Integrity seems to be in decline

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948)

Last week, a Khmer democrat e-mailed me from Phnom Penh about the Cambodian People's Party's Bayon Television and Radio stations, which allegedly devotes "hours a day" of programming to commentaries that disparage opposition political figures.
...
In Ghandi's words: "Nobody can hurt me without my permission."

And Lord Gautama Buddha teaches, "Slandering is evil, gossip is evil."

August 4, 2010
By A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Pacific Daily News (Guam)

There was a man thrown off a train in South Africa because he had a first-class ticket but refused to move to a third-class coach; beaten by a stagecoach driver for refusing to travel on the foot board to make room for a European passenger; barred from hotels; ordered by a court magistrate to remove his turban. And on and on.

After fighting for justice for Indians in South Africa, he returned to India in 1951, and fought for India's independence from the British Empire.

He was India's great political and spiritual leader, Mahatma Ghandi.

Among those who followed Gandhi's ways and philosophy were South Africa's first black president, Nelson Mandela, and the slain American civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.

They put their lives on the line fighting for great causes through nonviolence. They upheld the highest principles with utmost integrity. Sadly, in our contemporary world, those values seem to be in decline.

On June 30, Michael Gerson of the Council on Foreign Relations wrote in "Wanted: Grown-ups": "One of the most significant divisions in American public life" is not Democrat-Republican, but "the Ugly Party and the Grown-Up Party." He wrote about the "demeaning, dehumanizing rhetoric of the Ugly Party" -- with both Democrats and Republicans as members -- whose "adolescent form of political discourse" depicts "rivals (as) somehow less than human."

Among Gerson's examples were Washington Post blogger David Weigel's leaked e-mail comment about Rush Limbaugh's hospitalization due to chest pain: "I hope he fails"; and Ann Coulter's "My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times building."

How appalling!

Gerson quoted John Avlon, author of "Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe Is Highjacking America" -- "If you only take offense when the president of your party is compared to Hitler, then you're part of the problem."

Amen!

Members of the Ugly Party flourish worldwide. One can read comments posted on the Internet by "anonymous" writers, engaged in venomous racial slurs, profanity, personal insults, disparaging and dehumanizing comments, irrelevant and unnecessary to topics discussed in public debate.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle said man is a political animal; but unlike other animals, man alone has speech, and man alone has a perception of good and bad, just and unjust. What would Aristotle think of those who display such a lack of civility?

Last week, a Khmer democrat e-mailed me from Phnom Penh about the Cambodian People's Party's Bayon Television and Radio stations, which allegedly devotes "hours a day" of programming to commentaries that disparage opposition political figures.

Two years ago, I wrote in this space about those with petty minds, engrossed in idle chatter of scandal, slander or schadenfreude (enjoyment taken from another's misfortune); who dig up unflattering rumors to throw at their fellow men, introduce errors and variations into information, thereby sowing friction, ending friendships, alienating people, and hurting and harming their names and reputation.

Studies affirm that each of us is more conformist than we might like to acknowledge. We are quick to believe, to conform to an opinion. A psychological experiment reveals that one in three of us adopts and conforms to the views of others.

The story about U.S. Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod, 62, is an example. Conservative activist and blogger Andrew Breitbart posted a video clip of her March 27 speech at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The edited clip seems to characterize Sherrod, who is African American, as a racist who refused to help a white farmer, Roger Spooner, who sought her help. The video clip was enough to vilify Sherrod, who was fired from her government job.

Only then did administration officials view the entire video, which put the lie to the earlier characterization. Spooner himself emerged to take up Sherrod's defense: "I never was treated no better than Shirley."

As White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said, "Members of this administration, members of the media, members of different political factions of both sides of this have all made determinations and judgments without a full set of facts."

That's a lot of people whose judgments were based on Breitbart's video excerpt.

President Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack apologized to Sherrod.

There's a self-help psychology book online, "Be Your Own Therapist," by experienced psychotherapist Thayer White, who says, "feeling not OK" is what leads to the process of name-calling: The name-caller feels more powerful by getting others upset.

The book reminds us that if you are not bothered by his name-calling, it's he who winds up being doubly unhappy: He can't dump his trouble on you, plus his original trouble never goes away.

