US Protest Against PM Gets Green Light

Khmer Times/Taing Vida

Monday, 08 February 2016

The Cambodia-America Alliance (CAA) re-announced their plan to lead a peaceful protest against Prime Minister Hun Sen during his visit to the United States for next week’s US-ASEAN summit, according to a statement by CAA president Vibol Touch. The demonstration will take place with protection from US authorities, despite discouragements from opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who has urged his supporters to heed warnings against organizing by the prime minister. 
 

Mr. Touch wrote that political figureheads and party leaders have continued to make attacks and accusations that hinder and prevent Cambodian citizens and residents from participating in peaceful demonstrations against Prime Minister Hun Sen.
 

He told Khmer Times yesterday that the plan for his demonstration was approved by local US authorities, and that 300 to 500 protesters will be allowed to gather in Sunnylands, California, where the US-ASEAN summit will be held.
 

“We want to make sure our concerns about human rights violations and freedom and democracy will be heard and that the President of the United States will take the opportunity to address the issues with Prime Minister Hun Sen,” Mr. Touch said. 
 

Last week, the CNRP president said during a speech that he did not support the demonstration against Prime Minister Hun Sen, and would not acknowledge any actions of those participating in it.
 

“The demonstration has no advantage, but only disadvantage...what we want, first is free and fair elections. We could be trapped by them if we hold the demonstration and they would have an excuse to use violence, increasing political tension,” he said, alluding to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party.
 

As scheduled, the CAA’s peaceful demonstration will take place a week from today, from 9 am to 5 pm throughout the United States and will include cultural displays and performances to enunciate a message of solidarity for human rights, social justice and meaningful reform in Cambodia. 
 

“With 30 plus years of Hun Sen’s tyrannical rule, his authoritarian regime is a liability to the region, security concerns of the ASEAN nations and detrimental to Khmer society, for which we will no longer tolerate,” Mr. Touch’s statement read. 
 

CPP spokesman Sok Ey San said yesterday that while the demonstration is a right of the protesters and will be protected by US authorities, the security of the prime minister will be also be the responsibility of US authorities. Mr. Ey San also warned that if the opposition is found to be behind the protest, “they will see,” alluding to the prime minister’s warnings last month that any protests he met abroad would be reciprocated with his own at-home supporter’s protests of CNRP leaders. 
 

CNRP spokesman Yem Ponhearith said yesterday that he is very regretful that the public seems unable to separate his party from the separate decisions of the CAA. As a principle, his party does not want the demonstration to happen, he said.