Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy seeks Australian support for election inquiry Updated Tue 18 Mar 2014, *ABC/AFP:* http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-18/an-cambodia-opposition-wants-australian-support-for-election-pr/5329722
[image: Sam Rainsy]<http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-18/000hkg8837909jpg/5329728> *Photo:* Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy says the government has until next Monday to show it's serious about negotiating an end to the political stalemate. (AFP: Tang Chhin Sothy) <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-18/000hkg8837909jpg/5329728> Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy has urged the Australian Government to lead an international campaign to improve democracy in his country. Mr Rainsy, leader of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), is visiting Australia to seek support for an independent probe into last July's elections. Cambodia's Election Commission declared the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP), led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, the winners of the polls, but the opposition is calling for fresh elections, citing fraud and irregularities. Mr Rainsy says Cambodian Australians have expressed their support for the opposition and called for democratic change in Cambodia. "There are 50,000 Cambodians living in Australia - they want Australian Government to pay attention to the human rights situation in the country of their ancestors," he said. "Therefore this a legitimate demand from the Cambodian Australians to ask the Australian Government to help Cambodia to see democracy." The CNRP has boycotted parliament since the polls, accusing Mr Hun Sen of vote-rigging. Mr Rainsy warns that unless the government shows signs of "goodwill" for electoral reform, his party will abandon talks aimed at ending the political deadlock. "The ruling party only wants to buy time and to cling onto power by any means and at any cost," he told Asia Pacific<http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/asia-pacific/cambodian-opposition-threatens-talks-walkout/1281096> . "They claim to have won the election last July but that election remains in dispute because serious irregularities have possibly overturned the will of the Cambodian people. "We have to send a clear message: We have to tell (the CCP) that by next week, if there is no breakthrough, then we will have to start protests to denounce the lack of goodwill on the part of the ruling party." Mr Rainsy will meet Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop in Canberra on Wednesday. Ms Bishop said she raised concerns about human rights violations in Cambodia when she met with Mr Hun Sen in Phnom Penh last month. Mr Hun Sen has rejected allegations that the July election was tainted by electoral fraud. The 61-year-old former Khmer Rouge cadre, who defected and oversaw Cambodia's rise from the ashes of war, has ruled for 28 years and vowed to continue until he is 74. *ABC/AFP* -- *Sincerely yours,-* *ដោយការគោរពរាប់អាន!!!* *Cambodia National Rescue Party of Washington Team* *(CNRP-WA Team)* *ក្រុមការងារគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិរដ្ឋវ៉ាស៊ីងតោន* Email: *[email protected] <[email protected]>* Like us at: Facebook.com/CNRP.WA <http://facebook.com/CNRP-WA> Website: WWW.NationalRescueParty.org <http://www.nationalrescueparty.org/en> *For those who do not wish to receive this email, please let us know*. -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
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