Cambodia’s political row deepens as opposition plans larger protest against poll results

Cambodia’s political dispute deepened on Sunday as the opposition planned a three-day mass protest against the final election results that handed victory to the long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling party. The nation held a general election on July 28. The National Election Committee (NEC) issued the final results on Sunday, showing that the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) of Hun Sen got 68 seats and the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) of long-time opposition leader Sam Rainsy took the remaining 55 seats. “The CNRP has no surprise over the election results released today and the party’s stance is still the same – we do not recognize the results since they do not reflect the will of Cambodian people,” Sam Rainsy said in a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Phnom Penh on Sunday. … “The CNRP will call a massive non-violent demonstration for three consecutive days on September 15, 16, 17 at the capital’s Freedom Park and then, we will boycott the first session of the National Assembly if an independent probe committee is not formed to look into alleged poll irregularities,” the party’s Vice- President Kem Sokha told the press conference. He also appealed to the nation’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 routine medical checkup. …

 Nzweek News Staff
http://www.nzweek.com/world/cambodias-political-row-deepens-as-opposition-plans-larger-protest-against-poll-results-77454/