Monday, March 16, 2009

Foreigners banned from election campaign

15 March 2009
By Ung Chamroeun
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

The National Election Committee (NEC) just issued an announcement indicating that non-Khmer citizens will no longer be allowed to join the election campaign.

The news was revealed by the NEC during a press conference held during the end of last week. Foreigners will no longer be able to take part in an election campaign. Tep Nitha, NEC secretary-general, justified this decision: “In the past, non-Cambodian personalities gave public speeches to say nonsense and to defame (others).” As a result, the NEC has received several complaints. However, short of any legal framework, Tep Nitha wants to put an end this gray issue. He explained that this ban does not apply to the Cambodian diaspora, nor does it apply to foreigners detaining Cambodian citizenship.

The upcoming election will be held on 17 May. It will be held to elect municipal, provincial, cities and districts councils. The post-election period will start on 01 May and will end on 15 May. According to the NEC, only four parties are represented: the CPP, the SRP, Funcinpec and the NRP. The ruling CPP party is presenting candidates in all 217 wards in the country, the SRP in 205, Funcinpec in 71 and the NRP in 64. The ballot will be indirect. Those who will be able to vote are members of the commune councils. Several NGOs, among them feature important ones, have declined to send in observers, claiming the outcome is already known beforehand. Up to now, only two NGOs with 61 investigators have registered with the NEC.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

NEC,

How about Youns? If you don't include Youns, I'm telling Uncle Ho on you.

Anonymous said...

well you are right,,,who is the foreigners whom they are saying? this is clearly show out the HUN SEN regime is afraid of western people who exactly support the democratic parties. and those people desire to see change arrive in Cambodia, golden land....

Anonymous said...

Communist! Just like khmer rouge pol pot! All over again !

Anonymous said...

This election Hun Sen just do to hold on his power. He never get along with Khmer other party. Hun did what ever Youn have been told.

Where is the benefit that give back to Khmer people in our country.

Kaun Khmer in blood

Anonymous said...

Without foreigners help, this definitely spell the end of Pouk Ah Scam Rainxy, Muahahaha ...

Anonymous said...

We Cambodian people DO NOT UNDERSTAND the term (foreigners) the CPP benefitted parasites said. I think that this term only applies to the all foreigners but except YUANS! The CPP always reads the slogan that said: YUANs are our thousand years brothers and sisters! how can they regard these scums of the earth YUANs be their foreigners? Must be their million years brothers and sisters...but NOT ALL CAMBODIANS, ONLY SOME PIECES OF CPP BENEFITTED PARASITES!!!

Kon Khmer (Blood and flesh & Brain)