Battambang authority confiscating ID from people; Siemreap: Authorities refused to issue IDs; Preyveng: Village chiefs are threatening people and forcing them to join the CPP
By Seyha
Sralanh Khmer
Saturday, September 2, 2006
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
[Note: National IDs are required for vote registration. It is a vital piece of information for Cambodian citizens in the upcoming elections.]
The Battambang local authority had and is still continuing to confiscate Cambodian national IDs from people without providing them any reason. However, after interventions from a number of SRP commune councilors, the authorities in some areas agreed to return back the confiscated IDs. In Siemreap, the authorities refused to issue IDs to people claiming that they no longer have any blank form left. In Preyveng, village chiefs are threatening people and forcing them to join the CPP.
Som Toandet, an aide to Mr. Eng Chhay Ieng – the MP from Battambang – , told Sralanh Khmer by phone on Wednesday that village chiefs, commune chiefs in the entire province of Battambang are confiscating IDs from people. Also these chiefs did not provide the voter’s information form to the people either.
Mr. Choeun, 2nd commune councilor of Chrey commune, Maung Russey district, Battambang province, told Sralanh Khmer by phone yesterday that currently some village chiefs returned back the national IDs to the people. The councilor added that in all communes of Maung Russey district, there is a mix up between the National Election Committee (NEC) and village chiefs because some village chiefs took advantage by claiming that they are also an official of the NEC. However because of intervention from local SRP leaders, in particular in villages having SRP councilors, the party in power (CPP) does not dare pull dirty tricks.
Regarding the issuing of national IDs, Mr. Choeun declared that in some villages, the villagers did not go apply to obtain their IDs because they do not have the money to bribe the police. Choeun is now collecting the names of people who cannot afford to obtain their national ID to inform the upper levels so they can pass on the information.
Regarding national IDs also, a source in Siemreap said that in the last two days, about 500 people from two communes in the Prasat Bakong district could not obtain national IDs because police officials claim that they are out of blank form.
Sralanh Khmer reporter from Siemreap indicated on 31 August that in Koh Treang commune, Prasat Bakong district, almost 600 people went to try to obtain their national IDs. However, about 100 of them could not get their IDs because there is no form left. The following morning (01 September), police officials from Sandek commune, same Prasat Bakong district could issue IDs. Nevertheless, only 100 people could receive their IDs and the police stopped the distribution, claiming that it ran out of forms. In the two communes, almost 500 people could not obtain their IDs because there is no blank form left (sic).
Local NGO officials and opposition activists said that this is an act of bad faith from the party in power because it does not want people who are not its supporters to vote.
People are calling to higher authorities, especially Mr. Sar Kheng, the minister of Interior to deal with government officials issuing national IDs who do not want to issue IDs to people by using the pretext of not having blank forms. People are claiming that the national IDs are very important to them, without which, they cannot vote.
Donor countries which are providing funds for the election should pressure the NEC and push it to revisit the election preparation process, and also force the ministry of Interior to issue IDs to everybody without discrimination along party lines, and also issue voter registration verification form to everyone, as well as removing the threat issued (by CPP officials) on people in Preyveng.
According to a report sent to Mr. Sam Rainsy on 31 August 2006, Mr. Pim Samnang, a councilor from the province of Preyveng had detailed about government village and deputy village chiefs threatening and forcing people to join the CPP as well as a number of other issues.
The report indicated that the village chiefs and deputy chiefs in the entire province of Preyveng are forcing people to join the CPP, forcing them to write their biography to apply for the CPP membership, and forcing them to thumbprint the applications. If the villagers do not join the CPP, the authority will not issue their national IDs, nor distribute Red Cross aid to them, and they will be ostracized from the village.
The report added that if people do not obey their orders, the village chiefs and deputy chiefs are threatening to remove their name from the voter registration list, and threatening to legally take away their farm land.
For Villagers who are following their orders, the village chiefs are forcing them to thumbprint a paper swearing their loyalty to the CPP, that they will not vote for any party other than the CPP, otherwise may disasters – such as loss of their wealth, spend their time in jail, snake bite them, thunder strike them – befall on them. For those who decide to join the CPP, the village chiefs promise them with donation gifts and facilitate their livelihood. In some villages, the village chiefs are threatening to remove all opposition Sam Rainsy Party members from the village.
