by Khmer Circle:
Whilst his mid-night arrest had failed - critics might say,
disconcertingly - to be followed by any incident of due peaceful protests on
the streets against that unjust arrest, Kem Sokha's continued refusal or failure to organise such protests - not only over his own restricted personal and political freedom of movement, but also the current state of persecution of scores of his own opposition party's supporters and activists - is just as baffling. He should at least call upon his own loyalists and followers of his former HR party to stage their protests in public, if only to highlight the worsening trend in civil and political rights infringements in the country. Mounting mass protests and demonstrations against political repression and official corruption wouldn't be out of vogue in today's world.
Of course, by some critics' disingenuous reading and reasoning, these scores of innocent victims now being made to languish in jails - and will likely continue to pile up there - are inevitable "victims" of their exiled leaders' incitement and agitation! Yet, Sokha's own determination and personal "sacrifice" involved in his chosen decision "to remain with the Cambodian people and supporters in the country" may be an honourable gesture in principle, but only so long as this gesture will have yielded fruitful outcomes at some pertinent stage in the foreseeable future. Fruitful outcomes for public good, that is.
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Rights groups critical of police for failed investigations into assaults on CNRP members.
2021-01-25
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EU Ambassador Carmen Moreno visits CNRP leader Kem Sokha at his residence in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Jan. 25, 2021. Kem Sokha's Facebook Page |
Watchdogs and political analysts are calling on the leader of Cambodia’s banned main opposition party to push for a faster trial in an effort to solve political deadlock so the country can move on, the analysts told RFA.
Cambodia’s Supreme Court dissolved the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) in November 2017, two months after the arrest of party leader and co-founder Kem Sokha for his role in an alleged scheme to topple Prime Minister Hun Sen with the help of the U.S. government.
His trial began on Jan. 15, 2020 but was suspended in March on the pretext of the coronavirus pandemic, and Hun Sen has hinted that it may not resume for years, and may not conclude until 2024, long after the next election cycle.
Though no longer under de-facto house arrest, Kem Sokha remains under judicial supervision pending the outcome of his trial, and must refrain from engaging in political activities within Cambodia, though he recently met with the ambassador from the European Union. Political analysts say that he should return to political life anyway.
“As a politician, he should do political activities when he has a chance,” political science expert Ek Sobvannara told RFA’s Khmer Service.
“Normally when a political opponent is being pressured by another and he does not fight to stand up, the pressure only intensifies. But if he stands up against the pressure, the public and the international community will see this and demand his freedom. But if he does nothing, nobody will pay attention to him,” he said.
