In Report, Asian Rights Group Decries 'Silent CPP Takeover'
By Douglas Gillison and Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The CPP has grown into an overbearing political giant, systematically removing Funcinpec officials from their posts and exercising increasingly unchecked power, according to a report released Monday by the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development.
The growing dominance in Cambodian politics of both the CPP and Prime Minister Hun Sen has caused respect for human rights to falter and has led to widespread corruption, according to the analysis paper published by the group, which unites 33 Asian human rights organizations, including Licadho and Adhoc in Cambodia.
"It is no accident that the declining human rights situation has coincided with further consolidation of [CPP] power," according to the report, titled "Consolidating Power in Cambodia: Corruption and Abuse Abounds."
It notes that between March and May, "there have been roughly 69 expulsions, replacements and resignations of government and parliamentary positions held by Funcinpec party members."
The "silent CPP takeover" included the removals of Prince Norodom Sirivudh from his position as deputy prime minister and co-minister of interior, of Prince Norodom Ranariddh as National Assembly president and of Nhiek Bun Chhay as co-minister of defense.
"In about 50 cases, deputy provincial governorships held by the Funcinpec members were abolished outright—with no known replacements. In the remaining 19 cases, 11 of those cases were replaced by the CPP members," the report states.
CPP control over state institutions such as the judiciary has meant that the party is unlikely to punish its own, it adds.
"A lack of checks and balances had lead to unabated corruption. This corruption has now spilled over into the diplomatic arena and threatens Cambodia's relations with the donor community."
Describing the government as repressive and threatening, the report says: "Cambodia's political context cannot be fully explained without noting the prime minister's unassailable power," adding that he is "characterized by his capricious and autocratic behavior."
Government spokesman and Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith said the CPP has not been consolidating power through the removals of Funcinpec officials, adding that the ruling party had alliances with over 30 smaller parties.
"Do you think that these people should remain in their place or we should replace them?" he asked. "You need to continue to get the vote in order to rule the country. And you have to remove the incompetent people in order to get the vote."
He denied that Hun Sen was autocratic, but said Cambodia needed a firm hand to achieve stability.
"Do you want a strong prime minister or do you want a weak prime minister? In this country, a weak prime minister would make an unstable situation," he said, adding that Hun Sen is not a dictator.
Ok Socheat, public aflairs advisor to Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh, said he has observed that the CPP controls "complete, 100-percent power."
The CPP "control everything," said Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections. "They control the state institutions, they control the courts, they control the military, they control the police," he said. This does not mean rights are abused in all situations, Koul Panha said, only that respect for human rights was for the government to decide.
The growing dominance in Cambodian politics of both the CPP and Prime Minister Hun Sen has caused respect for human rights to falter and has led to widespread corruption, according to the analysis paper published by the group, which unites 33 Asian human rights organizations, including Licadho and Adhoc in Cambodia.
"It is no accident that the declining human rights situation has coincided with further consolidation of [CPP] power," according to the report, titled "Consolidating Power in Cambodia: Corruption and Abuse Abounds."
It notes that between March and May, "there have been roughly 69 expulsions, replacements and resignations of government and parliamentary positions held by Funcinpec party members."
The "silent CPP takeover" included the removals of Prince Norodom Sirivudh from his position as deputy prime minister and co-minister of interior, of Prince Norodom Ranariddh as National Assembly president and of Nhiek Bun Chhay as co-minister of defense.
"In about 50 cases, deputy provincial governorships held by the Funcinpec members were abolished outright—with no known replacements. In the remaining 19 cases, 11 of those cases were replaced by the CPP members," the report states.
CPP control over state institutions such as the judiciary has meant that the party is unlikely to punish its own, it adds.
"A lack of checks and balances had lead to unabated corruption. This corruption has now spilled over into the diplomatic arena and threatens Cambodia's relations with the donor community."
Describing the government as repressive and threatening, the report says: "Cambodia's political context cannot be fully explained without noting the prime minister's unassailable power," adding that he is "characterized by his capricious and autocratic behavior."
Government spokesman and Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith said the CPP has not been consolidating power through the removals of Funcinpec officials, adding that the ruling party had alliances with over 30 smaller parties.
"Do you think that these people should remain in their place or we should replace them?" he asked. "You need to continue to get the vote in order to rule the country. And you have to remove the incompetent people in order to get the vote."
He denied that Hun Sen was autocratic, but said Cambodia needed a firm hand to achieve stability.
"Do you want a strong prime minister or do you want a weak prime minister? In this country, a weak prime minister would make an unstable situation," he said, adding that Hun Sen is not a dictator.
Ok Socheat, public aflairs advisor to Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh, said he has observed that the CPP controls "complete, 100-percent power."
The CPP "control everything," said Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections. "They control the state institutions, they control the courts, they control the military, they control the police," he said. This does not mean rights are abused in all situations, Koul Panha said, only that respect for human rights was for the government to decide.
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