March a victory of another sort

While the Cambodia National Rescue Party’s continued push for an investigation into election irregularities may at times feel quixotic, the fact that the opposition was able to hold a peaceful march yesterday without incident represents a perhaps equally significant victory for freedom of assembly.

The Ministry of Interior’s decision to allow 1,000 opposition protesters to converge on foreign embassies and offices of the UN was important, CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann said, but the fact thousands marched in peace yesterday was even more significant. …

Freedom Park, Sovann added, was becoming a place the opposition felt it could use on a regular basis to keep pushing forward with its demands of an investigation into irregularities at July’s national election. …

Political analyst Kem Ley said the government’s approval of the marches was, indeed, a victory for the CNRP and agreed that it vindicated the opposition’s boycott of the National Assembly. …

 Shane Worrell, P.2
http://www.phnompenhpost.com