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PHNOM PENH : Cambodia voted Sunday in an election to extend the 33 years in power of strong man Hun Sen after the dissolution of the only credible opposition, thus turning the country into a party
which came to power in 1985, cracked down on dissent on the eve of the election, ousting civil society, independent media, and political opponents.
Western governments withdrew their vote support citing its lack of credibility, with rights groups and the opposition describing it as a fatal blow to the democratic process.
Nineteen small parties – or until now unknown – are competing against the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of Hun Sen in the absence of the main opposition.
But with the result acquired in advance, the focus will be on participation in what has become a plebiscite on the popularity of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Opposition, whose leaders are in prison In 1965, the boycott of "pure fingers" was the only sure way of protest.
But lines extended many polls early Sunday as voters turned up at schools and pagodas to vote. 19659002] "I came to vote because I want happiness, development and peace for the country," said Chanthan, 54, voting in the same station as Hun Sen in Kandal province, just in outside the capital. The strong leader smiled as he and his wife Bun Rany arrived to vote, brandishing a finger stained with ink for the bank of photographers.
Hun Sen, 65, a former Khmer Rouge commander who defected as a radical regime began to collapse, says that stability and economic growth are gifts from his years in power – a message that resonates with his base.
The ruling party has won all elections since 1998.
A dictator "
More than eight million voters are registered for the sixth The presidential elections began in 1993 after the first United Nations polls.
At the time, the country was emerging from several decades of war, including the evisceration of the Khmer Rouge years (1975-1979) that killed a quarter of the population. 19659002] Hun Sen broke with the ultra-Maoist regime and was installed only 32 years as a leader during the Vietnamese occupation of the 1980s.
But dissatisfaction with corruption among a young population in full growth, with little memory of the horrors of the Khmer Rouge era and modern aspirations cast doubt on the longevity of the ruling party.
Their votes helped the National Rescue Party of Cambodia (CNRP) win more than 44 percent of the vote in 2013 and win a similar share in local elections. "The CNRP offered a promise of responsive and uncorrupted governance, and people wanted to give them a chance," said Phil Robertson, deputy director of Asia Division at Human Rights Watch.
But Hun Sen Blown The Election Threat Threatens To Be Involved In A Conspiracy Of Treason To Topple The Government And Arrest The Leader Kem Sokha
"It's a History Of The Way In Democratic dreams die under the fist of a dictator, "added Robertson.
The Supreme Court dissolved the party in November 2017, paving the way for PCP laundering on Sunday.
Some voters have resigned following Hun Sen's election victory, but a climate of fear provoked by the ruling party.
Power and Favoritism
Hun Sen maintained his hold on the country through a mix of political and family alliances in the country. Police, the army and the media.
With control of vast areas of the state, he also placed his sons in key positions in what analysts see as an attempt to create a dynasty. the country but glosses ove The United States and the European Union have refused to send observers, but the ally of Cambodia, China, has been supporting.
The CNRP appealed to Cambodians in a statement Sunday not to vote in the "". false elections that have no support and are not recognized by the international community.
The authorities have pledged to take action against anyone who urges others to stand aside from the polls, even though they insist that voting is not mandatory. leaders faced international criticism, but Western governments imposed limited financial and travel sanctions in response to measures taken against the opposition.
The House of Representatives passed the law on democracy in Cambodia last week. inner circle. – AFP
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