The book says one can stay above unnecessary hurt and unhappiness, and remember that "Whatever people say about (you) says nothing about (you) but a lot about them."

As former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

In Ghandi's words: "Nobody can hurt me without my permission."

And Lord Gautama Buddha teaches, "Slandering is evil, gossip is evil."

A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.

Remember Hun Sen? Mu Sochua does

Written by William T. Dowell
The Essential Edge (Geneva, Switzerland)

GENEVA--Mu Sochua, one of the more impressive speakers at "Courage to Lead," a gathering of more than 40 women involved in human rights last week, is not a woman to be taken lightly. After spending the last twenty years fighting against both human trafficking and general corruption in Cambodia, the deputy in Cambodia's leading opposition party has embroiled herself in a head-on clash with the country's perennial prime minister, Hun Sen. The spat now seems likely to land her in jail. At a superficial glance, the furor seems slightly silly. It began last spring when Mu Sochua protested against a Cambodian army officer using official government vehicles at public expense to campaign for Hun Sen's political party. A scuffle ensued and Mu Sochua's blouse accidentally ripped open. Hun Senwho likes to go by the rather ungainly honorific, "Samdach Akkak Moha Sena Padey Dekjo," referred to the incident in a speech, vulgarly dismissing Mu Sochua as a hustler, who liked to expose herself and had a propensity for grabbing at men. If the Samdach expected Mu Sochua to roll over, he was wrong. Mu Sochua promptly sued him for defamation in a Phnom Penh municipal court, demanding 500 Cambodian riels, or roughly 12 cents in damages along with an apology. Instead of apologizing, Hun Sen, promptly countersued and taunted Mu Sochua to appeal to the World Court if she thought it would do any good.

Not surprisingly Mu Sochua's case was thrown out of Phnom Penh's municipal court, while Hun Sen's countersuit stuck. Mu Sochua's parliamentary immunity was stripped away. An appeals court confirmed a lower court's verdict against her for libel, and the case is now headed for the Cambodia's Supreme Court, which Mu Sochua also expects to rule in favor of the "Samdach." The penalty for losing the suit is a fine of roughly $4,100, but Mu Sochua refuses to pay it, and insists that she will go to jail for six months instead.

It may all seem like much ado about not very much, but Mu Sochua insists that there is a lot more at stake. Hun Sen, who was propelled into his current position after Vietnam ousted Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in 1979, has held onto power ever since by making sure that his party hand picks Cambodia's 13,000 village chiefs. "This nation has to be built on the rule of law and not just one man," says Mu Sochua. "These people are afraid of democracy. The way they maintain control is by not allowing the people to elect their village chiefs. The Cambodian people live in fear of the village chiefs. At the same time the country has opened itself up to a market economy, which brings in a lot of money that is not managed well, which is why there is so much corruption."

Hun Sen, who at 57, shows no signs of planning on early retirement, has plenty of reason for wanting to take on Mu Sochua's party. In November, he had, Sam Rainsy, who leads the opposition, stripped of parliamentary immunity for the second time this year: the reason, Sam Rainsy had removed several posts marking out the border with Vietnam. Rainsy contends that the Vietnamese, who were responsible for Hun Sen's rise to power in Cambodia, have been engaged in a land grab for themselves based on questionable treaty arrangements.

Mu Sochua insists that her spat focuses on Hun Sen's vulgar use of language and the corruption of Cambodia's legal system. "What is at stake," she says, "is democracy. The space for democracy is narrowed by the power of the ruling party, and mainly by the power of Hun Sen, who has his hands in every institution, including the parliament and the courts. He didn't just insult me as a woman. He insulted the parliament as an institution. I am actually taking the justice system itself to court."

The story gets a bit more complicated since Mu Sochua received a 2005 leadership award from Vital Voices Global Parntership, a Washington DC-based foundation which grew out of the US government sponsored Vital Voices for Democracy Initiative, co-founded by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Madeleine Albright in 1997.

"This is also a challenge for the international community," Mu Sochua says. "They invest $1 billion a year in Cambodia, but they never fulfilled their responsibilities by making it a condition that the government fulfills its obligations towards the human rights of its own people." Hillary Clinton delivered a brief address via satellite at the end of the Geneva meeting, but it was not clear what her take as Secretary of State would be on Mu Sochua's case.

