UN rights envoy hails Cambodia's poll, calls for calm,political reconciliation

English.news.cn   2013-07-31 22:41:13

PHNOM PENH, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Surya P. Subedi on Wednesday praised Cambodia's general elections held on Sunday, and appealed for calm and political reconciliation.
"Sunday's general election was a display of maturity in democratic exercise in the country," Subedi said in a statement released by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Office to Cambodia.
He commended all political actors for their restraints during the poll.
"I congratulate the people of Cambodia on exercising their right to vote in a largely peaceful manner," he said. "I now call for calm and political reconciliation in the greater interests of the nation."
The human rights expert also appealed to the people and all political actors "not to succumb to racial hatred, whether in person or through other means such as social media, and to contribute towards building a tolerant, cohesive and liberal democratic society."
With regard to the many allegations of irregularities, Subedi called on the appropriate bodies to promptly and impartially investigate them, and urged the Cambodian National Election Committee (NEC) to thoroughly account for every unused ballot paper.
According to the initial unofficial results, the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of longtime Prime Minister Hun Sen won the victory with 68 parliamentary seats in Sunday poll and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) of recently- returned leader Sam Rainsy got the remaining 55 seats.
Sam Rainsy said Monday that the party did not recognize the results of Sunday poll, claiming widespread fraud, and submitted a request to the NEC to demand for the establishment of a joint committee to investigate irregularities during the election.
In his first public appearance on Wednesday, Prime Minister Hun Sen said that the government and the CPP welcomed the creation of a joint committee in order to "show transparency and to find a solution that will be acceptable to all sides."
The premier also announced that his ruling CPP was ready to talk with the opposition CNRP on the establishment of a new parliament after the poll.
"The CPP is ready to negotiate with the party that wins seats in parliament towards the preparations of the National Assembly's new apparatus," he told reporters.
Despite winning the victory in the Sunday election, the results are a blow to the ruling CPP as its parliamentary seats has dropped from 90 seats in the election in 2008 to 68 seats in the Sunday poll, while the opposition CNRP's seats have seen a dramatic rise from 29 seats to 55 seats.
Hun Sen, who has been in power for 28 years, will extend his power for another five years through Sunday's victory.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

China's Army Day celebrated in Cambodia

English.news.cn | 2013-07-31 21:56:35 | Editor: Yang Yi

PHNOM PENH, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The 86th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) was celebrated in the Cambodian capital on Wednesday by about 300 Chinese and Cambodian military officers as well as foreign diplomats.
The event, organized by Chinese Embassy in Cambodia, was attended by Cambodian Secretary of State of Defense Ministry Gen. Moeung Samphan, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Gen. Pol Saroeun, and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo.
Speaking at the event, Wang Ximao, military attache of Chinese Embassy, said August 1, 2013 will be the 86th anniversary of the PLA.
In the past 86 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the PLA has achieved great feats in building modern and capable armed forces to defend national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the people of China, he said.
He said the PLA has forged friendship relations and cooperation with most countries in the world.
The year 2013 marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-Cambodia diplomatic relations and the Cambodia-China Year of Friendship.
Wang said that a Medical Navy Ship of the PLA will make a goodwill visit to Cambodia's Sihanoukville port in late September in order to further enhance the friendship ties between the armed forces of the two countries.

Cambodian PM appears at public event for 1st time after Sunday's poll

English.news.cn | 2013-07-31 20:24:30 | Editor: Zhu Ningzhu Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (C) speaks to media, ending rumors that he resigned and left the country after the Sunday's poll in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 31, 2013. (Xinhua/Sovannara) English.news.cn | 2013-07-31 20:24:30 | Editor: Zhu Ningzhu Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen visits the construction site of a bridge, ending rumors that he resigned and left the country after the Sunday's poll in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 31, 2013. (Xinhua/Sovannara) English.news.cn | 2013-07-31 20:24:30 | Editor: Zhu Ningzhu

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen visits the construction site of a bridge, ending rumors that he resigned and left the country after the Sunday's poll in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 31, 2013. (Xinhua/Sovannara)

