Demonstration of support in Preah Vihear: standoff between the CUF and the municipality

Cambodge Soir

16-08-2008

Two teacher’s and worker’s organisations want to put pressure on Thailand. The authorities fear law and order problems in Phnom Penh.

The organisers of the peaceful demonstration of Sunday 17th of August still haven’t obtained the permission from the authorities. However, 30,000 leaflets have already been distributed in the streets of Phnom Penh, following the initiative of the Cambodian Union Federation (CUF).

On Wednesday 13th of August, the secretary of the CUF, composed of the Cambodian Independent Teacher’s Association and the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, has stated that the goal of the demonstration was to protest against the invasion of the site by the Thais.

The leaflet invites all the teachers, officials, employees and workers from the textile industry, but also citizens, taxi drivers and motodops to join the procession at 7.30am on Sunday, in front of the former National Assembly.

“Through these actions we want to put pressure on our Thai partner”, explains the CUF president, Rong Chhun. According to him, if nothing happens after the third round of negotiations on Monday 18th of August, the Cambodian Government will have to ask for the intervention of the UN.

Meanwhile, the Phnom Penh municipality has requested the CUF to change the demonstration into a meeting which would be held in its offices or at a press conference. The municipality fears a repeat of the events of 2003 which ended with a fire at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh. A reluctance which Rong Chhun dismisses, inviting the authorities to join the peaceful march.

But the union trader considers that: “The municipality doesn’t have the right to forbid the demonstration”. He has brought the case in front of the Ministry of Interior. The Ministry spokesman, General Khieu Sophak, has, just like the municipal authorities, asked both organisations “to remain calm and to let the government do its work”. On Friday morning around 11am, the latter has received a letter from the municipality stating that the final decision hadn’t been taken yet.

For the time being, the CUF president still wants the demonstration to take place on Sunday. In other words, Rong Chhun isn’t asking for the permission to hold the demonstration, he only announces his intention to do so to the authorities, in conformance with the constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia. It must be said that this demonstration is happening quite late, while the conflict lasts for several weeks already.