Even more potentially troublesome for Hun Sen is the fact that Mu Sochua, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology at San Francisco State, and a masters in Social Work at UC Berkely, is married to an American who runs a major project on decentralization for the United Nations in Cambodia. "My husband is completely separate from my political life," she explains. Her three children now live abroad, but both her husband and children are emotionally supportive. "I told my family that I am going to jail. Please don't talk me out of it. It has come to that point" Mom is going to jail," she says. "It gives me peace in heart." Whether it gives Hun Sen or his supporters peace of mind is another matter. More information on Mu Sochua is available at her website: http://musochua.org
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The 3-day conference, "Courage to Lead," was organized at the International Labor Organization last week by Allida Black, the director and editor of George Washington University's Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project, and it was supported by Vital Voices Global Partnership, which works to promote the status of women and to encourage women to become leaders worldwide. The partnership grew out of the US government's Vital Voices Democracy Initiative, which was launched in 1997 by Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project seeks to carry on with the tradition of Mrs. Roosevelt, who was one of the early proponents of the idea that everyone should have access to basic human rights. Allida Black, who is something of a fireball herself, continues to carry the flame.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project is on line at: http://gwu.edu/~erpapers/
Vital Voices is online at: http://vitalvoices.org.

SRP: Kampot Election Committee Empowers Military With Its Ruling

July 9, 2008
Source: SRP

STATEMENT

KAMPOT ELECTION COMMITTEE EMPOWERS MILITARY WITH ITS RULING

On July 8, 2008 , Provincial Election Committee (PEC) of Kampot held a hearing with witnesses from the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) and the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). Based on all facts, and testimonies of witnesses from both parties, the president of Kampot PEC ruled in favor of SRP but by issuing a simple warning to the violator. SRP will appeal the Kampot PEC’s decision to NEC as a simple warning for a serious violation of the Election Law is unfair and unjust. PEC in Kampot failed to demonstrate its neutral stance and to fulfill its roles and functions in dealing with complaints related to violations of electoral rules and regularities and the Election Law.

Article 131 of the Election Law stipulates the following fines for civil servants and members of the police and military forces who abuse their positions during the campaign period:

1. a fine up to 10,000.000 riels;
2. stripping of right to stand as a candidate for election;
3. stripping of right to vote.

By issuing a simple warning to a high ranking officer of the RCAF who used his power and position to campaign for CPP is a clear demonstration that PEC in Kampot is afraid to act according to the law. The violator is not just a regular citizen but an influential member of the CPP in Kampot.

SRP notes with real concern that election committees at all levels are seeking compromises as a solution to violations of the election law. For major violations, such practice is undermining the law itself and is against the principles of free and fair elections as most often CPP violations are committed with the full intention of demonstrating power, control, intimidation and threat. All must be done to ensure an electoral process that is played in a level field which is a process for Cambodia to move forward in its efforts to build democracy and to enforce the rule of law.

NGOs condemn Mu Sochua attack

Mu Sochua (Photo: Heng Chivoan, The Phnom Penh Post)

Monday, 07 July 2008
The Mekong Times

Violence against female parliamentary candidates is discouraging women from entering politics, claims a joint NGO statement issued yesterday.

Staff from the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL), the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (NICFEC) and the Committee of Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) were among those to condemn “inhuman acts” such as a reported assault upon Mu Sochua, secretary-general of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party and parliamentary candidate for Kampot province.

“According to Licadho in Kampot province and CPWP [Committee to Promote Women in Politics] staff who have met the bystanders, Ms. Mu Sochua’s hands were twisted so hard by a driver and his two associates that her two blouse buttons were removed in front of the public,” the statement said. “Worse, the scuffle lasted for 30 minutes without any intervention from the competent authorities.”

Apparently, the assault came after Mu Sochua attempted to photograph a car with army number plates taking part in electoral campaigning.

The attack contravenes women’s rights enshrined in the Cambodian Constitution and violates election law, the statement continued, as well as undermining the government’s development principles.

