Cambodian opposition plans Burma caucus

May 11, 2006 (Irrawaddy) - The main Cambodian opposition Sam Rainsy Party on Thursday said it wanted to make Cambodia the latest Asean country to establish a domestic inter-parliamentary caucus on Burma in an attempt to promote reform in Rangoon.

Opposition Member of Parliament Son Chhay-the only Cambodian member of the Asean-wide Inter-parliamentary Myanmar Caucus-said he expects to meet Prime Minister Hun Sen next week in a bid to gain support from the ruling Cambodian People's Party. If the prime minister backs the move, the SRP says it hopes to establish the caucus in September with a seminar in Phnom Penh bringing together various stakeholders in Burma 's future.

"I want to do more on Burma ," Son Chhay said on Thursday. " Cambodia is a good example [for Burma ]...we have similar problems."

The leader of the SRP, Sam Rainsy, on Wednesday backed his fellow party member's initiative, saying it was time for Cambodia to show it was serious about democratic reform, both domestically and within the region.

"I'm ashamed of the Cambodian government for being so complacent with the military regime...over the last ten years," Rainsy told The Irrawaddy.

He did however note that Phnom Penh had shown signs that it was prepared to reverse its policy of maintaining silence on Burma , most notably at the end of January when Foreign Minister Hor Namhong issued a strongly worded statement pushing the regime to receive Asean envoy Syed Hamid Albar in Rangoon.

The possibility that Cambodia may become more vocal on Burma is symbolic given that both countries were among the last to join Asean. Cambodia joined in 1999.

Sam Rainsy on Wednesday quoted Hun Sen as saying recently that Cambodia must distance itself from the junta if it is to progress within Asean, a suggestion also made by Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo this year.

Cambodia would follow Malaysia , the Philippines and, most recently, Indonesia in becoming the fourth member of Asean to establish a domesticcaucus on Burma.