Parties set to make history
SOME 270,000 supporters of competing political parties will participate in rallies in Phnom Penh on Friday when campaigning ends – the largest such gathering in the Kingdom’s history.
It will be the final push as the 20 parties taking part in the July 29 national elections pitch for votes.
A statement f rom Phnom Penh Cit y Hall said around 250,000 supporters will gat her at Koh Pich Centre, while an estimated 20,000 from ot her parties are expected at Freedom Park in the cit y centre.
However, the statement conflicts with that of Phnom Penh Municipal Governor Khuong Sreng, who said only the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), backed by 200,000 supporters and led by its president and caretaker Prime Minister Hun Sen, will be allowed at Koh Pich Centre.
“At Koh Pich, only [t he CPP] will be a llowed. We cannot a llow t wo parties to face each ot her because it is hard to maintain securit y.
“So t hey will gat her at different places and use dif ferent routes,” he said.
Sreng said the rallies would pass through Kampuchea Krom Boulevard, Mony Reth Boulevard, Sothearos Boulevard, Mao Tse Toung Boulevard, Preah Monivong Boulevard, Sihanouk Boulevard, Sisowath Quay, National Roads 5, 6, 1 and 2, Phnom Penh-Hanoi Street, Northbridge Street, Choam Chao Street, and Streets 271 and 70.
Local authorities are preparing to maintain order and security, and prevent traffic chaos when the final rally is in progress, he said.
“The Phnom Penh City administration will temporarily suspend traffic flow at some places where the rally will take place and divert the traffic flow.
“Therefore we urge t he public to avoid t he route of t he ra llies. They should not pass through t he st reets where the parties are holding t he ra llies, which sta r t from 6am until they finish,” Sreng said.
He declined to reveal the number of security personnel that will be deployed for traffic control and to maintain security.
He said: “We cannot reveal the figures of our [security]
forces to the media as confidential.
“We can only say that during the rallies we will make sure participants and residents in Phnom Penh do not face any problems.
“The Phnom Penh administration will prepare their forces to ensure the safety of all participants during the July 27 rallies.
The CPP will have 200,000 participants and the rest will be from the Beehive Party, headed by Mam Sonando, and other parties,” he said.
Phnom Penh Cit y Hall spokesman Meth Means Pheakday estimated t hat some 2,000 securit y guards it is will be involved during ra llies, and on polling day itself 5,000 personnel will be deployed to maintain securit y.
“The Phnom Penh authorities are ready to provide security and manage traffic jams,” he said.
Meanwhile, CPP spokesperson Sok Eysan said he is unsure of the number of supporters who will turn up for the rallies.
“I cannot speculate on the figure, but Samdech Hun Sen, the party president, announced publicly that he would take part in the rally.
So if Samdech president [Hun Sen] attends as leader, I t hink tens of t housands of CPP supporters will a lso attend,” he said.