Hun Sen takes risks by arresting opposition leaders

Hun Sen takes risks by arresting opposition leaders

PHNOM PENH (DPA): Cambodian strongman Hun Sen's crackdown on opposition leaders and their pro-democracy supporters is a dangerous move that could cost him international legitimacy and essential foreign aid, diplomats said Monday.

Hun Sen on Monday ordered the arrest of main opposition leaders after a grenade attack on his Phnom Penh residence, jeopardizing Cambodia's move toward stability and economic development following a July 26 national election.

"He risks a lot of things by moving now on the opposition. It will be quite difficult to swallow given the security guarantees given to Rainsy and other people," said one Western diplomat. "It could be quite dangerous."

Western powers and Asian nations spent nearly a year mediating in Cambodia to ensure Hun Sen would hold the election after he staged a bloody coup in July 1997. Opposition candidates, including Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy, were allowed to return from self- exile to run in the poll.

Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party won the election, which has been widely endorsed as free and fair.

But Prince Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy, who finished second and third, rejected the results as rigged and vowed to block the new Parliament from convening this month to approve a Hun Sen-led government.

The opposition has since organized mass demonstrations and a sit- in opposite the Parliament building demanding authorities investigate their allegations of fraud.

Ranariddh and Rainsy also refused to budge during weekend talks hosted by Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk in Siem Reap, northern Cambodia, aimed at breaking the post-election deadlock and averting a constitutional crisis.

Hun Sen showed great restraint by allowing the protests because his election win would bring international legitimacy, foreign aid and Cambodia's United Nations seat. All three were lost when Hun Sen ousted Prince Ranariddh as co-premier in the coup.

However, everything is now in doubt after Hun Sen ordered the arrest of Rainsy and other opposition leaders after unknown assailants threw three grenades inside the compound of his home. Hun Sen blamed the opposition protests for inciting the violence, while Rainsy claims the government set up the attack as a pretext to stage a crackdown.

One Asian diplomat said the failure of the weekend meetings may have set Hun Sen off on what is now an extremely dangerous course.

"Hun Sen had been very cool to everything, and... the international community was slanting his way," the diplomat said. "Then suddenly this happens. If he takes drastic action, like he seems ready to, it could be very hard on everybody."