Cambodian
military police officers stand by with their motorcycles at Stung
Meanchey where Prime Minister Hun Sen made his first public appearance
since Sunday's election, in Phnom Penh, July 31, 2013.
Robert Carmichael
August 09, 2013
PHNOM PENH — Cambodia’s opposition says
the government’s decision to deploy soldiers to the capital Phnom Penh
is a clear case of intimidation. The move comes more than a week after
the July 28 general election - which both the ruling party and the
opposition claim to have won.
The Cambodian government has deployed troops to Phnom Penh, claiming they are needed in order to deal with any violence in the event of opposition protests over the election result.
Local media reported that security forces, numbering in the hundreds, were ordered to the capital late Thursday. However the government would not comment on numbers.
Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, or CNRP, condemned the decision to send troops. “This is a threat and intimidation to the people that is illegal,” he said.
The government’s decision follows nearly two weeks of disagreement between the ruling Cambodian People's Party and the opposition over a commission to investigate alleged electoral irregularities.
Yim Sovann insisted the opposition did not want violence, and said peaceful protest was the last resort should agreement on the commission not be reached.
“We, the CNRP, are looking for a peaceful solution to the problem - especially our stance to form a special commission to do the investigation and to solve the problem peacefully,” he said.
Cambodian security forces have a long history of partiality towards Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling CPP.
But government spokesman Phay Siphan said Friday that people had nothing to fear. The deployment, he said, came about partly in response to the opposition’s anti-Vietnamese comments, which he said could lead to violence.
During campaigning the opposition was criticized by rights groups and others for employing anti-Vietnamese rhetoric in a bid to appeal to those Cambodians mistrustful of their more powerful neighbour.
“The government has an obligation to make law and order in the city as well on the streets as well as respect the ordinary people, the way of their life. That’s our job, but we wish that all political parties will take care of their business peacefully in the office as well as in the National Assembly rather than urge innocent people onto the street - it doesn’t help,” said the spokesman.
Phay Siphan said security forces would remain in place in the capital until the results of the election were officially confirmed next month.
Both parties claim that they won the July 28 ballot, in which the opposition stunned the ruling party with a strong showing.
The CNRP has since insisted on an independent commission to investigate what it claims was widespread electoral fraud, and says the National Election Committee, which has responsibility for managing the vote, cannot be trusted to act independently of the ruling party.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who is currently in the United States, has asked the United Nations to get involved in the investigation.
Yim Sovann said a meeting Friday between the ruling party and the opposition had seen some progress.
“The outcome is both delegations from both parties go back to discuss with their top leaders to discuss about the composition of the special committee. And second point that we agree that U.N. should be the observers,” he said.
But he added that it was too early to say whether the opposition’s leaders would accept the deal.
The Cambodian government has deployed troops to Phnom Penh, claiming they are needed in order to deal with any violence in the event of opposition protests over the election result.
Local media reported that security forces, numbering in the hundreds, were ordered to the capital late Thursday. However the government would not comment on numbers.
Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, or CNRP, condemned the decision to send troops. “This is a threat and intimidation to the people that is illegal,” he said.
The government’s decision follows nearly two weeks of disagreement between the ruling Cambodian People's Party and the opposition over a commission to investigate alleged electoral irregularities.
Yim Sovann insisted the opposition did not want violence, and said peaceful protest was the last resort should agreement on the commission not be reached.
“We, the CNRP, are looking for a peaceful solution to the problem - especially our stance to form a special commission to do the investigation and to solve the problem peacefully,” he said.
Cambodian security forces have a long history of partiality towards Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling CPP.
But government spokesman Phay Siphan said Friday that people had nothing to fear. The deployment, he said, came about partly in response to the opposition’s anti-Vietnamese comments, which he said could lead to violence.
During campaigning the opposition was criticized by rights groups and others for employing anti-Vietnamese rhetoric in a bid to appeal to those Cambodians mistrustful of their more powerful neighbour.
“The government has an obligation to make law and order in the city as well on the streets as well as respect the ordinary people, the way of their life. That’s our job, but we wish that all political parties will take care of their business peacefully in the office as well as in the National Assembly rather than urge innocent people onto the street - it doesn’t help,” said the spokesman.
Phay Siphan said security forces would remain in place in the capital until the results of the election were officially confirmed next month.
Both parties claim that they won the July 28 ballot, in which the opposition stunned the ruling party with a strong showing.
The CNRP has since insisted on an independent commission to investigate what it claims was widespread electoral fraud, and says the National Election Committee, which has responsibility for managing the vote, cannot be trusted to act independently of the ruling party.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who is currently in the United States, has asked the United Nations to get involved in the investigation.
Yim Sovann said a meeting Friday between the ruling party and the opposition had seen some progress.
“The outcome is both delegations from both parties go back to discuss with their top leaders to discuss about the composition of the special committee. And second point that we agree that U.N. should be the observers,” he said.
But he added that it was too early to say whether the opposition’s leaders would accept the deal.
11 comments:
SOME FUNDAMENTAL ETHICAL QUESTIONS
IN POLITICS
What Purpose Should the State Serve?
One of the oldest questions of political theory is, What purpose should the state
serve? The range of possible answers is enormous. We can examine the teachings
of Plato and Thomas Hobbes to find two vastly different approaches to confronting
this issue. In The Republic, Plato suggests that the highest purpose of the state
is the promotion of justice and that the best form of state is one that pursues
justice. Justice is presented as following nature. Plato explains that following your
nature means being true to the person you are. It is doing what is natural, honest,
correct for yourself.2 It is following your natural calling, your natural purpose.