Cambodian PM announces talks with opposition party for new parliament

English.news.cn   2013-07-31 19:08:18

PHNOM PENH, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced on Wednesday afternoon that his ruling Cambodian People' s Party (CPP) is ready to talk with the main opposition party on the establishment of a new parliament after the Sunday poll.
According to the initial unofficial results, the CPP of Hun Sen won the victory with 68 parliamentary seats and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) got the remaining 55 seats in the poll.
"The CPP is ready to negotiate with the party that wins seats in parliament towards the preparations of the National Assembly's new apparatus," Hun Sen told reporters during his first public appearance since the election.
"We have to solve the issues between Khmers and Khmers, we cannot take foreigners to solve them instead of us," he said.
The premier said he has tasked deputy prime minister and interior minister Sar Kheng, deputy prime minister and cabinet minister Sok An, and Cambodian People's Party's Secretary General Say Chhum to negotiate with the CNRP on the new parliament.
He said as he is mourning his father, who died on July 12, he cannot talk directly with CNRP president Sam Rainsy. "But in important case, I will avail my mourning time to discuss with him."
CNRP leader Sam Rainsy said Wednesday morning that the party did not recognize the results of Sunday's general election, claiming widespread fraud.
He said that about 1.3 million voters were unable to vote because their names were not on the voter lists.
"If those people had voted for the CNRP, we would win easily because the ruling CPP won us only 200,000 votes on the Sunday's election," he said.
In addition, Rainsy claimed that there were about 1 million ghost names on the voter lists and about 200,000 duplicate names.
"These are the irregularities. The CNRP has to find justice for Cambodian people," he said, calling on Prime Minister Hun Sen to step down.
On Tuesday, Rainsy officially submitted a request to the National Election Committee (NEC) to demand for the establishment of a joint committee to investigate irregularities during the election.
Hun Sen said that he got the information from the NEC that it would create a mechanism with the participation from political parties and national and international NGOs in order to solve remaining problems in the election.
"The government and the Cambodian People's Party welcome the NEC's mechanism in order to show transparency and find a solution that will be acceptable to all sides," the premier said.
Incumbent Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in power for 28 years, will stretch his power for further five years through the Sunday's victory.
Meanwhile, Hun Sen appealed to people to keep calm after the poll in order to avoid creating unrest.
"In general, the situation is normal, so I would like to urge all people to keep calm and join together to maintain political stability, and economic and social activities," he said.

Editor: Zhu Ningzhu

Cambodian PM appears at public event for 1st time after Sunday's poll

English.news.cn   2013-07-31 18:16:37

PHNOM PENH, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday visited the construction site of a bridge here, ending rumors that he resigned and left the country after the Sunday's poll.
"Recently, there are rumors that I have resigned and left the country and today, there is a rumor that the army forced me to step down and transfer power to deputy prime minister Sok An," Hun Sen told reporters at the construction site.
"I want to inform the public that I am now in Cambodia and is holding the power as the prime minister of Cambodia in the fourth legislature of the government," he said. "No one has the right to force the incumbent prime minister to step down, it is against the constitution."
According to the initial unofficial results of Sunday's poll, the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of Hun Sen won the election with 68 parliamentary seats and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) got the remaining 55 seats.
The leaders of CNRP said Wednesday that they did not recognize the results, claiming widespread fraud.
"We don't agree to accept the failure in the poll, we have to win," Kem Sokha, CNRP's vice president, told hundreds of supporters rallied at the party's headquarters in Phnom Penh on Wednesday. "The election had a lot of irregularities and ballot- rigging."
CNRP President Sam Rainsy claimed that about 1.3 million voters were unable to vote because their names were not on the voter lists.
"If those people had voted for the CNRP, we would win easily because the ruling CPP won us only 200,000 votes on Sunday's election," he said.
Rainsy also claimed that there were about 1 million ghost names on the voter lists and about 200,000 duplicate names.
"These are the irregularities. The CNRP has to find justice for the Cambodian people," he said, calling on Prime Minister Hun Sen to step down.
On Tuesday, Rainsy officially submitted a request to the National Election Committee (NEC) to demand for the establishment of a joint committee to investigate irregularities during the election.
He has also threatened to stage a nationwide protest against the poll results if a joint committee is not established to look into the irregularity allegations. The date of the protest has not been set yet.
The NEC has not replied to Rainsy's request so far.
Incumbent Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in power for 28 years, will stretch his power for further five years through Sunday's victory.
His party issued on statement on Tuesday, saying that "the CPP won absolute majority seats in Sunday's poll so that the party could establish a new government in accordance with the constitution and Hun Sen will continue to serve as the prime minister in the fifth term government."
However, there will still be a challenge for the CPP to form a new government if the opposition boycotts the first session of the new National Assembly. According to Cambodia's constitution, a quorum of at least 120 out of 123 lawmakers is needed in parliament to approve a new cabinet.
The first session of the new National Assembly shall be convened no later than 60 days after the election, according to the constitution.

