Cambodia hits back at US over opposition party ban

Cambodia on Friday hit back at critics of its ban on the country's main opposition, calling the United States "ringleaders" of an alleged coup plot by the party and threatening to build closer ties with Russia and China. The row emerged after Cambodia's Supreme Court, effectively controlled by strongman premier Hun Sen, outlawed the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) and banned more than 100 of its politicians Thursday, accusing the party of attempting to overthrow the government.
Washington, along with the European Union, demanded Cambodia reverse the ban and warned the dissolution of the party was a setback for democracy that would strip next year's elections of legitimacy. But a spokesman for Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) said Friday the decision to dissolve the CNRP was in line with the law, adding the country would be fine without US support. "If the EU and US won't assist us, there are countries like Russia, China, Japan and South Korea who would help us continue the democracy," Sok Eysan told AFP, calling Washington the "ringleaders" of CNRP's alleged coup plans.
Washington has previously rejected Cambodia's allegations of American involvement in plotting to oust the government as baseless. Cambodia faced a chorus of condemnation from the US, EU and the United Nations following Thursday's ruling that essentially allows Hun Sen's party to run uncontested in 2018 polls. The CNRP is the country's only viable opposition party, and it nearly unseated the CPP in 2013 elections.
The Supreme Court verdict is the culmination of a strangling of dissent in Cambodia, with CNRP president Kem Sokha jailed for treason in September as part of a crackdown that has also seen media outlets shuttered, journalists jailed and activists harassed.
The United States called for the Cambodian government to "undo its recent actions against the CNRP (and) release imprisoned CNRP leader Kem Sokha" in a statement from the White House. "On current course, next year's election will not be legitimate, free, or fair," the statement said, adding the US would pull support for Cambodia's National Election Committee.