Protest in Cambodia

Diverse protesters march against Cambodia’s authoritarian leader

Vote-rigging claim hangs over longtime authoritarian leader


PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators marched through Phnom Penh yesterday, a major act of defiance against the nearly three-decade rule of Cambodia’s authoritarian prime minister, Hun Sen.

The procession, which was peaceful and stretched for several miles through a commercial district of the Cambodian capital, brought together diverse protesters: Buddhist monks, garment workers, farmers and supporters of the main opposition party.

They were united in their calls for Hun Sen to step down; their chants — such as “Hun Sen! Get Out!” — echoed down the broad avenue where they marched.

In July, Hun Sen’s party claimed victory in elections that the opposition and many independent monitoring organizations said were deeply flawed.

Hun Sen formed a government despite growing protests by the opposition, which has boycotted Parliament and is calling for new elections.

Cambodia’s political stalemate and protest movement have been somewhat overshadowed by the turmoil in nearby Thailand, where anti-government demonstrators are rallying to block elections and install a “people’s council” to govern the country during what they describe as a hiatus from democracy.

But some analysts in Cambodia describe the past few months as a watershed for Cambodian society, which for years has been dominated by the highly personalized rule of Hun Sen. His party has tight control over major institutions in the country, including the army, the police, the judiciary and much of the news media.

Protesters blocking traffic and marching through downtown remain a jarring sight.

For years, the main message from the government has been that people should be grateful for the unity and development that Hun Sen has brought to Cambodia after many years of war.




One woman who took part in the march yesterday, Meng Phang, 59, shouted to onlookers, including stone-faced police officers, that “Hun Sen and his family are getting richer, but everyone else is getting poorer.”