Cambodians Get Support From Philippines in Struggle For Democratic Elections

Lombok, Indonesia, September 17, 2012

CAMBODIANS GET SUPPORT FROM PHILIPPINES IN STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS

The Philippine Senate today unanimously adopted a resolution supporting the United Nations recommendations for the organization of the national elections in Cambodia on July 28, 2013.

This comes a week after the launch of the International Parliamentary Committee for Democratic Elections in Cambodia (IPCDEC) in Manila.

The IPCDEC, chaired by Filipino Senator Franklin Drilon, is an international organization grouping Members of Parliament from all over the world. It was formed to support legitimate demands of the Sam Rainsy Party and the Human Rights Party. These demands, which are in line with UN recommendations, are a reform of the National Election Committee (NEC) and my return to Cambodia, as Opposition Leader, to take part in the forthcoming elections.

The UN recommendations are contained in a Report by the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia published in August. The report calls for an overhaul of the leadership and the composition of the NEC so as to include balanced representation from all political parties represented in the National Assembly, with consensus required for any important decisions. The UN also calls for a political resolution of my case in order to open the way for my return and my free and full participation in the election process.

We expect other Parliaments and Governments, especially in neighboring countries, to express their solidarity with the Cambodian people and their support for free and fair elections in Cambodia in 2013 that meet international standards.

Democracy and respect for human rights are universal values that guarantee true and lasting stability allowing sustainable and equitable development. With all its member states upholding these values, ASEAN -- whose Parliaments are currently meeting in Lombok, Indonesia, in the framework of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Association (AIPA) -- will become a stronger, more cohesive, more united and more respected organization that will play a distinct leadership role for peace and international cooperation in Asia and the rest of the world.

I am grateful to Filipino President Benigno Aquino III for discussing the situation in Cambodia with me, and to other Filipino leaders from different political parties for their support for democracy in Cambodia, as evidenced by today’s Philippine Senate Resolution. I am also grateful to Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa for receiving me last week in Jakarta and for the fruitful discussion we had.

SAM RAINSY

Elected Member of Parliament

President of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, Cambodia’s united democratic opposition which currently has 40 elected National Assembly Members and Senators

Please read the full text of the UN Recommendations at http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session21/A-HRC-21-63_en.pdf




https://www.box.com/s/5al4yn834a7w8eftz7r6

The Philippine Senate unanimously adopted a resolution supporting the UN recommendations for the organization of the national elections in Cambodia

https://www.box.com/s/kkkvfs6mdcxkaasyr1mg

Legarda Hails Adoption of Resolution to Support Efforts for Parliamentary and Inclusive Democracy in Cambodia

MP Sam Rainsy and Senator Loren Legarda in the Philippine Senate

September 18, 2012
Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats

Senator Loren Legarda hailed the adoption of Senate Resolution No. 873, which expresses support for parliamentary and inclusive democracy in Cambodia, last September 17.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, stressed that the value of democratic governance and parliamentary democracy cannot be understated, and building on electoral reforms is vital to developing a lasting a vibrant democracy.

“I filed this Resolution in cognizance of the 2012 report of Professor Surya Subedi, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia. Cambodia’s national election in July 2013 offers as excellent opportunity to further democratic consolidation,” she said.

“We take exceptional note of Professor Subedi's report that Cambodia has made progress with regard to democratic reforms, observance of the rule of law, and the human rights situation in the country following its adoption of the Paris Peace Agreements,” she detailed.

