The Philippine support reform of the NEC's composition

ហ្វីលីពីន​គាំទ្រ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​កែទម្រង់​សមាសភាព គ.ជ.ប

2012-09-18
ដោយ ទីន ហ្សាការីយ៉ា
Radio Free Asia

ព្រឹទ្ធ​សភា​ប្រទេស​ហ្វីលីពីន (Philippine) បាន​អនុម័ត​លើ​សេចក្ដី​សម្រេច​គាំទ្រ​អនុសាសន៍​របស់​អ្នក​រាយការណ៍​ពិសេស​នៃ ​អង្គការ​សហប្រជាជាតិ ទទួល​បន្ទុក​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​ប្រចាំ​កម្ពុជា លោក សុរិយា ស៊ូប៊ែឌី (Surya P. Subedy) ដែល​ទាមទារ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​កំណែ​ទម្រង់ គ.ជ.ប និង​ឲ្យ​ស្ថាប័ន​នេះ​ឯករាជ្យ ស្រប​ទៅ​តាម​ស្តង់ដារ​អន្តរជាតិ។

ការ​ទាមទារ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​ផ្លាស់ប្ដូរ​សមាសភាព​ស្ថាប័ន​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​ជាតិ ​រៀបចំ​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត (គ.ជ.ប) និង​ធ្វើ​កំណែ​ទម្រង់​ស្ថាប័ន​នេះ នៅ​តែ​ជា​បរិបទ​មិន​ច្បាស់លាស់​នៅ​ឡើយ​មក​ទល់​ពេល​នេះ។ ស្រប​ពេល​គ្នា​នេះ ព្រឹទ្ធ​សភា​ប្រទេស​ហ្វីលីពីន បាន​គាំទ្រ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​កែ​ទម្រង់​ស្ថាប័ន គ.ជ.ប និង​ឲ្យ​លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ចូល​ស្រុក​វិញ។

ការ​អនុម័ត​សេចក្ដី​សម្រេច​គាំទ្រ​របស់​អ្នក​រាយការណ៍​ពិសេស​នៃ​អង្គការ​ សហប្រជាជាតិ​នេះ នៅ​ក្រោយ​ពី​កិច្ចប្រជុំ​មួយ​សប្ដាហ៍​នៃ​គណៈកម្មការ​សភា​អន្តរជាតិ សម្រាប់​ការ​បោះឆ្នោត​បែប​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា ដែល​គេ​ធ្វើ​ឡើង​នៅ​ទីក្រុង​ម៉ានីល (Manila) ប្រទេស​ហ្វីលីពីន។

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.

Local Observers Support UN Envoy’s Latest Rights Report

Surya Subedi, U.N. special rapporteur for human rights in Cambodia, speaks during a press conference in Phnom Penh, file photo.

Subedi said in his report that upcoming elections face a number of irregularities and need reformed.

04 September 2012

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer

WASHINGTON DC - Local rights advocates and political observers in Cambodia say they support the most recent human rights report issued by the special UN envoy Surya Subedi, despite denials of its veracity by government officials.

Subedi, who visited the country earlier this year, said in his report that upcoming elections face a number of irregularities and need reformed.

He also said that rights workers and journalists continue to face harassment and that the freedom of expression is of “principal concern.” Land disputes remain a concern, he said.

“To me having directly monitored the events for the past few years, it seemed this report revealed the obvious situation in Cambodia in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy,” said Lao Monghay, an independent political analyst. “And the report also focuses on the election and mechanisms of the election institution.”

Local Election Monitors Share Concern for Legitimate Elections

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

The envoy, Surya Subedi, said in a statement this week the National Election Committee must be reformed.

01 September 2012
Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer

WASHINGTON DC - Local election monitors in Cambodia say they too are worried about the legitimacy of the 2013 national elections, following sharp criticism by the UN’s special envoy for human rights.

The envoy, Surya Subedi, said in a statement this week the National Election Committee must be reformed and the opposition allowed a chance to fairly contest the elections if they are to be considered legitimate.

Puthea Hang, executive director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia, said civic groups in the country want similar reforms, but that many of them are opposed by the ruling party.

