Sam Rainsy Party Joins Assembly Swear-In
Three lawmakers-elect of the Human Rights Party on Wednesday refused to join a ceremony to swear in members of parliament elected in Ju
Four political parties, including the opposition Sam RainsyParty, attended a swearing-in ceremony for a new government Wednesday, but theHuman Rights Party held fast to promises it would boycott, withholding threeelected lawmakers from the process. The attendance of Sam Rainsy Party lawmakers followed weeksof threats to boycott the ceremony, potentially threatening to deadlock to thegovernment or cost the opposition some positions in the Assembly. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy arrived at the NationalAssembly building in Phnom Penh's Chamkar Mon district early Wednesday morningfor the opening of the Assembly, with King Norodom Sihamoni presiding. Reporters were barred from the Assembly session, and SamRainsy declined to speak to reporters afterward. His party won 26 of 123National Assembly seats in July's election, second behind the 90 seats won bythe Cambodian People's Party. Sam Rainsy had said before Wednesday's session the electionhad been fraudulent and had called for a revote while threatening to withholdhis candidates from Wednesday's ceremony. Opposition lawmaker Son Chhay said lawmakers joined thegovernment on Wednesday after Prime Minister Hun Sen promised to have theopposition role officially recognized by the government and to provide a budgetfor opposition operations. Hun Sen addressed reporters Wednesday morning. "All political parties joined the meeting around the kingexcept the Human Rights Party of Kem Sokha,"Hun Sen said. "I promised to get the request by Sam Rainsy discussed inthe National Assembly ad hoc [committee] to be put in the internal rules." Human Rights Party lawmakers Kem Sokha, Yem Ponhearith andOu Chanrith stayed at their headquarters in Phnom Penh Wednesday morning,watching the Assembly ceremony on TV. "We are following a request from the voters to boycott," HRPPresident Kem Sokha said by phone. "The fourth legislative National Assembly meeting is a newopportunity in history for the legislative institution," King Norodom Sihamonitold incoming lawmakers, and it was imperative the Assembly hold Cambodia'sinterests above all others.