Opposition CNRP Reshuffling Provincial Party Leaders

Khmerization: This is a sign that there is an internal power struggle within the CNRP and that the party structure of the CNRP is rumbling. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Mr. Real Camerin is an election winner -  he is one of the CNRP stars and has increased from a zero seat to two seats in Svay Rieng and now he has been sacked as the party head in Svay Rieng to become a regular member in Kandal? It doesn't make sense. The only explanation I can give is, Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha are making political posturing to solidify their power base and so has to put their loyalists in places to protect their powers. To me, Ou Chanrith and Long Ry was not as daring and as active as Real Camerin during the post-election protests. Real Camerin risked his life to go to the front line during the protests and even confronted Vietnamese soldiers on the border for encroaching on Cambodian borders. I saw nothing from Ou Chanrith and Long Ry. I'm speechless. This is not meritocracy, but cronyism.

BY ALEX WILLEMYNS | FEBRUARY 6, 2015

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said Thursday that the CNRP is in the process of reshuffling its provincial party heads, with new leaders already assigned for Svay Rieng and Kompong Cham provinces.

Kandal provincial lawmaker Ou Chanrith has been named the head of the party’s working group in Svay Rieng, replacing local lawmaker Real Camerin, Mr. Rainsy said, while Banteay Meanchey lawmaker Long Ry will replace party official Kuoy Bunroeun in Kompong Cham.

Mr. Bunroeun is set to become a member of the new National Election Committee, while Mr. Camerin, who oversaw the opposition going from zero to two seats in Svay Rieng in the 2013 national election, will join the CNRP’s Kandal province working group as a regular member.

“We must share our experiences, we don’t want people to be in one place for too long, and we listen to the grassroots, and they want change,” the opposition leader said. “We learn from successful experiences, and [Mr. Camerin] must share his successful election experiences with other provinces. It is healthy to have this regular change.”

The opposition leader said more changes would be announced soon.

willemyns@cambodiadaily.com