សារសំខាន់​នៃ​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​សភា​អន្តរជាតិ - Importance of the Internatonal Parliamentary Committee

លោក សម រង្ស៊ី

2012-09-11
ដោយ ម៉ៅ សុធានី
Radio Free Asia

លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង និង​ជា​ប្រធាន​ចលនា​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ បាន​ថ្លែង​ថា គណៈកម្មាធិការ​សភា​អន្តរជាតិ​ដើម្បី​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត​បែប​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា បាន​សម្ពោធ​ជា​ផ្លូវ​ការ​ហើយ នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ចន្ទ ទី​១០ ខែ​កញ្ញា នៅ​ក្រុង​ម៉ានីល (Manila) ប្រទេស​ហ្វីលីពីន ដែល​មាន​លោក ហ្វ្រែងគ្លីន ឌ្រីលិន (Franklin Drilon) សមាជិក​ព្រឹទ្ធសភា​ហ្វីលីពីន ជា​ប្រធាន។

លោក​ប្រធាន សម រង្ស៊ី អះអាង​ថា គណៈកម្មាធិការ​សភា​នេះ ដែល​មាន​សមាជិក​សភា​ពី​ប្រទេស​ប្រមាណ​ជា​៨០ នឹង​ចូល​រួម​យ៉ាង​សកម្ម​ក្នុង​ការ​ជួយ​ជំរុញ​ឲ្យ​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត​នៅ​កម្ពុជា ប្រព្រឹត្ត​ទៅ​ដោយ​សេរី និង​យុត្តិធម៌ ជាពិសេស សម្រាប់​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត​សកល​នៅ​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៣។

លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស​ចលនា​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ បាន​មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​សម្ដែង​សុទិដ្ឋិនិយម​ពី​ក្រុង​ម៉ានីល ថា ការ​បង្កើត​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​សភា​អន្តរជាតិ​ដើម្បី​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត​បែប​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា (International Parliamentary Committee for Democratic Election in Cambodia – IPCDEC) នេះ គឺ​មាន​សារសំខាន់​ណាស់​សម្រាប់​ដំណើរ​ការ​លទ្ធិប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា។

Press Release: Exiled Cambodian Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy and Senator Franklin Drilon Launched International Parliamentary Committee

Exiled Cambodian Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy and Senator Franklin Drilon Launched International Parliamentary Committee

10 September 2012

Honorable Sam Rainsy, MP, leader of the biggest opposition party in Cambodia arrived in Manila this week to launch the International Parliamentary Committee for Democratic Elections in Cambodia (IPCDEC). The official launch was on the 10th of September in Club Filipino, and was attended by Senator Franklin Drilon, Secretary Neric Acosta, Congressman Jerry Treñas, and Cambodian MPs Saumura Tioulong and Yim Sovann.

Senator Franklin Drilon, who chairs the IPCDEC, introduced the committee as a "group of like-minded parliamentarians expressing their solidarity to promote full and inclusive democracy in Cambodia."

"This committee is of paramount importance in light of forthcoming elections parliamentary elections in Cambodia on July 2013", Senator Drilon added. He noted how past elections in Cambodia have been plagued with violence and electoral fraud, not unlike the plight of Filipinos not long ago.

LI President and Dutch Foreign Minister Meet with Sam Rainsy

Source: http://www.liberal-international.org

Cambodia's Opposition leader Sam Rainsy launched a tour to the European capitals to discuss with the top liberals in government the findings of the latest report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia. In follow up to the meetings with LI SG Emil Kirjas in London, Sam Rainsy visited The Netherlands and had meetings with both Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal (VVD, LI Full member) and LI President Hans van Baalen MEP (VVD). Minister Rosenthal acknowledged that The Netherlands, having signed the Paris Peace Agreements, has a special role to play to promote free and fair elections in Cambodia. Hans van Baalen, in a separate meeting with Sam Rainsy and his wife Saumura Tioulong MP, stated that he will “raise support for free and fair elections in Cambodia in both the European Parliament and Liberal International'. The UN Report highlights the exiled situation of Sam Rainsy and requests “a political solution to enable him, as the leader of the opposition, to play a full role in Cambodian politics.”

