An interview with Senators Ho Vann and Nuth Romduol

Senators Ho Vann and Nuth Romduol are former SRP members of parliament

With Votes In, High Expectations for New Commune Councils

Reporters, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh, June 5, 2012

 With their fingers freshly inked from Sunday’s polls, voters said Tuesday they were looking for security and good governance from their local commune councils, while Cambodia’s main opposition parties began to look ahead to national elections next year.

“I want a good commune council,” said Has Tak, 22, who is married and lives in Sambor commune, Kampong Speu province, some 40 kilometers west of the capital. Out here, many fields have yet to be plowed, and they remain dry, despite the onset of the rainy season last month.
For Has Tak and other voters like him, day-to-day needs are the most pressing, like the red-earth road, which the rain has washed away in some sections. “The road is mostly broken down, and it’s hard to ride a motorcycle on it,” Has Tak said Tuesday. “The commune council must consider this, and help the poor people.”

“I want security,” said a 49-year-old woman, who takes care of 2 hectares of rice fields and raises chickens to support six family members. “We need electricity in every commune and in every province,” she added.

What most voters want out of local leadership will be up to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, which won a sweeping majority of commune chief seats—an unofficial estimated 1,592 of 1,633.
Despite the ruling party’s landslide, however, opposition leaders say they made gains with members on lower council seats, which will help them in their bid for parliamentary seats next year.
Both the Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties have said they would consider joining together for the national election, hoping to leverage their grass roots popularity in next year’s national election. Each party won about 20 commune chief positions each.

Speaking to VOA Khmer by phone from Paris, Sam Rainsy said the change in local leadership will allow a change of village chiefs, and that will bring “big changes” in the national election next year. “We will bring absolute change,” he said, though he remains in exile and faces a number of criminal charges he maintains are politically motivated.

Kem Sokha, who leads the smaller Human Rights Party, said the local victories will be a key to political change, but that will require collaboration by the opposition.

“The main foundation of communists and dictators is at the grass roots,” he said. “So in this step we can change a lot of village chiefs, if the Sam Rainsy Party and the Human Rights Party work together.

In Kampong Cham, for example, the two opposition parties won some 300,000 votes in this election, he said. That could mean a big difference in national parliamentary elections if the parties join, he said.

Cheam Yiep, a lawmaker for the ruling party, said he was not concerned with the political strategy of the opposition. “This depends on the voters and their will,” he said.

A Night of the Dog Barking

Hun Sen on Election Footing

The Diplomat,  Luke Hunt, May 25, 2012

Commune elections next month are set to offer an interesting test of the Cambodian People’s Party's popularity.

Image credit: World Economic Forum

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) have been on election footing since the second half of 2011. The big test is still a year out, when national elections will mark 20 years since U.N. troops oversaw the first ballot that began this country’s transition to democracy.

However, commune elections will be held on June 3, and will provide an important test for the CPP, which has trounced virtually all opposition ranks in recent years. There are about 1,620 communes across the country. Each represents a cluster of villages and the elections, held every five years, aren’t unlike council or local district polls in the West.

The CPP will head into the poll as overwhelming favorite, but how the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), whose namesake leader lives in self-imposed exile following a conviction, fares will provide valuable insights into Hun Sen’s broader popularity.

His government has been beset by angry protests over alleged land grabs, a yawning wealth gap coupled with rising prices for everyday goods and high handedness and corruption among government officials.

This could translate into a loss of votes, particularly in Phnom Penh and provincial cities where Sam Rainsy has traditionally polled well. Further complicating the issues this year are the royalists, who have been a spent force at recent polls.

Funcinpec had for years played a political game of cat and mouse with Hun Sen until its leader Prince Norodom Ranariddh, son of the King Father and half-brother of King Norodom Sihamoni, was banished by his own members for gross corruption and Funcinpec effectively split and fell apart.

His banishment came after a court jailed him for 18 months in absentia after he quietly sold off Funcinpec party headquarters as if it was personal asset and then re-directed the fund to acquire a private property.

Now, a deal has been struck aimed at ending the animosity between the two main royalist parties. This means the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) will merge with Funcinpec to form a single party under the Funcinpec name. However, Funcinpec has a long and difficult road ahead if it’s to make any kind of return from the political oblivion. At the 2008 national poll, the NRP and Funcinpec won just two seats each in the National Assembly, while the SRP improved its standing to 26; the CPP holds 90 seats.

Any gains could come at the expense of the SRP, but in Cambodia’s remote villages, which have remained loyal to Hun Sen ever since he ended the years of bloody conflict in 1998, Funcinpec are unlikely to score much success.

As a result, Norodom Ranariddh should expect to remain where he has been for the last four years, in the political wilderness. The SRP will maintain its current standing while for the CPP it will be business as usual once the commune elections are done

Commune and Subdistrict Election campaigns

មេគ្រួសារ ​លែងមាន​ ឥទ្ធិពល​ លើ ​សំឡេង​ ឆ្នោត ​បក្ស​ នយោបាយ

កត្តា​ហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ​ជំរុញ​ឲ្យ​សមាជិក​គ្រួសារ​មាន​ឯករាជ្យ​​ពី​មេគ្រួសារ ក្នុងការ​ជ្រើសរើស​គណបក្ស​នយោបាយ (RFI/Siv Channa)