The NEC is often accused of political bias toward the Cambodian People’s Party and has been criticized for complicated voter registration and other administrative processes that make it difficult for some people to vote and makes it easy for local officials of the ruling party to influence the vote in the party’s favor.

UN Envoy Says Political Solution Must Be Found for Opposition

In a statement Tuesday, the envoy, Surya Subedi, says a political solution should be found to enable Sam Rainsy to “play a full role” in the election.

Surya Subedi gave 17 recommendations for election reform in order for next year’s polls to meet international standards.

31 August 2012

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer

WASHINGTON DC - The UN’s special envoy for human rights is calling for a political solution that would allow the return of opposition leader Sam Rainsy ahead of national elections in July 2013.

In a statement Tuesday, the envoy, Surya Subedi, says a political solution should be found to enable Sam Rainsy to “play a full role” in the election. He also said Cambodian elections need the trust of the Cambodian people or the country risks a return to its violent past.

The statement was released alongside his most recent report to the UN on Cambodia’s human rights environment, following a visit earlier this year.

Phnom Penh is in total denial: What a SHAME!!!

Surya Subedi (L) speaks to the media in Phnom Penh, May 9, 2012. (AFP)

Om Yentieng (Photo: Sok Serey, RFA)

Officials Slam Rights Report

Cambodia’s government rejects a UN report seeking electoral reforms and respect for human rights.

2012-08-29

AFP

Cambodian government officials have rejected a report by a United Nations expert pushing for electoral reforms and accusing the authorities of rights violations over economic land concessions.

They said that the report by Surya Subedi, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, does not paint an accurate picture of the current status of human rights in the country.

Subedi warned in the report that Cambodia may plunge into violence if it does not reform the current electoral system to allow for fair and free elections.

He also said that the human costs of economic land concessions in the country has been high, adding that the absence of proper consultation and negotiation with the people affected when granting such concessions has been a major concern.

Cambodians abroad should have right to vote: UN

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy voting

Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Bridget Di Certo
The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodian citizens living abroad should be entitled to vote in national elections, UN special rapporteur Surya Subedi emphasised in his 2012 report on electoral reform.

Allowing Cambodian citizens abroad to vote, “at least in the countries where it has diplomatic and/or consular representation”, was one of 18 recommendations Subedi made on Monday

The sentiment was echoed by election monitor Comfrel’s director Koul Panha yesterday.

“Cambodians living abroad contribute in a big way to the economy in Cambodia and they should be able to be connected to Cambodian politics and encouraged to vote,” Panha said. “They sacrifice a lot to live abroad and we should be connecting them with the contribution they make to the economy through democracy.”

Human cost of land concessions high: UN special rapporteur

Surya Subedi (C) visits the Borei Keila community in Phnom Penh in May. Photograph: Meng Kimlong/Phnom Penh Post

Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Bridget Di Certo and Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

A mission to examine political rights in Cambodia has been increasingly overshadowed by the Kingdom’s dire land rights situation, the 2012 report from Cambodia’s UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights, published yesterday, shows.

Cambodia’s rapporteur, Surya Subedi, conducted two fact-finding missions to Cambodia in drafting his 2012 report, and prepared an addendum of findings on the impact of economic land concessions to be published next month.

“The absence, in many instances, of proper consultation and negotiation with the people affected when granting such concessions has been a major concern,” the special rapporteur writes.

The “human cost of such concessions has been high”, he continues, explaining the addendum will provide an analysis and recommendations to “counter the negative impact of those concessions on the lives of Cambodians, especially the rural poor, indigenous peoples and those living on the margins of society”.

[Surya Subedi's] Warning of Return to Violence

Surya Subedi (L) speaks to the media in Phnom Penh, May 9, 2012. (AFP)

UN special envoy Surya Subedi warns of possible unrest in Cambodia if the authorities refuse to embrace election reforms.

2012-08-28

Radio Free Asia

Subedi also called for a "political solution" to enable exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy to return to Cambodia "to play a full role" in politics.

