Marrakech, 11 November, 2006 – Liberal International, the world network of liberal and democratic parties, on 10 November awarded Sam Rainsy with its prestigious Prize for Freedom.
Sam Rainsy, leader of the Sam Rainsy Party in Cambodia, received the prize from Lord John Alderdice, president of Liberal International. Lord Alderdice praised Mr. Rainsy for his courageous and ongoing efforts to uphold democratic and liberal values in Cambodia under very difficult circumstances.
In his acceptance speech Mr. Rainsy considered it to be a great honour to ‘to be associated with great names such as Corazon Aquino, Vaclav Havel, Martin Lee and Aung San Suu Kyi.’
Circumstances for an opposition party in Cambodia are difficult indeed. Mr. Rainsy reminded his liberal friends of the fact that in the 11 years since the founding of the party, about seventy of his colleagues had been killed. Mr. Rainsy said:
‘I have attended too many funerals in my political life. In the meantime I have received a few prizes and awards such as the Heritage Foundation Prize in the US, the Passport for Freedom from the European Parliament, and now the LI’s Prize for Freedom. I would have preferred not to receive any prize at all if there had been no unnecessary funerals to attend.’
Despite all the setbacks and difficulties he encounters every day, Mr. Rainsy is still an optimistic man. He saw the Prize for Freedom as an encouragement for himself and his colleagues. In his own words:
‘With determination on our part and with the support of all our Liberal friends around the world, I have no doubt that we will achieve victory in the near future.’
