28 Jan 2007
By Lim Pisith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
A number of people living in the Kbal Spean village and other villages in Poipet commune are concerned that they may lose their opportunity to vote to select their commune leaders. The villagers are accusing that their voter’s registration identification cards have been confiscated by local CPP party officials, and that none of them have been returned to their original owners. CPP party officials deny the accusations made against them.
Villagers from Group 47 of the Kbal Spean village, Poipet commune, O’Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey told RFA on Sunday morning that the confiscation was done with pressure on the villagers, causing them to worry that they may lose their voting IDs for the upcoming election. “It’s very regretful that I am a Cambodian citizen, but yet I don’t have the proper identification for voting. This is very regretful.”
Svay Samith, said that his voting form No. 1019 allowing him to vote was confiscated by a man named Thorn who is working under the order of San Chean Ho, the first councilor of the Poipet commune. The confiscation was allegedly made in exchange for the construction of a road leading to Svay Samith’s community located behind the market at the train station.
Svay Samith said: “It was San Chean Ho himself [who confiscated the voting registration ID]. Later on, his employee went around taking down our names and then they asked for them (voting registration IDs). When they first confiscated the IDs, they told us that for the road [in front of] my house which was already built, they said that if people living in this area give up 20 voter IDs, then they will pour concrete for the road.”
Mean Sarith, Poipet commune councilor who belongs to the Sam Rainsy Party, said that the ID confiscation is currently being conducted in a number of villages such as Kbal Spean, Palelay, Prey Kuk, as well as a number of other villages. He said the CPP is using the aid provided by the government to obtain their political benefit from voters for the upcoming commune election: “The aid [for road construction] money comes from the Sila progam, it does not come from any political party, the promise they made to pour concrete to build the road, it’s their trick to get votes.”
San Chean Ho, the CPP representative and 1st councilor of Poipet commune, is denying the accusation: “Regarding the confiscation of IDs in exchange for road construction, this is not right, I don’t have any plan or thought about it. Who dare say that?”
Hang Puthea, Nicfec NGO executive director, said that the confiscation of voter IDs at a time when the election is fast approaching, is a violation of the political rights of the villagers. He said that the authority and political parties should not take such action.
Villagers from Group 47 of the Kbal Spean village, Poipet commune, O’Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey told RFA on Sunday morning that the confiscation was done with pressure on the villagers, causing them to worry that they may lose their voting IDs for the upcoming election. “It’s very regretful that I am a Cambodian citizen, but yet I don’t have the proper identification for voting. This is very regretful.”
Svay Samith, said that his voting form No. 1019 allowing him to vote was confiscated by a man named Thorn who is working under the order of San Chean Ho, the first councilor of the Poipet commune. The confiscation was allegedly made in exchange for the construction of a road leading to Svay Samith’s community located behind the market at the train station.
Svay Samith said: “It was San Chean Ho himself [who confiscated the voting registration ID]. Later on, his employee went around taking down our names and then they asked for them (voting registration IDs). When they first confiscated the IDs, they told us that for the road [in front of] my house which was already built, they said that if people living in this area give up 20 voter IDs, then they will pour concrete for the road.”
Mean Sarith, Poipet commune councilor who belongs to the Sam Rainsy Party, said that the ID confiscation is currently being conducted in a number of villages such as Kbal Spean, Palelay, Prey Kuk, as well as a number of other villages. He said the CPP is using the aid provided by the government to obtain their political benefit from voters for the upcoming commune election: “The aid [for road construction] money comes from the Sila progam, it does not come from any political party, the promise they made to pour concrete to build the road, it’s their trick to get votes.”
San Chean Ho, the CPP representative and 1st councilor of Poipet commune, is denying the accusation: “Regarding the confiscation of IDs in exchange for road construction, this is not right, I don’t have any plan or thought about it. Who dare say that?”
Hang Puthea, Nicfec NGO executive director, said that the confiscation of voter IDs at a time when the election is fast approaching, is a violation of the political rights of the villagers. He said that the authority and political parties should not take such action.
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