Cambodian opposition insists on re-election as protest enters 3rd day

English.news.cn   2013-12-17 20:08:01

Sam Rainsy (L), president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), addresses to his supporters in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Dec. 17, 2013. The protest against Prime Minister Hun Sen's government entered the third day on Tuesday, as the opposition continued calling for a snap election after allegations of serious fraud in the July's polls. (Xinhua/Sovannara)

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The protest against Prime Minister Hun Sen's government entered the third day on Tuesday, as the opposition continued calling for a snap election after allegations of serious fraud in the July's polls.
The numbers of protesters have gradually declined from about 10, 000 people on Sunday to around 4,000 on Monday and some 3,000 on Tuesday.
Sam Rainsy, president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), repeated a call for Hun Sen to hold an early re-election, or step down.
"If you do not hold a re-election, step down," he addressed the rally at the capital's Freedom Park on Tuesday afternoon.
Then, he led the protesters to travel by cars and motorcycles through streets in the city.
Security forces had been deployed along streets to ensure security and public order. There is no report of incidents during the rally.
The CNRP announced Sunday it would launch daily protests in the capital to demand an early re-election within three months
Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng last Tuesday rejected the opposition's call for a re-election, saying it was impossible to hold a snap election in Cambodia because there was no reason and to hold a re-election would take at least one or two years.
He said the ruling Cambodian People's Party's door remained open for further negotiations with the CNRP.
Dispute between Hun Sen's ruling party and the longtime opposition leader Sam Rainsy's party has persisted since the July election results showed that the ruling party won a majority of vote with 68 parliamentary seats and the opposition earned the remaining 55 seats.
The opposition refused to accept the outcome and has boycotted parliament since then in order to call for an independent probe into the alleged irregularities during the polls. But the ruling party rejected the call, saying it was against the nation's constitution.