Cambodian PM defends role, says constitution does not give power to monarchy
Jun 24, 2005, 9:45 GMT
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has spoken to reporters in Phnom Penh after a cabinet meeting on 24 June, Cambodian TV reported in a 15 minute segment after its 0500 gmt newscast.
Hun Sen began by responding to the "repeated statements by some people" according to which Hun Sen has staged "a constitutional coup, a coup against the king". Hun Sen then referred to the "amendment of a royal decree in 1996", "signed by His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk, who was king at that time" to conform to the situation at that time concerning the national authority on border issues.
Hun Sen said: "This is the point I'd like to stress. First of all, I ought to tell the following to those who issued various statements. You are not finger-sucking kids. You can look up the constitution dealing with the government's competence. You can look up the laws on the establishment and the functioning of the cabinet. Then you will understand what the government's power consists of and what the government should do. There is no need for anyone to give me additional power; and there is no need for anyone to reduce my power, because this is the power given me by the constitution. I don't need anyone to add or snatch away [changes thought] even if they want to take it, they cannot do so; they cannot do it. So, before making any comment relating to the power of the prime minister or that of the government, one should clearly check about this power as stipulated in the constitution and in the laws regulating the establishment and functioning of the cabinet. I think these people are not finger-sucking kids; and they are not animals either, they are human beings. However, if they did not understand this point, they are certainly animals, and pathetic ones at that. They are pathetic animals."
Continuing, Hun Sen referred to a statement issued by a certain association which said that "the government has staged a power coup in violation of the Supreme National Council on Border Affairs [SNCBA]. They said this SNCBA is the highest institution because in it there are the former king, the representatives of the Senate, the National Assembly, the government and the three parties in the National Assembly. Thus, this is the highest institution. To this, I'd like to say the following. Regardless of the representative of the king, even the representatives of the National Assembly, the Senate, the prime minister and the three parties, even if the king himself were [SNCBA] chairman, or the National Assembly president were [SNCBA] chairman; the Senate president as vice-chairman; the prime minister as member, and the three parties doing the work themselves, they do not have power to overrule the National Assembly or the government. Why? Because this is not stipulated in the constitution. This is not in the constitution. Gentlemen, this is an appointment by a royal decree. Even if the king were [SNCBA] chairman, he could only give his view. And even if I were member of that commission, all I could do was to give views to the government. Don't raise this argument that because this institution has in it the king [changes thought] the king's representative, the National Assembly, the Senate, the three parties, [changes thought] the Royal Government, therefore this institution is the biggest. This cannot be so because the constitution does not talk about this. This is the first point I'd like to stress.
"Another point. One should clearly understand Cambodia's constitution. Article seven says this: The king reigns but does not rule. And Article 17 further says this: The provision as stated in the first clause of Article 7 saying that the king shall reign but shall not govern, absolutely shall not be amended, if I am not mistaken of what is in the constitution. Please look this up. And this point, His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk wrote it himself in Pyongyang. I worked on this with other colleagues. Now, you are demanding power for the king's representative, namely for His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk, the representative of the king, as chairman of the border council. You are demanding power for the former king, who is the king's representative. I'd like to give this clarification back. Don't talk about demanding power and handing it over to the former king, to the king's representative, even demanding power and giving it to the king was also wrong, also against the constitution."
Hun Sen went on to say that: "In fact the king and the king's representative have not demanded power. Sycophants are really the ones making this demand. Let me stress this.
Cambodia is not Nepal where the king rules and has dissolved the government and is taking over power himself. Cambodia is not Nepal and the Cambodian king is not power-greedy like the current Nepalese monarch. And even if [he wanted to do so], it cannot be done because the constitution does not allow it. If anyone wanted to do this, I owed it [changes thought] at any price I will defend the Cambodian constitution. So, this front of Sut Dina [leader of Ronakse Chuncheat Khmer Party that took part in the latest Cambodian general election], please stage a demonstration somewhere and confirm the intention of handing over power. Go ahead; I ask that these people go to a place in order [changes thought] I want them to assemble in one area. However, before doing this, please look up the constitution, articles 7 and 17. Do not talk about demanding the handing over of power, you don't even have the right to demand the amendment of the constitution. Let me reiterate.
Cambodia is not Nepal where the king dissolved the government and took over power himself. The Cambodian king is not like the current Nepalese monarch. And the government is the one carrying out things. I don't need anyone to give me extra power because this is already stated in the constitution and the laws on the establishment and functioning of the cabinet."
Hun Sen also mentioned the view of "Dr Lao Mong Hay" on "the consultative role" of the border council while the government is the one doing things, adding "the power is in fact in the National Assembly. All treaties signed by the government have to be ratified by the National Assembly. Once they ratified them, the National Assembly will submit them to the king for ratification."
Hun Sen also reiterated that giving power to the SNCBA is not stipulated in the constitution. Concluding, Hun Sen said: "Let me stress this. There are no two governments in Cambodia. And there are also no two kings; one is the former king, the other is king. And the former king is the king's representative in the SNCBA, which is a consultative organ."
Hun Sen finally said: "People are creating a confusing framework that should not be condoned. And I stressed this in my language: I will defend the constitution at any price." Hun Sen added: "Do not talk about demanding power for the king's representative, even demanding power for the current king is also against the constitution, Articles 7 and 17. Therefore, this cannot be done."
Source: Television Kampuchea, Phnom Penh, in Cambodian 0000 gmt 24 Jun 05
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Copyright 2005 BBC Monitoring Service distributed by United Press International
