Khmer Times/Taing Vida Monday, 20 June 2016
Dozens of CNRP members, along with more than 400 supporters, descended on Angkor Wat yesterday to pray for peace and urge a culture of dialogue between the ruling and opposition parties.
Led by Pol Hom and 14 other CNRP members, the prayer ceremony started early in the morning in front of Preah Ang Chek and Preah Ang Chom.
From there the group marched to the grounds in front of Angkor Wat, finishing the ceremony at 11am. Dozens of police were on hand to maintain order.
Kem Sokha, the acting president of the CNRP who is now evading arrest and staying in the party’s headquarters, posted on his Facebook page yesterday that the Buddhist ceremony was for ensuring the respect of human rights and parliamentary immunity.
The prayer gathering has drawn controversy and on Friday the Apsara Authority, which controls the temple area, released a statement urging the CNRP to file an application and ask for permission to hold the ceremony.
CNRP members on the other hand believe that Buddhist ceremonies do not need approval from authorities.
Mr. Hom, a senior CNRP official, outlined how in the current political climate the prayer ceremony was initiated to ask for help from Cambodia’s heroes of the Angkor regime, and to bring the spirit of both elected parties together and reunite the nation.
“The prayer was not to wish for who loses or who wins. At the moment we hope to eradicate the repression and persecution over opposition members, as well as civil society members. I’m not here to attack the ruling party. But I would like to remind them that wherever oppression happens, there will be movement,” he said.
According to Mr. Hom, the opposition is still waiting for a response from the ruling party to resume dialogue and solve political disputes that stem from the aftermath of the 2013 election.
The current detention of four Adhoc officials and others who are charged with bribing Khom Chandaraty, the alleged mistress of acting CNRP leader Kem Sokha, has deepened the political tension between the two parties.
Last week Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is also the president of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), said there would not be any negotiations over judicial matters. This was after the CNRP planned to discuss the current detention, charges and prosecution of the detained officials, as well as a possible way for the party leader, Sam Rainsy, to return to Cambodia before the elections.
CPP spokesman Sok Ey San quoted what the premier said last week – that there was no political crisis in Cambodia and what the opposition has complained about was an individual matter.
He added that the CNRP could not expect all requests for negotiations to be granted, referring to the release of those who are undergoing court procedures.
“Samdach [Hun Sen] has announced there will be no negotiation for now. Otherwise, it would affect the jurisdiction. The prayer was a belief in Buddhism, but it would apply to the law implementation; the CPP would not abuse the law or the jurisdiction,” Mr. Ey San said.