Opposition not allowed to pay tribute to late King Father: Kem Sokha

គណបក្សសង្រ្គោះជាតិ បានរៀបចំពិធី បង្សុកូលគោរព ព្រះវិញ្ញាណក្ខន្ធ ព្រះបាទសម្តេចព្រះ នរោត្តម សីហនុ ក្នុងឱកាសខួបទី១ នៃការសោយទីវង្គតរបស់ព្រះអង្គ (១៥ តុលា ២០១២ - ១៥ តុលា ២០១៣) នៅទីស្នាក់ការ គណបក្សសង្រ្គោះជាតិ ខណ្ឌទួលគោក រាជធានីភ្នំពេញ។

 

Opposition party officials hold commemoration ceremony for late King Father Norodom Sihanouk at its head office on Monday, October 14, 2013

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- Kem Sokha, acting president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, said on Monday that government authorities are not allowing his party pay tribute to the late King Father's statue near Independence Monument. 

"Authorities also didn't  allow the leaders of the Cambodia National Rescue Party to go into the Royal Palace to commemorate the one-year anniversary of King Father Norodom Sihanouk's death," he said.

Authorities claimed that the opposition's officials are able to pay tribute to the King Father's statue only after the official end of Oct 15th's commemoration ceremony, Sokha added. 

"I will send a letter to authorities, asking for permission for an opposition delegation to pay respect to King Father Norodom Sihanouk," he told reporters after the conclusion of a religious gathering held at the CNRP’s head office to pay respect to the late King Father. 

Norodom Sihanouk died from heart complications at the age of 90 in Beijing, China on October of last year. 

His 4.5-meter-tall statue was unveiled Friday of last week and placed in a 27-meter-tall stupa.

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He was the beloved King of Cambodia who led the country to independence from France in 1953.