Rainsy Evokes Gandhi as Example for Opposition

CNRP leader Sam Rainsy on Thursday publicly announced the opposition’s intention to conduct a campaign of civil disobedience in line with peaceful demonstrations organized by the charismatic leader of Indian nationalism Mahatma Gandhi, who helped win independence from Great Britain. Mr. Rainsy made the remarks at a press conference at the CNRP’s office in Meanchey district and said the civil disobedience would occur if the CPP continues to refuse calls for an independent investigation into alleged irregularities during the July 28 national election. “We take Mahatma Gandhi as an example,” he said. “We will show people the documentary on Mahatma Gandhi so that people understand how Mahatma Gandhi got independence from the British 50 years ago,” he said. The film was screened at Freedom Park at 7 p.m. Thursday. … While Mr. Rainsy has seen a surge in his party’s popularity after the Sam Rainsy Party and Human Rights Party merged last year—winning 55 National As­sembly seats in last month’s national election compared to 29 in the 2008 ballot—political analysts called into question the potential success of civil disobedience by the CNRP. “I am not sure if the personality of Sam Rainsy is comparable to the personality of Gandhi in those days,” said independent political analyst Lao Mong Hay. … Carlyle Thayer, a Southeast Asia expert at the Australian Defense Force Academy, said that peaceful demonstrations could be effective, but were a risky strategy against an authoritarian regime and a relatively immature and unprincipled movement for change. … However, CNRP lawmaker Mu Sochua said that the appetite for mass demonstrations among opposition supporters is overwhelming, a fact that was supported by the turnout of about 20,000 people at an opposition rally in Phnom Penh on Monday. “The voters came out, 20,000 to 30,000 of them asking us, ‘when will we demonstrate?’ It is time for us to be active, otherwise voters will get impatient,” Ms. Sochua said. …

Colin Meyn and Phorn Bopha
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/elections/rainsy-evokes-gandhi-as-example-for-opposition-41429/