During ‘Free the 23’ Protests, Where Was CNRP?
Late last month, protesters calling for the release of 23 imprisoned workers and activists clashed with district security guards on Phnom Penh’s Norodom Boulevard. Batons, rocks and punches were thrown, and a handful of people on both sides were left bruised and bloodied. Later that week, opposition leader Sam Rainsy posted video and photos to his Facebook page showing him skiing down a gentle slope amid the snow-covered alpine mountains of Switzerland. … Mr. Rainsy had lobbied at garment factory gates on the dusty outskirts of Phnom Penh in December urging workers to strike for a higher minimum wage. But, with 21 of those protesters now in jail awaiting trial, the CNRP’s absence from rallies to have them freed is more than a little noticeable. And even when Mr. Rainsy has been in the country, the CNRP has been notably absent from marches and rallies to help free the original 23 strike protesters. CNRP leaders have not joined civil society marches over the past three weeks delivering petitions to foreign embassies calling for the release of the prisoners. And at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, where 21 of the detainees were once again denied bail, CNRP lawmaker-elect Ho Vann made only a fleeting appearance. … Thida Khus, an NGO director who has led a number of marches petitioning embassies and U.N. offices for support in securing the release of activists and workers, said that civil society and the CNRP faced a “dilemma” in organizing their activities over the past month. “If [the CNRP] gets involved, they are able to bring in more people,” she said. “But since we are all under very close scrutiny from local authorities, we [civil society representatives] are able to do things to bring more awareness and get the point across to stakeholders.” Mr. Rainsy admitted that the CNRP was keeping its distance from efforts to pressure the government into freeing the protesters who were arrested during the government’s lethal suppression of demonstrations on January 2 and 3. …
Colin Meyn and Khuon Narim
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/during-free-the-23-protests-where-was-cnrp-52228/
