CNRP Ends Annual Meeting in Silence

Opposition leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha hold hands during a meeting with CNRP permanent committee members in Manila yesterday. Facebook

CNRP Ends Annual Meeting in Silence

Khmer Times/Taing Vida Tuesday, 15 March 2016 

In a thinly veiled response to the uproar over the alleged sex scandal involving acting Cambodia National Rescue Party president Kem Sokha, the CNRP said it will not respond to superfluous allegations against its members, will embrace non-violent principals and will continue to focus on the upcoming commune and national elections, according to a statement released yesterday after the opposition party’s annual two-day meeting between its highest-ranking officials in Manila.

The statement, which has been criticized by CPP officials, went on to outline the four agendas discussed during the meeting. They included the current political situation in Cambodia, the preparation of policy for the party’s general assembly, the process of cultural dialogue and the challenges faced by CNRP lawmakers in fulfilling their roles and responsibilities.

Officials, including party president Sam Rainsy and vice-president Mr. Sokha, decided to maintain the party’s general silence as well as uphold their image as a non-violent body as they attempt to bring positive change as Cambodia nears its elections in 2017 and 2018.

In the meantime, the CNRP will continue to promote a culture of dialogue between itself and the ruling CPP by resolving issues peacefully, while proposing domestic directives within the party to ensure the effectiveness of its members, the statement said.

 

Senior CNRP member Son Chhay could not be reached for comment yesterday.

CPP spokesman Sok Ey San responded to the press release by saying he was not confident in the culture of dialogue between the two parties, accusing opposition leaders of acting contrarily. Mr. Ey San also expressed his belief that CNRP leaders’ silence over allegations linked to their members was a sign of weakness.

“Silence is a weak point of the CNRP and it’s just an excuse to cheat the public as well as its supporters. They say they do not care about allegations and want to focus on the democratic path, but the truth is that they cannot respond to allegations.”

Mr. Sokha’s alleged involvement in a sex scandal has caused some uproar in the Kingdom. Despite calls by student groups for an explanation from the party vice-president, the CNRP remained silent on the scandal during their meeting.

Political analyst Chea Vannat said the silence could be seen as a strategy to combat what the CNRP views as baseless allegations.

He added that embracing the culture of dialogue was the only way to ensure cooperation in the political process. “I think the opposition party will ignore wrongful allegations, such as in Mr. Kem Sokha’s case. Some supporters believe it’s of no use to respond, and he is free to make a comment on it,” Mrs. Vannat said.