Opposition SRP wants armed forces put under king's control

By Khmerization
Source: Kampuchea Thmey

  Mr. Son Chhay (pictured), Phnom Penh MP from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), said his party will transfer the military command to the king when his party wins the control of the government in the next elections, reports Kampuchea Thmey.

Speaking to the SRP's councillors in Kandal province on 6th March, Mr. Son Chhay said he had informed the king regarding this decision when he and a number of SRP officials had an audience with the king recently.

Currently, the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) is firmly in control of the police and armed forces. "When we win the election, if they (the CPP) control the army, we are dead", Son Chhay was quoted as telling the king.

Mr. Son Chhay said the king is a neutral figure and it is appropriate that he controls the armed forces. Mr. Son Chhay also wanted the king to control the judiciary as well to guarantee the independence and neutrality of the courts. He said, currently, the oppositions and the poor people are the victims of the corrupt and biased courts.

Mr. Tith Sothea, member of the government's Press Quick Reaction Unit, said Mr. Son Chhay's proposal to the king was inappropriate because Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy. He said the Cambodian king cannot control the army like the Thai king where even some royal advisors can give orders to the army which in the past have caused political chaos and turmoil in the country.

Mr. Cheam Yeap, the doyen of the CPP, said if the king controls the army then what is the role of the Defence Ministry? He said it is not important who controls the army because it is the parliament which will decide whether or not to declare wars, not the king. He also said that the present Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) comprised of troops from various factions of the former resistance movements of Mr. Son Sann's faction, Funcinpec faction and the Khmer Rouge movement. He added that only the SRP didn't have any troop numbers in the RCAF because Mr. Sam Rainsy himself did not have an army of his own prior to forming his own political party.