Cambodia Reacts to Opposition Plan, Asserts Nation's Sovereignty
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10 November 2019 11:47 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Reacting to the plan of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) leaders to return home, Cambodia’s Ambassador to Indonesia Hor Nambora has stated that protecting the country’s sovereignty, security and stability are paramount.
"When we are talking about the opposition, we are also talking about something I called the 'three s' which are sovereignty, security and stability," Nambora said at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Complex in Jakarta, Friday.
Nambora was at the ministry complex in response to the summons of the Director General of Protocol and Consular of Indonesia Foreign Affairs Ministry, Andri Hadi, but refused to share the detail of their meeting.
The plan of the opposition leaders was confirmed by exiled Vice President of CNRP, Mu Sochua, at a press conference two days before, on Wednesday, November 6, in Jakarta.
For the last four years, Acting President of CNRP, Sam Rainsy, has been exiled in France and was scheduled to return home through the land route of Thailand's border on Cambodia's 66th Independence Day on November 9.
In response, Cambodia current regime under the Hun Sen administration has stationed armed troops along the border to stop what it calls a "coup attempt."
Some 48 opposition activists have been arrested this year over accusations of attempting to overthrow the regime before Rainsy's return, as reported by Reuters.
Also, Rainsy and Sochua have been threatened with arrest once they enter Cambodia.
"When you want to take over the legal government, when you want to arrest the prime minister, when you want to ask the king to abdicate, that is a coup," Nambora emphasized.
"So this is not an Opposition. They want a revolution in Cambodia and create a certain kind of republic of Cambodia in the future," he added.
The move of the CNRP leaders contradicted the government’s will to develop the nation, Nambora alleged.
"I invite you to see for yourself Cambodia's development. Cambodia without the current leadership, without stability and security, would not be Cambodia today," he noted.
ANTARA
