- Title: CAMBODIA: Thousands join Cambodian opposition rally
- Date: 15th September 2013
- Summary: PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (SEPTEMBER 15, 2013) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS READING (English and Khmer): "WHERE IS MY VOTE?" WOMAN SHOUTING: "WE MUST DEFEND OUR COUNTRY" (SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) GARMENT FACTORY WORKER, REAM NY SAYING: "I have come to protest to demand my vote is returned to me, to find justice and for the creation of an independent committee." PROTESTER HOLDING BANNER READING (English): "MY VOTE - MY NATION" (SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) PROTESTER LIM NARY SAYING: "I am not scared of the security at all. I woke up at 3 am this morning and came here to join hands with other people in order to create an independent committee to find justice, so that both sides can accept the election results." PROTESTERS HOLDING A BANNER READING (English): "WE NEED AN INDEPENDENT TRUTH COMMITTEE" CAMBODIA NATIONAL RESCUE PARTY PRESIDENT SAM RAINSY WALKING ON THE STREET WITH SUPPORTERS BEHIND HIM VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING POLICE STANDING BEHIND METAL ROAD BLOCK AND BARBED WIRE BLOCKING STREET TO THE NATIONAL ELECTION COMMITTEE AND PRIME MINISTER HUN SEN'S HOUSE POLICEMAN STANDING POLICEMEN STANDING IN EMPTY STREET PROTESTERS WALKING PAST POLICE BARRICADE TOP SHOT OF PROTESTERS WALKING RAINSY AND CAMBODIA NATIONAL RESCUE PARTY DEPUTY PRESIDENT, KEM SOHA WALKING RAINSY AND SOKHA GETTING BLESSED BY MONKS RAINSY AND SOKHA WAVING TO SUPPORTERS FROM THE STAGE MEDIA RAINSY STANDING ON STAGE SURROUNDED BY SUPPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) CAMBODIA NATIONAL RESCUE PARTY LEADER, SAM RAINSY SAYING: "The stance of CNRP, the stance of Kem Sokha and Sam Rainsy is that we will not join the National Assembly meeting due in September 23 as long as there is no solution to give justice to voters." SUPPORTERS CHEERING SUPPORTERS SAYING: "LONG LIVE JUSTICE", " LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY" SUPPORTERS STANDING IN FRONT OF THE STAGE RAINSY AND SOKHA SITTING SUPPORTERS WAVING FLAGS AND CHEERING SUPPORTERS STANDING NEXT TO BARRICADE RAINSY WALKING PAST BARRICADE WITH SUPPORTERS TO ROYAL PALACE PEOPLE WALKING VARIOUS OF RAINSY PRAYING NEAR SHRINE AT ROYAL PALACE VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS PRAYING
- Embargoed: 30th September 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Cambodia
- Country: Cambodia
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA38RV7ODCVW3B0H1XPI342CAUU
- Story Text: Thousands marched through the streets of Phnom Penh Sunday (September 15) to a park where Cambodia's opposition party held a massive rally to protest alleged electoral fraud from parliamentary elections in July.
Cambodia National Rescue Party president (CNRP) Sam Rainsy lead the march as protesters carried banners reading, "where's my vote?" and "we need an independent truth committee".
"I have come to protest to demand my vote is returned to me, to find justice and for the creation of an independent committee," garment factory worker, Ream Ny said.
Another protester said a committee was needed to determine a result both sides could accept.
"I am not scared of the security at all. I woke up at 3 am this morning and came here to join hands with other people in order to create an independent committee to find justice, so that both sides can accept the election results, " Lim Nary said.
Rainsy addressed supporters at the park confirming CNRP would boycott the new parliament, which is scheduled to convene on September 23.
"The stance of CNRP, the stance of Kem Sokha and Sam Rainsy is that we will not join the National Assembly meeting due in September 23 as long as there is no solution to give justice to voters," he said.
Later, Rainsy manage to get through the police barricade which had been set up to prevent protesters reaching the Royal Palace and Cambodian prime minister's residence. He led protesters to a Buddhist shrine in front of the palace where they said prayers before leaving the area.
The rally is due to run from Sunday to Tuesday (September 17), though police have only granted protesters a one day rally permit.
The National Election Committee (NEC) says Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won 68 of the 123 seats in parliament, beating CNRP, which took 55.
The CNRP, however, says it won with 63 seats to the CPP's 60 and wants an independent investigation into the results.
The Constitutional Council, the country's highest court, which is under the influence of the CPP, has rejected calls for further investigations and said this week that people who failed to respect its decision could face up to a year in prison. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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