Cambodia opposition urges PM to resign

Tens of thousands of Cambodians, backed by striking workers, have taken to the streets of Phnom Penh, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Leader of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, Sam Rainsy, has censured the long-serving prime minister and vowed to push ahead with protests in the coming days.

“Hun Sen and his illegal government can hear us, they can’t ignore us, the people show their will for change,” he said on Sunday, addressing protesters who have been camping out in a Phnom Penh park since December 15.

Cambodian workers of the garment industry, one of the country’s major sources of income, have also joined the protests to push the government to improve working conditions and increase the minimum monthly wage of $95.

“The new minimum wage is not acceptable to workers so there must be talks on the demand for $160,” said Chea Mony, the president of the Free Trade Union, which is the country’s biggest labor union.

The current protests have greatly affected Cambodian industry as more than one third of factories have closed because of the workers’ strike.

Cambodian economy has experienced dramatic growth under Hen Sen’s government, but his 28-year rule is condemned as authoritarian and corrupt by many human rights activists.

The tense political situation in Cambodia was sparked in July after Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party won a controversial election. The opposition accused the government of vote-rigging and rejected the poll results.