Cambodian poll campaign nears end, rights group calls it flawed
PHNOM PENH |
(Reuters) - Cambodia's political parties hit the streets on Friday in a
final push for votes in Sunday's general election, but a rights group
said the campaign had been biased in favor of Prime Minister Hun Sen's
party, widely expected to retain power.
Hun Sen has been premier for 28 years, bringing stability after years of war and the genocidal late-1970s regime of the Khmer Rouge but, his critics say, he has shown disdain for democracy through intimidation of opponents and electoral fraud.
In a statement on Friday, U.S.-based Human Rights Watch listed a series of problems that had marred the campaign, which officially ends at midnight on Friday.
Among the problems it found were unequal access to media for the opposition, the manipulation of voters lists and campaigning by officers of the security forces for the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP).
"The entire process is biased in favor of the ruling party and against the opposition. What should result in the will of the people has been organized to result in the will of the Cambodian People's Party," said Brad Adams, its Asia director.
He
noted opposition leader Sam Rainsy had been allowed home from
self-exile after a royal pardon removed the threat of a jail sentence,
but the electoral authority had still ruled he could not run in the
election or even vote.
"An election with the leader of the opposition banned on spurious grounds is almost the definition of an unfair and undemocratic process," he said.
Sam Rainsy's eponymous party merged with another last year to form the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). It is hoping to improve on the 29 seats the two parties held in the outgoing parliament. The CPP had 90 of the 123 seats.
"People here are sending a message to the current leaders that it's time for them to step down," Sam Rainsy told supporters in a Phnom Penh park.
"They should be ashamed of themselves and leave before they are chased out."
LAND AND MIGRANTS
His party has promised to increase wages in the garment sector - Cambodia's main export earner, built on low pay - and provide free health care for the elderly.
Sam Rainsy, a former finance minister, said he would also put an end to "land grabs" in the countryside, where allies of Hun Sen and some foreign companies have been accused of stealing land from farmers.
"We will claim back our land and rivers, there won't be any more 80- or 99-year leases for economic land or concessions for mining," he said.
Another party leader, Yim Sovann, said the CNRP would halt what he called an influx of illegal Vietnamese immigrants. The issue of migrants from Vietnam is an emotive one in Cambodia where many people harbor suspicion of their much-bigger neighbor.
Hun Sen and his CPP rose to power with the help of the Vietnamese army which invaded in late 1978 to oust the Khmer Rouge and then occupied Cambodia for the next decade.
"We must be united to replace the corrupt dictator this Sunday," Yim Sovann said. "The CNRP wins, everybody wins."
Elsewhere in the capital, an estimated 40,000 people joined a rally for the CPP, whose frail-looking leader, Chea Sim, appeared briefly but did not speak.
Kep Chuktema, a CPP candidate for Phnom Penh, thanked his supporters for putting up with attacks by the CNRP. "Though there were insults in an attempt to drive a division between the people and the CPP, they could not succeed," he said.
Hun Sen has been premier for 28 years, bringing stability after years of war and the genocidal late-1970s regime of the Khmer Rouge but, his critics say, he has shown disdain for democracy through intimidation of opponents and electoral fraud.
In a statement on Friday, U.S.-based Human Rights Watch listed a series of problems that had marred the campaign, which officially ends at midnight on Friday.
Among the problems it found were unequal access to media for the opposition, the manipulation of voters lists and campaigning by officers of the security forces for the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP).
"The entire process is biased in favor of the ruling party and against the opposition. What should result in the will of the people has been organized to result in the will of the Cambodian People's Party," said Brad Adams, its Asia director.
"An election with the leader of the opposition banned on spurious grounds is almost the definition of an unfair and undemocratic process," he said.
Sam Rainsy's eponymous party merged with another last year to form the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). It is hoping to improve on the 29 seats the two parties held in the outgoing parliament. The CPP had 90 of the 123 seats.
"People here are sending a message to the current leaders that it's time for them to step down," Sam Rainsy told supporters in a Phnom Penh park.
"They should be ashamed of themselves and leave before they are chased out."
LAND AND MIGRANTS
His party has promised to increase wages in the garment sector - Cambodia's main export earner, built on low pay - and provide free health care for the elderly.