ចលនា​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ ស្នើ​អន្តរជាតិ​ឲ្យ​ជួយ​កែ​ទម្រង់ គ.ជ.ប

2012-07-28
ដោយ ទីន ហ្សាការីយ៉ា
Radio Free Asia

ចលនា​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ ដែល​មាន​គណបក្ស សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស និង​គណបក្ស សម រង្ស៊ី បាន​ចេញ​លិខិត​មួយ​ច្បាប់ នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៨ កក្កដា ផ្ញើ​ទៅ​សហគមន៍​អន្តរជាតិ អំពាវនាវ​ឲ្យ​សហគមន៍​អន្តរជាតិ​ទាម​ទារ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​ប្រព័ន្ធ បោះ​ឆ្នោត ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា ឲ្យ​មាន​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​ ពិត​ប្រាកដ។

ការ​ធ្វើ​លិខិត​អំពាវនាវ​នេះ នៅ​ក្រោយ​ពេល​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​បាន​ប្រកាស​ជា​សាធារណៈ​ថា រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា​មិន​ទទួល​យក​គំនាប​ណា​មួយ​ពី​សហគមន៍​អន្តរជាតិ ដើម្បី​ឲ្យ​លោក សម រង្ស៊ី វិល​ចូល​ស្រុក​វិញ​នោះ​ទេ។

អនុ​ប្រធាន​ចលនា​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ និង​ជា​ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៨ កក្កដា ថា ចលនា​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ ចង់​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត​ជាតិ​នៅ​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៣ ខាង​មុខ ប្រកប​ដោយ​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ សេរី និង​ត្រឹមត្រូវ។

Be Part of Keeping the World Green - Chut Wutty's Work Must Continue

04 May 2012
By Mu Sochua

I met with Senator Lee Rhiannon from The Greens party in Australia during my visit this month. Illegal logging and land grabbing are exactly what I brought up.

She promised to question her government. I asked for more: free and fair elections for the people of Cambodia to vote for change.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MyyVePNxLw

Myanmar minister says by-elections 'free and fair' [-That should put Hun Xen to shame]

Sunday, April 1, 2012

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Myanmar's foreign minister says the weekend by-elections contested by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in his Southeast Asian nation were "free and fair."

Wunna Maung Lwin's upbeat assessment of Sunday's vote was echoed by colleagues in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which will hold its annual summit in the Cambodian capital this week.

Wunna told reporters Monday in Phnom Penh: "It was free, fair and transparent elections."

Cambodia Faces Risk of More Violent Popular Protests if Fair Elections Aren't Embraced

CAMBODIA FACES RISK OF MORE VIOLENT POPULAR PROTESTS IF FAIR ELECTIONS AREN'T EMBRACED

Cambodia's presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian nations in 2012 can't mask the fact that the country remains a serial violator of human rights which has little current prospect of carrying out meaningful local and national elections this year and next.

Presiding over an organization which accepts the Myanmar dictatorship as a member can do nothing to strengthen the legitimacy of Cambodia's Hun Sen government.

Even Myanmar, in the face of concerted international pressure, has taken some steps towards liberalization with the freeing of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. This shows that even the most recalcitrant regimes are responsive to the international community.

Cambodia, which has not come under the same kind of scrutiny from abroad as Myanmar, hasn't taken any such steps. The prospect of democracy remains distant.

The Hun Sen government in Cambodia clearly wants to be accepted by the world, and is also applying for non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council. The country must not be accepted by the international community until it meets minimal standards of democracy starting with acceptable elections. The electoral steps which Cambodia needs to take were detailed by European Union observers in 2008.*

Sam Rainsy, the leader of Cambodia's largest opposition party, remains in exile in Paris and faces prison on political charges if he returns home. In December he welcomed a call by United Nations human rights envoy Surya Subedi for reconciliation between his party and the ruling CPP in the interests of democracy. Subedi is expected to make specific recommendations on how to improve the country’s electoral system.

Refusal by the Hun Sen government to accept these recommendations would render the June 2012 municipal elections and the July 2013 national elections meaningless.

If there are no proper elections then the chances of violent rebellion as a result of government land theft and forced evictions will increase, threatening destabilization in the region.

Cambodian elections will remain a farce until the election system is thoroughly reformed and Sam Rainsy, the only serious challenger to Prime Minister Hun Sen, is allowed to return safely. Democracy is the only way to guarantee peaceful stability in Cambodia and southeast Asia.

