Many in Electorate Don’t Understand System: Monitors

Monday, 26 September 2011
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

“We must prepare a fair election system to provide the possibility for people to have full rights in registration and voting rights.”

A high number of Cambodian voters do not understand the electoral process, while others distrust the electoral system, observers say, as registration for next year’s local elections continue.

In forums conducted last year in three provinces and the capital, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights found a high number of people were not convinced elections ensured equal participation and were wary of the National Election Committee.

Cambodia is preparing for commune elections in 2012 and national parliamentary elections the year after.

Kuoy Bunroeun, a lawmaker for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said the election process is difficult for many Cambodians, while the National Election Committee has not done enough to inform the electorate.

Elections, Rights Challenge Lawmakers

By Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Washington
08 June 2009

Cambodia remains free of the worst of child labor but struggles with political processes and implementing the rule of law, parliamentarians say.

In a series of interviews with VOA Khmer in Washington, visiting National Assembly lawmakers discussed issues related to Cambodia, including labor, democracy and human rights.

The US is a major destination for garments manufactured in Cambodia, and donor countries have been working for years to improve elections and the judicial system.

The lawmakers were on a tour of Washington sponsored by the National Democratic Institute.

Ho Naun, chairman of the National Assembly’s committee on social work and labor, said that Cambodia has fully participated in the ILO convention 182 concerning prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor.

Her committee works closely with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor to thwart the exploitation of children, she said, traveling where there were allegations of coercion of children in hazardous environments, such as rubber plantations and border markets.

“Everywhere there is a strict restriction not to allow children to engage in the worst forms of labor,” said Ho Naun, a member of the Cambodian People’s Party. (To hear the full interview in Khmer, click here.)

Kuoy Bunroeun, a lawmaker for the Sam Rainsy Party, said election law and complicated administrative documents have marginalized some poor voters.

The National Election Committee fails to monitor resources used by the ruling party in election campaigns, which subsequently led to vote-buying, he said. And as for access to both private and state media, the opposition party is usually last.

“This is an imbalance for all political parties competing in elections,” Kuoy Bunroeun said, adding that the NEC was not functioning properly.

Cambodia still suffers from serious human rights violation and respect for the rights is only in the law book, according to an opposition lawmaker Mao Monyvann.

The Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian said rural citizens and political activists remain targets.

“This relates to the culture of impunity, where no alleged killer has ever been brought to trial,” Mao Monyvann said.

Cambodia has adopted a number of important laws that have enabled the country’s fast integration into the region, CPP lawmaker Nin Saphon said.

“So far there has been a lot of economic growth, and the National Assembly has passed crucial laws to help this growth and meet the legal needs of our people,” said Nin Saphon, who is also the chairwoman of the National Assenbly’s committee overseeing issues ranging from industry, mines, energy, commerce and transport.

Printing of voting ballots costs $1.6 million

Photo: Pring Samrang, Cambodge Soir Hebdo

11 June 2008
By Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr

Election observers accompanied by the National Election Committee (NEC) officials visited the shop printing voting ballots. Some criticisms and observations were made.

On Wednesday 11 June, representatives of 11 political parties, election observers and journalists were invited to visit the shop printing the voting ballots for the upcoming July general election. The group was able to learn about the different aspects of the ballot printing by the Ly Van Hong printing shop in Phnom Penh which also printed the ballots for the commune election in 2007. 10,454,400 ballots will be printed at a cost of $1.6 million.

Those invited to attend the visit were able to see firsthand the print shop. However, cameras and cell phones were not allowed inside. A firefighting truck and some cops were present at the shop, they are standing guard permanently on the spot to insure the security of the building.

The NEC logo appears on each voting ballot, as well as the vote precinct code number and a message explaining how to check mark the selected party during the vote. A table provides a list of the parties, their respective number, logo, name and the box to check. Parties not presenting candidates in a particular precinct do not appear on the table, and only a shaded line marks its name on the ballot.

Kuoy Bunroeun, a SRP observer and MP, protested to the NEC officials about the quality of the paper used. Comparing them to those used in the 1993 election organized by UNTAC, Kuoy Bunroeun noted that “the paper used by UNTAC was special, and if it was photocopied, the logos and codes would not show up clearly on the copies. Here, it seems to me that the paper is ordinary and this concerns me. Furthermore, this print shop is linked to the ruling party. All the government paper works are printed here also.” Tep Nitha, NEC secretary-general, defended against these accusations. According to Tep Nitha, the ballots bear special marks: “I am sorry, I cannot talk about these confidential issues,” he said.

