Prince Ranariddh Called For A Unity With Other Political Parties

Photos: Prince Ranariddh (L) and Sam Rainsy (R).

Radio Free Asia



By Mayarith, 18th November 2007



Translated by Khmerization



Prince Norodom Ranariddh has called for a political unity between his party and other political parties ahead of a general wich is to be held in July 2008.

In two separate statements which he sent to the Sam Rainsy Party and the Human Right Party of Mr. Kem Sokha dated 15th November 2007, the Prince, who is in self-imposed exile, asked that if the royalists and the liberal democrats form a unity to create a real choice for the voters, what do the royalists and the liberal democrats have to lose?

The Sam Rainsy Party has immediately responded that it cannot form an alliance with the Norodom Ranariddh Party. And the Human Right Party has responded that it will form an alliance only if that united alliance is based on the principle of democracy by not personifying any particular individual.

Mr. Sam Rainsy has said on Saturday night in response to Prince Ranariddh's proposal like this:" I am not interested because at presence the Sam Rainsy Party is a core of all the democratic forces at grassroot level because there are many ex-supporters of other parties who are coming to join us. So what is important is that the activists and members of other political parties have come to join the Sam Rainsy Party. So we don't need to discuss with the top leadership. We don't need to discuss at the highest level. We work at grassroot level and we have our presence on the grounds, we have our structure in the whole country. We have our networks in every commune and in every village. So the forces that we have recruited are the forces that wil help us to win".

The president of the Human Right Party, Mr. Kem Sokha has reiterated his past stance that:" I will respond to the Prince on Monday. The Human Right Party has stated in the past that we want a unity but not a unity in order to advance an interest of a particular individual. We want a unity in conformity with the principle of a democratic system. And the Human Right Party has made an effort in the past to unite all forces because in the past the ruling parties or the long-established parties have disillusioned millions of people. That's why we have formed the Human Right Party in order to gather those who were disillusioned and disenfranchised with the other parties so as to form a larger force in the Human Right Party in order to win the 2008 election. So the Human Right Party has a principle of uniting all forces based on real democracy, not to unite for the purpose of serving any individual".

The Norodom Ranariddh Party has not responded to the Sam Rainsy Party's stance and the responded Human Right Party's positions just yet.//