Sam Rainsy calls on market, temple people to join protest

CNRP leader Sam Rainsy is speaking to his supporters in Stung Meanchey temple. Photo/CNRP

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- Opposition party leader, Sam Rainsy, on Thursday visited Stung Meanchey market and temple, appealing to the people there to join in their mass prayer demonstration this weekend.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) will hold a "violence-free" mass prayer demonstration in the spirit of justice and peace at Democratic Park on Saturday, a day before the final official election results will be announced.

Early this week, The opposition leader called for a meeting with top leaders of Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) to find solutions to the election disputes.

"To date, talks between top leaders of the Cambodian People's Party and the Cambodian National Rescue Party have not yet happened," Sam Rainsy told reporters.

He said the CNRP will hold periodic protests if the election irregularities remain unsolved.

"The position of the CNRP remains strong, and the mass protest will occur periodically if a solution can't be found," he said.

The CNRP concluded its rehearsal prayer demonstration yesterday at Democratic Park with an estimated 30,000 participants.

Thousands of government anti-riot police, armed with batons and shields, were seen practicing crowd control procedures this past Sunday at the Diamond Island center to prepare for the opposition’s mass demonstration.

The Cambodian government recently warned foreigners living in Cambodia to stay away from the CNRP’s protest.

Australian and United States embassies in Phnom Penh meanwhile urged their citizens in Cambodia to avoid public gatherings in Phnom Penh this weekend.

The preliminary election results showed that Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) of Prime Minister Hun Sen won the majority vote in July’s parliamentary election, gaining 68 seats, while the opposition party had only received 55 seats in the 123 seat-parliament.

However the CNRP rejected the preliminary result, saying that by their calculations they should have won 63 seats, calling for the establishment of an independent poll inquiry committee without the involvement of the NEC or the Constitutional Council, to investigate the alleged pre and post election irregularities.