SRP Members of Parliament

*See http://www.eueomcambodia.org/ for the European Union's recommendations.

មន្ត្រី​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​អាមេរិក​ជួប​អ្នក​នយោបាយ​កម្ពុជា​ក្នុង​កិច្ច​ប្រជុំ​ឯកជន​

លោក ដានៀល ប៊ែរអឺ (Daniel Baer) ឧបការីនៃ​ក្រសួងការបរទេសអាមេរិក

ថ្ងៃ អង្គារ 10 មករា 2012
ដោយ លាង ដឺលុច
RFI

ឧបការី​​​​រង​ក្រសួង​ការបរទេស​អាមេរិក​លោក ​ដានៀល ​ប៊ែរអឺ​ (Daniel Baer)​ កំពុង​​​ទស្សនកិច្ច​​នៅ​​​កម្ពុជា​​ ហើយ​និង​កំពុង​ជួប​ជាមួយ​អ្នក​នយោបាយ​គ្រប់​និន្នាការ​របស់​ប្រទេស​នេះ។ ​កាលពី​​រសៀល​​​ថ្ងៃ​អង្គារ​ទី​១០​មករា​នេះ ​មន្ត្រី​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​​អាមេរិក​​រូប​​នេះ​ ​បាន​​ជួប​​ជាមួយ​តំណាង​​គណបក្ស​​​​សម រង្ស៊ី​​ និង​គណបក្ស​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​រួច​ហើយ។ ​អ្នក​នាំ​​ពាក្យ​​ស្ថានទូត​អាមេរិក​ ​បាន​អះអាង​​ នេះ​គឺ​​ជា​​​កិច្ច​ប្រជុំ​ជា​លក្ខណៈ​ឯកជន។​

ឧបការីរងក្រសួងការបរទេសអាមេរិកលោក ដានៀល ប៊ែរអឺ កំពុងទស្សនកិច្ចនៅកម្ពុជា។ លោកឧបការីរងទទួលបន្ទុកការិយាល័យប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស​និងការងារ​មាន​គម្រោង​ជួប​ជាមួយអ្នក​នយោបាយគ្រប់និន្នាការនៅក្នុង​ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា​រួមទាំង​គណបក្ស​កាន់​អំណាច​ផង។​ នេះបើតាមការអះអាងរបស់អ្នកនាំពាក្យស្ថានទូតអាមេរិកលោកស៊ីន ម៉ាគីនតូស Sean McIntosh។ ប៉ុន្តែបើតាមការបញ្ជាក់របស់ អ្នកនាំពាក្យដដែលនេះ ជំនួបរវាង​ភាគី​អ្នក​នយោបាយ​​​កម្ពុជា​ជាមួយមន្ត្រី​នយោបាយរបស់សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិកគឺជាជំនួបឯកជន។

Opposition Officials Push US for More Support in Elections

Daniel Baer, US State Dept. Deputy Assistant Secretary
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

“We raised so many issues, including judiciary reform, land disputes, corruption and elections.”

A senior US official met with members of Cambodia’s opposition parties and other government officials on Tuesday to discuss ways forward toward free and fair elections later this year and next.

Daniel Baer, who is the US State Department’s deputy assistant secretary for democracy, human rights and labor, met with officials from government, the opposition Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties and others, to discuss upcoming commune elections, which will be held in June 2012, and national elections, to be held next year.

Free and fair elections will require more funding of pro-democracy groups like the US-based International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute, Kem Sokha, president of the minority opposition Human Rights Party, told reporters after his meeting with Baer.

Other issues he raised included bias with the National Election Committee and local authorities for the ruling party, unequal media access, and fraud in voter identification, he said.

CAMBODIA'S OPPOSITION WELCOMES UNITED NATIONS CALL FOR POLITICAL RECONCILIATION

December 16, 2011

CAMBODIA'S OPPOSITION WELCOMES UNITED NATIONS CALL FOR POLITICAL RECONCILIATION

CPP Must Implement Steps to Improve the Electoral System

Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy has welcomed the call by the United Nations human rights envoy Surya Subedi for reconciliation between his party and the ruling CPP in the interests of democracy.

