Cambodia’s Wake-up Call

The assassination of political analyst and researcher Kem Ley may be a watershed moment in Cambodian politics, not because of the fear the cruel killing may have generated in others who want to speak their minds like Mr. Ley, but because of the public reaction. And this must be taken as a wake-up call for the government.

When Mr. Ley was gunned down in a cafe at a gas station in Phnom Penh on July 10, a huge crowd of people gathered as news of the killing quickly spread. When authorities tried to take Mr. Ley’s body away, members of the public stopped them. Members of the public and Mr. Ley’s family and friends quickly organized a procession and Mr. Ley’s body was placed in his own car and driven slowly through the streets of Phnom Penh to his eventual destination at Wat Chas. What happened along the way stunned many seasoned followers of the chaos known as Cambodian politics.

Thousands of people from all walks of life came out on the streets to walk with the body of a man they regarded as well-educated and honest, a man who explained things in simple terms and was not afraid to say what he thought and was often critical of the government and other political parties. The procession was spontaneous and more and more people joined as it made its way to Wat Chas. Thousands joined in and it was an outpouring of grief and a show of respect, but was it also a sign of things to come?

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