“In politics, there must be talks on a solution so that no one loses face,” Sopheap said in an interview during which he announced he would again seek to be Cambodia’s political peacemaker.
Wealthy 44-year-old Soy Sopheap is the presenter of Boyon TV, which is run by Hun Sen’s daughter, Hun Man. Publishes a newspaper God Ampiland is seen as Hun Sen’s messenger.
He also has the ear of the exiled Sam Rainsy.
The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, Rhona Smith, is worried concerning the breakdown of political dialogue and incidents of violence and intimidation.
In October, two members of Sam Rainsy’s Cambodia National Salvation Party (CNRP) were severely beaten outside parliament. A couple of days later, CNRP vice-president Kem Sokha was removed as deputy speaker of parliament in a vote boycotted by the CNRP.
“Any intensification of current events could push Cambodia to a dangerous tipping point,” Smith said in a press release.
Solid economic growth and peace after a long time of civil war, including Pol Pot’s 1975–79 “killing fields,” ensured Hun Sen’s continued re-election. But Hun Sen has been on the defensive because the disputed 2013 election, when he was stunned by the CNRP’s success and growing support amongst urban youth.
Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won in 2013, however the CNRP accused her party of vote rigging and boycotted parliament for a 12 months. A political truce in 2014 ended the boycott, but that agreement collapsed in July and relations between Hun Sen and Rainsy deteriorated.
Rainsy himself is back in self-imposed exile after an arrest warrant was issued for him on November 12 in reference to an old libel case for which he had already received a royal pardon.
Cambodian authorities charged him with forgery and incitement over a Facebook post a couple of border treaty with Vietnam. The charges carry a penalty of 12 years in prison.
The Facebook post was seen as criticizing Hun Sen, whom the CNRP often portrays as Hanoi’s puppet.
Sopheap gave few details on how he would persuade Cambodia’s two primary political rivals to iron out their differences, but said he had contacted Sam Rainsy and advised him to not return yet.
“Rainsy himself may have to apologize for the sake of the party and the country, there is nothing wrong with that. What can you lose and what can you gain by apologizing?” Sopheap said.
However, Hun Sen’s party shows no appetite for an agreement, demanding that Sam Rainsy serve a jail sentence.
“It is too late to apologize,” said CPP spokesman Sok Eysan. “Sam Rainsy began the hearth, so now he’s taking within the smoke.”