Subedi said during his six-day visit to Cambodia that a concerted effort towards building bridges by the government and the opposition would strengthen the process of democratization.

Echoing the findings of the European Union observers in 2008, Subedi said that the government needs to take steps to ensure that free and fair elections take place next year and in 2013. He added that he was particularly concerned about political parties being denied access to the mass media, as well as allegations that civil servants, the military and police have taken part in political campaigning using

government resources.

Subedi will make specific recommendations on how to improve the country's electoral system. Refusal by the Hun Sen government to accept these recommendations would render the coming elections meaningless.

In that event the international community must refuse to send observers to monitor the elections -- there is no point in watching a foregone conclusion unfold.

Foreign governments and lenders must step up pressure on the Hun Sen government to deliver meaningful democracy.

The risk of losing international recognition and financing will push the government to improve the electoral process and give Cambodians a chance of expressing their will.

Sam Rainsy, the leader of Cambodia's largest opposition party, is living in exile in France to avoid being sent to prison on trumped up political charges. His presence in Cambodia before 2013 is necessary to ensure a serious challenge to Hun Sen and to render the elections credible.

Sam Rainsy confirms that his party is willing to respond positively to the appeal for reconciliation from the United Nations and hopes that the CPP will also show the goodwill that is necessary to achieving democracy in Cambodia.

SRP Members of Parliament

Petition to Ensure a Free and Fair Election in Cambodia

Respected Cambodian-American and KI-Media Readers,

Please sign this petition and forward it to your representative US Senators to request for Free and Fair Election in Cambodia.

Please click here for a complete lists of US Senators and their contact information.

Thank you!

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The Honorable (Insert Senator’s full name)
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Washington DC 20510
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Subject: Petition to Ensure a Free and Fair Election in Cambodia

Dear Senator (Insert Last name of Senator):

Corruption, vote buying, and threats made against innocent citizens, Buddhist monks have been physically beaten and jailed, and political activists, journalists, and elected officials from the opposition parties are being intimidated and blackmailed, and others have been threatened by lawsuits and jail, this is the current political situations in Cambodia.

The past three country National General Elections have given us to look at the pattern of political corruption in the Hun Sen Government. He and his high-ranking officials were able to suppress the people’s freedom of expression and the freedom of the press. Mr. Kem Sokha, then was the Chairman of the Cambodian Center of Human Rights (CCHR), and Yeng Virak, head of the Community Legal Education Center, were arrested for allegedly defaming the Hun Sen government in connection with a banner displayed on International Human Rights Day, which reads, "I will not vote for anyone who intimidates me." Mr. Mam Sonando, a vocal Radio Host of the Beehive Radio Station and a journalist and Mr. Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodian Independent Teacher’s Association, were arrested and allegedly charged with defaming Prime Minister Hun Sen in connection with the country's sensitive border issue. Mr. Cheam Channy, opposition parliamentarian, was arrested and charged with the false claims of forming a “secret army”. There were also a number of leading democratic proponents and political activists were jailed, forced to seek refuge in exile, and others were assassinated.

As the country National General Election is near approaching, Prime Minister Hun Sen has, once again, conspired with the judicial system and his military police to deliberately unleash a series of raids to make arrests and carry out a monstrous political assault on the social and political organizations including the non-governmental organizations, journalists, the opposition parties, community and political activists, Teacher Associations, Union Workers, and to the general public. In the past weeks, Mr. Dam Sith, Chief Editor for Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper was arrested and jailed and allegedly charged on defamation and disinformation. In addition, Mr. Sam Rainsy, President of the Sam Rainsy Party, has been threatened to be stripped of his Parliament immunity and has a lawsuit filed against him on defamation and disinformation. In May of 2008, while he was giving his speech to the people in one of the villages, Prime Minister Hun Sen had forewarned them that, “If the people voted for the Cambodian People’s Party, there will be no war. The people will not need to run for the trenches”.

