Parties Unclear on Opposition Path
By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
06 May 2008
[Editor's note: In the weeks leading into national polls, VOA Khmer
will explore a wide number of election issues. The "Election Issues
2008" series will air stories on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a
related "Hello VOA" guest on Thursday. This is the first in a two-part
series examining the opposition.]
Less than three months from national elections, the opposition is
facing some problems, and many Cambodians are wondering what the face
of the next opposition will be. No one yet has a good answer.
Officially, the opposition is the Sam Rainsy Party. It has seats in
parliament and is not a part of the ruling coalition comprised of the
Cambodian People=92s Party and Funcinpec.
But last year=92s local commune elections saw the rise of two other
parties that could vie for seats in parliament this year without
taking control of the body: the Human Rights Party, led by Kem Sokha,
and the eponymous party of Prince Norodom Ranariddh.
In fact there are more than 50 small parties expected to compete in
the July polls. And, given free and fair elections and more than 8
million voters, anything can happen.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy told VOA Khmer this week the country
could see a change in the opposition party. He predicted the new
opposition would be the CPP.
Khieu Kanharith, spokesman for the CPP government, said he doubted
that would happen.
Meanwhile, no political observers were ready to predict who might take
the most opposition seats.
Kek Galabru, founder of the rights group Licadho, said the next
opposition, whomever it is, must be strong in human resources and in
budget, in order to gain the confidence of the people nationwide.
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