Saturday, December 14, 2013

Group Finds Irregularities as Post-Election Deadlock Deepens


By Khoun Theara, VOA Khmer 14.12.2013

A new alliance of election watchdogs has released a report on the July elections, saying they were marred by problems with identity card distribution, the creation of new polling stations and a “seat division strategy” that favoring the ruling party.

The Electoral Reform Alliance, a group of 20 rights and democracy groups, issued their report on Friday, bolstering claims by the opposition that July’s polls had not been fair and that irregularities cost them the election.

The opposition has refused to join the government or negotiate without a credible investigation into those irregularities.

The 62-page report found that Identity Certificates for Elections, which are temporary documents for voters, were issued to up to 20 percent of eligible voters by election authorities, compared to a demand that was closer to just 1 percent.

That means some 1.8 million temporary IDs were issued, often in areas where up to 97 percent of local officials were members of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party. As a result, the CPP gained more votes in polling stations where the certificates were issued, according to the report.

“So it’s politically biased,” said Pen Reaksa, a program manager at Transparency International Cambodia, a member of the Election Reform Alliance.

The creation of additional polling stations also served the ruling party, the report found. Among 902 new stations, the CPP received 69 percent of votes, compared to the national average of 53 percent, the report says.

The ruling party also employed a strategy of National Assembly seat allocation that helped it slightly in the election, the report found. Seat allocation has remained unchanged since 1993, despite changes in local demographics over the last decade. So where the CPP won only 53 percent of the vote nationwide, it won 68 of 123 seats in the Assembly, or 55 percent of the seats.

The elections were also marred by so-called “ghost voters,” whose names appear on registries without attachment to actual people, as well as the elimination from voter rolls actual eligible voters, the report says.

Kuol Panha, head of the election-monitoring group Comfrel, which is also a member of the reform alliance, said the government should push for election reform.

“If the election process has no integrity, the winning party loses face,” he said. “The loser and the general public are not satisfied, as well, so a fair election should be considered.”

The report also found bias in the policies of the National Election Committee that helped the CPP and
recommends the creation of a new, independent election committee.

Tep Nitha, secretary-general of the NEC, dismissed the findings of the report.

“These are just accusations that they have made many times,” he said. “Some of the findings are not technical or scientific, but rather reflect their political inclinations.”

Widespread reports of election irregularities and fraud in the July polls have put the ruling CPP and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party at odds.

The opposition has refused to join the new government or negotiation for power-sharing arrangements without an investigation into the allegations.

Rescue Party President Sam Rainsy told “Hello VOA” on Thursday that the opposition will not negotiate for government positions.

“The people gave those positions to the [Rescue Party],” he said. “The CPP must give them back to the people, in order for the people to give them to the [Rescue Party].”

The Rescue Party, which has refused to join in National Assembly sessions since the elections, is following the “people’s decision,” he said.

“The people tell us not to recognize or accept the elections, so we don’t,” he said. “They tell us not to enter parliamentary sessions, so we don’t.”

The same goes for ongoing demonstrations, he said, which also reflect the will of their supporters.

Sam Rainsy encouraged Cambodian leaders to follow the example of Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who called for a reelection in the face of mass demonstrations in her country. “They should resign from their positions and reorganize an election, if they won’t agree to recount the ballots [from July],” he said.

Ruling party officials say a reelection is not possible.

Senior CPP lawmaker Cheam Yiep said a reelection would run counter to the law.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has retained his position “because of the will of more than 3.2 million people, who supported the CPP,” he said.

Government spokesman Phay Siphan called Sam Rainsy’s position an attempt at a “constitutional coup.”

As for Thailand, its laws are different, he said. Thai law authorizes the prime minster to dissolve parliament, but in Cambodia, it is the parliament that must dissolve the government, he said.

Sam Rainsy said those claims are only fair with a legitimate government. Right now, he said, Cambodia has a one-party system, “like communism.”

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

who cares what sam rainsy said. everytime somebody tries to find solution, the extreme group cnrp always whine this or that nonstop! why should Cambodia leaves it up to sam rainsy on all issue related to Cambodia? sam rainsy and his group needs an education on ethics and professionalism before they can be allowed to participate in gov't!

Anonymous said...

they make it real tough in Khmer politics! only the mentally strong and physically strong can survive Khmer politics! I don't mean death, I mean emotional!

Anonymous said...

Rainsy talk like a girlyman, the real man not talk like that, talk is cheap, if Rainsy is a real man he doesn't need to use cheap words, the real man doesn't just talk, the real man have to show the strenght, Rainsy doesn't have the strenght to force Hun Sen to step down. He may have the poor khmer support him for now, but many month's already pass with out any result, how long would the poor khmer will keep supporting his party? Rainsy is getting weaker and weaker by the days. I think Mucha is the better leader than Rainsy, she should push Raisy out and take the lead. I like Mucha becuase she stay tought with Hun Sen, un_like Rainsy when thing get tought he ran out country to hide. Rainsy is not strong like Mucha, so Rainsy need to step down and let Mucha take over the leadershipe roll. If Raisy think he a strong man he should do so with out hestiation.

