“CALD is Solidarity in Action” – Sam Rainsy

Sam Rainsy, an exiled Member of Parliament from Cambodia, is the new Chair of CALD.  His election was ratified by the CALD General Assembly which recently convened in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 9-10 March 2012.  A day before the General Assembly, the CALD Executive Committee endorsed the assumption of Sam Rainsy Party as the new CALD Chair-Party.  The position of CALD Chair rotates amongst the network’s full members every two years.

In his acceptance speech, Sam Rainsy laid out his strategic vision for CALD: “CALD is solidarity in action.  In the next two years as CALD Chair-Party, the Sam Rainsy Party will strive to further strengthen and deepen the bonds amongst CALD members, and even extend our reach to other like-minded political parties, towards our goal of forging a more liberal and democratic Asian region.”  He also identified the main issues and challenges being confronted by CALD member parties in their respective countries, and how could CALD be of assistance by either expressing its support and encouragement, or by being a voice of dissent and condemnation.

In Cambodia, there is no doubt on what role CALD should play, Sam Rainsy said.  He described Cambodia as “arguably the most democratically backward country in the Southeast Asian region” where the opposition is routinely persecuted in order to preserve the totalitarian hold of Hun Sen, now the world’s longest ruling dictator.  He noted that he has been on self-imposed exile in Paris for a year now because of the threat he and his party posed to the dominance of Hun Sen’s ruling party.

Sam Rainsy will serve as CALD Chair until 2014.  He previously served in the same capacity in 2000-2002.

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