Political window-dressing ahead of next month's donor meeting

US hopes end of political rift in Cambodia will boost democracy

Mon Feb 6, 3:53 PM ET
AFP

The United States hailed a truce between Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his political archrivals, saying it should beef up democracy in the impoverished nation.

After a surprise request from Hun Sen, Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni on Sunday pardoned opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who was sentenced to jail for defamation, and lawmaker Cheam Channy, who was convicted of fraud and trying to topple the government, in court proceedings dismissed as politically motivated.

In welcoming the royal pardon, US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States hoped the decision "represents movement toward a strengthened democracy in Cambodia.

"We look forward to the return of Sam Rainsy and the full resumption of the role of the opposition in the political dialogue of Cambodia," McCormack told reporters.

Last week, Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy exchanged letters, with the opposition leader saying he "regretted having acted improperly against the prime minister" and vowing to build a better relationship with the ruling party.

In reply, Hun Sen thanked Sam Rainsy for recognising his mistakes and said he hoped his erstwhile rival could soon return to Cambodia from France, where he has been in self-imposed exile for about a year.

Sam Rainsy, who said he would return this week, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in December for defaming the prime minister with accusations that he had orchestrated a grenade attack and other violence against his opposition political party.

He fled after the government stripped him of his parliamentary immunity.

Known for his verbal assaults on the prime minister, Sam Rainsy took an uncharacteristically conciliatory stance saying he now sought dialogue with Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party.

"We want to be an effective and vibrant opposition and the first thing to do ... is to establish a dialogue with the ruling party," he told AFP in Phnom Penh from France.

Rights groups cautiously welcomed Hun Sen's reconciliation moves but warned that they were more likely to be political window-dressing ahead of next month's donor meeting.

Cambodia is dependent on hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign funding it receives each year to drive the economy and maintain its crumbling infrastructure.