By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Sam Rainsy Party lawmakers are again participating in Cambodian Center for Human Rights public forums, ending a party boycott that began in March, officials said Tuesday.
On Tuesday, SRP lawmaker for Kompong Cham province Mao Monyvann was the first to participate in a CCHR forum in his province.
The boycott ended after a meeting between SRP leader Sam Rainsy and CCHR President Kem Sokha Thursday, but the men said on Tuesday that they have not formed a political alliance preceding the 2008 elections.
"I asked him to unite democratic forces together," Sam Rainsy said of the meeting. "NGOs and political parties share the respective work to promote a free and fair election."
Kem Sokha confirmed Sam Rainsy's request, but said he did not reply to it. "I always invited the SRP to participate in public forums," he said. "Now they have to join the public forums otherwise they will lose benefits," he said, adding that the forums were an important platform for communicating with voters before the 2007 commune council elections.
Despite the warming relations, Kem Sokha said he will continue, when necessary, to criticize the SRP, Funcinpec and the CPP.
"I have not assumed that the SRP is a democratic party yet," he added.
Sam Rainsy played down the boycott and claimed that SRP lawmakers were never prevented from attending CCHR forums.
"We have never had any problem before," he said.
In April, SRP lawmaker Eng Chhay Eang said the party had held a meeting to ensure its members did not attend the forums.
A month earlier the SRP issued a statement saying it would boycott the forums until the CCHR assured the party that it would not be criticized for cooperating with the CPP in amending the Constitution.
Hang Puthea, director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free Elections in Cambodia, said the SRP can only gain from burying the hatchet and participating in the NGO’s forums.
On Tuesday, SRP lawmaker for Kompong Cham province Mao Monyvann was the first to participate in a CCHR forum in his province.
The boycott ended after a meeting between SRP leader Sam Rainsy and CCHR President Kem Sokha Thursday, but the men said on Tuesday that they have not formed a political alliance preceding the 2008 elections.
"I asked him to unite democratic forces together," Sam Rainsy said of the meeting. "NGOs and political parties share the respective work to promote a free and fair election."
Kem Sokha confirmed Sam Rainsy's request, but said he did not reply to it. "I always invited the SRP to participate in public forums," he said. "Now they have to join the public forums otherwise they will lose benefits," he said, adding that the forums were an important platform for communicating with voters before the 2007 commune council elections.
Despite the warming relations, Kem Sokha said he will continue, when necessary, to criticize the SRP, Funcinpec and the CPP.
"I have not assumed that the SRP is a democratic party yet," he added.
Sam Rainsy played down the boycott and claimed that SRP lawmakers were never prevented from attending CCHR forums.
"We have never had any problem before," he said.
In April, SRP lawmaker Eng Chhay Eang said the party had held a meeting to ensure its members did not attend the forums.
A month earlier the SRP issued a statement saying it would boycott the forums until the CCHR assured the party that it would not be criticized for cooperating with the CPP in amending the Constitution.
Hang Puthea, director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free Elections in Cambodia, said the SRP can only gain from burying the hatchet and participating in the NGO’s forums.
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