PHNOM PENH, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday warned the country’s main opposition party not to follow the footsteps of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya that the opposition parties has used people protests to topple the government.
“I come to power by the votes of Cambodian people, so I will step down from the power only if the people vote to dismiss me,” he said during a press conference.
“I won’t step down by protests. If you want to try by following the footstep of the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, you can do,” he added.
“How many are your supporters? They can come, we welcome, the ruling Cambodian People’s Party has its own supporters too, you want to use people to topple us; we will have our people to defend the government as well.”
The premier’s remark came after Sam Rainsy Party, the country’s main opposition party, issued a statement on Thursday, saying that the party’s exiled leader Sam Rainsy visited Tunisia from July 21-23 in order to meet with local and international activists from various political and social backgrounds who have successfully fought for a regime change in this country through an unprecedented popular uprising that triggered the Arab Spring or Jasmine Revolution seven months ago.
“The ongoing peaceful transition towards freedom and democracy in Tunisia is an inspiration for the whole world, especially countries under dictatorship such as Cambodia that is awaiting a Lotus Revolution with the same historical results,” said the statement from the party’s cabinet.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has been in power for 32 years.
No comments:
Post a Comment