Moreover, when each person is acting justly, the state itself is just. As Plato
saw it, if each person followed his or her nature, individuals would divide
themselves into three basic groups. In The Republic, he elaborates on these three
natural groups. Some people would naturally be inclined to pursue manual labor
and would become workers; others would naturally be drawn to careers involving
physical danger and would become auxiliaries (military leaders); and others
would naturally be interested in and good at public service and policymaking and
would, therefore, enter the class of guardians (rulers). Plato believed that philosophers
would be naturally suited to comprise the group of guardians, insofar as
philosophers most fully pursue the life of reason. In this discussion of justice, the
most important consideration, for Plato, was that each person do what is natural
and therefore enter the group consistent with his or her natural inclinations,
talents, and abilities.
Plato defined injustice as acting contrary to nature.3 Thus, if someone is
naturally suited to become a member of the auxiliary but seeks to move into the
class of rulers, this is unjust. If someone, by nature, is fit to be a worker but wishes
to rise up into the class of guardians, this is unjust. Moving out of the grouping
into which nature suits you puts you at war with justice. Interestingly, we see
here that Plato warns against ambition, upward or downward mobility, and doing
something simply because it is popular or simply because you have the power to
do it. Each of these actions can lead us away from our nature and bring
unhappiness to ourselves and harm to the state.4
Notice that Plato’s theory criticizes the very striving for advancement, the
competition to best your peers in as many fields of endeavor as you physically and
mentally can, and the ambition for ever-greater achievements in every area of
life—all of which U.S. culture praises. If we listen to Plato, we may begin to look
askance at such approaches to life. We may ask whether all avenues of pursuit are
natural for all people.
Plato’s writings raise fascinating possibilities and have been the subject of
innumerable commentaries. Some readers have been appalled by his notion of
three social classes into which individuals are placed. Plato strikes some people as
hopelessly hierarchical and authoritarian in his thinking. Indeed, Plato was a critic
of democracy, for he was convinced that ruling and policymaking were natural
P O L I T I C A L THEORY 79
it free democracy country, they have the rights to express her self
however, khmer 's governments has made the right moved,right decision to keep every things under control
i fully supported for sake of our country
Ah phay siphan so stupid said the troops come to protect Yuon from violent? Khmers didn't hates Yuon,we hated Hanoi's policy-yuons people has nothing to do with Khmer's and her territory lost.Its Hanoi policy toward colonize Srok Khmer under it Indochina's federation or to exterminate Khmer's race.This is Yuon Hanoi idea of intimidation of CNRP peaceful protest will soon be taking place in the near future,it has nothing to do with Yuon that lived in Srok Khmer
Phay siphan you don't liar to us,ajar lop!...Anything gone wrong with protesters,your Cpp will be responsible and international's court will be prosecuted all you greedy's pigs!
Prahok
This shows that Cambodia is a police state. Deploying and mobilizing troops serve no purpose, except frightening people and scare investors. Worse, this shows that Hun Sen rules Cambodia like his personal fiefdom and his private property.
VNRP, who is the one created more problems to khmer's society,
VNRP keep intimidating governments
for mass rallies in coming days...
so, governemtns has made the rights moved, right decision to protect & defense my motherland..
from lawless peoples,,
khmer's peoples need to hold SR responsible for wrong doing by mass rallies by VNRP opposition..
When they have to catch thieves, they don't have vehicules.
But they are ready for everything to kill khmers
and innocent peoples..
Kwak Sen should be out of the game of Politic in Cambodia |
Kwak Sen should go to Hell to play this game !
Khmer Canadian
Are these those gay bodyguards that we saw on Youtube dancing for Hun Sen's entertainment? Gay dancers at night, hardcore cops during the daytime kind of thing? These jerks don't scare me one bit.
បងប្ឣូនដែលកំពង់តែបំរើ ក្នុងកងសន្តិសុខ កងតម្រួតយោធា កងទាហានយោធា បានទទួលកំរៃប្រាក់ខែយ៉ាងតិចតួចបំផុត ផ្គត់ផ្គង់គ្រួសារ មិនបានគ្រប់គ្រាន់ទេ។ ភារកិច្ចបងប្ឣូនគឺបំរើជាតិ មិនមែនបំរើបុគ្គលម្នាក់ទេ។ បងប្ឣូនជាកូនចៅ ប្រជារាស្ត្រក្រីក្រ មិនត្រូវ យកឣាវុធបាញ់ប្រហារ សម្លាប់ ធ្វើបាប ប្រជារាស្ត្រក្រីក្រ ស្លូតត្រង់ គ្មានឣាវុធនោះទេ។ បើបងប្ឣូនបំរើបុគ្គលម្នាក់ ហើយបុគ្គលនេះ រលំរលត់រលាយ បងប្ឣូនឣស់កន្លែងជ្រកហើយ។
These police are lining up their motorcycles for racing to Svay Pak ( base of Yuon prostitutes ).
By the time reaching a finish line, they would be shouting, " Hun Sen must go to hell! Down with CPP, Long live and free Cambodia."
Khmer Prey Nokor
RELIABLE SOURCES & GOOD NEWS: HUN SEN IS VERY SHAKEN BECAUSE ALL THESE SOLDIERS AND POLICES SURROUNDED HIS MANSION IS NOT TO PROTECT HIM INSTEAD TO CAPTURE HIM. THE SOLDIERS AND POLICES ARE NOT STUPID OR DUMP AS HUN SEN EXPECTED. THEY WILL TURNS THE GUN TO HIM HUN SEN INSTEAD. SO KHMER YOUTH DOES NOT NEED TO DROP A SINGLE BLOOD.
THIS IS A GOOD NEWS!!!!!
Will see.
Keo Kim Yan
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