Sam Rainsy extolls the value of his party and invites party candidates to make door-to-door visits

Sam Rainsy, opposition leader (L), and SRP candidates and election observers from Kandal province (R) (Photo: Sralanh Khmer newspaper)

Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Commune Election

By Duong Sokha Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by Luc Sâr

The campaign for the April 1st commune election will not officially start until March 16, but major maneuvers have already started for the SRP. At a meeting held yesterday at the party’s headquarters, 500 candidates from the Kandal province, listened to Sam Rainsy giving a 2-hour-long speech – without using a single notes – exhorting them to launch themselves with determination towards the election “battle.” Acting as a true troop leader, Sam Rainsy said: “Your mission is that of an army engaged in a peaceful fight,” before recalling the audience that this election has a crucial meaning for the upcoming legislative election which will take place next year. “Following the 2007 victory, we will win in 2008!” he said.

“Get in, Get in!”

After lauding the major role his candidates will play for the future of the country and the party, Sam Rainsy invited them to go on the offensive and to never hesitate to make door-to-door visits. “Get in, get in people’s homes,” he told the candidates. “Salute them [with your hands joined]. Tell them: ‘I am the SRP candidate, please vote for me, I will serve you honestly without asking any money, I will defend the poor, I will seek justice for the victims, I will fight corruption, and I will not sell public properties.’ You can bring them boxes of medicines imported from overseas, on which the party logo will be printed. Each time they will take them, they will think about the SRP,” Sam Rainsy suggested.

To Sam Rainsy, this one-on-one contact by the candidates is not part of the election campaign per se, and thus it can be undertaken from today on. The opposition leader considers that homes are private locations, and that the official [election] campaign refers to activities led in public places – an assertion that Tep Nytha, the National Election Committee (NEC) Secretary-General also confirms. “Before the start of the official campaign, political parties must normally undertake their activities in their headquarters, and try to avoid public places. But, there is nothing wrong with visiting the citizens at their homes. It is their right,” Tep Nytha added. Khieu Kanharith, the government spokesman, also explains that it is perfectly normal to talk to people about politics before the start of the campaign, and to inquire from them about their “needs,” especially for local level election.

“Do not hesitate to go see people. Go ahead! Don’t be afraid that this could be construed as part of the campaign,” Sam Rainsy stressed before detailing about all the benefits the candidates would obtain from such initiative. These door-to-door meetings will, first of all, be a chance to remind the voters the role played by the commune councilors, Sam Rainsy explained. “In some communes, some citizens do not like their village chief. You can raise this issue. Tell them that if the SRP win the commune election, we will remove these bad village chiefs according to the people’s wills, as the law prescribed,” Sam Rainsy said. The improvised visits will also serve as a practical means to verify the names of the voters by comparing them with the voting registers, and also to pass out some political messages on issues close to the SRP, such as the “price of gasoline” or the “corruption.”
“Battle field”

As an opening to his long speech, Sam Rainsy motivated his troops by stressing the importance they represent to the party. “The victory or the defeat depends only on you. Our battle field is the commune election. For the legislative election, voters are not really paying attention to the quality of the candidates, [but mainly on their political affiliation]. But this is a factor for the commune election. You all are key elements of the party. I am asking those of you who are on the candidate list but who are not at the top of the list to please remain united. Don’t be angry because you are not the commune chief: the most important is the victory of the party, and the party will never forget you,” Sam Rainsy declared before asking those candidates at the top of the list to scrupulously pay attention on the work of SRP election poll observers. “Be careful of frauds on the voting ballots. The top three candidates on the list must understand well their work and pay attention to the work done by the observers,” Sam Rainsy insisted.
“The SRP does not have guns and ammunitions, but we have a conscience”

Sam Rainsy concluded his speech, to not much surprise, with an attack against the CPP, his biggest rival. According to Sam Rainsy, the ruling party uses “three schemes” to win the next election: discrimination against SRP voters during the registration on the voting list or during the distribution of information notices; threats or buying attempts on voting agents; and also through distribution of gifts to “buy” votes. That being said, he exhorted his troops to resist the temptations by extolling the party values. “Don’t accept money by betraying your conscience. Money is nothing in front of [the destiny] of million of citizens … Social justice is not for sale. If you are incorruptible, the CPP cannot approach you. The SRP does not have guns and ammunitions, but we have a conscience.”