Cambodian Opposition Leader Asks King to Intervene in Election Dispute

Cambodia’s opposition leader Sam Rainsy has called on the country’s king to step in to resolve a political crisis over recent disputed polls as time runs out for legal challenges before officials announce final election results this weekend. The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) president made the appeal to King Norodom Sihamoni as his party geared up for a planned mass protest Saturday against irregularities in the July 28 polls. “I request Your Majesty to intervene in order to find a resolution for the irregularities in the election with the transparency and justice that the Cambodian people want,” he said in a letter dated Monday and made public on Wednesday. Sam Rainsy promised the planned demonstration would “be peaceful and [held] with dignity, according to Your Majesty’s ideas.” King Sihamoni, who is officially the head of state, responded with a letter thanking Sam Rainsy for his message but did not say whether he would intervene in the dispute. “I would like to thank His Excellency who has paid his respects,” King Sihamoni said in his reply Tuesday from Beijing, where he is traveling this week for a regular medical check-up. …

http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/elections-09042013175946.html