By Seyha
Sralanh Khmer
Saturday, September 2, 2006
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
[Note: National IDs are required for vote registration. It is a vital piece of information for Cambodian citizens in the upcoming elections.]
The Battambang local authority had and is still continuing to confiscate Cambodian national IDs from people without providing them any reason. However, after interventions from a number of SRP commune councilors, the authorities in some areas agreed to return back the confiscated IDs. In Siemreap, the authorities refused to issue IDs to people claiming that they no longer have any blank form left. In Preyveng, village chiefs are threatening people and forcing them to join the CPP.
Som Toandet, an aide to Mr. Eng Chhay Ieng – the MP from Battambang – , told Sralanh Khmer by phone on Wednesday that village chiefs, commune chiefs in the entire province of Battambang are confiscating IDs from people. Also these chiefs did not provide the voter’s information form to the people either.
Mr. Choeun, 2nd commune councilor of Chrey commune, Maung Russey district, Battambang province, told Sralanh Khmer by phone yesterday that currently some village chiefs returned back the national IDs to the people. The councilor added that in all communes of Maung Russey district, there is a mix up between the National Election Committee (NEC) and village chiefs because some village chiefs took advantage by claiming that they are also an official of the NEC. However because of intervention from local SRP leaders, in particular in villages having SRP councilors, the party in power (CPP) does not dare pull dirty tricks.
Regarding the issuing of national IDs, Mr. Choeun declared that in some villages, the villagers did not go apply to obtain their IDs because they do not have the money to bribe the police. Choeun is now collecting the names of people who cannot afford to obtain their national ID to inform the upper levels so they can pass on the information.
Regarding national IDs also, a source in Siemreap said that in the last two days, about 500 people from two communes in the Prasat Bakong district could not obtain national IDs because police officials claim that they are out of blank form.
Sralanh Khmer reporter from Siemreap indicated on 31 August that in Koh Treang commune, Prasat Bakong district, almost 600 people went to try to obtain their national IDs. However, about 100 of them could not get their IDs because there is no form left. The following morning (01 September), police officials from Sandek commune, same Prasat Bakong district could issue IDs. Nevertheless, only 100 people could receive their IDs and the police stopped the distribution, claiming that it ran out of forms. In the two communes, almost 500 people could not obtain their IDs because there is no blank form left (sic).
Local NGO officials and opposition activists said that this is an act of bad faith from the party in power because it does not want people who are not its supporters to vote.
People are calling to higher authorities, especially Mr. Sar Kheng, the minister of Interior to deal with government officials issuing national IDs who do not want to issue IDs to people by using the pretext of not having blank forms. People are claiming that the national IDs are very important to them, without which, they cannot vote.
Donor countries which are providing funds for the election should pressure the NEC and push it to revisit the election preparation process, and also force the ministry of Interior to issue IDs to everybody without discrimination along party lines, and also issue voter registration verification form to everyone, as well as removing the threat issued (by CPP officials) on people in Preyveng.
According to a report sent to Mr. Sam Rainsy on 31 August 2006, Mr. Pim Samnang, a councilor from the province of Preyveng had detailed about government village and deputy village chiefs threatening and forcing people to join the CPP as well as a number of other issues.
The report indicated that the village chiefs and deputy chiefs in the entire province of Preyveng are forcing people to join the CPP, forcing them to write their biography to apply for the CPP membership, and forcing them to thumbprint the applications. If the villagers do not join the CPP, the authority will not issue their national IDs, nor distribute Red Cross aid to them, and they will be ostracized from the village.
The report added that if people do not obey their orders, the village chiefs and deputy chiefs are threatening to remove their name from the voter registration list, and threatening to legally take away their farm land.
For Villagers who are following their orders, the village chiefs are forcing them to thumbprint a paper swearing their loyalty to the CPP, that they will not vote for any party other than the CPP, otherwise may disasters – such as loss of their wealth, spend their time in jail, snake bite them, thunder strike them – befall on them. For those who decide to join the CPP, the village chiefs promise them with donation gifts and facilitate their livelihood. In some villages, the village chiefs are threatening to remove all opposition Sam Rainsy Party members from the village.
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