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| Burma opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (C) waves to the crowd as she leaves National League for Democracy (NLD) headquarters after addressing journalists and supporters in Yangon on April 2, 2012. (Photo: AFP) |
Wednesday, 04 April 2012
Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC
“It’s chronic among our Cambodian leaders to not learn from our own history.”
Cambodian opposition officials welcomed the elections in Burma over
the weekend that gave 43 of 44 contested seats to the party of
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, but they also said the voting demonstrates a need for change in Cambodia’s own political system.
Kem Sokha, leader of the Human Rights Party, said Cambodia must change its system, or “people today will turn toward uprisings for change.”
Burmese leaders faced international pressure to organize the election, he said. “In Cambodia, the ruling party has to show the international community that future elections are held in a free and fair manner.“
Despite the election, Burmese junta leaders remain squarely in power.
The National League for Democracy, which is led by Suu Kyi, does not
have enough seats to alter the constitution or change policy.
Nevertheless, opposition lawmaker Son Chhay said the election
signaled unprecedented change in the country and was welcomed by the
international community. It also signaled a willingness of Burmese leaders to progress.
“It’s chronic among our Cambodian leaders to not learn from our own history,” he said. “When
they hold power, they think about how to personally centralize power
and they forget their roles for the nation and the people. They think
only of mutual destruction for personal power.“
Cheam Yiep, a lawmaker for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party,
called it “normal” for smaller parties to criticize, but he added that
the current government was working to “strengthen democracy” in
Cambodia.
Cambodians go to the polls to elect local commune leaders in July and will elect parliamentary representatives next year.
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