Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at a meeting of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Dec. 21, 2016. |
Cambodia’s government is continuing to feel the fallout from its
decision to amend the political parties law ahead of elections in June
and next year.
PHNOM PENH — Cambodia’s government is continuing to feel the fallout
from its decision to amend the political parties law ahead of elections
in June and next year.
A statement released by the Canadian Embassy last week voiced that
country’s concern over the amendments, which have been roundly condemned
by critics.
The changes give the Interior Ministry and Supreme Court the power to
penalize parties that employ people with criminal convictions in senior
positions, as well as those that receive funding from abroad.
The move comes amid numerous court actions against
members of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, which are
widely believed to be politically motivated.
"For democracies to thrive, political parties must be free to campaign
without fear and must be able to reach voters with their vision and
ideas," Donica Pottie, Canada’s ambassador, said in the statement.
"These amendments equate to a rolling back of democracy in Cambodia.
Canada calls on the Government of Cambodia to ensure free, open and
transparent elections in 2017 and 2018," she added.
Sok Eysan, ruling Cambodian People’s Party spokesman, said the changes would help Cambodia improve its democracy.
“I think that after this law comes out, it will not cause a rolling back
of democracy or make democracy die as some people have said. This would
mean that democracy will move forward,” he said.
“It will continue to be alive. Let’s keep track of whether democracy
will be dead in the next few years or see if democracy will prosper in
the next dozens of years,” he added.
Prior to Canada’s statement, the United States said the amendments could
“constitute a significant setback for Cambodia’s political development
and would seriously call into question the legitimacy of the upcoming
elections.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by saying it was “deeply disappointed” by the U.S. reaction.
Hul Reaksmey, VOA Khmer |
01 March 2017
01 March 2017
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