‘The Rule of Murderers and Thieves’

How is this campaign different from the last three?
There is less killing, less violence and more subtle tricks to disenfranchise. Many people's names are not on the voter rolls. All of the government's supporters will have the right to vote--and they have "ghost voters" to inflate those numbers--but many others will not be able to vote.

What do you expect to happen on Election Day?
The [ruling People's Party] will organize something very exceptional; otherwise their result will be very bad. So they threaten and buy off party agents [party appointees who help monitor the election], so that they turn a blind eye to cheating. This leads to another problem: there are a few hundred international observers for 15,000 polling and ballot-counting stations; how can they guarantee a fair election?

The final results depend on the degree of manipulation. If we can prevent, resist or overcome this, we will have more votes than last time. But in the end, if they use violence, manipulation and money to buy party agents and neutralize observers, they can proclaim any result that they want.

Is your campaigning causing you trouble in Cambodian courts?
There are lawsuits accusing me of insulting the country's leaders. I publicized a report by [environmental watchdog] Global Witness that was banned in Cambodia because it describes some leaders as "thieves." So I said: "Our leaders are thieves, according to Global Witness." I mentioned it, so I may be liable to five fines of up to 10 million riels [$2,410 each]. But people who steal from the country are thieves.

Hun Sen recently said that he had stopped talking to the opposition because they only insult him.
If Hun Sen doesn't talk to the opposition, I don't mind. As long as he doesn't kill the opposition.

Why is Hun Sen still prime minister after a quarter century?
He is clever and very gifted. He is a survivor, but survival means there is no vision. You eliminate or weaken opponents, but he is leading the country nowhere. This can't last forever. There is growing unemployment, accelerating inflation, ongoing land grabs, continuing poverty, the using-up of natural resources. There are economic crimes and impunity for violent crimes and assassinations. It is the rule of murderers and thieves.