Cambodia may plunge into violence if it does not reform the current electoral system to allow for fair and free elections, Surya Subedi, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, has warned in a report.

He said there are "major flaws" in the administration of elections in Cambodia and called for "urgent and longer-term reforms" needed to give Cambodians confidence in the electoral process and in the National Election Committee (NEC), which organizes and manages polls.

"It is regrettable," he said, that most of the proposals by bilateral and multilateral agencies to reform the electoral process based on shortcomings identified in previous elections "remain unimplemented" by the Cambodian authorities.

Human cost of land concessions high: UN special rapporteur

Surya Subedi (C) visits the Borei Keila community in Phnom Penh in May. Photograph: Meng Kimlong/Phnom Penh Post

Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Bridget Di Certo and Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

A mission to examine political rights in Cambodia has been increasingly overshadowed by the Kingdom’s dire land rights situation, the 2012 report from Cambodia’s UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights, published yesterday, shows.

Cambodia’s rapporteur, Surya Subedi, conducted two fact-finding missions to Cambodia in drafting his 2012 report, and prepared an addendum of findings on the impact of economic land concessions to be published next month.

“The absence, in many instances, of proper consultation and negotiation with the people affected when granting such concessions has been a major concern,” the special rapporteur writes.

The “human cost of such concessions has been high”, he continues, explaining the addendum will provide an analysis and recommendations to “counter the negative impact of those concessions on the lives of Cambodians, especially the rural poor, indigenous peoples and those living on the margins of society”.

United Nations Recommend Drastic Reform of Cambodia’s Election System Prior to July 2013 Polls

28 August 2012

UNITED NATIONS RECOMMEND DRASTIC REFORM OF CAMBODIA’S ELECTION SYSTEM PRIOR TO JULY 2013 POLLS

Overseas Cambodians should be allowed to vote in their countries of residence

In the most recent report published this week of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Professor Surya Subedi makes the following recommendations regarding preparations for the national elections scheduled for July 2013:

1- The National Election Committee (NEC) should be reformed so as to have independent and autonomous status.

2- There should be consensus among the major political parties represented in the parliament on the appointment of the president and members of the NEC and the provincial election committees (PECs).

3- Within the composition of election bodies of all levels, there should be balanced representation of all political parties with representation in the National Assembly.

4- The president and members of the NEC and the PECs should be appointed for a fixed term and have security of tenure.

5- New judicial bodies and mechanisms must be established outside the NEC in order to properly resolve election-related disputes.

6- All major political parties should have fair and equal access to the mass media to convey their messages to the electorate. The way forward could be to establish an independent committee on the management and use of State-run television and radio stations.

7- The Government must ensure that all civil servants, police and military personnel do not participate in political activities or use Government resources while working in their official capacities.

8- The Government must ensure that opposition parties are free to carry out their political activities without harassment and intimidation not only around the dates of elections but also in the lead-up to the elections and throughout the parliamentary cycle.

9- Regarding the registration of voters the Government should expeditiously provide necessary documents, Khmer nationality identity cards, passports and other necessary civil registration documents to all citizens for nominal fees and should reregister voters using the data from those cards as a basis to establish a new electoral roll.

10- Any Cambodian citizen eligible to vote should be entitled to request registration with the electoral and/or local authorities at any point during the year. Once he or she is issued with an identification card, that card should be valid for life.

11- Regarding the continuing problems with voter identity documents, especially the issuance and use of fraudulent documents (such as the old form 1018 and its new current version) the NEC should review the process of issuing such documents to ensure that the system is not abused by political parties in their favour and that there are no electoral malpractices.

12- The NEC should devise special measures to ensure that those who are homeless or have been recently evicted from their land are not disenfranchised in the forthcoming elections.

13- The NEC should make public the names of polling officers and make the voter list available to candidates from all political parties upon request, affording them an opportunity to challenge the fraudulent inclusion of names on the list.

14- The NEC should appoint professional election administrators to replace village chiefs during voter registration and on election day and bring all commune election officers and processes under its own stricter supervision mechanism.

15- The current law, which requires a person to be nominated to stand for election by a political party, should be amended to make it possible for independent candidates to stand in the national elections.

