PHNOM PENH, Cambodia Oct 21, 2006 (AP)— The head of Cambodia's royalist party, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, was ousted this past week in favor of his less regal brother-in-law. But the dispute's real winner is the country's now undisputed strongman, Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Hun Sen, who has held or shared the prime minister's post since 1985, was the main force behind the Funcinpec party's decision to dump Ranariddh.
Besides sending Ranariddh to what may well be political obscurity, Hun Sen has boosted the chances of his ruling Cambodian People's Party in upcoming elections, says Hang Puthea, executive director of independent Cambodian election monitoring group Nicfec.
"The CPP already commanded the political advantage even without Funcinpec splitting. So, it is going to remain ahead after Funcinpec is broken into pieces," he said.
In a remarkable political career, Hun Sen rose from a peasant background to a Khmer Rouge military commander and then defected to join a Vietnamese-installed communist government that had ousted the ultra-revolutionaries. He reinvented himself as a brilliant tactician critics would say ruthless manipulator in Cambodia's fledgling democratic arena.
On Wednesday, Funcinpec voted to remove Ranariddh, saying his long absences from the country left him unable to lead the party, the junior partner in Hun Sen's government.
The decision at a special party congress came after Hun Sen called on Funcinpec to toss out Ranariddh.
Ranariddh, speaking by telephone from France on Thursday, said it was "crystal clear" that his removal was the direct result of Hun Sen's Sept. 17 suggestion.
The prince accused the top officials in the new party leadership of betrayal and claimed that many Funcinpec members were forced to attend the congress.
Ranariddh took over Funcinpec from his father, retired King Norodom Sihanouk.
He said is considering taking Funcinpec to court over his ouster and pursuing plans to set up a new party. Two parties could split the royalist vote in April's local elections and general elections in 2008.
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Date: 10/21/2006
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Author: ABCNEWS
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