The Mirror, Vol. 11, No. 500
“Mr. Sam Rainsy, the famous leader of the opposition party in Cambodia in the morning of Thursday, publicly appealed to those who are democratic to gather to create a mass movement of democracy to win over the communist party in the 2008 National Election.
“Mr. Sam Rainsy told the media outside the meeting hall of the National Assembly that, ‘if we want to win over communists, we the democrat have to unite; this is the experience of the world. All countries across the globe show that they can overthrow communists provided that democrats have to unite.’
“This opposition leader calculated the chance of victory over the Cambodian People’s Party [CPP] – which has the communist trend – in the 2008 National Election, saying, ‘In the Second Mandate Commune Council Election in 2002, the CPP received only 61% of votes, but in the 2003 National Election, the CPP’s votes declined by 47%. I believe that the CPP will receive such a result in the upcoming elections, because the recent Commune Council Election in 2007, the CPP received 61% of votes like in 2002, and in 2008, the CPP will receive at least 43% like in 2003. So it means that the Sam Rainsy Party which is the only party to compete with the CPP will receive 53% of votes – that is 50% plus 1. Therefore, this trend is very, very good.’
“Meanwhile, this opposition leader expressed optimism in a realistic way, ‘Based on the [political] trend and figure, we previously noted that the CPP gathered 61% of votes, through vote-fraud, vote-buying, vote-destroying, and threat and intimidation. But in the very year 2008, if the CPP receive only 47%, to which party will another 53% go? If there is only one competing party, the 53% will go to the Sam Rainsy Party.’
“The appeal to have the unification of democratic movements was made by the opposition party leader without considering any individuals or any parties that had had bitter problems with him. In this statement, Mr. Sam Rainsy referred to Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the former strong antagonist in the process of democracy, because the prince had disappointed and hurt the people two times already. But Mr. Sam Rainsy confirmed that the situation of this time was totally different.
“Concerning this difference, Mr. Sam Rainsy confirmed, ‘In 2003, Funcinpec was the major party, and the Sam Rainsy Party was just after Funcinpec. Up to 2007, Funcinpec has been separated, and there is the Sam Rainsy Party left. Therefore, the word called ‘Mass Movement Of Democracy’ stated that the Sam Rainsy Party is the core party and the leader, who had not swung back and forth like before.’
“Additionally, Mr. Sam Rainsy express his belief that his opposition party would govern the engine of the mass movement of democracy: the Sam Rainsy Party would receive 2,600 seats in the Commune Council Election, the Norodom Ranariddh Party would receive 400, and Funcinpec would receive 300. Therefore, the Sam Rainsy Party’s votes are equal to nearly four times of the votes of the combination of the Norodom Ranariddh Party and Funcinpec. The governing power of a mass movement of democracy relies on the actual situation and the actual force.
“However, Mr. Sam Rainsy’s mass movement of democracy openly requires the participation of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, but it made a number of the citizens concerned about the repeated betrayals of the prince in the Second and Third Mandate which made the democrats very disappointed and painful.
In regard to this case, Mr. Sam Rainsy stated, ‘Even though it does not matter what kind of person Samdech Krom is, it is the most important whether how much force we have together. The Sam Rainsy Party has the predominant force, compared to the Norodom Ranariddh Party and Funcinpec. Therefore, there is nothing to compare, the Sam Rainsy Party has to be leading, and will lead the core movement for initiatives, directions, patriotism, and democracy. Mr. Sam Rainsy added, ‘The division of roles depends on the actual force of each party.’
“Apparently, the opposition party leader had only one option to overthrow the communist regime – there is only the unanimous unification of democrats. Mr. Sam Rainsy mentioned the victory over the communist regime in 1993 – In 1993, the democrats were united into one, and they won against the CPP, and in 2008 they will do the same.
“He also showed the sign of commencing the mass movement of democracy: In a few days, one would see the mass movement of democracy that has the Sam Rainsy Party – the core party – would emerge on the Khmer political stage. And it is also the mass movement aimed to overthrow the communist party in the 2008 National Election.” Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.14, #3129, 6.4.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Friday, 6 April 2007
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1310, 6.4.2007
- Australia Will Provide A Fund Of US$12 Million For De-Mining In Cambodia [through AusAID]
- Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen Appealed To All Institutions To Quickly Pay Civil Servants Before The Khmer New Year Day [14 April 2007]
- Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen Granted An Audience To US Peace Corps Director [Ronald Tschetter]
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #6010, 6.4.2007
- The World Bank Estimated That The Cambodian Economy Will Have 9% GDP Growth [export of clothing, tourism, construction, and expansion of agricultural sector]
Khmer Mekong, Vol.5, #257, 5-6.4.2007
- [Funcinpec Secretary General] Nhek Bunchhay Welcomed Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Statement: Funcinpec Is Still A Reliable Partner For The Fourth Mandate [in forming the government]
- The Cabinet Office Of Deputy Prime Minister Nhek Bunchhay Denied The Information Charging Him Of Producing Drugs On A Large Scale In Kompong Speu
- [Mr. Eric G. John] US Deputy Assistant Secretary For East Asian And Pacific Affairs Paid A Three-Day Formal Visit To Cambodia [from 4 to 7 April, part of his visit to countries in the region]
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.14, #3129, 6.4.2007
- Mr. Sam Rainsy Appealed To Create A Large Democratic Movement To Win Over The Communist Party [sic – The Cambodian People’s Party] In The 2008 National Election
- A Human Rights Organization [Human Rights Watch, New York] Said Mr. Hun Sen’s Government Hindered The Process Of The Khmer Rouge Tribunal
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4255, 6.4.2007
- Prince Norodom Ranariddh And Prince Thomico Will Meet In Malaysia To Merge Royalist Parties
- A Storm Destroyed 30 Houses In Ek Phnom [in Battambang]
- A Man Who Dropped His Cigarette End Into A Ballot Box [where it burned all votes] Was Punished By Suspending His Voting Rights For Five Years
Reach Seima, Vol.2, #176, 6-7.4.2007
- A Land Revolution Began: The Citizens Of Kien Svay [Kandal]
- Demonstrated By Blocking National Road 1 For Nearly One Hour [to demand an appropriate solution, because the Phanimex Company, with the help of ruling party officials, grabbed over 700 hectares of land from more than 300 families]
Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #372, 6.4.2007
- [Opposition party leader] Sam Rainsy Agreed To Save Prince Norodom Ranariddh Again; The Force Of Mass-Democracy Will Materialize In A Few Days [statement made in the National Assembly]
- Prime Minister Hun Sen Requested Opposition Party Leader Sam Rainsy To Reduce His Opposition [in the ground-breaking ceremony of repairing a road in Sihanoukville]
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