SRP plans to organize a new anti-inflation demonstration

Sam Rainsy spoke to protesters at the anti-inflation rally in front of the National Assembly on 6th April, 2008.
17 April 2008
By Sok Serey

Radio Free Asia

Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Courtesy of http://ki-media.blogspot.com/

The Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) plans to hold an important meeting on Thursday to plan a new non-violent demonstration in Phnom Penh city, with the aim of demanding, one more time, that the current Cambodian government intervenes to lower the soaring price of goods on the market and to drag down the galloping inflation in Cambodia currently.

Eng Chhai Eang, SRP Secretary-general, told RFA: “Tomorrow, we will hold a meeting of the party permanent committee, because when we organize (the demonstration), we must inform the authority. We will not hold it the same way as we did before where the authority was creating obstacles for us. We still set up an actual plan. In the next few days, we will make the decision.”

He indicated that the meeting will decide on the non-violent demonstration march, and the schedule date for holding this upcoming demonstration, which could take place either in April or at the beginning of May.

Kem Sokha, Human Right Party (HRP) president, who used to make the same demands from the government, said: “These demands are the rights of the Cambodian people. The government must provide security so that the people can express their opinion freely. The HRP had thought about the gasoline price increase, and the increase of the price of other goods. We demand to hold a (public) forum, but the government did not give us the authorization to hold it.”

Touch Naroth, Phnom Penh police commissioner, warned about the SRP’s plan to hold a demonstration in the near future by saying: “I did not receive this information yet, but if it is illegal, then we will take measures to stop it.”

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy led a demonstration once already on 06 April, in front of the National Assembly. This location was authorized by the Phnom Penh city hall and the Ministry of Interior. Only about 300 persons joined this demonstration, whereas the SRP planned to have about 5,000 participants.

Sam Rainsy and party officials accused the city of Phnom Penh of closing all roads leading to the city, in order to prevent SRP supporters from the provinces from participating in the demonstration.

Regarding the plan to hold a new demonstration by the SRP, Prime minister Hun Sen issued a warning on 13 April, claiming that he will use the armed forces to quell this demonstration if this demonstration will turn into a People power protest to topple his government before or after the July 2008 general election. However, SRP officials reacted by saying that there is no need to fear the People Power if the current government is truly a democratic one.