*Opposition Steadfast in Face of Possible Retaliation* Khmer Times / By Taing Vida Thursday, 11 February 2016 70 views
[image: http://www.khmertimeskh.com/files/news/21321/1455218516.jpg] Opposition leader Kem Sokha (C) and other lawmakers visit jailed CNRP members at Prey Sar prison yesterday. KT/ Veasna Chhorn Supporters of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) threatened to hold demonstrations in retaliation to planned protests against Prime Minister Hun Sen during his visit to the United States this month for a US-ASEAN summit, and in response, opposition leader Kem Sokha said the leaders of his party will not flee the country in fear of violence against them. In a 10-minute video clip posted to Facebook yesterday, two men claiming to represent thousands of young CPP supporters promised to protest against the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), saying the party had “caused trouble both inside and outside of the country” and was “trying to overthrow the state leader through strikes which damage social security.” Sang Song, one of the men in the video, reminded CNRP members of the last protest against the opposition, which resulted in two CNRP lawmakers being brutally attacked by a mob of pro-CPP protesters. Mr. Song said that if people protested against the prime minister during his trip to the US, they would demand the immediate dissolution of the CNRP. Mr. Song was referencing a demonstration held by CPP supporters last October against Mr. Sokha, acting president of the CNRP, demanding his removal as first vice president of the National Assembly. The protesters gathered in front of the National Assembly, and two CNRP lawmakers, Nhoy Chamreoun and Kong Sophea, were viciously attacked as they tried to get in their cars. Mr. Sokha was removed from his position the next week in an all-CPP vote after the opposition began a boycott of the National Assembly following the attack. “We are ready for the demonstration in front of the CNRP’s head office. If you protest against him [Mr. Hun Sen], we will do the same thing in this country [that we did at] the National Assembly and withdraw your party from the list. Without the CNRP, there are other parties,” Mr. Song said. In the video, Mr. Song specifically mentioned CNRP lawmakers Real Camerin and Um Sam An as members of the opposition who he believed were “troublemakers” for taking issue with the government’s handling of the border dispute with Vietnam and then fleeing the country. “The CNRP claimed the party does not want the demonstration but occasionally they cause problems and produce excuses claiming they are individual cases. Now, I would like to announce that this is not run by the CPP or its command but from its supporters,” he added. CPP spokesman Sok Ey San told Khmer Times yesterday that he was not aware of the video and did not recognize the individuals in it, but said it was their right to express their dissatisfaction with the opposition. “I think those who announced the demonstration in the United States should stop it. Do not shame Cambodia on the international stage. All the demands in the demonstration would not be considered because they are the government’s or National Assembly’s decision. Everything is based on the law,” he claimed. According to Mr. Ey San, Mr. Sokha was stripped of his position in the National Assembly because of a decision made by National Assembly MPs, not because of the pro-CPP demonstration asking for it. The dissolution of the opposition party could only be done through legal means, he said. Article 33 of the Law on Political Parties says no authority has the right to dissolve any political party except if the political party was dissolved by a court’s final verdict or judgment. CNRP spokesman Yem Ponhearith said the demonstrations planned for Mr. Hun Sen’s US visit are not organized or supported by the CNRP, and that the party is not afraid of a legal and peaceful demonstration against them. “If they want to demonstrate in front of the party’s head office in order to dissolve the party, please file the letter to our party and we will support it as long as it is not violent and represents freedom of expression,” he said. Mr. Sokha, during a visit to CNRP activists detained in Prey Sar prison yesterday, also said he was not afraid of the protests and would not leave the country in fear of violence against him or his fellow party members. “I will not go anywhere. I am still working here,” he said. -- Best Regards, *Khmer Forum* *A place for sharing community events and public news.* -- -- 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 camdisc@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to camdisc-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com 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 camdisc+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
