US promises ‘concrete steps’ as Cambodia bans opposition ahead of elections
Phnom Penh — The US promised "concrete steps" against Cambodia, and the EU threatened vital trade preferences, after the Cambodian supreme court banned the main opposition party ahead of elections at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen. The ban on the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) followed the arrest of its leader, Kem Sokha, for treason, who presented Hun Sen with a major electoral challenge after more than three decades in power. Kem is accused of plotting to take power with American help. Hun’s critics called the CNRP dissolution an attempt to steal the election and the death knell for democracy. Western donors have spent billions of dollars since 1993 trying to build a multi-party system following decades of war. "On current course, next year’s election will not be legitimate, free or fair," a White House statement said, promising to take "concrete steps". The first of those was to end support for the Cambodian National Election Committee ahead of the 2018 election, it...
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