The fledgling Khmer Power Party has backed calls for Cambodia National Rescue Party deputy leader Kem Sokha to resign as the National Assembly’s deputy president.

KPP president Sourn Serey Ratha, whose party’s progenitor was once dubbed a terrorist organisation by the government, said it didn’t matter that the protests against Sokha on Monday that ended in two CNRP lawmakers being savagely beaten were organised by pro-CPP groups and promoted by Prime Minister Hun Sen the day before.

“[Sokha] should respect the will of the people,” Ratha said.

Ratha then went on to say that Hun Sen should also resign for failing to protect the lawmakers and the court should investigate the extent of his involvement in organising the protests.

Opposition lawmaker Ho Vann dismissed Ratha’s input.

“I am not interested, and I don’t take the party into consideration, particularly looking at the political background of this party leader.”

Meanwhile, the KPP is attempting to get permission to lead representatives of 18 embassies of countries that signed the 1991 Paris Peace Accords to inspect a contested border region in Svay Rieng, though no embassies have yet publicly evinced interest in such a plan.

Men Vibol, Svay Rieng acting provincial governor, said the group needed ministry-level approval.

Ratha said the US Embassy had expressed an interest in participating.

US Embassy spokesman Jay Raman said that wasn’t the case. “The US Embassy has no position on the Khmer Power Party’s plans to visit the border and has not consulted with them.”