Phnom Penh (dpa) - Threats, intimidation and unequal media access had hurt the Cambodian opposition, New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a press release Saturday, a day before national elections.
"The near-monopoly on broadcast media for the ruling Cambodian People's Party's (CPP), bias within the electoral apparatus, and harassment, intimidation, and coerced defections of opposition party members undermines the credibility of the elections," it said.
"Elections in Cambodia under existing conditions devalue the process," Brad Adams, HRW Asia director, said. "Election observers from genuine democracies would never accept at home the CPP's grip on the media or the fear and intimidation faced."
Despite an ongoing police investigation, it blamed the CPP for the murder of opposition journalist Khim Sambo earlier this month, saying the killing "appears to have been timed ... to have the maximum chilling effect."
It also accused the CPP of making "lucrative offers of high-paying government positions" to coerce key opposition officials to defect and threatening those who did not.
However it conceded there had been a decrease in violence compared to previous elections, claiming this was because the CPP was expected to win the elections so handsomely.
On July 17 the National Election Committee released a statement accusing 13 broadcasters of bias, including Bayon TV, owned by Prime Minister Hun Sen's daughter, and the CPP's Apsara TV, as well as pro-opposition US-funded stations Radio Free Asia and Voice of America.
The CPP is touted to take up to 80 of 123 seats nationally and thousands of international observers have arrived to monitor polls.
"The near-monopoly on broadcast media for the ruling Cambodian People's Party's (CPP), bias within the electoral apparatus, and harassment, intimidation, and coerced defections of opposition party members undermines the credibility of the elections," it said.
"Elections in Cambodia under existing conditions devalue the process," Brad Adams, HRW Asia director, said. "Election observers from genuine democracies would never accept at home the CPP's grip on the media or the fear and intimidation faced."
Despite an ongoing police investigation, it blamed the CPP for the murder of opposition journalist Khim Sambo earlier this month, saying the killing "appears to have been timed ... to have the maximum chilling effect."
It also accused the CPP of making "lucrative offers of high-paying government positions" to coerce key opposition officials to defect and threatening those who did not.
However it conceded there had been a decrease in violence compared to previous elections, claiming this was because the CPP was expected to win the elections so handsomely.
On July 17 the National Election Committee released a statement accusing 13 broadcasters of bias, including Bayon TV, owned by Prime Minister Hun Sen's daughter, and the CPP's Apsara TV, as well as pro-opposition US-funded stations Radio Free Asia and Voice of America.
The CPP is touted to take up to 80 of 123 seats nationally and thousands of international observers have arrived to monitor polls.
2 comments:
On Monday July 28th 2008,
Samdech Preah Maha Decho Hun Sen will become the nation HERO and the Prime Minister. The CPP is the principle of the Cambodia, the master in politics, the strategist of the problems solving, the role model of all parties. The wins wins with none stop ruling party.
The security in the country is safe, the economy is growing, the stability is smooth and peaceful.
The investors is high, the development growing all over the country, The people happy of living in Cambodia.
The looser may go back home to where they come from with empty seats in the Assembly of ruling.
Samdech Preah Maha Decho Hun Sen is a Cambodian HERO the Sun Of Cambodia, the great grand sun of Hun Tein the King ruling Cambodia.
Cheyo!
The New Sun rising on the old Kingdom! Samdech Preah Bat Maha Decho Hun Sen Varman.
Down SRP, HRP, Func, Norodom and many others.... Chaos.
That's the Hn Xen's way of life: everyone know that Hn Xen was and is one of savage Khmer Rouge. Cruelty has deeply rooted into his blood and it becomes his only nature. A person can change his mind, but not his nature.
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