as the splintered royalists prepare for the 2008 national election.

Prince Sisowath Thomico, former head of the small royalist party, Sangkum Jatiniyum Front, joined NRP Sunday, urging Kem Sokha and his Human Rights Party to join as well. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hun Sen has said he will stick with Funcinpec as the government's coalition partner.

You Hockry replaced Chhim Siekleng, promising to follow Prince Norodom Ranariddh an appealing for other royalists to consider reunification.

"This is not reshuffling, but rather improving the structure of appointing the leadership," NRP spokesman Muth Chantha said.

Musical chair in Phnom Penh: Fired F'pec MP, You Hockry, becomes NRP new Secretary-general

May 29, 2007
Cambodian NRP appoints new secretary general

The Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) of Cambodia has appointed You Hokry, former second vice-president of the National Assembly, as the new secretary general of NRP to prepare for the 2008 general election, officials said in Phnom Penh on Tuesday.

Prince Norodom Ranariddh, President of the NRP, decided to appoint You Hockry as the secretary general of party because he was loyal to Ranariddh and he also accompanied the prince for a long time, Muth Chantha, spokesman of NRP told reporters at the party headquarters in Phnom Penh.

The appointment of You Hockry will make the NRP stronger in party structure and make it better to join the election in 2008, Muth Chantha said, adding that You Hockry was well-supported by party members.

Meanwhile, Chim Seakleng, former secretary general of NRP, was appointed as the vice-president of NRP, Muth Chantha said.

Chim Seakleng was former Phnom Penh governor in the 1990s and a parliamentary member in 2003, he added.

Ranariddh was ousted from the co-ruling Funcinpec Party in October 2006 and then established NRP. He stayed overseas ever since.

He was sentenced in absentia to 18 months in jail earlier this year for pocketing party money when he headed Funcinpec.

Source: Xinhua

Funcinpec removes You Hockry from NA [F'pec accuses him of secretly funding NRP]

Monday, May 21, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Funcinpec party has removed You Hockry from its rank and requested that the National Assembly removes him from his position as member parliament, after it found out that You Hockry secretly funded the Norodom Ranariddh Party. Nouv Sovathero, Funcinpec spokesman, told The Cambodia Daily last Friday that his party requests the National Assembly to replace You Hockry by So Nath. Nouv Sovathero said that Funcinpec found out that You Hockry was funding the NRP ahead of the 01 April 2007 commune election. Nouv Sovathero added that Funcinpec removed You Hockry from the party rank on 11 May. You Hockry cannot be reached for comment. Muth Chantha, NRP spokesman, said that he did not know that You Hockry was funding the NRP, however, he added that You Hockry is no longer a Funcipec member, and NRP welcomes anyone who wants to join.

F’pec denies information published in local media about impending party sacking

13 May 2007
By Sophorn
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Funcinpec spokesman denies the information about an alleged number of high-ranking Funcinpec officials will be sacked from the National Assembly. Nouv Sovathero, Funcinpec spokesman, claimed that the information published by the local media about the impending sacking of high-ranking Funcinpec party officials, is not true.

He added that all party members still believe in the Funcinpec leadership, and the party still supports and encourages all its party officials. Nouv Sovathero said: “I saw in the past week, there were numerous publications reporting that Funcinpec plans to sack high-raking officials from the party. I want to confirm again that, up to now, Funcinpec has no intention of sacking anybody, but we did hold discussion on how to help all our MPs, irrespective of their region, we are pushing and encouraging these MPs to visit their constituents often.”

Recently, local newspapers have reported that Funcinpec will remove You Hockry, Kompong Cham MP, Sin Pin Sen, Prey Veng MP, and Princess Norodom Vacheara, Phnom Penh MP. The three are accused of leaning towards the Norodom Ranariddh party.

However, according to Nouv Sovathero, only Ly Thuch, the Pursat MP, sent a resignation letter to the party on 9 May 2007. The current Funcinpec MP replacing Ly Thuch, is Say Mongkol.

You Hockry to be canned from F'pec, to be replaced by So Nath at the Nat'l Assembly

Funcinpec Ousts Suspected Defector

Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
11/05/2007

The coalition royalist group Funcinpec has ousted a member of parliament it accused of defecting to the Norodom Ranariddh Party, in a high-profile split that highlights a growing rift between royalist parties.

Funcinpec was handed a sound drubbing in April’s commune polls, but Prime Minister Hun Sen claims he will stick with the party for next year’s national parliamentary elections. That will likely lead to more political maneuvering within the different parties, as the NRP emerges to compete with Funcinpec for royalist votes.