Sam Rainsy asks support from the UN

Cambodge Soir
12-08-2008

The opposition leader will travel to New York in order to challenge the results, he announced on Tuesday 12th of August during a press conference in Phnom Penh.

Sam Rainsy is still disputing the election results, allocating himself a score between 34 and 41 seats, compared to the 26 seats acknowledged by the National Election Committee after the elections of the 27th of July.

In New York, where he should travel “in the next few days”, the opposition leader will have a delegate of the Human Rights Party at his side, the only other party with representatives who joined the dispute of the results.

Both royalist parties, Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party, have finally decided to accept the election results.

On Monday 11th of August, Sam Rainsy who filed a complaint before the National Election Committee in order to request a re-vote in several districts, will be heading to the headquarters of the United Nations without waiting for the results of his actions.

“I’m asking the international community to pay attention to the conclusions of the NEC, said the opposition leader. The SRP’s complaint will contain proofs of the fraudulent actions on the day of the elections. I’ll also present those proofs to the UN.”

Sam Rainsy has also brought forward his own estimates concerning the “real results” of the elections, declaring having obtained between 1.75 and 1.87 million votes.

The SRP leader calculated these numbers by proportionally allocating fictitious votes, amongst the parties other than the CPP, of voters who weren’t able to vote.

“At least 10% of the population has been stripped of its right to vote, maybe 20%, maybe more”, did he say.

Asked about the sense of his defeat, which he never directly commented on, other than to contest its magnitude, Sam Rainsy declared that there was “defeat and defeat”.

“Every democracy is based on the respect given to the opposition, this is a matter of balance between powers, did he declare. By cheating, the CPP is resting on an absolute power, holding two thirds of the seats and allowing it to do anything it wants.”