Cambodian Opposition Gear Up for Re-election

At the Freedom Park in Phnom Penh, protesters shout “Hun Sen please step down”.

30-year-old Srey Leap comes all the way from Prey Veng province to join the protest.

“Prime Minister Hun Sen must step down because under his leadership, Cambodian people suffer. The court system is doing injustice and forced eviction just like in the Pol Pot regime.”

For months, the opposition CNRP has pushed for an independent probe into election irregularities with no results.

The CNRP has also delivered petitions to the UN and foreign embassies in Cambodia demanding international intervention in the election crisis.

Now the opposition has a different strategy...

The opposition leader Sam Rainsy launches a non-stop daily protest for re-election.

For the next three months, there will be a daily protest held across Cambodia to demand new elections to settle allegations of the July poll fraud. The opposition says when more and more people join the protest, they could block the roads.

Sam Rainsy also urges Prime Minister Hun Sen to step down.

“The longer you stay, the more dictator you are and people get poorer and poorer, losing forest and human right.”

Until today, the United States and European Union have not accepted the July election’s result and ask two parties to resolve the issue.

The ruling party CPP says they still leave the door open for a negotiation with the opposition.

But no re-election says government spokesman, Phai Siphan.

“We don’t want to see the opposition party use human shields as their protector, use people’s blood to get power. We don’t want to see that. We have rule of law, we have election law. If they don’t like it, go to the national assembly, change it, ammend it, but don’t let it happen on the street.”

The authorities accuse the demonstrations held by CNPR are illegal and will not be responsible for any accident.

So far one protester died and several others were injured when the opposition took to the streets immediately after the July election result was released.

But social analysts like Kem Ley say in the long run protests like this could affect the country’s economy.

“Some investors have already turned to Vietnam and Myanmar in this situation. Other big investors are still watching the political situation. If there’s no solution, there will be a negative impact. We will see that on the country’s economic growth.”

But 36-year-old Seng Kunthea from the evicted Borie Keyla community hopes that the opposition could bring a new hope.

“My family used to be happy but the authorities make our life suffers. The rich becomes richer and the poor become even poorer. Hun Sen has pledged to reduce poverty but he’s creating poverty instead. I’m homeless now and I cry every night because of that.”