Saturday, September 7, 2013

CNRP Mass Protest

It is done peacefully as preached by CNRP leaders, Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha. The number of participants estimated by different news agencies is between 15,000 to 50,000. The day before US Embassy in Cambodia issued a travel alert asking heir citizens to be careful and stay away from crowds.
This  clip is from the Chinese XINHUA:

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian opposition's mass protest over disputed election results came to an end peacefully Saturday noon with a call for an independent poll probe committee and appeal to the nation's King to intervene into the dispute.
At least 20,000 opposition supporters joined the four-hour rally at the capital's Freedom Park to protest against the results of the July 28 election in which the Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party won a majority of vote.
The nonviolent demonstration was organized just a day ahead of the official release of the final election results.
Initial election results showed that the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen won the poll with 68 of the 123 parliamentary seats, and the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) of long-time opposition leader Sam Rainsy took the remaining 55 seats.
But the CNRP rejected the results, claiming that it should win 63 seats, with the CPP getting 60 seats if alleged poll irregularities were fairly resolved.
Some of the protesters held lotus buds, incense sticks and candles, some carried posters or banners demanding the establishment of an independent investigation committee to look into alleged poll irregularities, and the others wore yellow pieces of cloth around their heads with words demanding justice during the election.
Buddhist monks were invited to chant at the event.
Addressing to the rally, Sam Rainsy said the protest was to demand the formation of an independent poll irregularity investigation committee.
"We will not recognize the election results if an independent committee is not formed to investigate alleged poll irregularities, " he said. "We are seeking justice for vote owners. No justice, no peace."
He also appealed to the country's King Norodom Sihamoni to help mediate a top leaders' meeting between the two parties in order to
find a peaceful solution to the contested election results.
The king is currently in Beijing for medical checkup.
"We'd like to call on King Norodom Sihamoni to return to Cambodia soon in order to help coordinate a top meeting between the two parties," he said.
Kem Sokha, CNRP's vice president, called for the National Election Committee (NEC) to postpone the release of the final election results until an independent committee is formed to investigate poll irregularities.
"If the NEC still releases the official results (on Sunday), we will organize another mass protest," he warned.
Security and public order was well prepared around the protest site on Saturday, Kheng Tito, spokesman for the National Military Police, said.
"There is no any report of violence happening during the rally, " he told Xinhua over telephone after the event.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has said that a new parliament and a new government would be established as scheduled despite the opposition's boycott.
According to the country's constitution, he said, a new government would be formed by a 50 percent plus one majority, or 63 lawmakers, in the new parliament.
Hun Sen, 61, who has been in power for 28 years, will rule the country for another five years through the election victory.
Under the constitution, a new parliament will be inaugurated no later than 60 days after the election.

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