CPP officials claim the hanging of royal portraits outside election party offices, like these at the Ministry of Defense in 2004, is a breach of campaign regulations.CPP Files Complaint Over Royal Portraits
By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
11 July 2008
Cambodian People's Party district political officials issued a campaign complaint Tuesday over the display of the royal portraits outside a Norodom Ranariddh Party headquarters.
CPP representative Nuon Nho filed the complaint at the commune election committee, or CEC, for Or Cha commune, Battambang district, Battambang province, alleging the violation of a code of conduct by the Norodom Ranariddh Party.
The party has hung the portraits of former king Norodom Sihanouk, former queen Norodom Monineath and King Norodom Sihamoni outside its provincial headquarters, which is a violation of the election law, according to the complaint.
NRP deputy chief of Battambang Sat Vichheka said Friday he knows the election law well, but the portraits have been displayed since 2007.
"These portraits have been displayed in front of the NRP office for worship, for respect of the king's institution, not for the election campaign," he said. "The NRP does not display these portraits in its leaflets and other election documents."
CEC chief Prak Saphal said he invited NRP representatives to attend a meeting to resolve the problem Saturday.
"We'll know the result tomorrow," he said.
Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said a display in front of the party office "for worship" is not a violation of election law.
If the portraits are displayed in documents for the campaign, such as leaflets or car billboards, it is a violation of regulations, he said.
Nuon Nho could not be reached for comment.
Battambang District Governor Uy Ry, of the CPP, said the display of the portraits was an election activity, because the photos are displayed on the NRP gates, outside, not inside the office.
Below the portraits are many leaflets posted about the campaign, he said.
In Phnom Penh, meanwhile, CPP coalition partner Funcinpec has displayed outside its national headquarters large portraits of Sihanouk and Monineath. The national office of the Norodom Ranariddh Party also displays portraits of the three royals.
CPP representative Nuon Nho filed the complaint at the commune election committee, or CEC, for Or Cha commune, Battambang district, Battambang province, alleging the violation of a code of conduct by the Norodom Ranariddh Party.
The party has hung the portraits of former king Norodom Sihanouk, former queen Norodom Monineath and King Norodom Sihamoni outside its provincial headquarters, which is a violation of the election law, according to the complaint.
NRP deputy chief of Battambang Sat Vichheka said Friday he knows the election law well, but the portraits have been displayed since 2007.
"These portraits have been displayed in front of the NRP office for worship, for respect of the king's institution, not for the election campaign," he said. "The NRP does not display these portraits in its leaflets and other election documents."
CEC chief Prak Saphal said he invited NRP representatives to attend a meeting to resolve the problem Saturday.
"We'll know the result tomorrow," he said.
Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said a display in front of the party office "for worship" is not a violation of election law.
If the portraits are displayed in documents for the campaign, such as leaflets or car billboards, it is a violation of regulations, he said.
Nuon Nho could not be reached for comment.
Battambang District Governor Uy Ry, of the CPP, said the display of the portraits was an election activity, because the photos are displayed on the NRP gates, outside, not inside the office.
Below the portraits are many leaflets posted about the campaign, he said.
In Phnom Penh, meanwhile, CPP coalition partner Funcinpec has displayed outside its national headquarters large portraits of Sihanouk and Monineath. The national office of the Norodom Ranariddh Party also displays portraits of the three royals.
10 comments:
No deceiving people into voting for Sihanouk, Dumb arse (Ranarith)! Stop cheating!
i agree, no political should be allowed to use the royal portrait to attack voters to their party. remember back in the early 1970s, the KR guerrilas did the same thing by using the royal crusade as their campaign to win ignorant people's supports. i hope this kind of tactic is not allowed to repeat itself again in the history of cambodia. it is too dangerous for the country to use royal portrait or royal signature or something along that line for political parties because not only it confuses the khmer people, royal has no constitutional rights to participate in active politics. in other words, royal are forbid from involve or take part in active politics, especially to gain support in the election. this is a real violation of the constitutional laws. please do not allow this kind of campaigning. royal are neutral in khmer political now, not like in the past anymore. it creates too much conflict of interest, royal ought be unbias and reasonable to all khmer parties or citizens. thank you and may god help our monarch and his family.
The portraits of the King or the King-Father have no place on the outside of election offices. The monarch is meant to be neutral and also a mediator between factions and political parties. The use of the portraits by the NRP is misleading.
I usually don't side with the CPP or support them, but I have to side with them on this issue.
in the name of KING ,CPP got a lot of profit from imaged and the killing solution .
not a good idea or good example to use the monarch, a public figure, for personal gain in politics; no matter is the one who is doing this is related to the monarch or not. the monarch is a respected, public figure of cambodia, thus nobody has any rights to use the monarch to confuse the people, not to mention that it is so unlawful. i agree with cpp here as well for pointing it out so everybody can will know the bad game they are playing.
The NEC code of conduct is not a law, and when it bans the use of portraits of our August King, King Father and Queen Mother, and references to the Monarchy, it is illegal. And NEC is not the Parliament. There is no law banning such use and references during the election campaign.
Only the law on political parties (1997) bans the use of such portraits as the logo of any party.
There should be a challenge against the illegality of this NEC code.
When law ends, tyranny begins, said John Locke, an English philosopher. We already have experienced the consequences of the absence of law and the reign of tyranny.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Yeah, but there is law against scamming people to vote for the King or Somdach Euv through the NRP or FUNCINPEC, Dr Lao. I am sure most court on this planet will viewed it that way.
The CPP should stop naming Hun Sen's name on every public primary schools & gardens in Cambodia. And stop using this stupid title (sdech arch anh ko) to promote himself. Hun Sen is not Cambodian Monarch and he never will be, not in this life.
Jayavorman VII, Khmer Nation, Angkor Wat, Bayon & Preah Vihear etc....
are here forever.
Cambodia was saved by PM Hun Sen, and his name should be all over Cambodia so that no one will forget that.
Agree mate 1:29PM. Why cannot he take care Khmer land 4.6 KM near our Preah Vihear after King Father won at ICJ? That land surrounding area of our ancestors' Temple Preah Vihear belongs to us.
PM Hun Sen cannot give that land to Thailand.
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