BY ALEX WILLEMYNS AND HUL REAKSMEY | NOVEMBER 3, 2014
Opposition leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha led a delegation from the CNRP over the weekend in a seminar organized by a pair of German think tanks that have been helping the party develop a coherent political platform.
Since its dramatic rise to prominence at the July 2013 election, which came only a year after the party was formed in a merger, the CNRP has been criticized for relying on a narrow set of policies aimed mostly at the ruling CPP’s unpopularity.
CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann, left, and CNRP public affairs director Mu Sochua speak to reporters in Phnom Penh on Sunday at the close of a conference on the development of the opposition party’s political platform. (Alex Willemyns/The Cambodia Daily)
Led by the Konrad-Adenaur-Stiftung, an arm of Germany’s ruling Christian Democrat Union, and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, an arm of the Free Democratic Party, the CNRP has since late last year been working to expand its platform, and at the seminar on the weekend released its initial results.
“We are studying all the economic and social concepts of liberalism as well as centrism,” said CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann at Phnom Penh’s Raffles Hotel Le Royal, where an abridged draft of the CNRP’s future platform was discussed.
Mr. Sovann explained that the opposition party was taking a nonideological approach to developing its platform.
“We cannot say we are left or right or we are centrist. In the Cambodian context, we study and collect all the points and policies that are suitable for Cambodia,” Mr. Sovann said.
CNRP public affairs director Mu Sochua said the party would release its finished platform in three months and said its focus was more on identifying values than political ideology.
“We very much for the last few days talked about core values, not whether you are left or right. It is not relevant to Cambodia,” Ms. Sochua said. “What is most relevant to Cambodia is core values, and we have those core values, which are dignity, equality, solidarity, justice and cultural dialogue.”
Despite the reticence to speak about ideology, however, a page of the CNRP’s draft platform titled “Understanding the Individual,” circulated during the seminar, reveals an inclination toward ideals from the Western Enlightenment.
“The fruits of an individual’s labour—their property—must be respected and protected. The quest for achievement is an innate drive and without personal achievement no society can flourish and create wealth,” the document says.
Mr. Rainsy, the opposition leader, said it was wrong to say his party has in the past relied only on criticizing abuses by the CPP and has not developed its own holistic platform.
“No, we have,” he said. “But this time it is in a more conventional way. We are getting ideas from liberal humanist resources that we can adapt to the Cambodian context.”
1 comment:
"Opposition leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha led a delegation from the CNRP over the weekend in a seminar organized by a pair of German think tanks that have been helping the party develop a coherent political platform."
Hah, German think tanks!
When I was 18, I was invited by the US government to have a talk with their think tank. I declined fearing for my safety. Basically, I was orphaned and had no connection, no protection. If I got involved with sensitive stuffs, I might become expendable.
So, anyway, let me offer some free think tank material for CNRP ok?
Before you asked those German think tank for what to do, you should first ask for WHAT NOT TO DO. Well, you can ask me about that too. Hehehe...
In Lao Tzu, I Ching, there is a concept "Sometime it's better not to do anything." In this case, CNRP have been doing a lot of things to get matter worse. Case and point:
1. Cheaply and lowly showed support to China over the South China Sea conflict. China did not even respond, nor care. CNRP looked so cheap, like an unwanted old whoooore, who could not get any customer.
2. Demanded Mr. Obama not to visit Cambodia to add credibility to Mr. Hun Sen. Well, who are you to give demand, and order to the super power USA and the world leader? That's silly.
3. Talked tough, invoked huge demonstration, invoked so much protest, trouble, but at the end, acted like a wuuusie and joined the National Assembly.
That's low and no honor. In order to join NA, some leaders from CNRP must take the blame, resign, then let others to join NA. You cannot have the same guys who talked tough, fought, and then joined. That's pathetic.
The persons who joined NA must be someone clean, not involved in the talk-tough acts. I don't think Khmer folks understand the concept of honor and saving face. You cannot get far.
Have you ever wonder why Vietnam charms and got so many International friends?
In 1972, when the world awarded the Nobel prize to Henry Kissinger, and Le Duc Tho. Henry Kissinger who ordered the bombing of Cambodia resulting ten thousands and ten thousands civilian deaths gladly accepted the Nobel prize.
Le Duc Tho, the Vietnamese, declined the Nobel prize. He said, "I cannot accept the prize when my country is still not united. My countrymen are still dying."
See the difference?
-Drgunzet-
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