“Such an assault in public has spoilt her [Mu Sochua’s] dignity and nobility as a Khmer woman and can be an intimidation and barrier to women involving themselves in politics.”

Secretary General of the National Election Committee, Tep Nytha, yesterday agreed that anyone using state property during electoral campaigning is “violating the election law, and if any political party which saw those using such property should take a picture of them as evidence to make a complaint to the commune committee to solve the case.”

But he said that Mu Sochua’s use of her “authority” to block vehicles is “beyond her authority [as] a parliamentary candidate,” recommending that charges of physical abuse be investigated by the courts.

“I want to reaffirm that the NEC has power to tackle only issues associated with elections such as the use of state property and overuse of rights by political representatives. So, the court will solve complaints associated with [physical abuse] such as the spraining of arms … People who violate [election law] should be warned or deleted from voting lists or fined 5 million riel [around US$1,250] to 25 million riel [around US$6,250].”

Tep Nytha pointed out that violence has been low in this electoral campaign compared to 2003, although authorities are investigating “two politically motivated crimes.”

“When we obtain precise evidence,” he concluded, “we will publicize it.”

CPP Against Woman

2 July 2008
Op-Ed By Kok Sap
On the web at http://neokhmer.wordpress.com/

Picture means more than words. Look at the CPP brightly red blood flying dancer, a woman, was she supposed to mean something?

In just barely 5 day into the so called official election campaign, CPP own National Election Laws seem exposing its chauvinism already. Mme. Mu Sochua, a Khmer and woman MP candidate from one of the contending parties, was reported to have been assaulted by a Royal Armed Forces General who happens to be a CPP official too. She was not only nearly run over but indecently exposed in daylight too. This isolated incident makes Viet sex workers in modern Phnom Penh laugh so hard at CPP hot shots.

Speaking of fair campaign, look at General Hoc Lundi National Police Boss, an alleged 1997 coup lynch man, orders his uniformed officers to campaign for CPP since 2008 started. The same time CPP Ministers order employees to volunteer and campaign for CPP a long time ago too.

Just days before the campaign kick off, the CPP's Foreign Minister (a Killing Fields prison warden) pulled a punch below waist line on a meek journalist who merely reported what was already known. He sued then arrested and illegally imprisoned poor man. On top of that Sihanouk was told to warn his followers not to use his image during the campaigning. Imagine even killing fields God King was mistreated too. This is clearly a lèse majesté.

The contenders are already at disadvantage since CPP has state owned TV-Radio, press/media, state owned means and paid employees, tanks, planes and big guns, millions of dollar, armed guards, 4 million Viets and Kings in its pockets. Nonetheless CPP seems more panicking and wagging its tail at its opponents.

Mme. Mu Sochua assailant should be prosecuted on sexual harassment, physical abuse, and misuse state owned property to conduct personal political agendas charges.

Repeated Violence Against An Opposition Woman Candidate: Who Am I To Defend The Principles Of Free And Fair Elections?

On the Campaign Trail of the Cambodia 2008 Elections

30 June, 2008 Kampot province. Southwestern region of Cambodia and last stronghold of the Khmer Rouges

REPEATED VIOLENCE AGAINST AN OPPOSITION WOMAN CANDIDATE: WHO AM I TO DEFEND THE PRINCIPLES OF FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS?

Today on the 5th day of the election campaign, I faced the brutal aggression of an army general.

While on the campaign trail in Kampot province, I observed a vehicle of the Cambodian Armed Forces being used in the election campaign of the Cambodian People's Party, the ruling party since 1980. The Electoral Laws and Procedures clearly stipulate that the use of state-owned vehicles, facilities and funds are prohibited in election campaigns. But the military license plate juxtaposed against the large CPP stickers on the side of the car was in plain view. I immediately asked my fellow campaigners to take a photograph of the vehicle while I explained the issue to the vehicle's owner, a general of the Cambodian Armed Forces and the chief of the border control unit in Kompong Trach district.

The army general hurriedly ordered his driver to remove the car from the premises, away from cameras and witnesses. Knowing that the only chance of successfully filing an official complaint in court would be to have a picture of the car, I attempted to stop the car by holding on to its front bumper. It was at this point that the army general assaulted me, grabbing on to my arm and painfully twisting it so that I would be forced to let go of his car.

