Cambodia opposition leader holed up in party headquarters to avoid arrest
PHNOM PENH |
A Cambodian opposition leader has been holed up in his party's headquarters for seven days to avoid arrest on charges he says are trumped-up as Prime Minister Hun Sen looks to neutralize his opponents ahead of a 2018 election.
About 100 supporters of the politician, Kem Sokha, have gathered at the headquarters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) as tension runs high in the capital after police visited the building last week in a bid to arrest him.
Kem Sokha faces an accusation of procuring a prostitute. The case that has dominated politics for weeks.
The opposition says Hun Sen is using the judiciary to weaken them and avoid a repeat of a close-run 2013 election that nearly cost him the premiership.
CNRP leader Sam Rainsy, a former finance minister, lives in self-imposed exile to avoid arrest after authorities last year reactivated an old defamation case for which he had received a pardon.
The government says criminals should face punishment and denies the charges are political.
Supporters are prepared for a long stay. They took delivery of food and water donated by supporters on Thursday and erected a shelter in front of the headquarters.
"He will stay here forever," said CNRP lawmaker Eng Chhay Eang.
Kem Sokha would only come out if there was a solution with the veteran prime minister's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP), he said.
"We are here to protect him, no matter what happens, we are ready to die," said Kem Sarun, 51, a farmer who travels 70 km (40 miles) a day to Phnom Penh for the vigil.
The party and its trade union allies have threatened to stage protests if Kem Sokha is arrested.
Hun Sen's party said there would be no compromise and politicians must be held accountable.
"This can't stop the enforcement of law, whether it is sooner or later, it will happen," CPP lawmaker Sok Eysan said.
The accusations against Kem Sokha stem from a secretly recorded telephone conversation between him and a woman with whom the government says he was having an illicit affair.
Prostitution was made illegal in Cambodia in 2008 though it is widespread.
Kem Sokha has neither confirmed nor denied an affair with the woman and has dismissed the action against him as politically motivated.
មានរឿងមួយដែលយួនមិនទុកចិត្ត ហ៊ុន សែន ដោយគិតថា ហ៊ុន សែន មានបំណងធ្វើបាសង្រ្គោះជាតិ ដោយចង់ឲ្យប្រជាជនខ្មែរទាំងអស់ក្រោកឡើង ប្រឆាំងនឹង ហ៊ុន សែន មានបំណងដើម្បីដោះដៃពីយួន ព្រោះ ហ៊ុន សែន ក៍ជាំកូនខ្មែរដែរតែគាត់ដោះខ្លួនឯងមិនរួច ដូច្នេះយួនដូចជាតាមដាន ហ៊ុន សែន ខ្លាំងរឿងនេះ ធ្វើឲ្យ ហ៊ុន សែន មានការផ្អាក់ចាប់ កឹម សុខា សីន ព្រោះបើចាប់ច្បាស់ជាមានការបង្ហូរឈាម ហើយគ្មានអ្នកណាដឹងថាចប់ពេលណា ស្លាប់ប៉ុន្មានអ្នក ហើយពិភពលោកបែបមិនសុខចិត្តបើកភ្នែកមើល ទេមើលទៅ។
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