Editor: Zhu Ningzhu

Anti-tank mine explodes, killing father, 2 children in NW Cambodia

English.news.cn   2013-07-31 15:48:42

PHNOM PENH, July 31 (Xinhua) -- A man and his two children were killed on the spot after their wood-loaded buffalo-cart ran onto an old anti-tank mine in northwestern Cambodia's Oddor Meanchey province, a demining center chief confirmed on Wednesday.
The accident occurred in a forest in Trapaing Prasat district when the wood-loaded buffalo-cart ran onto the mine on Tuesday afternoon.
"They cut wood from the forest for building a house and, unfortunately, their cart moved onto the mine and triggered the explosion," Heng Ratana, chief of the Cambodia Mine Action Center, told Xinhua.
The victims included a 45-year-old father and his 13-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter, he said, adding that the two buffaloes used to drag the cart were also killed in the accident.
The area is a former battlefield and landmines have not been cleared from the forest yet, he said.
Cambodia is one of the world's worst countries suffering from landmines. An estimated 4 million to 6 million landmines and other munitions were left over from three decades of war and internal conflicts that ended in 1998.
According to the center's reports, from 1979 to June this year, about 19,670 people were killed by landmines and 44,598 others were injured.
Heng Ratana said the country had cleared and destroyed about 3. 1 million landmines and unexploded ordnances as of June this year.
The country needs about 50 million U.S. dollars a year until 2020 to entirely get rid of all types of anti-personnel mines.

Editor: Zhu Ningzhu

Cambodia opposition refuses to recognize Hun Sen's victory in Sunday poll

English.news.cn   2013-07-31 14:06:25

by Nguon Sovan
PHNOM PENH, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of Cambodia's main opposition party reiterated Wednesday that they did not recognize the results of Sunday's general election, in which the ruling party of longtime Prime Minister Hun Sen won a slim majority.
According to the initial unofficial results, the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of Hun Sen won the victory with 68 parliamentary seats and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) got the remaining 55 seats in the poll.
"We don't agree to accept the failure in the poll, we have to win," said Kem Sokha, CNRP's vice president, speaking to hundreds of supporters rallied at the party's headquarters in Phnom Penh on Wednesday.
"The election had a lot of irregularities and ballot-rigging."
At the event, CNRP's president Sam Rainsy claimed that about 1. 3 million voters were unable to vote because their names were not on the voter lists.
"If those people had voted for the CNRP, we would win easily because the ruling CPP won us only 200,000 votes on the Sunday election," he said.
In addition, Rainsy said there were about 1 million ghost names on the voter lists and about 200,000 duplicate names.
"These are the irregularities. The CNRP has to find justice for Cambodian people," he said, calling for Prime Minister Hun Sen to step down.
On Tuesday, Rainsy officially submitted a request to the National Election Committee (NEC) to demand for the establishment of a joint committee to investigate irregularities during the election.
He has also threatened to stage a nationwide protest against the poll results if a joint committee is not established to look into the irregularity allegations, but no protest date has been set yet.
The NEC has not replied to Rainsy's request so far.
Despite winning the victory in Sunday's election, the results are a blow to the ruling CPP as its parliamentary seats has dropped from 90 seats in the election in 2008 to 68 seats in Sunday's poll, while the opposition CNRP's seats have seen a dramatic rise from 29 seats to 55 seats in Sunday's election.
Incumbent Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in power for 28 years, will stretch his power for further five years through the Sunday's victory. Hun Sen has not made any statement or appeared at any public event since the election.
His party issued a statement on Tuesday, saying that "the CPP won absolute majority seats in the Sunday's poll so that the party could establish a new government in accordance with the constitution and Hun Sen will continue to serve as the Prime Minister in the fifth term government."
However, there will still be a challenge for the CPP to form a new government if the opposition boycotts the first session of the new National Assembly. According to the constitution, a quorum of at least 120 out of 123 lawmakers is needed in parliament to approve a new cabinet.
The first session of the new National Assembly will be convened in no later than 60 days after the election, according to the constitution.
Despite the opposition party's rejection, foreign leaders have extended their congratulations to Hun Sen for the triumph.
"On behalf of the government and the people of Bangladesh, it is my great pleasure to convey heartiest felicitations on your party's resounding victory in the National Assembly elections," Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina said in a message to Hun Sen on Monday.
She said Bangladesh and Cambodia enjoyed excellent bilateral ties based on longstanding friendship and cooperation, and she looked forward to closely working with Hun Sen for further deepening the bilateral relations for the mutual benefits.
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said in a message to Hun Sen on Tuesday that she was confident that under Hun Sen's leadership, Cambodia would continue to prosper and overcome any challenge that might lie ahead.
"I am confident that under your guidance, our bilateral relations will be further advanced for the mutual prosperity and benefits of our two peoples and countries," she said.

Editor: Mengjie