Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Opposition Parties Still Harried, Workers Promised Days Off to Vote

VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
26/03/2007


[All audio portions require Real Media Player]

Candidates continued to cry foul Monday, while workers were assured they could have days off for the election and smaller parties continued to hammer away against the four largest, as campaigning continued across Cambodia.

Norodom Ranariddh Party activists say they have met with rambunctious Cambodian People's Party supporters in several provinces. Activists in Battambang say a CPP commune leader threatened to take land away from NRP supporters. Fliers in other provinces have been torn down and taken away, NRP officials said.

To listen to Chun Sakada report in Khmer, click here.

Sam Rainsy Party officials told VOA they were having difficulties getting permission from market chiefs to distribute their campaign materials.

SRP senator Ho Van said he had been denied repeated requests but now he planned to distribute fliers at five different markets anyway.

To listen to Mony report in Khmer, click here.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor said it would require factories to allow workers up to three days off to travel to their home provinces to vote.

Workers in Phnom Penh would get one day off. Workers told VOA Monday they were happy with the decision. To listen to Seng Ratana report in Khmer, click here.

More than 500 villagers participated in democratic debates in Takeo last week, where four main party candidates—from the CPP, SRP, NRP and Funcinpec—went head to head to discuss their platforms and allay concerns of potential voters.

Onlookers told VOA they thought the debates brought people closer together.

To listen to Seng Ratana report in Khmer, click here.

VOA Khmer continued its election coverage, asking members from the smaller parties how their platforms differed form others of the larger parties. Ouk Phiri, leader of the Khmer Democratic Party, gave his party's positions.

To listen to Mean Veasna report in Khmer, click here.

Khem Veasna, head of the League for Democracy Party spoke to VOA Monday.

To listen to Suon Kanika report in Khmer, click here.

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