Khmer Times/May Titthara Tuesday, 14 June 2016
Prime Minister Hun Sen threatened the opposition yesterday for preparing to stage mass protests and rallies if opposition leader Kem Sokha is arrested today.
The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) has called on unions and party members to gather at their headquarters in Phnom Penh and monitor the political situation ahead of a scheduled court date for Mr. Sokha that he has already said he will not attend. The government is now preparing to arrest him.
At a graduation ceremony on Koh Pich for the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) yesterday, Mr. Hun Sen slammed the opposition and completely shut down any hope of dialogue between the two parties.
“[They] create problems to burn down a house, and then tell everyone to extinguish it,” he said. “Now the fire is burning their own house.
“Do not threaten to strike or mention the word protest,” he added. “If you want to play, then I’ve already told you what will happen.”
He went on to attack the CNRP for “harping on the past” and complained that the opposition was “only good at shouting.”
“Now they have collected thumbprints and called on people to gather and meet in front of the Royal Palace. This is the way they save the situation?” he asked.
Mr. Sokha is due to appear in court after two previous court summons were ignored. The opposition believes the court case, involving an alleged sex scandal between Mr. Sokha and his hairdresser, is designed to disrupt the opposition party ahead of next year’s commune elections.
All parliamentarians have immunity, but the government has routinely ignored this when it comes to opposition members, a number of which are already in prison on what many believe are politically motivated charges.
The CNRP released a statement yesterday saying Mr. Sokha would not appear in court today because of his immunity as a politician. He skipped court dates on May 17 and May 26 after being summoned to the court for questioning.
Senior CNRP member Eng Chhay Eang said the party had every right to keep Mr. Sokha away from the court due to his immunity and the government’s penchant for detaining opposition members.
Mr. Sokha asked his team of lawyers to deliver a letter to the court and the investigating judge.
“If the court wants Mr. Kem Sokha to appear, Mr. Kem Sokha will appear as long as the National Assembly removes his immunity first,” he said.
“We have come to strike, but the purpose is not to overthrow anyone,” Mr. Chhay Eang said, referencing an often-used ruling party sentiment that the opposition wants “regime change” as opposed to their stated goal of the release of detained human rights and CNRP officials.
“The CNRP has appealed to citizens who love freedom and justice and want the Kingdom to be a country that upholds the rule of law genuinely. Come to the headquarters to monitor the situation related to the court processes that have summoned Mr. Sokha,” he added.
Only last week, the European Union approved a resolution calling for all charges against CNRP president-in-exile Sam Rainsy to be dropped and asking for the release of civil society officials who have been arrested. They also mentioned tying the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid they send to Cambodia to improvements in the human rights situation in the country.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Foreign Minister Prak Sokhon last week to express his concern about the political situation and urged the two parties to meet. The ruling Cambodian People’s Party seemed to be more agreeable to a meeting after news of the call was released.
But this week, Mr. Hun Sen and other party leaders have come out forcefully against the idea of any peaceful dialogue.
The opposition has already sent a petition to King Norodom Sihamoni asking for royal intervention in Mr. Sokha’s case as well as the human rights officials who are now being detained in prison.
Yesterday, the CNRP continued to collect even more thumbprints for another petition, raking in signatures from people in 25 provinces and cities for the second time. They have not said when they will send the petition to the Royal Palace.