Sokha Says CNRP Ready to Demonstrate, Boycott Assembly
Opposition CNRP vice president Kem Sokha on Thursday stood firmly by his party’s position that it would call mass demonstrations and boycott the National Assembly unless the U.N. takes part in an independent investigation of last month’s contested national election. So far, there has been no commitment from the U.N. to investigate irregularities and the ruling CPP has rejected any investigation not headed by the National Election Committee (NEC), which is widely considered as being loyal to the ruling party. Speaking to more than 200 supporters at CNRP headquarters in Phnom Penh, Mr. Sokha dispelled rumors circulating online that the CNRP had set an August 20 date for the mass demonstrations. But he said they would happen if the CPP continued to reject the opposition’s conditions for an impartial investigation of what it believes to be widespread voting irregularities. “The final step is to demonstrate,” he said. “We will ask the people, and if the people do not agree with the solution, they will stand up to demonstrate. We will support the people to demonstrate and we will ask the people to demonstrate with nonviolence.” The government has redeployed hundreds of soldiers to Phnom Penh over the past week to prepare for the demonstrations, along with several armored personnel carriers. As Mr. Sokha was speaking yesterday, several tanks were spotted heading toward the city as well. …
Khy Sovuthy
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/elections/sokha-says-cnrp-ready-to-demonstrate-boycott-assembly-39831/
