EDITORIAL | Cambodia Ditches Democracy Promise with Sham Elections

What went wrong in Cambodia? The country seemed likely to choose the path of democratization with the support of the international community.

However, with the leading opposition parties excluded from participation, the recent general election in that country was neither fair nor legitimate. 

Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for 38 years, should take the international community's disappointment and condemnation seriously.

What Happened

The Cambodian People's Party (CPP), led by Hun Sen, swept all 125 seats in the National Assembly in the July 23 general election.

That was not because the CCP enjoys such widespread support. Rather, it was because the National Election Committee under the influence of the regime refused to allow leading opposition parties to register as political parties. Instead, it cited their supposed "failure to submit the required registration documents." 

The election law was also revised to prohibit calls to abstain or cast a blank ballot. 

This is the second time that such outright banning of the opposition has occurred. In 2017, the largest opposition party at that time was disbanded and its leader arrested. The following year, the ruling party won every single seat in the parliament.

A mere three days after last July's general election, Hun Sen announced he was resigning. He then reiterated his intent to pass power to his eldest son Hun Manet. The "overwhelming victory" in the election is nothing more than an obligatory "performance" to justify hereditary succession.

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International Reaction

A United States spokesperson criticized the election as a betrayal of the Cambodian government's international commitments to become a democracy. The US State Department said it was "troubled that the July 23 Cambodian national elections were neither free nor fair." In the same statement, it announced the US was suspending aid to the Southeast Asian country.

Moreover, it is considering restricting the issuance of visas to "individuals who undermine democracy."

In contrast, Japan simply offered a feeble, "We are watching the situation with concern."

Democracy Initiatives in Cambodia

The Khmer Rouge genocide led by Pol Pot and the civil war that followed lasted for two decades. Desirous of seeing democracy take root in Cambodia, the United Nations and Western nations provided that country with a great deal of aid. The first democratic elections took place exactly 30 years ago, under UN supervision.

Back then, at first, Japan participated in UN peacekeeping operations (PKO). However, two Japanese, a UN volunteer and a civilian police officer, were shot and killed. 

In the end, Cambodia became a constitutional monarchy after those early elections, and Norodom Sihanouk was reinstated as king.

Nevertheless, after that, Hun Sen turned his back on the support and expectations of the international community. He sought more and more power and became more and more oriented toward China.

Ignoring the current situation in Cambodia is to nullify all the efforts that have been made to date. That includes the legacy of the two Japanese men who offered their lives for a democratic Cambodia.

Japan should persist in extolling democratic values to Cambodia and intensify its efforts to reach out to the country.

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(Read the editorial in Japanese.)

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun

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