Ranariddh Party Continues Push for Pardon
The party of the exiled prince has two National Assembly seats to leverage in a bid to bring its leader home. (04 September 2008)
The Norodom Ranariddh Party is pushing Prime Minister HunSen to pardon its exiled leader, offering to bring its two National Assemblyseats in line with the ruling party in exchange, officials said Thursday. The Norodom Ranariddh Party won two seats in the election,and if it sides with the opposition, it will create a block of 31 NationalAssembly votes capable of drafting motions critical of the government. Without the Norodom Ranariddh Party, the opposition SamRainsy and Human Rights parties can only muster 29 votes, one vote short underthe constitution of drafting critical legislation or forwarding motions to callgovernment officials to answer policy questions before the Assembly. Prince Norodom Ranariddh faces an 18-month prison sentenceand a fine of $150,000 if he returns to Cambodia, on breach of trustcharges stemming from the sale of Funcinpec party headquarters in 2006, when hewas president of the party. The Norodom Ranariddh Party has requested a pardon from KingNorodom Sihamoni, but royal officials say the king has sought agreement for apardon from Hun Sen. NRP spokesman Suth Dina said Thursday the party's two seatshave political value for the ruling Cambodian People's Party to help it avoid problemsfrom the opposition. "If Prince Ranariddh joins in the opposition alliance,it will make trouble for the CPP, because we have more than 30 elements tocriticize the government," he said. "We believe that the CPP,especially Prime Minister Hun Sen, will not let the prince stay with theopposition and will pardon the prince, for returning home." Suth Dina did not say Thursday whether the Norodom RanariddhParty was ready to join the opposition coalition. The party broke with theopposition by accepting the legitimacy of the election shortly after the polls. Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Thursday theprince cannot be pardoned. "The court sentenced him already," he said."But the king and the prime minister can ask the court to suspend theprince's guilty sentence, and then the prince can go back home."