Cambodia's Hun Sen says will give speech to U.N. after 'flawed election'

[geovalin]

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday he will give a speech to the United Nations General Assembly after claiming victory in a much-criticized election last month.

 

Although official results won’t be announced until mid-August, Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) said it had won all 125 parliamentary seats following the July 29 vote.

Critics have said the vote was a sham after the only viable opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was dissolved last year by the Supreme Court and 118 members were banned from politics for five years.

 

CNRP leader Kem Sokha was jailed on treason charges in September. He remains in pre-trial detention.

Hun Sen, 66, said he would travel to the United Nations if his new cabinet is formed by August to show the world that Cambodia does not need outside approval.

“I will go to the United Nations to make a speech for you to see that as a sovereign state, which held its own elections, we don’t need stamps of approval from anyone,” Hun Sen told a gathering of athletes on Monday in Phnom Penh.

Hun Sen last gave a speech to the U.N. General Assembly in September 2015 where he called on developed nations to fulfill their foreign aid pledges.

 

The Office of the U.N. Resident Coordinator in Cambodia said in an email to Reuters that the Cambodian government had not yet communicated to the U.N. who would be attending the annual General Assembly meeting in September.

Hun Sen said the National Election Committee (NEC) will announce official results on Aug. 15 and that, if there are no complaints, a new government will be formed in August.

Authorities launched a sweeping crackdown in the lead up to the vote targeting non-government organizations, rights groups and independent media.

The United States, which already imposed visa curbs on some Cambodian government members close to Hun Sen over the crackdown, said it would consider steps, including an expansion of visa restrictions in response to July’s “flawed election”.

 

Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Christian Schmollinger

 

source https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-politics-united-nations/cambodias-hun-sen-says-will-give-speech-to-u-n-after-flawed-election-idUSKBN1KR0IV

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 07/08

[yellowboat]

10 hours ago, geovalin said:

Hun Sen last gave a speech to the U.N. General Assembly in September 2015 where he called on developed nations to fulfill their foreign aid pledges.

Gi'me gi'me gi'me.  Hard to believe he won when most people hate him.  They should schedule his speech on a Sunday morning, at 3am. 

[Jonmarleesco]

'“I will go to the United Nations to make a speech for you to see that as a sovereign state, which held its own elections, we don’t need stamps of approval from anyone,” ...'

 

Then why bother to go? It certainly won't change the view of the UN. 

[Jonmarleesco]

'... we don’t need stamps of approval from anyone,” Hun Sen told a gathering of athletes ...'

 

But you do need their money. 

 

[thaiguzzi]

Ideal time & place for an assassination…..

Guy should be well versed in a bullet to the temple.

[Bundooman]

14 hours ago, Jonmarleesco said:

'... we don’t need stamps of approval from anyone,” Hun Sen told a gathering of athletes ...'

 

But you do need their money. 

 

Exactly. What all those countries should do is to cease payments forthwith.

 

When he arrives at the UN, all representatives should stand and present their backs to him.

 

This should give him a small indication that everyone despises him and his dictatorial methods!

[Happyman58]

When he makes his speech there will 5 people in the assembly listening to his speech and the Cambodian Ambassador and two staff plus two doorman

[dpspike]

The representatives of China will be listening, and they will do their best to lend credence to his government. Hun Sen wants their money, and they want to set up more factories there to exploit Cambodia's cheap labor. Hun Sen will rule by hook and crook until those with the guns no longer support him. I watched a program about the election on Al Jezeera 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/07/observers-monitor-cambodia-elections-calls-boycott-180724160418594.html

I was surprised there was no mention of what happened three years ago after the previous election, when protesters were beaten to death and shot in the streets at Wat Phnom. Personally, I hope the NGOs don't stop their work in Cambodia, for the sake of poor Cambodians, despite the government picking the NGOs' pockets.

Edited August 8, 2018 by dpspike