Cambodia opposition to rally at capital’s Freedom Park on Sunday

Although more people are emerging to defend human rights in Thailand, they are still ignored or stigmatised for The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) would hold a “people’s congress” on Sunday afternoon at the capital’s Freedom Park, a statement from the party said Tuesday.

“The people’s congress is to ask supporters’recommendations on the CNRP’s stance related to the current political situation,”the statement said.

CNRP spokesman Yem Ponharith said thousands of party supporters are expected to join Sunday’s rally.

“At the event, the party will collect supporters’ thumbprints and let them continue to collect thumbprints from other people in their communities,” he told Xinhua.

“The party will make a petition based on their thumbprints in order to call for United Nations intervention in the country’s political crisis after the disputed elections in July.”

He said the party would hold a mass protest on Oct. 23 at the Freedom Park in order to submit the petition to the United Nations and signatory countries of the Paris Accord through the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Office to Cambodia.

The Cambodian parliament, formed by the ruling party’s 68 lawmakers, last Tuesday voted for the formation of a new government under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen even though the opposition’s 55 legislators boycotted the session since it refused to accept the results of the July 28 election.

CNRP leader Sam Rainsy said last Wednesday that his party did not recognize the government led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, claiming that the newly-formed government was a violation of the constitution.

However, Hun Sen defended that his government was “legitimate” since the nation’s King Norodom Sihamoni had already given endorsement.

CNRP spokesman Yem Ponharith said the party would continue to boycott the parliament if a poll inquiry committee was still not formed and the government still ignored the party’s request for serious reforms on election council, anti-corruption unit, judicial system, and land and forest management.

SOURCE www.globaltimes.cn