Prime Minister Hun Sen and his high-ranking government officials are continuing to make threats to the general public, and the rights of the people are being violated and suppressed. While he is playing the role of savior, Prime Minister Hun Sen, on the one hand, is utilizing his high-ranking government officials to intimidate, arrest, jail and sue any individual who would dare criticizing him and his government. When the activists were arrested and jailed, Prime Minister Hun Sen would intervene and demand for their release. This is clearly his theatrical political ploy for the public to acknowledge him as a hero.

America was built on the principles of democracy and this country, is a fearless advocate for democratic principles and protecting human rights around the world. As one of your constituents, a freedom-loving Cambodian-American citizen, I stand with my fellow Cambodian-Americans and Americans alike, petitioning to respectfully urge you Senator (Insert Last name of Senator) to enforce the Senate Resolution 353 for a free and fair election in Cambodia. In order to ensure democratic progress in Cambodia, I call upon you Senator (Insert Last name of Senator) and our United States government to raise this grave matter in Congress to call for congressional action to ensure that Prime Minister Hun Sen and his government officials to abide by the rule of law, to end Hun Sen government’s practices of silencing the dissident voices of their people, and to put an end to the oppression of the people’s fundamental rights to freedom of expression, press, assembly, association, and religious beliefs. I appeal to our United States government to put a stop on the Hun Sen government’s raids and any other abuse made on the Cambodian people and to be made accountable for his government’s action.

Sincerely,

(Sign your name here)
(Insert your full name)

Politiktoons No. 24 : "The Gun Power"

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://politiktoons.blogspot.com
and also at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Sam Rainsy Asks US for Clean Elections

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
24 April 2008

Click here to listen to the program in Khmer

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy called on US officials in Washington this week to help ensure July’s general elections are free and fair.

Sam Rainsy met with State Department Assistant Secretary Christopher Hill Tuesday, as well as members of the US Congress during a two-week visit to the US.

“The election can be free and fair, as long as the ruling party stops manipulating the courts to suppress the opposition,” Sam Rainsy told VOA Khmer Wednesday.

He was referring to the recent arrest of an opposition activist on charges relating to land issues.

In meetings with officials, he said, he had asked the US to respect the right of Cambodian people for assembly.

The opposition was planning a demonstration soon to demand the government act to mitigate the effects of inflation in the country, he said.

“When the price of goods increases, salaries should be increased at the same time,” he said.

Sam Rainsy himself is facing a lawsuit in Cambodian courts over remarks he made at an April 17 ceremony to mark the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge.

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong has filed suit alleging that Sam Rainsy singled him out as a member of the Khmer Rouge, a charge the minister denies.

Sam Rainsy said Wednesday he was not worried about the suit.

“Those who react like this have a guilty conscience,” he said.

“I did not mention anyone’s name,” he said. “I just said in general.”

There remain many officials in government who participated in the Khmer Rouge regime, he said.

Kem Sokha welcomes Hun Sen’s declaration

Friday, March 7, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Hun Sen’s call for a free, fair and transparent, and non-violent election was immediately welcomed by Kem Sokha, HRP president, on Thursday. However, Kem Sokha said that Hun Sen’s call should lead to actual application (and not just words). He told The Mekong Times that the NEC, the armed forces, the authorities at all levels should be independent and should not be biased, or cause violence. Furthermore, the state media has only been used to serve the interest of the ruling party only. The CPP uses state funds, state vehicles to put to use to serve its own interest. Eng Chhai Eang, SRP secretary-general, said that for free and fair election to take place, state assets should not be used to serve the interest of the ruling party.

Can Cambodian election be free and fair?

HONG KONG, Oct. 31
By LAO MONG HAY
Posted on UPI Asia Online

Column: Rule by Fear

Cambodia is currently making preparations for the election of members of parliament to be held in July next year, making it the third, after the one organized by the United Nations in 1993. It has now proceeded to update the electoral rolls. Over a thousand national and international observers have registered to observe the polls and the Cambodian government is seeking financial support from the international community for this up-coming election.

