New Political Parties Are Mushrooming
in Cambodia
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| Political Parties Contested in July 2013 National Election |
The late development of political
behaviors of active citizens is worth noticing that within one year and five months only after the end of a year-long political deadlock (28 July 2013
- 22 July 2014) eight newly-established political parties have
officially registered and a few more groups are considering to create political
parties, most probably before the commune election 2017.
The creation of NGOs working on human
rights and democracy is being complicated due to the LANGO but the creation of
political parties is very much easy and welcomed by the government. The opposition
leader Sam Rainsy has monopolized the team “Democracy” and Mr. Rainsy and his
party have already been perceived as the icon of democratic change in Cambodia by
the grassroots supporters. Sam Riansy used to say without him and CNRP no one
can challenge PM Hun Sen; this is definitely true in the current Cambodian
political context but it's painful to hear so from the democratic leader. When
leader believes he is the only one who can help, he tends to be irresponsible
and unaccountable to voters.
Intellects and educated youth have lost
aspiration of CHANGE driven by the opposition due to the poor leadership and
uninspiring model of the leader (not ready to take risk but prefer to use
remote control leadership from France). However, No Choice! The political
polarization has made the opposition remain strongly significant and the only
potential rival of the ruling party CPP but the inner soul and devotion for
democratic change of the mass has been undercut and diluted. We are not
inspired and we don’t have a role model, from active citizen’s perspective.
Yet, generally speaking, I believe
that the vote of CNRP in 2018 is likely to be increased still given some 1.2
million new voters in 2018 and those are not able to be critical enough about
Sam Rainsy’s leadership but see him as the only leader who can effectively
challenge the status quo and the current ruling party. The side effect of Sam Rainsy’s escape is that the educated
and informed active citizens have lost hopes and they have thought of creating
political parties themselves. Plus, when intellects are not in line with the
leadership of the change leader, it has no future of the change or the change has become less meaningful. Sam Rainsy is
doing a win-lost politics with PM Hun Sen, having involved with personal revenge so
Mr. Rainsy cannot make a peaceful change like Aung San Suu Kyi is doing. Cambodian
people who have been fighting for change should be the ones who confront with
Hun Sen not Sam Rainsy. Mr. Rainsy should be the facilitator of Change. Simply put, it should be Hun Sen vs. people who bring about change not Hun Sen vs. Sam Rainsy.
Due to the lack of trust on Sam Rainsy’s
leadership which I believe one of the few main reasons for mushrooming of new political parties in less than two years time, the youth, indigenous
peoples and NGO leaders have established new political parties.
Here are the new ten political parties:
Here are the new ten political parties:
- Beehive Social Democratic Party (BSDP) of Mr. Mam Sonando
- Grassroots Democratic Party (GDP) of Mr. Yeng Virak
- Khmer Solidarity Party (KSP) of Mrs. Lak Sopheap
- Khmer Power Party (KPP) of Mr. Sourn Serey Ratha
- Cambodian National Justice Party (CNJP) of Dr. Heang Rithy
- Cambodia Indigenous Peoples Democracy Party (CIPDP) of Mrs. Yun Mane/Mr. Sroy Khet
- Cambodian Liberty Party (CLP) of Mr. Chea Chamroeun
- Cambodian Youth Party (CYP) of Mr. Pich Sros
- Khmer National United Party (KNUP) of Mr. Nhek Bun Chhay
- Khmer United Great Nation Party (KUGNP) of Mr. Nhem Vanthorn, former the secretary general of Mam Sonando's Beehive Social Democratic Party
Contesting political parties during the last July 2013
election:
1.
Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) of Hun Sen
2.
Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) of Sam Rainsy
3.
FUNCINPEC of Prince Norodom Naranariddh
4.
Democratic Republic Party (DRP) of Sovan Panchaseila
5.
Khmer Economic Development Party (KEDP) of Huon Chamroeun
6.
Khmer Anti-Poverty Party (KAPP) of Kravanh Daran
7.
Cambodian Nationality Party (CNP) of Seng Sokheng
8.
League for Democracy Party (LDP) of Khem Veasna
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| Result of July 2013 National Election |