Ranariddh calls on his supporters to find a mean for him to returm home

Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Koh Santepheap newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Courtesy of http://ki-media.blogspot.com

Prince Norodom Ranariddh, NRP president, who is currently living overseas indefinitely, called on his supporters to redouble their actions so that he can return back home.Prince Ranariddh made his call through a phone message delivered to his supporters on 09 December 2007, during a meeting of his supporters in Phnom Penh. You Hockry, NRP secretary-general, told the party members during this meeting that it is normal for the prince to live overseas, he did that also when he was Funcinpec president.You Hockry said: “If he does not stay overseas, he will be in Prey Sar jail, and if he is overseas, he can still talk with his party members, but if he were to be in Prey Sar jail, he wouldn’t be able to talk.” Prince Ranariddh was sentenced by the military tribunal once already in 1997, he was handed down a 35-year jail and fined by $200,000. At that time, the prince also remained outside the country, just like now. However, he was later pardoned by the former monarch, King Norodom Sihanouk.You Hockry said: “We cannot say when the prince will be able to return back home yet, but, we predict that if the prince does not come back, people will say that we want power, and we do not allow the prince to return back home.” Thav Kim Hor, NRP deputy secretary-general, said that if the prince’s party members really support him, then he will surely be able to return back home to Cambodia.Political observers who follow up on the prince case, said that if his case remains complicated until the election registration (for the political parties), his candidacy will surely face difficulties because, then, the prince will not have the right to be on the MP list as he is considered a jailed convict. The only path left for him, is to return home through Funcinpec, however, the prince had already rejected this option.