Thursday, September 14, 2006
By Prak Chan Thul
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said he will support Prince Sisowath Thomico in calling for the UN to monitor the 2007 commune elections.
The announcement is a victory of sorts for Prince Thomico, who announced his desire for UN oversight at a news conference Saturday. He is struggling to gain legitimacy for his newly formed Sangkum Cheat Niyum Front Party.
On Wednesday, Prince Thomico implied his party might forge stronger ties with the SRP in the lead up to the 2008 national elections.
"The democrats should support each other," Thomico said. "If the elections are not transparent and just, there will be no democracy."
Sam Rainsy said previous elections had been rife with irregularities, and that Prince Thomico's idea is a good one.
"We are close to elections and when the request is made by Prince Thomico, I will surely support it," he said.
Sam Rainsy said that currently UN Development Program experts are working with the National Election Committee and international observers would come when the election nears.
UNDP spokesman Men Kimseng declined to comment on the proposal for UN oversight of the election.
Prince Thomico said that the SRP and SCNFP have also created a "permanent dialogue" between the parties that will be executed through each group's secretary-general. It could be only the beginning.
"For [the 2008 national elections] I leave all options open," the prince said. "If it means an alliance or a merger, we will do what is best for the country."
Prince Thomico also said that he would cease pushing for Prince Norodom Ranariddh to dissolve Funcinpec but chided the party for kowtowing to the ruling CPP.
He said he has requested a meeting with Prince Ranariddh, but has received no response.
Ok Socheat, Prince Ranariddh's public affairs adviser, said that he had not yet informed Prince Ranariddh of Prince Thomico's interest in speaking with him, adding that he might inform him today.
(Additional reporting by John Maloy)
By Prak Chan Thul
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said he will support Prince Sisowath Thomico in calling for the UN to monitor the 2007 commune elections.
The announcement is a victory of sorts for Prince Thomico, who announced his desire for UN oversight at a news conference Saturday. He is struggling to gain legitimacy for his newly formed Sangkum Cheat Niyum Front Party.
On Wednesday, Prince Thomico implied his party might forge stronger ties with the SRP in the lead up to the 2008 national elections.
"The democrats should support each other," Thomico said. "If the elections are not transparent and just, there will be no democracy."
Sam Rainsy said previous elections had been rife with irregularities, and that Prince Thomico's idea is a good one.
"We are close to elections and when the request is made by Prince Thomico, I will surely support it," he said.
Sam Rainsy said that currently UN Development Program experts are working with the National Election Committee and international observers would come when the election nears.
UNDP spokesman Men Kimseng declined to comment on the proposal for UN oversight of the election.
Prince Thomico said that the SRP and SCNFP have also created a "permanent dialogue" between the parties that will be executed through each group's secretary-general. It could be only the beginning.
"For [the 2008 national elections] I leave all options open," the prince said. "If it means an alliance or a merger, we will do what is best for the country."
Prince Thomico also said that he would cease pushing for Prince Norodom Ranariddh to dissolve Funcinpec but chided the party for kowtowing to the ruling CPP.
He said he has requested a meeting with Prince Ranariddh, but has received no response.
Ok Socheat, Prince Ranariddh's public affairs adviser, said that he had not yet informed Prince Ranariddh of Prince Thomico's interest in speaking with him, adding that he might inform him today.
(Additional reporting by John Maloy)
5 comments:
I support the idea of having UN coming in to monitor the election
BUT PLEASE DON'T ALLOW THE OLD MAN TO CHASE THE UN OUT AGAIN!
WELL, I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL -BY THAT TIME THE OLD MAN WOULD PROBABLY BE . . . . .
The best the UN can do is to send their observers for a holiday in Cambodia during election time.
The parties competing with CPP need to do their own leg work, as no-one will do a proper job for them. It would be too naive to believe otherwise.
SiS
How many time have UN had monitor Cambodia Election and how many five year more have ve to be slave, robbe, abuse and rape by those gansters so called leaders?
If the so called Royal Cambodia Police force and Army are not reform all things call elections are tool for those crook to cheat the Cambodian!
Let boy cut the election, die proud than be cheat and chaet again we stupider than Ah Hun Sen and his coorperators
It never fail to amaze me that AH HUN SEN can corrupt anyone even the damn UN! The UN came to observe Cambodian election before and AH HUN SEN gave them some money and these UN representatives began dropping their pants everywhere in Cambodia for good time! This is how Cambodian people got AIDS!
Oh please no more UN representatives to Cambodia and there will be more corruption and there will be more AIDS! ahahahah!
Sam Rainsy and Thomico must learn the past about the failing UN supervision election in Cambodia. The most important of Cambodia is to set up a system for Cambodian to look up Cambodian. If Cambodian people cannot be trusted for set up their own good and reliable system, then Cambodia will one sooner or later will be colonised by another country soon.
The system is to find a solution to set up independent and integrity national commission for the election. This commission must be chaired by a credible person of Cambodian with very well paid to make sure that he cannot be corrupted by political party. In most western country, all poll will organised in all public school with each school Principal control the poll to make sure every party is fairly treated. Each party can send their scruitineer to sit there all day but banning to talk and make any signal. Any irregularity of scruitineer, the head of the poll station can kick him or her out immediately.
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