Under Cambodian law, members of parliament are elected by universal, equal, free, direct suffrage and by secret ballot under the system of party-list proportional representation. The task of organizing elections is entrusted to the National Election Committee which is supposed to be independent, neutral and impartial.

However, what has escaped the observation radar is that this committee, the whole electoral process and factors influencing the election outcome are very much under the control of the ruling party, the former communist Cambodian People's party.

The committee is composed of nine political appointees, five of whom come from the ruling party. On top of organizing the election, the committee serves also as a tribunal to adjudicate conflicts arising from electoral fraud or irregularities. In the adjudication of conflicts it is judge and party at the same time.

Parties to electoral litigations can appeal the committee's judgments to the Constitutional Council which serves as the court of final appeal for such litigations. This council is composed of political appointees whose majority comes from the ruling party as well.

The ruling party has the control of the majority, if not all, of the staffs who run the electoral process, when those staffs, from the head-office, to the provincial election committees and down to the commune election committees, are recruited among working or retired officials and teachers whose overwhelming majority are actual members or sympathizers of the ruling party.

As a legacy of the communist days of the 1980s, Cambodian civilian administration and security forces are not politically neutral. The ruling party has complete control over all level of civilian administration and the security forces from the national level to the grassroots levels, through party membership of a great number of officials of that administration, and members of those forces. Its trusted members occupy all positions of responsibility up and down the hierarchy. These members are party activists and run party cells in their respective jurisdictions. They and their party cells are very active during the electoral period.

The control of the ruling party is extended to almost all the media. All TV channels are run by the government or by supporters of the ruling party. Among the many radio stations, there is only one with a small coverage area which is or allowed to be independent from the government. The newspapers with big circulations are run by members or supporters of the ruling party.

Populism and vote-buying, through construction of community projects, organization of or contribution to religious ceremonies, distribution of humanitarian relief or outright offer of free gifts, are the practices of political parties to woo the electorate.

In this regard, the ruling party has a lot advantages over its rival parties, when it has an overwhelming command over resources for the purposes. No political party can rival it in this respect.

Since it is running the government and controls all the government and administrative machinery and security forces, the ruling party can use and is using resources and services of the public sector at its disposal for its populism and vote-buying, under the guise of delivering public services, discharge of government duties, or the government's social and economic projects.

The ruling party also has the support of the business community whose many leaders are its members or supporters. A number of these business leaders have served as senators or advisors to leaders of the ruling party. Businesses need the government, which is the ruling party, for their trade, especially to secure concessionary terms for their licenses, other transactions, and protection for indulging in improper activities such as the on-going land grabbing.

The ruling party can secure resources through contributions from its members whom they have appointed to positions of responsibility when such positions are commonly known as "lucrative positions".

The largesse of the ruling party mostly goes to its members, supporters and other voters it can influence. At times to ensure that its largesse is translated into votes, recipients are made to swear loyalty to and vote for the ruling party. There are also threats of retribution if they fail to support the ruling party.

Local authorities, including the police, whose majority members belong to the ruling party, can identify the party allegiance of voters. They also keep surveillance on the activities of rival party activists in their localities. In hotly contested localities, supporters of rival parties experience difficulty having access to public services.

The ruling party's largesse has no bounds when the electoral law imposes no limit to election campaign finance. In parallel with this largesse, rival parties have meager resources for elections. Furthermore, at times, their officials and activists are not allowed freedom to do their party work. Many of them face threats, intimidation and even assassination, and are prevented from doing their party work. Many times, public authorities under the control of the ruling party do not act upon complaints from them as diligently as those coming from officials of the ruling party.

Can the mechanism and process that is extensively controlled by one party ensure a free and fair election?
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(Lao Mong Hay is currently a senior researcher at the Asian Human Rights Commission in Hong Kong. He was previously director of the Khmer Institute of Democracy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and a visiting professor at the University of Toronto in 2003. In 1997, he received an award from Human Rights Watch and the Nansen Medal in 2000 from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.)