Cambodia police break out hundreds of people by bullets and smoke grenades

Phnom Penh (September 15, 2013): Police on Sunday night fired in the air and through smoke grenades on the street to stop thousands of people trying to cross a sky way in Phnom Penh, eyewitnesses say.

New Youth reporter who is also at the scene now says police have blocked the skyway as they think that the people might join the rally of the opposition party — Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). Hundreds of gunshots have been heard and at least three smoke grenades have been thrown near a gasoline station. Several Armored Personnel Carrier and armed forces have been beefed up to confront with thousands of people now. Not yet report on injury.

Cambodia has been in political crisis between the ruling and opposition parties since July 28 national election. Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) wins 68 out of 123 parliamentary seats and CNRP gets 55 seats.

The CNRP has rejected the results saying that its party’s results have been stolen and alleged National Election Committee (NEC) as the thief who helped steal the election results for CPP.

King Norodom Sihamoni on Saturday officially recognised the controversial results, paving the way for Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) to rule the country for the next five years.

During a close door and rush meeting on Saturday morning at the Royal Palace between Prime Minister Hun Sen and CNRP leader Sam Rainsy, the King handed over invitation letters to the two political foes to kick off the first meeting of the National Assembly on September 23, 2013.

However, CNRP leaders on Sunday have led some three hundreds of thousands of protesters in the Freedom Park in Phnom Penh for mass demonstration and they denied the King’s invitation. They also called all candidates of the national assembly members from CNRP not to join the meeting on September 23. Ly Bela (Cambodia News/ New Youth)