Sources: VOA and Khmer Sthapana newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization
The Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) will change tactics to engage the government constructively in place of its old confrontational tactics of demonstrations and street protests, says its president.
Mr. Sam Rainsy (pictured), the SRP president, announced his new tactics during an interview with VOA Khmer Program on Monday. He said: “Before, we mainly organised street demonstrations, because we had no other options to be visible. Now we can be much more constructive and effective about bringing change through other mechanisms.”
The SRP's new tactics seem to be in response to the government's heavy-handed actions taken against the party recently in light of a defamation trial against the SRP Kampot lawmaker Mu Sochua, on Friday (24th July), and the defamation lawsuit of 22 military officers against another SRP lawmaker Ho Vann.
Both parliamentarians had their immunity suspended by the National Assembly which is controlled by the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP).
Sam Rainsy said his party would no longer be drawn onto his adversary’s “battlefield,” as his opposition party would gain nothing from such engagement.
Human Rights Party President Kem Sokha, whose party has always taken a political stance a long the line of the Sam Rainsy Party, said the decision for a change in tactics was up to Mr. Sam Rainsy himself, but said that the opposition must be strong in its stance when the ruling-party government puts on more pressure.
Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Teacher’s Association who had always taken strong stance against the government in the past, said the decision was up to the opposition leaders, but warned that his association would only support the parties that work for the best interests of the people and the nation. He added that his association would continue to monitor the Sam Rainsy Party in the future.
The ruling CPP lawmaker, Mr. Cheam Yiep, told the Cambodia Daily newspaper he was hopeful the opposition would be committed to helping the country develop.
Mr. Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, also from the ruling CPP, said he applauds the SRP's new constructive engagement approaches. He added, rather than leading demonstrations and street protests against the government, the SRP can engage the government constructively through its voice in the parliament to help develop democracy in Cambodia.
Dr. Pung Chiv Kek, president of the human right group Licadho, said the tactics of softening the opposition's stance is up to the oppositions themselves as they see fit as the best way to attract supports.
She added that the oppositions have many ways to criticise the government's policies, not just through demonstrations and street protests.
Reported in English by Khmerization
The Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) will change tactics to engage the government constructively in place of its old confrontational tactics of demonstrations and street protests, says its president.
Mr. Sam Rainsy (pictured), the SRP president, announced his new tactics during an interview with VOA Khmer Program on Monday. He said: “Before, we mainly organised street demonstrations, because we had no other options to be visible. Now we can be much more constructive and effective about bringing change through other mechanisms.”
The SRP's new tactics seem to be in response to the government's heavy-handed actions taken against the party recently in light of a defamation trial against the SRP Kampot lawmaker Mu Sochua, on Friday (24th July), and the defamation lawsuit of 22 military officers against another SRP lawmaker Ho Vann.
Both parliamentarians had their immunity suspended by the National Assembly which is controlled by the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP).
Sam Rainsy said his party would no longer be drawn onto his adversary’s “battlefield,” as his opposition party would gain nothing from such engagement.
Human Rights Party President Kem Sokha, whose party has always taken a political stance a long the line of the Sam Rainsy Party, said the decision for a change in tactics was up to Mr. Sam Rainsy himself, but said that the opposition must be strong in its stance when the ruling-party government puts on more pressure.
Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Teacher’s Association who had always taken strong stance against the government in the past, said the decision was up to the opposition leaders, but warned that his association would only support the parties that work for the best interests of the people and the nation. He added that his association would continue to monitor the Sam Rainsy Party in the future.
The ruling CPP lawmaker, Mr. Cheam Yiep, told the Cambodia Daily newspaper he was hopeful the opposition would be committed to helping the country develop.
Mr. Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, also from the ruling CPP, said he applauds the SRP's new constructive engagement approaches. He added, rather than leading demonstrations and street protests against the government, the SRP can engage the government constructively through its voice in the parliament to help develop democracy in Cambodia.
Dr. Pung Chiv Kek, president of the human right group Licadho, said the tactics of softening the opposition's stance is up to the oppositions themselves as they see fit as the best way to attract supports.
She added that the oppositions have many ways to criticise the government's policies, not just through demonstrations and street protests.
1 comment:
The new tactics will the the SRP space to breathe in light of the recent crackdown by the government, but I don't think the tactics will be a magic solution to its waning popularity.
On the contrary, they will be less heard through this constructive engagement approach. The iron-fisted rule of the CPP, at national as well as local level, will give the opposition little space in which to manoeuvre themselves.
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