PM bets his life on CNRP dissolution

Tin Sokhavuth



Prime Minister Hun Sen, on Saturday, talked about betting his life on the dissolution of the opposition party CNRP. He also called on CNRP's commune/sangkat counselors to surrender to his ruling party CPP if they want to keep their function as commune/sangkat counselor until the end of their term.

In a video clip posted on his Facebook page on Saturday, the premier said that in the upcoming hearing on November 16, the Supreme Court should dissolve the CNRP following the lawsuit made by the Ministry of Interior accusing the party for inciting Cambodian people to a color revolution in a view to topple the current Cambodian government.

Prime Minister Hun Sen also said that in case the CNRP would be dissolved, the court would also ban 100 high ranking officials of the party, particularly, members of the steering committee, from doing politics for five years.

Samdech Hun Sen added that as his government already decided to arrest CNRP's president Mr. Kem Sokha, his government would not hesitate to do the rest to dissolve the CNRP.

In response, Mr. Mao Monivann, vice president of the CNRP, told reporters that his party, including Mr. Sokha, would not show up at the hearing, nor hiring lawyer to defend their case. However, the CNRP would wait and see the outcome from the trial.

As of November 3, 56 CNRP's commune/sangkat councilors surrendered to the CPP with the hope to hold their function until the end of their term in case the CNRP would be dissolved.

According to the four election laws amended by the ruling party, and signed last month by His Majesty the King Sihamoni, if a political party is dissolved, its seats at all governmental level will be reallocated to political party challenging the election.

Concerning this issue, in a press statement, the European Union (EU) called on the Cambodian government to stop the dissolution of the CNRP, to release its president Mr. Kem Sokha, and to restore the space for free media and civil society.

"In order to have free and fair general election in July next year, the country needs an open and transparent level playing field. We call on the government to release opposition leader Kem Sokha, to stop the dissolution process of the main opposition party, and to restore the space for free action of political parties, media and civil society organizations," said Dr. Langen of the ASEAN Delegation of the European Parliament.