U.S. lawmakers have sent a clear signal to Cambodian leaders that they have to reverse course on limiting democracy or face consequences.
“The passage of the Cambodia Democracy Act is an important step toward holding Prime Minister Hun Sen and his cronies accountable for continuing to trample on the rights of the Cambodian people,” said Congressman Steve Chabot, a Republican from Ohio.
Republican Congressman Ted Yoho of Florida introduced the bill in January after Cambodian authorities
Cambodia expressed its regret for the passage of the legislation.
“U.S. politicians’ intention on Cambodia always doomed to fail,” government spokesman Phay Siphan told VOA Khmer. “This legislation only aims to destroy democracy that Cambodia continues to strengthen that starts from election rights for the people. Secondly, this legislation aims to destroy efforts to build relationship and cooperation between the two peoples.”
Cambodia’s senate called the bill “an interference into Cambodian affairs.”
Democratic Congressman Alan Lowenthal of California said, “We’ve talked about how unhappy we are with him (Hun Sen) for getting rid of democracy, of keeping under house arrest Kem Sokha and exiling Sam Rainsy.”
Lowenthal continued, “We have spoken out. … Now, it’s the time to act.”
Yoho said, “This is a step showing that America believes that the people of Cambodia should have democracy. … It’s a step in the right direction to put pressure on the people that are denying them of that. From Hun Sen down to his army generals — the people that are blocking free speech in that country and fair and open elections.”
Further legislative steps
The bill is now in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Lawmakers hope the Senate passes it and sends it to President Donald Trump to sign later this year.
“This bill sends a clear message that the United States stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Cambodia, and that the Congress will hold Cambodia’s leaders accountable for their assault on democracy and violations of human rights,” New York Democratic Congressman Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told the House floor.
After Cambodia’s highest court dissolved the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), the main opposition, Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party won the 2018 elections, creating what is in effect, a one-party system because the high court also banned 118 officials from politics for five years. CNRP leader