Rainsy puts his faith in youth
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Says the 'Facebook generation' will eventually bring change to Cambodia
Cambodia’s major opposition leader Sam Rainsy has hopes that the general election yesterday will inspire young people to seek a change in his country, which has been ruled by strongman Hun Sen for nearly three decades.
Sam Rainsy, who heads the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), was kept out of national politics for four years before receiving a royal pardon for a controversial court conviction two weeks before the poll. He was welcomed back to Phnom Penh by young Cambodians from around the country.
Hundreds of his supporters were still cheering for him in front of the CNRP headquarters until late, after Rainsy gave a short final campaign speech at Democracy Square.
“I think it could be the beginning of people power in Cambodia, eventually they will succeed in toppling dictatorship” Rainsy said.
“It is the Facebook generation. Change that is occurring now in Cambodia is due to better information, communication, awareness through the Internet and Facebook”.
Despite being 64 years old, he manages to keep up with social media trends like using Facebook during the time in exile in France for four years.
“I have to adapt, what I have learnt is this modern technology is shaping politics in many countries including Cambodia, and it allows me to remain in touch with Cambodians all the time.”
He stressed that it was the first time in Cambodia youth was playing an important role in politics.
“Contrary to the Arab Spring, youth there has no political party, and they were disorganised. But in Cambodia, especially in this election, youth are associated with the opposition.”
He hopes this growing sentiment for a change in Cambodia will not turn into clashes and violence like what happened in Thailand. “I hope that Cambodians who suffered violence in the past, will realise and come together to implement peaceful solution”.
Despite Hun Sen’s CPP party, which seemed assured of victory prior to the counting, he said “the CNRP is entitled to lead the country, (than to play more active role as opposition) and the ruling party should be the opposition.”
Asked if opposition supporters reflected the majority of Cambodian people, he said: “Go and do a scientific sampling, the majority want a change in government.”
Rainsy’s “Change” campaign used a key word similar to Obama in 2008, but he insists he is not imitating him. “What I have in common with Obama is to give hope to the people, especially empowering young people.”
Sam Rainsy’s campaign platform also focused on boosting nationalist sentiment against the Vietnamese, and has been criticised as being racist by calling the Vietnamese “Yuons”.
“Ask the Thai people how they call the Vietnamese, they say Yuon, why not blame Thai people of being racist? We called them Yuon even before Vietnam existed, and in Thai you have “Khanom Yuon” (referring to the Thai savoury dish).
Asked what he would do first in the unlikely event he got the top post, Sam Rainsy said: “I would fight against corruption. The corruption in Cambodia is some of the worst in the world.
“Hun Sen wants to establish a dynasty like North Korea, but it is impossible to establish a political dynasty in the modern world.”
Asked if he would be forced into exile again, he said: “I think Cambodian people may force Hun Sen into exile”.