16- The NEC should make it possible for Cambodians living abroad to exercise their voting rights, at least in the countries where it has diplomatic and/or consular representation.

17- Regarding the situation of Sam Rainsy, the leader of the Sam Rainsy Party, who has been convicted on charges that are allegedly politically motivated, a political solution should be found to enable him, as the leader of the opposition, to play a full role in Cambodian politics. 

[End]

https://www.box.com/s/80df2c488145b3ef1d10

UN urges Cambodia to hold companies to account over land disputes

Cambodians salvage belongings after the forced eviction of residents from a slum in Phnom Penh. The UN has asked Cambodia to hold companies to account over land seizures. Photograph: Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP/Getty Images

UN's special rapporteur says misconduct including land grabs, evictions and environmental degradation must be addressed

Monday 14 May 2012

Mark Tran

guardian.co.uk

Companies that have seized land, confiscated livestock and destroyed homes and property have gone unpunished, the UN special rapporteur for Cambodia has said. Surya Subedi, professor of international law at Leeds University, said all the communities he had met raised the issue of misconduct by concession companies or their subcontractors, as did written submissions.

"In some cases the authorities have held the companies to account for their actions," Subedi said in a preliminary assessment after a recent eight-day visit. "One example is the shooting incident at the TTY concession in Kratie province this year. However, in many cases, there remains impunity for violations committed by the companies."

Subedi, who visited concession areas in the provinces of Ratanakiri, Kratie and Stung Treng, urged the Cambodian government to: act with more transparency when granting and managing economic and other land concessions; oversee companies involved with concessions more closely; and make the process more inclusive for affected individuals and communities.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon - UN Rapporteur

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

លោក ស៊ូប៊ែឌី ជំរុញ​ឲ្យ​កម្ពុជា​ក្នុង​នាម​ជា​ប្រធាន​អាស៊ាន​ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា​របស់​ខ្លួន

៣-មិថុនា-២០១១៖ លោក សុរិយា ស៊ូប៊ែឌី (Surya Subedi) អ្នក​រាយការណ៍​ពិសេស​នៃ​អង្គការ​សហប្រជាជាតិ ទទួល​បន្ទុក​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​នៅ​កម្ពុជា ធ្វើ​សន្និសីទ​កាសែត​ក្នុង​ថ្ងៃ​បញ្ចប់​បេសកកម្ម​របស់​លោក នា​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ។ (RFA/Uon Chhin)

2012-04-05
ដោយ តាំង សារ៉ាដា
Radio Free Asia

មន្ត្រី​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​របស់​អង្គការ​សហប្រជាជាតិ បាន​ទាមទារ​ឲ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា​ក្នុង​ស្រុក​របស់​ខ្លួន​ឲ្យ​មាន​ប្រសិទ្ធភាព ដើម្បី​ឆ្ពោះ​ទៅ​រក​លទ្ធផល​ជា​ផ្លែផ្កា​ក្នុង​ខណៈ​ខ្លួន​ជា​ប្រធាន​អាស៊ាន​សម្រាប់​អាណត្តិ​នេះ។

អ្នក​រាយការណ៍​ពិសេស​របស់​អង្គការ​សហប្រជាជាតិ លោក សុរិយា ស៊ូប៊ែឌី (Surya Subedi) បាន​ជំរុញ​ឲ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា ក្នុង​នាម​ជា​ប្រធាន​អាស៊ាន ត្រូវ​ធ្វើ​យ៉ាង​ណា​ពង្រឹង​យន្តការ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​របស់​ខ្លួន​ទន្ទឹម​គ្នា​នឹង​ការ​ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា​ក្នុង​តំបន់​អាស៊ាន​ទាំង​មូល។

