Cambodia civil society urges ruling, opposition parties to resume talks on poll probe committee

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Cambodia civil society urges ruling, opposition parties to resume talks on poll probe committee

(Xinhua) 20:43, September 02, 2013

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PHNOM PENH, Sept. 2 -- A group of 21 civil society organizations (CSOs) on Monday called on the ruling and the opposition parties to resume talks towards establishing a joint committee to investigate alleged vote irregularities during the July 28 election.

"The CSOs request that the two political parties send a senior delegation, for instance, a high level meeting to discuss setting up a joint committee to investigate poll irregularities,"said a joint statement.

"We also requests that the leaders of the two political parties be patient and minimize provocative rhetoric that heightens tensions and that the government withdraws deployed armed forces to reduce feelings of intimidation amongst the public, "the statement added.

The National Election Committee (NEC) has released the initial election results, showing that the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen won the poll with 68 of the 123 parliamentary seats, and the Cambodia National Rescue Party ( CNRP) of long-time opposition leader Sam Rainsy took the remaining 55 seats.

But the CNRP claimed that it should win 63 seats, with the CPP getting the remaining 60 seats if alleged poll irregularities are fairly resolved.

Representatives of the two parties had met two times to discuss the possibilities for the establishment of the CNRP-proposed independent poll probe committee, but reached no agreement since the CNRP demanded the exclusion of the NEC from the proposed committee and the CPP rejected it, saying it was against the constitution.

Sam Rainsy said Monday morning that a mass protest, planned on Sept. 7 against the election results, would be held throughout the country in the form of prayer for peace.

He said the main location for the protest is the Freedom Park in Phnom Penh and the event will be started from 8:00 a.m. to 11: 00 a.m. with a Buddhist ceremony. "We will not do anything that can lead to social chaos,"he said, appealing to all participants not to bring along with explosives, knives, axes, clubs or stones, but candles, incense sticks and flowers.

A CNRP's statement released Monday said that some 20,000 protesters would gather at the Freedom Park on Sept. 7 -- a day ahead of the release of the official election results.

About 2,000 anti-riot police armed with shields and batons got a special training session on Sunday at the capital's Diamond Island Center in preparation for dealing with any disobedient protests.

Under the country's constitution, a new parliament will be inaugurated no later than 60 days after the election.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has said that a new parliament and a new government would be established as scheduled despite the opposition's boycott.

According to the constitution, he said, a new government would be formed by a 50 percent plus one majority, or 63 lawmakers, in the new parliament.

Hun Sen, 61, who has been in power for 28 years, will rule the country for another five years following the election victory.