Anonymous said...

Mr Ou Virak

Right now, Cambodia is being controlled by the VC (YOUN) and the Chin (chinese). Therefore, I understand that you are under their watchdog like, everything you do have to be under their controlled, e,g how to say, react or do thing etc, even with your character, you have to change to meet their political correctness like to meet with their policy and procedure, the ethical code and the code of conduct etc. Nevertheless since you brought this subject up, it is clearly seen as we really under their controlled.

Secondly, you don't need to defend the word 'YOUN' because you will only be making a fool of yourself. Again, this is their evil tactics and tricks to create one problem after another to make sure that 'khmers fight among khmers' no stop period. e,g they create pol pot to fight against Lon Nol, created Chea Sim, Hang Sarin and Hun Sen (gang of three) to fight against pol pot, created a nation full of corruption to be against the gang of three, and now, they are placing our nation be at their correctness.

As Cambodians, just like every other nation abroad, will not tolerate or allow anyone/nation to scrutinie us in everyway they like. We have our own state sovereignty and would refuse to obey or be under foreigners'control at all costs. Cambodia belongs to Cambodians not a group of mafia of the Hun/cpp/vc/ch controlling freaks.


In addition let me translate and clarify this topic of country and its name to be called or had been called according to its historical and ancesterial usage, mostly mean just a name to be called e,g Jesus, John, Peter, James and so on e,g In English, Jesus, for Cambodia we say, Jay Su, Peter, we say Petros or John we sat U-Harn and so as the Viet or Youn.

let me put into some perspective into khmer's use of language in term of certain country and its nick name calling for our traditional manners etc

Cambodians is also known as Khmers.
Viet for khmers we called them 'YOUN'

Japan=Japon
German= Ah La Mong
Thai= Siam
Chinese=Chin
French or white people= Barang
American=Ah Keng
Russia=Ros Se

the word black white or yellow skin doesn't mean racist either, it is just a desciption to identify their background e,g ID human nature.

Therefore, from now, please do not bring this subject up to devalue our race or lecturing us to meet foreigners need.

For Viet/YOUN, you call us 'Mein', do we care? NO! so leave my country and people alone and get the fk out of my country now before it is too late. We khmers have been oppressed by your crooked kind of people for hundreds of years now and it is time for us to say you (VC/CH) enough is enough! so piss of!

Anonymous said...

Whether they leave Cambodia or not, they are YOUN to us now and forever!. As for them crooks, they will always call us 'Mein' and it is their right to call us in their own language as well e.g Just like lord Jesus, we call him 'Preah Yay Sue' and so as the Viet/Youn!. Does it bother Lord Jesus? No! because he knows that people can translate in their language which has the same meaning anyway.

The fki Viet/Youn will always create one problem after another for us to convey us from the real issue e.g land grab. land concession, owing angkor wat, Mt Bokor and Koh Tral for 99 years. Plus they control everything in our country from gov't levels to small business including health and banking. It is time for us to not focus on this issue of its nick name or a translated name of their particular cultural language etc.

Mr Ou Virik, don't let the VC/YOUN fool you ever again and again. They are nothing more than evil kind of people. They have lied, cheated, stolen and killed us as long as we know. What we need right now is, all CPP (compatriots) and CNRP (compatriots) to conform and turn against the foreigners' aggression (VC?CH) before it is too late.

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen = Chey Chetha 2

Anonymous said...


Ah La Ou Khmauch Areak or Ou Vireak,

Why Vietnam and Ou Virak did not want Khmer people to call Vietnamese Yuon ?

Because Vietnam and Ou Vireak did not want Khmer people to recall the old history : KBAL KHMER YUON DAM TER ONG.

You see, this story made YUON looked bad.

Bun Thoeun

Anonymous said...

Ou Vireak should go to live in Vietnam.

Anonymous said...

HUN SEN must be removed as quick as we can, otherwise Cambodia is going to fall Vietnamese colonialism and Cambodia will be controlled by Vietnam forever,

Anonymous said...

Ou Rireak what is your job to protect Khmer or to protect yuon? who you actually work for? yuon or hun sen's yuon,you are worst than yuon's dog. If you concern about Khmer like you concern about yuon, then you're a good dog.

Anonymous said...

Along with these frauds on the recent election, please note that Mr.Khiev, minister of information quickly claimed the propsed result 68v 55 , , intended to MISLEAD the Cambodians. This is using his position to wrongly intimidating People of Cambodia.
As the king and his role to uphold the justice and protect his people by constitution, what measure would he take to the crime perpetrated against Cambodians.

Neang SA