#Cambodia, Lawfare State

Brutal Buddies

Press crackdowns, sweeping away of opposition as Hun Sen consolidates power and helps build a bloc of illiberal, pro-China states in Southeast Asia. “Whatever Mr Hun Sen wants, he gets. People are so fearful”

"Analysis: Cambodia’s government learns the art of ‘lawfare’," Phnom Penh Post, 9 Oct Completely by the book, Cambodia's leadership swiftly legislates opposition out of existence. “What [Hun Sen] wants to say is that we use legitimate power . . . and if the law still has loopholes, we will draft some laws, because when we win, we can do whatever we want” [link]

"Cambodia heads towards one-party state – and a democratic crisis," Asia Times, 15 Oct Rule by law, not of law: The CPP has continually snipped away at democratic protections since 1993. They maintain that only their continued rule can forestall a civil war. Except that their very action are destroying confidence in elections and the state [link]

"AS ANTI-US FEELING GROWS IN CAMBODIA, CHINA CASHES IN," South China Morning Post, 15 Oct The crackdown is being accompanied by a wave of anti-US propaganda as China pours in replacement capital [link]