Meanwhile, the car was dragging me almost three meters onto the busy highway road I shouted, "Look at my shirt! I am a political candidate - what are you doing?" but his reply was that he did not care. He was in full control of the situation and he continued to tighten his grip on my arm.

I noticed my shirt had become unbuttoned in the confrontation, and I was becoming more and more exposed in front of the crowd of men that surrounded us. Half-naked, arm throbbing, and feet dragging, I finally released my hold of the car. Had I not let go at this point. I surely would have suffered serious injury.

All of this occurred only two days after I narrowly escaped physical harm from a deputy village chief of Prey Khmom village It was a similar incident, where I had stopped the motorcycle carrying the deputy village.

By Mu Sochua

Prominent Sam Rainsy Party Woman Candidate Assaulted by Army General on 5th Day of Election Campaign

Mu Sochua (Center) talking with local villagers (Photo: SRP)

July 1, 2008
Source: SRP

In less than a week in the 30-day campaign period Mu Sochua, former Minister of Women’s Affairs, a nominee for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize, deputy secretary-general and first candidate on the SRP candidate list in Kampot province has faced serious threat and assault by officials of the ruling party, the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).

On the second day of the campaign, June 27, 2008, Mu Sochua spotted a police officer in full uniform, sitting in the back of a moto-cycle driven by the deputy village chief of Prey Khmom village, Kampot district, Kampot province. The deputy village chief was wearing a hat with the CPP logo. Mu Sochua stopped the moto-cycle and reminded both men of the electoral procedures which refer to the neutrality of civil servants, police and army officers. Both men refused to comply with the law. The deputy village chief threatened to run her over as she was trying to stop him from leaving. She could have been seriously wounded had she not quickly stepped aside when he took off in full speed, aiming his moto-cycle at her. He repeated his intention of running her over, when interviewed by Radio Free Asia.

On the fifth day of the campaign, Mu Sochua spotted a car carrying a license plate of the Cambodian Armed Forces with a big CPP poster on both sides of the car. When she was trying to take a photograph of the car, the owner, a general of the Cambodian Armed Forces and chief of the border control unit in Kompong Trach district, Kampot province stopped her. Mu Sochua, knowing that the only chance of proof was to have a picture of the car, attempted to stop the car as the owner was ordering his driver to leave with the car. During the argument, the army general assaulted Mu Sochua and her shirt became undone, leaving her half-naked in front of a crowd of men. Mu Sochua was dragged for about 3 meters by the car that was attempting to leave the scene as the general continued to give his order. Had she not let go off the car, she could have received grave harm to herself.

The Sam Rainsy Party strongly condemns both acts of violence and any act of violence against its candidates and candidates of any political party. SRP is gravely concerned by the mounting level of violence committed by people in power and officials of the CPP.

The Sam Rainsy Party calls on the UN, the international donors and the global women’s networks to urge the government of Cambodia and the National Election Committee to ensure that the 2008 parliamentary election be free of violence and that all measures are taken to respect the principles of free and fair elections.

"Normally, politicians of political parties who issue statements always want to gain political benefit" -sic!- : CPP General Sak Setha

Show Evidence of Incidents: General

By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
02 July 2008

A senior Ministry of Interior official Wednesday called on political parties to provide evidence of campaign irregularities before accusing local authorities of violating election laws.

"If there is no evidence, the person violating election laws cannot be punished," said Lt. Gen. Sak Setha, director general of the ministry's department of administration. "Normally, politicians of political parties who issue statements always want to gain political benefit."

Investigations into alleged irregularities have not produced evidence that follows the accusations of some political parties, he said. Only small irregularities have been found, he said.

Sak Setha spoke to reporters at the closing ceremony of a training period for 65 "master trainers" to promote a better electoral process and reduce election irregularities.

The training was conducted through the UNDP and the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia. The master trainers are expected to train another 20,000 interested parties, including village chiefs, commune councilors, political parties, monks, and others.

Sam Rainsy Party Secretary-General Eng Chhay Ieng said his party always collects evidence prior to issuing statements of wrongdoing.

