Balanced News: Cambodia’s Hun Sen ramps up efforts to bring political opponents to heel

The Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen, is continuing efforts to compel political opposition figures to back his ruling Cambodian People’s Party ahead of general elections in July. Activists from the Candlelight Party – the main challenger to the ruling party – say authorities are defacing and stealing party signs and billboards, and police are monitoring their meetings. Candlelight Party activists in almost all provinces have reported cases of intimidation and harassment, party spokesman Kim Sour Phirith said. Police and local authorities have threatened those who join the party, saying they will take away their state-issued poverty cards that allow struggling families to collect about 176,000 riels, or US $43 per month, to buy dry food ingredients and products with long shelf lives. Su Yean, deputy chairman of the party’s executive committee in Tbong Khmum province, said authorities directly and indirectly threatened him and others amid an increase of harassment of the party’s leaders and activists in