DPA
Phnom Penh - The US State Department welcomed the results of Cambodia's second commune elections Wednesday, but said some improvements to the process are still needed before next year's national vote.
The US has previously been critical of Cambodia's election processes, which have traditionally been dogged by politically motivated violence and allegations of corruption and voter manipulation.
The Cambodian National Election Committee Wednesday made minor corrections to original results for the April 1 elections, but the ruling Cambodian People's Party maintained a resounding victory, claiming 1,591 of 1,621 commune chief positions and around 98 percent of votes.
The opposition Sam Rainsy Party won 28 communes, while the royalist Funcinpec Party, a minor coalition partner in the government and once the country's second-largest party, won just two, according to the NEC.
The US embassy said in a press release that it was happy with the way the elections were conducted, adding that the US government had provided more than 400,000 dollars in funding towards the process.
The last commune elections were held in 2002. The previous national elections were held in 2003.
'The embassy applauds improvements to the electoral process compared to the 2002 and 2003 elections, particularly with respect to less intimidation and violence and fewer administrative difficulties,' the embassy said.
However it said low voter turnout of just 68 percent, and some breaches of electoral rules meant the elections could still not be called entirely free.
Lack of equal access to media for all parties, transparency in campaign funding campaigns and a neutral appeals process also marred the overall process, it said.
'We encourage the Cambodian government to implement corrective measures in advance of the 2008 national elections,' the embassy said, but confirmed that the US government would work with the newly elected commune councils.
The US has previously been critical of Cambodia's election processes, which have traditionally been dogged by politically motivated violence and allegations of corruption and voter manipulation.
The Cambodian National Election Committee Wednesday made minor corrections to original results for the April 1 elections, but the ruling Cambodian People's Party maintained a resounding victory, claiming 1,591 of 1,621 commune chief positions and around 98 percent of votes.
The opposition Sam Rainsy Party won 28 communes, while the royalist Funcinpec Party, a minor coalition partner in the government and once the country's second-largest party, won just two, according to the NEC.
The US embassy said in a press release that it was happy with the way the elections were conducted, adding that the US government had provided more than 400,000 dollars in funding towards the process.
The last commune elections were held in 2002. The previous national elections were held in 2003.
'The embassy applauds improvements to the electoral process compared to the 2002 and 2003 elections, particularly with respect to less intimidation and violence and fewer administrative difficulties,' the embassy said.
However it said low voter turnout of just 68 percent, and some breaches of electoral rules meant the elections could still not be called entirely free.
Lack of equal access to media for all parties, transparency in campaign funding campaigns and a neutral appeals process also marred the overall process, it said.
'We encourage the Cambodian government to implement corrective measures in advance of the 2008 national elections,' the embassy said, but confirmed that the US government would work with the newly elected commune councils.
5 comments:
Fair enough input from the US, and
we all know that there is no such
thing as a perfect election.
Landsides Victory for the CPP, and
it's official!!! Mua hahahaha....
...Mua hahahaha....
It sounds so enjoyable. Just can't believe that you can make yourself laugh loud, while the people keep suffering. Not sure whether you are Khmer or not. If you are a Khmer, you should take a big breath rather than laugh. If you are not Khmer, that's fair enough you can enjoy because your side is winning. Just do remember that there is nothing permanent. What goes around, it comes around! it is just the matter of time.
Well, American does not god for Cambodian. Cambodian should take a deep breath and re-consider the election process. I do not think that the election formed in fair atmosphere.
Cambodians have to help themselves. I do not believe in USA and other foreign countries. They are leeches.
Oh grow up, guys, and don't worry
about the suffering; that is from
the past momentum. It will soon to
burn off. There are latency to
everything in real life. Just
watch.
ahahahhahahahhahahahah!
AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave field the same old candidates and why would any Cambodian people continue to vote for any bastards which have failed them for more than 30 years!!!!!Unless the fucken NEC manipulating the fucken voting process!!!!!
Yeh...Here goes another victory for AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave who claimed that only he can bring stability and prosperity to Cambodia while continue to kill Cambodian people at the same time!!!!!
I have yet to see any government that continue to kill their own people while maintain stability at the same time!!!!!!
AH HUN SEN is a modern con artist!!
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