Senate president Hun Sen agreed to drop a lawsuit against senior opposition Candlelight Party Chea Poch after his declaration to secede from pro-democracy former opposition leader Sam Rainsy.
Hun Sen has previously issued a warning that he would dissolve Candlelight Party over alleged ties with former Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) leader Sam Rainsy, who founded the party, later renaming it Candlelight.
In March last year, government-aligned media Fresh News posted Chea Poch’s speech during the Candlelight Party’s youth meeting in Phnom Penh stating that his goal was to oust Hun Sen.
On April 23 this year, Poch, ex-Candlelight general treasurer and standing committee member, sent a letter of apology to the government, particularly former premier Hun Sen, expressing regret for his past actions.
He also apologized for using words that affected the process of development, peace and stability, while appealing to the court to drop the charges against him.
“I’ve decided to secede from Sam Rainsy and stop political activities with the former CNRP and the Candlelight Party […] because [their] belief in foreign policy, slander, insults and political rhetoric can’t lead to national reconciliation,” he said in his letter.
In response to Poch, Hun Sen agreed to drop his lawsuit and welcomed others who ended their ties with the “three-generation traitors,” which is a likely reference to Sam Rainsy, his father Sam Sary and grandfather Sam Nhean.
“In the spirit of national unity. I am pleased to accept your apology. I will ask my lawyer to withdraw the lawsuit from the court to end this case as soon as possible,” read Hun Sen’s post on Tuesday evening.
“We do not tolerate any person or group that continues to follow this traitor [Sam Rainsy]. We will continue to use the law to deal with any group or individuals who have insulted or slandered the party or me,” he added.
Political analyst Meas Nee said the Cambodian People’s Party’s (CPP) strategy is to reduce the strength of opposition party officials who have ties with Rainsy.
“They [opposition leaders] might not have a way out if they are still following opposition leader [Rainsy] because we now see the political situation at stake [as] they cannot negotiate with each other, and outsiders [politicians who left] have to find ways to return to their motherland,” Nee said.
Rainsy, who has been living in exile in France since late 2015, has evaded legal actions brought against him. In 2021, nine leaders of the outlawed CNRP, including Rainsy, were sentenced in absentia between 20 and 25 years in prison for their alleged roles in a 2019 coup d’etat.
Candlelight Party secretary-general Ly Sothearayuth said neither Poch’s resignation from the party or anyone else’s would affect the Candlelight’s popularity or hinder the implementation of political activities.
“It’s the right of individuals to continue or stop their involvement in politics or move to another party […] because [we] have many other members, officers and leaders, who are still with the party.
“Candlelight is not concerned because [we] have supporters, officers and leaders at the national and sub-national levels, including the grassroots level, who form the core of the party and are the driving force,” Sothearayuth said.
He added that Candlelight Party and Khmer Will Party have been strengthening and expanding the party structure nationwide.
Ruling CPP spokesperson Sok Eysan said they welcomed former opposition party members who broke up from the “rebel group” even though they criticized the ruling party previously.
“In the past, hundreds of people, especially activists in Candlelight and former CNRP, have returned to live in society. This is the result of CPP’s national unification policy which has Samdech Techo Hun Sen as its president,” Eysan said.
He pointed out that ex-CNRP lawmaker Kong Saphea also recently appealed to Prime Minister Hun Manet to intervene in his case for a royal pardon.
Government lawyer Ky Tech declined to comment, while Phnom Penh municipal court spokesperson Plang Sophal could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, Sam Rainsy did not respond to questions via email and opposition party spokesperson Kimsour Phearith could not be reached for comment.