On Monday, SRP Deputy Secretary-General Mu Sochua claimed she had been involved in two serious incidents with Cambodian People's Party officials, including a physical altercation in Kampot province, where she is a parliamentary candidate.

Letter addressed to Hun Sen regarding the assaults on Mrs. Mu Sochua

To the Attention of Prime Minister Hun Sen:

We are North American supporters of a new Cambodia and alarmed to hear about the recent campaign violence targeting Mu Sochua. Apparently members of the CPP are making attempts to intimidate her in a dangerous manner. Our hope is that all measures will be taken to respect the principles of a free and fair election and members and supporters of the Sam Rainsy party will be accorded their rightful voice in a peaceful process. The wider international community will watch carefully. Please use your official power to ensure no more violence.

Respectfully,

Nor Hall
St. Paul, MN
USA

No Serious Campaign Violence Reported ... Just the usual CPP violence, intimidation and threats, as usual

No Serious Campaign Violence Reported: NEC

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
01 July 2008

In 22 instances of campaign irregularities reported to the National Election Committee since Thursday, none of them have included serious violence, officials said Tuesday.

This marked an improvement from 2003, election officials said.

"We've received 22 complaints up to today," NEC Secretary-General Tep Nitha told reporters Tuesday. "All of the complaints are related to violations of NEC procedures."

He cited as examples the dueling of loudspeakers between two or more parties, or the installation of a party logo on a site without permission.

"But in all the complaints, we can compromise in the [commune election committees], and some others in the [provincial election committees]," he said. "None of the complaints will affect the election process."

Provincial election committees will be holding open hearings in some cases, he said.

Some parties, however, said they had suffered many abuses.

"We face much violence, violations of the election law, threats, [and] intimidation from the [Cambodian People's Party] against the Sam Rainsy Party activities in all forms," SRP Secretary-General Mu Sochua told reporters at a separate press conference Tuesday.

Mu Sochua has alleged two attempts by vehicles to strike her, and claimed on Monday her shirt had been ripped open and her arm twisted in an altercation with a CPP supporter.

Commune police posts have banned the Sam Rainsy Party from playing loudspeakers in some communes, Mu Sochua said, and in other cases, the party has been prevented from campaigning village to village.

In a statement Tuesday the Norodom Ranariddh Party condemned a death threat to one of its activists and the prevention of the party from installing signs on some locations.

The party also accused 10 unidentified men of setting up a roadblock and throwing stones at activists in an attempt to dissuade the party from campaigning in Battambang province.

Human Rights Party Vice President Keo Remy said the party also experienced violence and destruction, including the ripping up of photos of party president Kem Sokha and concerted damage to party signs and leaflets in Phnom Penh.

Tep Nitha said Tuesday most irregularities were reported in Battambang and Phnom Penh, as well as Svay Rieng and Prey Veng provinces.

Kampot Candidate Scuffles With CPP

Mu Sochua (Center)

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
30 June 2008

Click here to listen to the Khmer audio program

Mu Sochua, the opposition candidate for Kampot province, has had two brushes with ruling party activists in three days.

The Sam Rainsy Party secretary-general and former Funcinpec minister of women's affairs said she was nearly run over by a truck on Monday and dodged a motorcycle Saturday.

On Saturday, Mu Sochua claims, she argued with a ruling Cambodian People's Party commune chief who was wearing a CPP hat--a violation of election regulations. She filed a complaint with police claiming the driver tried to hit her with his motorcycle.

And on Monday, she said, she was nearly knocked over by a truck after she tried to pull a CPP sign off the door of the vehicle, which was a government vehicle. Mu Sochua said her shirt had been torn open and her left arm twisted in an ensuing scuffle.

"I will complain to the [provincial election committee] on violations of the election law and complain to the courts of attempted murder and assault," Mu Sochua said Monday. "This is a very serious problem."

Local election officials failed to mediate the disputes Monday, and CPP officials have complained to provincial officials over Mu Sochua's removal of a sign from the vehicle without authority.

If she saw lawful wrongdoing, she should complain to local election officials, said San Sman, a senior district CPP official, whose truck was at the center of Monday's altercation.

Provincial Election Committee Chairman Te Chinnarith said he is investigating all complaints and will hold an open hearing in the next three days, in accordance with election regulations.