Cambodia’s ruling party in a loud voice claims landslide victory in the one-sided general elections of the country. Well, it is well speculated that all his powers will be transferred to his son. Hun Sen the current Prime Minister of Cambodia and the main head of Cambodia People’s Party(CPP) has faced no viable opposition, although the government is rather criticised for the way it has started a crackdown against its rival opposition from long back.
Hun Sen stated after serving for almost 38 years for the country he will transfer his powers to his eldest son, Gen. Hun Manet. The only viable opposition Candlelight Party was disqualified in May this year on the grounds of registration inconsistency. According to various publications, there are as many as 17 parties against the CPP but none has the power to be strongly against them, rather this shows the power of Hun Sen’s politics since the end of Khmer Rouge’s devastated rule. Â
CPP presently has 125 seats in all the seats of the national assembly making them the strongest and the single party in the cabinet and in future going towards Dynastic rule of politics. 9.7 million people cast their vote on Sunday out of 16.6 million population.
Cambodia’s human rights and Khmer Rouge
Well Hun Sen is the prime minister presently, but people should also know he was also a member of the Khmer Rouge, he fought for them during the Cambodian Civil War and was battalion Commander in the battle and part of Democratic Kampuchea! Khmer Rouge took control of the country and ruled it till 1979.Â
In power, their policies were a site of criticism and produced ultimate repression and massacres on a humongous scale. Around 2 million people were killed and the detention centers which were set up were converted to Graveyards in a horrific state. Being an orthodox communist, Maoist more precisely, their radical policies were terrifying. They wanted to convert their society into a rural, classless society.Â
To achieve this feat! They abolished free trade markets, religious practices, privatization, universities, traditional cultural practice, basic human rights etc. Everyone was forced into an agriculture-based economy and everyone was required to produce more mainly and only rice.
The Hun Sen’s government has faced criticism both within the country and from international communities. Sex Trafficking and illegal logging have become very common, even backed by government members.Â
Security forces are accused of killing and torturing whoever raises a voice against the government. Women’s Rights and LGBT rights suffer discrimination naturally mostly in the form of family exclusion. Police target them for financial wealth, falsely charging them and collecting bribes. Hun Sen has 6 children(one deceased), the couple adopted a daughter in 1988 but legally disowned her on the charges of being lesbian in 2017!Â
Hackers link in Elections
Before the elections, various groups and journalists in Cambodia have reported large phishing attacks and hacking attempts, USA’s leading cybersecurity agency had warned the country linking the issue with the election which was held. One such Chinese group named TEMP targeted opposition leaders, human rights observers, and the Cambodian National Election Commission.
China, a close ally of Cambodia, has invested quite a lot in the country’s infrastructure, railways and military.
Prominent human rights group Licadho has been the supreme target for the hackers, a fake attempt was tried to sent a mail with the same official name and the same way of writing. The Cambodian Government has vowed strict activity against the groups and already arrested many for the same.
