Khmer Times / Ven Rathavong Friday, 07 October 2016
All the elected members of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) boycotted the National Assembly (NA) session on Friday, while 67 members of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) were at the NA to approve draft laws.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday at the CNRP headquarters, spokesman Yim Sovann said his party received information from reliable sources that their safety would be under threat if they attended the NA.
“The latest information we had from reliable sources was that there were threats to CNRP leaders and members and that is why we collected all the information and held a meeting. We decided that all the CNRP members would not join the session this morning,” he said, adding that his party would consider joining the next session.
If the sessions are not necessary, and there is not a good political environment, they will continue their boycott, he said.
However, Mr. Sovann denied that the CNRP had boycotted its work at the NA and said Friday’s non-appearance was only because of concerns for his members’ safety.
Inside the NA, CPP members continued their work to approve draft laws and NA President Heng Samrin read the royal message from King Norodom Sihamoni to open the session.
Mr. Sovann declined to reveal the source of the information about the threats or any details, only saying that according to the information he had received, the situation would be bad. Things were quiet outside the NA on Friday and there were no protesters.
At Friday’s press conference, he said if his members attended the session, the situation would become worse than last year, when two CNRP members were attacked, because his party had been accused of having links with a protest against prime minister’s son Hun Manet in Australia.
Sok Eysan, a CPP spokesman, said: “This is an excuse by the CNRP,” adding that the CNRP wanted to negotiate to free their members who were in prison.
He called on people to understand the CNRP’s strategy and said they wanted immunity to be enforced and appealed to foreign governments to not believe the issues the opposition raised.
According to the royal message, King Norodom Sihamoni said he hopes the NA will continue its efforts to resolve the country’s problems and ensure harmony, peace, stability and security in society.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hun Sen commented on his Facebook page, saying that at the NA it was business as usual.
“Although the rooster does not crow, the sunrise still appeared because it is not the hostage of any group,” Mr. Hun Sen said.