By Bob Dietz/CPJ Asia Program Coordinator
Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ)
How far has democracy advanced in Cambodia?
Not very far.
Activists from three different political parties died during the 15-day campaign period leading up to the elections, in which the ruling Cambodian People's Party won a large majority of seats, according to a report issued by the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (Comfrel). The Phnom Penh Post ran articles on "allegations of intimidation, ghost voting, and electoral-roll sabotage" in the election, and the U.S. government-funded Voice of America (VOA) published a story headlined "Observers: Cambodian Vote Improved but Problems Remain."
Comfrel documented the various irregularities in the election--listing at least 100--but the U.S.-owned Radio Free Asia (RFA) and VOA brought to our attention one specific one: the silencing of the transmission of their broadcasts on five local FM stations on Sunday. The one-day ban also seemed to extend to Radio Australia and Radio France Internationale.
The decision to silence the overseas broadcasters was apparently made by the Ministry of Information and came with no advance warning. The government couldn't silence shortwave signals coming into the country, but the shutdown of the FM signals was the most effective in urban areas, where the FM signals are strongest.
In an email message, RFA told us they were taken by surprise by the shutdown and that they had received no complaints from the government in the run-up to the voting. Authorities did not release a statement about the shutdown of the broadcasters.
RFA called it a giant step backward for the country. That seems about right.
4 comments:
What an election result. A BIG defeat for the strongest, largest, the most patriotic, the most loved opposition party in Cambodia SRP.
The trend will be similar in the National Election 2013. SRP MPs will be reduced to about 15, HRP will gain 17 MPs, Funcipec and NRP will gain 5, the remainder will be CPP. The share formula is to "legitimize" Cambodian democracy. CPP can have all MPs but they dont want to.
Like it or not, this is the reality of Cambodian democracy. Cambodia will not welcome a democracy dictator instigated by the SRP. Imagine SRP won. He will be a big head. He owns the party. His wife and he thinks the people vote for him solely, so he can do whatever he wants.
They are too proud, other Khmer patriots are beneath them. Likewise his top 20 per cent of his supporters think like them. They are the best party. Eat shit SRP!.
After a thorough psychological evaluation, Sam Rainsy and his followers are suffering from OCD, grief and loss, anxiety, and cowardice. For their welfare and being, a strong dose of medication is recommended in addition to a proper life management.
The so-called KI promoted Psychologist Dr. Samuel Keo can help you coping with this election defeat.
hahhahahah
ya,ya,and ya cult,cunning, cutting,cheating, cross, criminal, cruel,crabs,crazy-people party (CPP) naming all the worst of the CPP can do and then,won!yay!sic heads!!! the fact, the winners are losers! and losers are winners! hahahahahaha
Oneday, Viets will kill the CPP clan and take over like it did to KhKrom, Charm, Loas and mong/indigenous and then I say to the CPP Yay!!! dickhead!
khmer peoples always afraid of Viet
always fear thinking about Viet ,,
no wondered why? khmer peoples never grew up..
RFA, worked in USA - should understand, how democracy works
RFA sucked
No not afraid but we must know how to work around them. We must first cooperate and obligate on them if we won. khmers people must learn to be smarter. Negative force will never win. One of the reasons why khmers always failed because we used the word hate and hate. for example the king said he hate this and that people and in the end they decided to kill him and his nation. so try to learn from all the mistakes of all the leaders
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