Sam Rainsy, a former finance minister, said he would also put an end to "land grabs" in the countryside, where allies of Hun Sen and some foreign companies have been accused of stealing land from farmers.
"We will claim back our land and rivers, there won't be any more 80- or 99-year leases for economic land or concessions for mining," he said.
Another party leader, Yim Sovann, said the CNRP would halt what he called an influx of illegal Vietnamese immigrants. The issue of migrants from Vietnam is an emotive one in Cambodia where many people harbor suspicion of their much-bigger neighbor.
Hun Sen and his CPP rose to power with the help of the Vietnamese army which invaded in late 1978 to oust the Khmer Rouge and then occupied Cambodia for the next decade.
"We must be united to replace the corrupt dictator this Sunday," Yim Sovann said. "The CNRP wins, everybody wins."
Elsewhere in the capital, an estimated 40,000 people joined a rally for the CPP, whose frail-looking leader, Chea Sim, appeared briefly but did not speak.
Kep Chuktema, a CPP candidate for Phnom Penh, thanked his supporters for putting up with attacks by the CNRP. "Though there were insults in an attempt to drive a division between the people and the CPP, they could not succeed," he said.
8 comments:
ក្នុងមួយពិភពលោកនេះ អ្នកណាៗក៏ដឹងគ្រប់គ្នាទាំងអស់ថា
អាយ៉ងខ្វាក់ក្បត់ជាតិ ហ៊ុន សែន នេះ ជាមេក្បត់ជាតិ, ជាមេ
លក់ជាតិ, ជាមេឃាតករឈាមត្រជាក់, ជាមេខ្មែរក្រហម,
ជាមេទុច្ចរិត, ជាមេពុករលួយ, ជាមេយូកូងបាតផ្សារ,
ជាមេអបគមន៍, ជាមេញុះញង់, ជាមេក្រុមមនុស្សពាល នៅកម្ពុជាដែរ...!
ហើយក៏ជាមេគ្រោះថ្នាក់ធំជាងគេនៅក្នុងប្រទេសខ្មែរសព្វ
ថ្ងៃនេះ បើខ្មែរយើងមិនរួមគ្នាកំចាត់វានិងបក្សពួកវាចោលទេ ប្រទេសខ្មែរគ្មានថ្ងៃបានសុខសាន្ត និងអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ប្រទេសជាតិ
ឱ្យចម្រើនលូតលាស់បានឡើយ។
អាងាប់អន្តរធាន..! អាងាប់តៃហោង..! អាងាប់តាយសាក..!
NIGHTMARE FINALLY OVER FOLKS!!!
អាចោរយួនប្លន់ដីខ្មែរ អាសែនជាឆ្កែចុះចេញទៅ..!
អាចោរយួនប្លន់ដីខ្មែរ អាសែនជាឆ្កែចុះចេញទៅ..!
អាចោរយួនប្លន់ដីខ្មែរ អាសែនជាឆ្កែចុះចេញទៅ..!
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By “any patriot Khmers”
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 30,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 30,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 30,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 30,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
Long Live Viet Nam and Long Live Hun Sen and CPP...
We will killed all of you useless human.. we prepared 3 billion dollars after the election if you not joint the government... We prepared snipers forces to kills all of you and we prepared secret forces if you protest after election ... at the end we will kills all of you..
You will not get free and fair election ... because we deleted more then 1millions voters and we have more then 1 millions ghost voters and other.. so lost just with this ... CPP already won 25% just from this .. This election we will win 90 seats or more ...
Long live Viet Nam and CPP and Hun Sen...
U will never see Khmer Prime Minister only Viet Nam approved one or Vietnamese bloods ... You are all useless khmer and should never live .. soon your country will be our NEW PROVINCE ....
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By “any patriot Khmers”
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 30,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 30,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 30,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 30,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By “any patriot Khmers”
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 30,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 30,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 30,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 30,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
It is time for our Khmer brothers to show our political maturity by voting the power abusers out of the office and making room for nation builders.
The time comes for Preah Bath Dharmeuk era. Nothing can change the course of the 500-year-old Khmer prophecy!
Jayo Khmer Ankors! May all the Baromyes bless true Khmer heroes!
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