A wing and a prayer

A wing and a prayer

The Phnom Penh Post – September 3, 2013

The opposition’s mass protests scheduled for September 7 will take on a decidedly subdued tone, the party announced yesterday, with the thousands of anticipated participants taking part in a nationwide ceremony of prayer and “contemplation”.

Though Cambodia National Rescue Party leaders painted the decision as assenting to a letter from King Norodom Sihamoni calling for peace and calm – a move lauded by some analysts – others saw the tactic as softening the CNRP’s stance and robbing the party of its momentum.

“What we are calling a non-violent and peaceful demonstration would have the spirit of a ceremony of contemplation and prayer throughout the country,” opposition president Sam Rainsy said at a press conference yesterday morning.

“We must follow the King’s royal idea,” he added. “So we must not do anything that causes unrest. But we have the belief that there will be no unrest, no violence affecting public order.”

Rainsy went on to say that the demonstration – which will continue to call for the formation of an independent body to investigate election irregularities – will be held from 8am to 11am at Freedom Park, and added that the CNRP had called on those who participate in the ceremony to foreswear violent means.

He also admonished attendees not to carry anything that could be used as a weapon but rather to carry candles, incense and flowers.

And though Rainsy also insisted that supporters would “understand” the change of tack, young political blogger Ou Ritthy said that a three-hour ceremony of prayer and contemplation would be “pointless, actually”.

“I find the CNRP’s stance very hopeless because I don’t see any change after a peaceful prayer and meditation session,” he said yesterday, suggesting that civil disobedience – such as workers and civil servants boycotting their posts – would be more effective.

“The CNRP appeared to have this kind of non-violent approach, but they have changed,” he said. “The CNRP is slowly making the supporters become pessimistic and hopeless with the leaders.”

Political analyst Lao Mong Hay, however, said the new approach could “make political progress” and noted the parallels between the government training police in crowd control as the opposition trained supporters in non-violence. “[They] are playing a game of cat and mouse,” he said.

Kem Ley, another political analyst, also applauded the demonstration’s tone, and said it could send a positive message to local authorities.

“This is a very good strategy because it is safe,” he said. “This is a new thing for nationwide demonstrations.… It is a very good decision to teach the current decision-makers, to teach the public service providers, that demonstrations are not bad.”

See a complete story here.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/wing-and-prayer-0