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Cambodian gov't condemns violence injuring 2 opposition lawmakers

Xinhua, October 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Cambodian government on Tuesday condemned an act of violence outside the parliament on Monday that left two opposition lawmakers seriously injured.

Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) lawmakers Nhay Chamroeun and Kong Sakphea were assaulted on Monday at noon outside the parliament by a small group of people, just an hour after a demonstration held to demand CNRP deputy leader Kem Sokha to step down as the parliament's first vice president ended.

"The spokesman for the government expresses deep regret for the violence," said a statement issued Tuesday. "The government strongly condemns this act of violence."

The statement said the government has ordered the Ministry of Interior to launch an urgent investigation into the case in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Thousands of protesters rallied outside the parliament on Monday morning to urge Kem Sokha to resign from the post of the parliament's first vice president. They accused Kem Sokha of inciting unrest and racial hatred.

Kem Sokha has become the parliament's first vice president after Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the CNRP struck a political agreement on July 22, 2014. Under the deal, the CNRP ended its 10-month long boycott of the parliament following the disputed 2013 elections in exchange for parliamentary power sharing and electoral reform.

In the elections, the CPP won 68 parliamentary seats against 55 seats for the CNRP in the 123-seat parliament. Enditem