Opposition leader Sam Rainsy told supporters Friday that the goal of his party remains the same: to change the current regime.
The president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party has worked to assure his supporters that the party is working for change, following a political deal last month that ended an opposition boycott and put 55 Rescue Party lawmakers in the National Assembly.
“Please, all of you, watch,” he told supporters in Kratie province. “We will reach our goal of change.”
Non-violent, peaceful solutions remain the goal of the party, he said.
Last month’s political deal came following violent clashes between Rescue Party supporters and Phnom Penh security personnel that left at least 50 people injured.
Independent political analyst Kem Ley said Sam Rainsy appears to be working “to calm down” his supporters, following 10 months of political boycott that saw violent protests.
Meanwhile, change in Cambodia will have to come from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party “itself,” Kem Ley said. “Every system is controlled by a ruling party,” he said, and they can be hard to change.