NGOs object to village chief designation arrangement
By Duong Sokha
Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by KI-Media
About 10 representatives from several civil society organizations had deplored on Friday for not being consulted on a circular from the ministry of interior dated 17 March detailing the arrangement for the selection of village chiefs. According to this document, village chief will be designated by members of the commune council, whereas the civil society organizations wish to see the selection be done through an election by the villagers. “The vote is necessary because the village chiefs are responsible on issues affecting the daily life of the villagers. They should receive the support and the confidence of the people from the village,” reads the common statement issued by the organizations which further wishes that the village chiefs would not be selected by the political parties.
The option presented by the ministry would be based on the choice of three candidates selected by the commune councils, the three will be subjected to a survey obtained from family heads. The candidate who would receive the largest number of favorable opinions would then be selected for the position. Khieu Sopheak, the spokesman of the ministry of Interior, declared that the ministry is only applying the law. “The election of the [village] chiefs by the villagers would be illegal because the village does not represent an administrative level,” he claimed while stressing further that the formula adopted would not prevent citizens from displaying their wish to be a candidate to the commune council. “Since 1979, village chiefs were designated by the citizens,” he assured. “They belong to the CPP in majority because it is the party which liberated them from the Khmer Rouge.” For Kul Panha, of the Comfrel NGO, it is the party in power which designates according to its own will the majority of the village chiefs. The date of the selection of the candidates had not been announced yet, but it could happen before the commune election in 2007.
The option presented by the ministry would be based on the choice of three candidates selected by the commune councils, the three will be subjected to a survey obtained from family heads. The candidate who would receive the largest number of favorable opinions would then be selected for the position. Khieu Sopheak, the spokesman of the ministry of Interior, declared that the ministry is only applying the law. “The election of the [village] chiefs by the villagers would be illegal because the village does not represent an administrative level,” he claimed while stressing further that the formula adopted would not prevent citizens from displaying their wish to be a candidate to the commune council. “Since 1979, village chiefs were designated by the citizens,” he assured. “They belong to the CPP in majority because it is the party which liberated them from the Khmer Rouge.” For Kul Panha, of the Comfrel NGO, it is the party in power which designates according to its own will the majority of the village chiefs. The date of the selection of the candidates had not been announced yet, but it could happen before the commune election in 2007.
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