By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
01 July 2008
In 22 instances of campaign irregularities reported to the National Election Committee since Thursday, none of them have included serious violence, officials said Tuesday.
This marked an improvement from 2003, election officials said.
"We've received 22 complaints up to today," NEC Secretary-General Tep Nitha told reporters Tuesday. "All of the complaints are related to violations of NEC procedures."
He cited as examples the dueling of loudspeakers between two or more parties, or the installation of a party logo on a site without permission.
"But in all the complaints, we can compromise in the [commune election committees], and some others in the [provincial election committees]," he said. "None of the complaints will affect the election process."
Provincial election committees will be holding open hearings in some cases, he said.
Some parties, however, said they had suffered many abuses.
"We face much violence, violations of the election law, threats, [and] intimidation from the [Cambodian People's Party] against the Sam Rainsy Party activities in all forms," SRP Secretary-General Mu Sochua told reporters at a separate press conference Tuesday.
Mu Sochua has alleged two attempts by vehicles to strike her, and claimed on Monday her shirt had been ripped open and her arm twisted in an altercation with a CPP supporter.
Commune police posts have banned the Sam Rainsy Party from playing loudspeakers in some communes, Mu Sochua said, and in other cases, the party has been prevented from campaigning village to village.
In a statement Tuesday the Norodom Ranariddh Party condemned a death threat to one of its activists and the prevention of the party from installing signs on some locations.
The party also accused 10 unidentified men of setting up a roadblock and throwing stones at activists in an attempt to dissuade the party from campaigning in Battambang province.
Human Rights Party Vice President Keo Remy said the party also experienced violence and destruction, including the ripping up of photos of party president Kem Sokha and concerted damage to party signs and leaflets in Phnom Penh.
Tep Nitha said Tuesday most irregularities were reported in Battambang and Phnom Penh, as well as Svay Rieng and Prey Veng provinces.
This marked an improvement from 2003, election officials said.
"We've received 22 complaints up to today," NEC Secretary-General Tep Nitha told reporters Tuesday. "All of the complaints are related to violations of NEC procedures."
He cited as examples the dueling of loudspeakers between two or more parties, or the installation of a party logo on a site without permission.
"But in all the complaints, we can compromise in the [commune election committees], and some others in the [provincial election committees]," he said. "None of the complaints will affect the election process."
Provincial election committees will be holding open hearings in some cases, he said.
Some parties, however, said they had suffered many abuses.
"We face much violence, violations of the election law, threats, [and] intimidation from the [Cambodian People's Party] against the Sam Rainsy Party activities in all forms," SRP Secretary-General Mu Sochua told reporters at a separate press conference Tuesday.
Mu Sochua has alleged two attempts by vehicles to strike her, and claimed on Monday her shirt had been ripped open and her arm twisted in an altercation with a CPP supporter.
Commune police posts have banned the Sam Rainsy Party from playing loudspeakers in some communes, Mu Sochua said, and in other cases, the party has been prevented from campaigning village to village.
In a statement Tuesday the Norodom Ranariddh Party condemned a death threat to one of its activists and the prevention of the party from installing signs on some locations.
The party also accused 10 unidentified men of setting up a roadblock and throwing stones at activists in an attempt to dissuade the party from campaigning in Battambang province.
Human Rights Party Vice President Keo Remy said the party also experienced violence and destruction, including the ripping up of photos of party president Kem Sokha and concerted damage to party signs and leaflets in Phnom Penh.
Tep Nitha said Tuesday most irregularities were reported in Battambang and Phnom Penh, as well as Svay Rieng and Prey Veng provinces.
4 comments:
No doubt about it. Violence has so far been fully sponsored by Hun Xen; he's a breeder of violence in the coutry.
Who care? It is not serious, and nothing is perfect.
11:31,
IT'S NOT SERIOUS, UNTIL YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER LOOSE THEIR LIVES. CAMBODIAN PEOPLE CAN VOTE WITHOUT FEAR OF INTIMIDATIONS OR RETRIBUTIONS.
CAMPAIGNING SHOULDN'T INVOLVED VIOLENCE!
UNLESS, YOU'RE THE SeePeePee.
Yeah, but that is up to you, not the people. If you stop deceiving them, there is no reason for them to want to kill you.
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