លោក សុរិយា ស៊ូប៊ែឌី ថ្លែង​ដូច្នេះ៖ «កម្ពុជា​ត្រូវ​ពង្រឹង​នូវ​សេរីភាព​ក្នុង​ការ​បញ្ចេញ​មតិ ពង្រឹង​សមត្ថភាព និង​ឯករាជ្យ​ភាព​នៃ​ប្រព័ន្ធ​យុត្តិធម៌។ ពង្រឹង​សិទ្ធិ​ដីធ្លី ខណៈ​ពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ​ជា​ច្រើន​កំពុង​រង​ការ​ដេញចេញ​ដោយ​បង្ខំ​ពី​លំនៅឋាន​របស់​ពួកគេ។ ហើយ​ម្យ៉ាង​ទៀត ពលរដ្ឋ​ដែល​រស់​នៅ​តាម​ទី​ជនបទ​កំពុង​ប្រឈម​នឹង​ការ​គំរាម​ដក​យក​ដីធ្លី​របស់​ពួកគេ​ដោយ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន និង​អាជ្ញាធរ​ពី​គោលការណ៍​ដី​សម្បទាន​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច។ ទាក់ទិន​នឹង​បញ្ហា​ដីធ្លី​នេះ​ដែរ ពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ​ទូទៅ​ត្រូវ​ទទួល​បាន​ការ​ធានា​ពេញ​លេញ​ដោយ​ច្បាប់។ យ៉ាង​ហោច​ណាស់​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ត្រូវ​ពិភាក្សា​ជាមួយ​ពលរដ្ឋ​ជា​មុន​សិន​មុន​សម្រេច​ចិត្ត​ជម្លៀស​ចេញ​ពី​លំនៅឋាន​ដើម្បី​យក​ដី​ឲ្យ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍ ឬ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ត្រូវ​ផ្ដល់​នូវ​កញ្ចប់​សំណង​សមរម្យ​ដល់​ពួក​គេ»។

Should the UN allow Cambodia's candidacy to the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council?

គណបក្ស​សម រង្ស៊ី​អំពាវនាវ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​ផ្សះផ្សា​នយោបាយ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា - The SRP calls for political reconciliation

លោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តី ហ៊ុន សែន និង​លោកសម រង្ស៊ី (រូបថតឯកសារ)

ថ្ងៃ អាទិត្យ 18 ធ្នូ 2011
សេចក្តី​រាយការណ៍​របស់ ប៉ែន បូណា ពីភ្នំពេញ
RFI

The SRP, Cambodia’s largest opposition party, called for a political reconciliation with the ruling party in order to seek for a way for opposition leader Sam Rainsy to return to Cambodia, in particular, in view of the upcoming 2013 general election. However, to Hun Xen, Sam Rainsy’s case is a legal matter rather than a political issue. This could be construed a negative reply from Hun Xen to the SRP.

គណបក្ស​សម រង្ស៊ី ​ដែល​ជា​បក្ស​ប្រឆាំង​ធំ​ជាងគេ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​បាន​អំពាវនាវ​រក​ការ​ផ្សះផ្សា​ជាមួយ​គណបក្ស​កាន់​អំណាច​ដើម្បី​បើក​ច្រក​ឲ្យ​លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី​បាន​វិល​ត្រឡប់​ចូល​ស្រុក​វិញ​ជាពិសេស​ចូល​រួម​ការ​បោះឆ្នោត​ជ្រើសរើស​តំណាងរាស្ត្រ​នៅ​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៣។ ​ប៉ុន្តែ ​សម្រាប់​លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ​ហ៊ុន សែន ​ករណី​លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី​គឺជា​រឿង​ផ្លូវ​ច្បាប់​មិន​មែន​ជា​រឿង​នយោបាយ​ទេ។ នេះ​អាច​ចាត់ទុក​ជា​ចម្លើយ​អវិជ្ជមាន​មួយ​ចំពោះ​បក្ស​ប្រឆាំង។