Ou Chanrath, HRP secretary-general, noted that the NEC should ask for an agreement from all the parties before printing these ballots.

A representative of the Anti-poverty party protested against the elimination of the name of parties not presenting candidates in a precinct. “You should have kept the name and the number of the party, because this gives the impression that you are forcing voters to choose among some of the parties which they do not necessarily like.” Tep Nitha immediately retorted: “I don’t understand you. How do you want us to include a party which is not presenting candidates in a precinct?”

Im François, an observer for the Center for Social Development (CSD), who was present among the visitors, made two observations: first, the print shop is isolated and located in a quiet area. Next, the number of extra ballots printed is too high. “The NEC prints 2 million ballots more than the number of voters,” he noted before adding that the CSD will send out about 100 observers during the election, and it will also distribute 500,000 guides for educating the voters about their civic duty for the election.

Many Evictees Can't Vote: Monitors

By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
11 June 2008

"I will go to vote, to choose the prime minister, so that he sees all kinds of people and knows someone who has difficulty or lives under suppression" - Chim Rem, evictee from Sambok Chap

[Editor's note: In the weeks leading into national polls, VOA Khmer will explore a wide number of election issues. The "Election Issues 2008" series will air stories on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a related "Hello VOA" guest on Thursday. This is the second in a two-part series examining the worries of the urban displaced.]

Although politicians and officials say they are seeking votes from the urban displaced, they may face one problem: many displaced are no longer eligible to vote.

As many as 150,000 residents of Phnom Penh could face eviction in the path of development in Phnom Penh. But many of them will not be among the 720,000 voters registered in Phnom Penh.

But the Committee for Free and Fair Elections and the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections both say the displacement has put voting out of reach this year for many.

Some who were registered at their old neighborhoods in Phnom Penh have not been able to register in their new locations, officials from both organizations said.

Nevertheless, parties hope they can convince those who do vote that they will act to solve many of the problems the evictees face.

Cambodian People's Party lawmaker Chiem Yeap said his party's candidates will seek to explain to resettled residents reasons they were moved.

"Some people say the rich put pressure on the poor," he told VOA Khmer. "It is not like that. The CPP always wants achievement and winning in a valuable manner, and we want our citizens to understand that and vote for us."

Many forced evictions have led to displaced communities far from the capital and its jobs, schools and infrastructure. Critics say eviction plans rarely compensate people fairly, but city officials maintain the evictees are squatters on state land.

CPP candidates for Phnom Penh will seek to inform potential voters of the party's future measures, to help build houses, roads, schools and hospitals, and provide them with clean water and electricity, Chiem Yeap said.

The displaced could receive help from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, which seeks to raise the living conditions in these settlements to the standards enjoyed by city dwellers, Phnom Penh candidate Yim Sovann said.

Lu Laysreng, first deputy president of Funcinpec and Minister of Rural Development, called the urban displaced the patient in the hospital that needed treatment soonest.

No matter the policies, the urban displaced are looking for leadership to bring them out of poverty, voters like Chim Rem, who was ousted from his Sparrow's Nest home on the Tonle Bassac and now lives in a resettlement village 20 kilometers from the capital.

"I will go to vote, to choose the prime minister, so that he sees all kinds of people and knows someone who has difficulty or lives under suppression," he said.

NEC Unveils Ballots for Parties

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

Click here to listen to the audio program in Khmer

The National Election Committee on Wednesday rolled out its ballots for July's elections, in the presence of monitors and competing parties.

Critics called the ballots unbelievable and non-transparent. The ballot is printed on ordinary paper that is easy to copy, said Kuoy Bunroeun, an official of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party.

The ballots also contain black bands for parties not participating in each province, which could confuse voters, said Ou Chanroth, secretary-general of the Human Rights Party.

Tep Nitha, secretary-general of the NEC, dismissed the concerns, saying the ballot was printed on material that is not easily copied.

NEC has printed nearly 10.5 million ballots, well over the number of voters, to keep 50 ballots in reserve at each station. Voting will take place at 15,255 stations.