Vancouver Sun
Monday, May 12, 2008
Cambodian democracy is of a highly individual nature. It works fine just so long as everyone remembers that Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People's Party have to win, or else there will be trouble.
That's what happened after Hun Sen failed to win 1993 elections brokered by the United Nations.
Hun Sen had been prime minister of Cambodia from 1985 after neighbouring Vietnam invaded the country to oust the Khmer Rouge and installed him as their viceroy. So he was highly dipleased when he didn't win the 1993 vote.
There was such concern about his propensity for violence it was decided that, despite the result, Hun Sen should become co-prime minister with the winner of the election, Prince Norodom Ranariddh and his Funcinpec party.
This compromise was also not entirely to Hun Sen's liking, and in 1997 he launched a bloody coup that saw him installed as sole leader in 1998.
The 2003 election results were more palatable to Hun Sen -- a clear majority for the CPP -- and this July the Cambodian people will be encouraged to re-elect him.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Cambodian democracy is of a highly individual nature. It works fine just so long as everyone remembers that Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People's Party have to win, or else there will be trouble.
That's what happened after Hun Sen failed to win 1993 elections brokered by the United Nations.
Hun Sen had been prime minister of Cambodia from 1985 after neighbouring Vietnam invaded the country to oust the Khmer Rouge and installed him as their viceroy. So he was highly dipleased when he didn't win the 1993 vote.
There was such concern about his propensity for violence it was decided that, despite the result, Hun Sen should become co-prime minister with the winner of the election, Prince Norodom Ranariddh and his Funcinpec party.
This compromise was also not entirely to Hun Sen's liking, and in 1997 he launched a bloody coup that saw him installed as sole leader in 1998.
The 2003 election results were more palatable to Hun Sen -- a clear majority for the CPP -- and this July the Cambodian people will be encouraged to re-elect him.
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