Rainsy named ‘acting president’ in ‘Sokha absence’

SAM Rainsy was nominated “acting president” of the Cambodia Nationa l Rescue Pa r t y (CNRP) a s t he curtain fell on the two-day international conference the former opposition part y held in the US over the weekend, a move supporters of the previous leader Kem Sokha blasted as “unacceptable”.

On Monday a pro-Sokha faction issued a statement refusing to “accept” the decision, saying it went against the party’s bylaws.

“The CNRP confirms that the party’s Permanent Committee does not have to follow [this] decision made at the conference because [those involved] do not have the right to act as either requester or selector in choosing an acting president. Therefore, this decision is just a comment from a small group of people,” the statement said.

International CNRP leadership in support of Sokha, including from the US and Australia, boycotted the weekend conference.

Sokha is currently on bail awaiting trial on treason charges.

Rainsy, a co-founder of the CNRP a long wit h Sok ha, f led to Fra nce years ago, stepping down as part y president to avoid a slew of criminal conv ictions. He launched the Cambodia Nationa l Rescue Movement in Ja nuar y.

According to the three-page report outlining the decision and signed by Suy Seng Hong, who headed the conference, Rainsy was nominated “acting president of the CNRP” for the period in which Sokha cannot lead the party.

Article 3 of the report stated: “The position of acting president will expire once Kem Sokha gets full freedom and is able to lead the CNRP.”

Speaking after the decision, Rainsy thanked his supporters and accepted the position, claiming the party’s structure remained intact.

“First point, as I agree to ta ke t he posit ion as people requested, we do not touch the CNRP’s structure, especia l ly t hat Kem Sok ha is st i l l president.

“Second point, the acting president’s position will [cease to exist] once Kem Sokha gets complete freedom.

“Third point, if I hold this position, we all need to work together and CNRP supporters have to unite and

work together under the theme ‘Kem Sokha and Sam Rainsy are one person’.

“I would like to appeal to all CNRP supporters to unite. If I hold t his position, it mea ns t hat ou r CNRP i s i nt act . No for mer Sa m Ra i nsy Pa r t y, no for mer CNRP; no pro-Kem Sok ha, no pro-Sam Rainsy,” he said.

Both Sokha’s daughters – Kem Monovithya and Kem Samathida – took to Facebook on Sunday.

“History will record the names of the participants who destroyed the forces of the patriots,” wrote Samathida, Sokha’s second daughter.

Monovithya, the former CNRP deputy director-general of public affairs and Sokha’s eldest daughter, said on Facebook and Twitter: “It is not the first time that evil individuals have tried to harm Kem Sokha, but they keep failing.”

Ru l i ng Ca mbodia n People’s Pa r t y spokesman Sok Eysan mocked Rainsy’s nomination as CNRP acting president, dismissing the move as “useless”.

“Sa m Rainsy, t he former opposit ion part y leader, resigned from its membership and as part y leader a long time ago. Therefore, t his t r ick i n at tempt i ng to resurrect the opposition part y is impossible. This attempt to help Sam Rainsy lead t he former opposition part y is a lso useless,” he w rote on Teleg r a m on Monday.

Analyst Meas Nee said the nomination of Rainsy as CNRP acting president risked “splitting” the opposition.