Cambodian King urges opposition protestors, police to end violence

Police clash with protestors in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sept. 15, 2013. Cambodian police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters near the Royal Palace on Sunday afternoon as they attempted to remove the police's barbed wire barricades in order to march through a street in front of the Royal Palace. (Photo: Xinhua/Phearum)

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on Monday called on opposition protestors and police to stop using violence against each other after a clash on Sunday night left one protester dead and several others injured.

“I would like to beg all compatriots who are the protestors and the authorities to stop using violence in all images such as stone throwing or weapon using that cause injuries or deaths to people and create serious danger to the whole nation,” the King said in a royal message.

He urged people to return to the tradition of non-violence and exercise their utmost restraints to avoid national instability.

The King’s royal message came after a clash between police and opposition party protestors at Sunday night on a flyover in the southern part of the city, leaving one man shot dead and several others wounded.
“I am very sad and would like to extend my condolences to the families of the dead and the injured over the accident,” King Sihamoni said.

Two clashes between police and protestors broke out on Sunday during a mass protest led by Sam Rainsy, president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), against the July 28 election. In the clashes, the police had also fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protestors.

The final election results showed that the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) of Prime Minister Hun Sen got victory with 68 parliamentary seats and the CNRP received the remaining 55 seats. The CNRP did not recognize the outcomes, claiming that its party should win 63 seats, with the CPP getting 60 seats if alleged irregularities during the poll were fairly investigated.

Prime Minister Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy have been talking on Monday in a last-ditch effort to break through election impasse. It was the second time that the two political rivals have held talks within the last three days. On Saturday, the two leaders met at the Royal Palace under the auspices of King Norodom Sihamoni, but made no agreement over the political impasse.

CPP’s senior lawmaker Cheam Yeap said Saturday that the meeting between the two leaders would focus on the current political impasse and the allocation of the parliamentary leadership positions.

CNRP’s spokesman Yim Sovann said Sunday during a mass demonstration that during Monday’s talks, his party would demand reforms to the National Election Committee, a new national voter registry, and its own television station. (Xinhua)