2013–14 Cambodian protests

2013–14 Cambodian protests
Protesters and opposition supporters marching
Date	28 July 2013 – 22 July 2014 (11 months, 3 weeks and 3 days)
Location	Cambodia
Causes	Electoral fraud Political corruption Illegal logging Human rights violations
Goals	Democracy Electoral reform Snap election
Methods	Demonstrations Civil disobedience Internet activism
Parties to the civil conflict
Cambodia National Rescue Party Beehive Radio Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation Various other groups (incl. students, teachers, farmers, labor unions, and Buddhist monks) Independent Monk Network for Social Justice Cambodian Independent Teachers Association Royal Cambodian Government Cambodian People's Party National Election Committee Military police
Lead figures
Sam Rainsy Kem Sokha Mu Sochua Mam Sonando Rong Chhun But Buntenh Hun Sen Sar Kheng Pa Socheatvong Keo Remy Im Suosdey
Number
est. 100,000-500,000
Casualties
4 deaths 27 injured 8 injured

Anti-government protests (Khmer: បាតុកម្មប្រឆាំងរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាល) were ongoing in Cambodia from July 2013 to July 2014. Popular demonstrations in Phnom Penh have taken place against the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen, triggered by widespread allegations of electoral fraud during the Cambodian general election of 2013. Demands to raise the minimum wage to $160 a month and resentment at Vietnamese influence in Cambodia have also contributed to the protests. The main opposition party refused to participate in parliament after the elections, and major demonstrations took place throughout December 2013. A government crackdown in January 2014 led to the deaths of 4 people and the clearing of the main protest camp.

Cambodian protests may have been partly precipitated by the perception of corruption, lack of freedom and poor quality of life in the country. Cambodia is near the bottom of international rankings in the measurement of those factors. Inequality in the distribution of wealth is a recognized problem as is a third of children are malnourished, and government critics are rounded up and detained on dubious charges.

Cambodia's strongman Hun Sen has affirmed his 'pre-eminence' by closing Freedom Park, an opposition protest site in central Phnom Penh that is now strictly off limits to the public and appears to be like a 'fortified military base'. Cambodians are 'riled by incessant land grabs, official corruption and labor disputes in a country tightly controlled by one man for nearly three decades.' Freedom Park, is closed now indefinitely. Protests have now "fizzled out after a crackdown on factory strikes in January that killed at least four people and alarmed major clothing brands with interests in Cambodia, like Adidas, Nike and Gap. "Since then, anti-government protests intended to draw hundreds of thousands of people have attracted just a few hundred. Freedom Park was shut down in April. "In general, people I've seen and talked to in villages, just want change of national leadership," said Kem Ley, an independent political analyst. "But what the CNRP has been doing is the same thing, again and again," Ley said, referring to the calls for protests. "People are just tired and afraid because of the government's shameless use of violence."