ក្រុម​អ្នក​តំណាងរាស្ត្រ​គណបក្ស​សម រង្ស៊ី ​បាន​ចេញ​សេចក្តី​ថ្លែងការណ៍​រួម​គ្នា​មួយ ​នៅ​ចុង​សប្តាហ៍​នេះ​ ដោយ​អំពាវនាវ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​ផ្សះផ្សា​នយោបាយ ​រវាង​គណបក្ស​កាន់អំណាច​ និង​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង។ ​ការ​អំពាវនាវ​បែប​នេះ​បាន​ធ្វើ​ឡើង ​ដោយ​យោង​ទៅ​លើ​ប្រសាសន៍​របស់​ លោក​ ស៊ូរិយា ​ស៊ូប៊េឌី​ អ្នករាយការណ៍​ពិសេស​ខាង​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​របស់​អង្គការ​សហប្រជាជាតិ​ប្រចាំ​កម្ពុជា ​ដែល​ចង់​ឃើញ​ការ​បង្រួប​បង្រួម​ផ្សះផ្សា​គ្នា​ រវាង​កម្លាំង​នយោបាយ​សំខាន់​ទាំងពីរ។​

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.

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

UN concerns on the upcoming elections in Cambodia - L'ONU se préoccupe des prochaines élections au Cambodge

 

Unofficial translation from French by KI-Media and Google

Dear colleagues,

This UN article is very encouraging for us. It perfectly responds at the right moment in time to our most pressing concerns: the honesty of 2012 and 2013 elections.

We must push the international community stronger in this direction so that it becomes fully engaged in the organization of the elections ("The Devil Is in the Details"), and so that it advocates, as did the European Union, concrete measures to ensure and guarantee acceptable elections. If these measures are rejected by the Hun Sen government, the elections will be unacceptable. In this case, the international community should not send observers ("There is No Need to observe a foregone conclusion") and it should not recognize the results of these elections.

Only the prospect of not being recognized by the international level (and not being able to launder its lucrative Mafia activities) would encourage the Hun Sen regime to take some political risk and agree to reform the electoral system.

Thank you to the UN for denouncing the flaws and injustices of this system that really need reform.

Otherwise, following the fury of the Arab spring and the Russian frostbite winter recorded in 2011, Cambodia could experience (the so-called) hot summers in 2012 and 2013.

Sam Rainsy

PS: Search for the UN article in English and please distribute it out widely.

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Cher collègues,

Ce texte de l’ONU est très encourageant pour nous. L'ONU répond parfaitement, et au bon moment, à nos préoccupations les plus pressantes: l’honnêteté des prochaines élections de 2012 et 2013.

Il faut pousser la communauté internationale plus fort dans cette direction, pour qu’elle entre plus en détail dans l’organisation des élections ("the devil is in the details"), et qu’elle préconise – comme l’a fait l’Union Européenne – des mesures concrètes pour assurer et garantir des élections acceptables. Si ces mesures sont refusées par le gouvernement Hun Sen, les prochaines élections seront inacceptables. Dans ce cas, la communauté internationale ne devra pas envoyer des observateurs ("there is no need to observe a forgone conclusion") et ne devra pas reconnaître le résultat de ces élections.

Seule la perspective de ne plus être reconnu sur le plan international (et de ne plus pouvoir blanchir ses activités mafieuses très lucratives) pourrait inciter le gouvernement Hun Sen à prendre quelques risques politiques et accepter de réformer le système électoral actuel.

Merci à l'ONU d'avoir dénoncé les failles et les injustices de ce système qu’il faut absolument réformer.

Sinon, après les fureurs du printemps arabe et les morsures de l’hiver russe enregistrées en 2011, le Cambodge connaîtra des étés particulièrement chauds en 2012 et 2013.

Sam Rainsy

PS. Cherchez ce texte de l’ONU dans sa version anglaise et diffusez le très largement.

Cambodia must address electoral capacity gaps to ensure freedom of speech – UN expert

Surya P. Subedi, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Cambodia

9 December 2011
UN News Centre

Cambodia must address the capacity gaps within its electoral system to ensure freedom of speech and encourage debate among its political parties, a United Nations expert said today, urging the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure free and fair elections next year.

Special Rapporteur Surya P. Subedi, who just finished a six-day visit to the country, said that he was particularly concerned about access to mass media in the lead-up to the commune elections next year and the 2013 parliamentary elections.

“I have had concerns expressed to me that a number of political parties have been denied access to the mass media on an equal footing, or have encountered difficulties with local authorities when they try to claim their right to participate in a free and fair election campaign,” he said.