ថ្ងៃ អាទិត្យ 06 ឧសភា 2012
ដោយ គី សុខលីម
Radio France Internationale

អង្គការ​សង្កេតការណ៍​បោះឆ្នោត Comfrel បាន​សង្កេត​ឃើញ​ថា មេគ្រួសារ​លែងមាន​ឥទ្ធិពល​លើ​សំឡេង​ឆ្នោត​ទៀត​ហើយ​សម្រាប់​ការ​បោះឆ្នោត​នាពេល​ខាងមុខ​នេះ។ កាលពី​អាណត្តិមុនៗ សមាជិក​ក្នុង​គ្រួសារ​នីមួយៗ​តែងតែ​បោះឆ្នោត​ជ្រើសរើស​គណបក្ស​នយោបាយ​តាម​មេគ្រួសារ​ដែល​មាន​ឥទ្ធិពល​ហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ។

លោក គល់ បញ្ញា នាយកប្រតិបត្តិ​នៃ​អង្គការ​សង្កេតការណ៍​បោះឆ្នោត​នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា Comfrel ​បាន​អះអាង​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​អាទិត្យ​ទី៦​ខែ​ឧសភា​នេះ​ថា មេគ្រូសារ​ដែល​ធ្លាប់តែ​មាន​ឥទ្ធិពល​លើ​ការ​ជ្រើសរើស​គណបក្ស​នយោបាយ​នោះ ឥឡូវ មិនសូវ​មាន​ឥទ្ធិពល​ដូច​ពីមុន​ទៀត​ឡើយ។

កាលពី​អាណត្តិ​មុនៗ ជាពិសេស ចាប់តាំងពី​អាណត្តិ​ឆ្នាំ​១៩៩៣​ដល់​អាណត្តិ​បោះឆ្នោត​ឃុំ​សង្កាត់ ឆ្នាំ​២០០៧​និង​អាណត្តិ​បោះឆ្នោត​ជាតិ​ឆ្នាំ​២០០៨ កន្លងមក​ គ្រួសារ​ខ្មែរ​មួយ​ចំនួន​ធំ​បាន​សម្រេចចិត្ត​បោះឆ្នោត​ជ្រើសរើស​គណបក្ស​នយោបាយ​តាម​ឪពុក​ដែល​ជា​មេ​គ្រួសារ។ ប៉ុន្តែ​និន្នាការ​នេះ​បាន​ថយចុះ​ពី​អាណត្តិ​មួយ​ទៅ​អាណត្តិ​មួយ។

លោក គល់ បញ្ញា ដែល​ជាអ្នក​ជំនាញ​សង្កេតការណ៍​បោះឆ្នោត​តាំង​ពី​ច្រើនអាណត្តិ​មក​ហើយ​នោះ បាន​ពន្យល់​ថា ការ​ថយចុះ​នៃ​និន្នាការ​នេះ​គឺ​បណ្តាល​មក​ពី​មូលហេតុ​ចម្បង​តែ​មួយ​គត់​គឺ​​កត្តា​ហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ។ អ្នក​ជំនាញ​រូប​នេះ​បាន​ពន្យល់​លម្អិត​ថា៖ «កាលពីពេល​មុន នៅ​ក្នុង​សង្គម​ខ្មែរ ឪពុក​ភាគ​ច្រើន​គឺ​ជា​អ្នក​រក​លុយកាក់​សម្រាប់​ចិញ្ចឹម​ផ្គត់ផ្គង់​គ្រួសារ។ ប៉ុន្តែ​ស្ថានភាព​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច​នៅក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​មាន​ការ​ប្រែប្រួល មានន័យថា នាពេល​បច្ចុប្បន្ន​នេះ សមាជិក​ក្នុង​គ្រួសារ​សុទ្ធតែ​មាន​ការងារ​ធ្វើ​រៀងៗ​ខ្លួន។ ដូច្នេះ ពួកគេ​សម្រេច​ចិត្ត​ជ្រើសរើស​គណបក្ស​នយោយបាយ​ដោយ​ខ្លួនឯង»។

Sam Rainsy’s Letter to World Leaders and Appeal to All Parliamentarians Regarding the Upcoming Elections in Cambodia

February 20, 2012

SAM RAINSY’S LETTER TO WORLD LEADERS AND APPEAL TO ALL PARLIAMENTARIANS
 REGARDING THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS IN CAMBODIA

Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy last week wrote a similar letter to 21 world leaders including the UN Secretary-General, the President of the European Commission, Presidents, Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of a number of friendly and influential countries.

The main points of the letter read as follows:

“I am appreciative of the efforts that [name of organization or country] has made since the Paris Accords of 1991 to promote democracy and development in Cambodia. However, a continuous and vigilant support from [name of organization or country] is necessary to avoid a catastrophic derailing of the democratic process as the country approaches communal elections in June 2012 and legislative elections in July 2013.

As the world rejoices in the release of Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is now authorized to take part in the country's forthcoming legislative elections, Cambodia has in recent years followed an opposite path of political retrenchment.

As opposition leader I have been forced into exile to avoid a prison sentence, the political motivation for which has been confirmed by every major human rights organization. My removal from the list of parliamentary representatives is a denial of the principle of representative democracy. I am not authorized to participate in my country's forthcoming elections.

My party, which has 37 national assembly and senate representatives, is the second-largest in Cambodia, far ahead of other opposition or government-allied parties which have two or three parliamentary seats at most. My party has improved its performance at each election and is the only one capable of challenging authoritarian prime minister Hun Sen, who has been in power since 1979.  No doubt that's why I'm a perennial target for the governing party. After having twice tried to kill me, by grenade attack in 1997 and at the Interior Ministry in 1998, Hun Sen is now seeking to eliminate me politically by thwarting the democratic process.

For the second time since 2005, I find myself unconstitutionally expelled from the national assembly and unjustly hounded out of the country. My absence hasn't weakened my party, as some had hoped, but rather strengthened it. This is confirmed by the results of the latest senatorial elections on January 29, 2012.  My party increased its representation from two seats to 11, and is the only voice challenging Hun Sen in the senate, as the other parties were eliminated.

Forthcoming elections in June 2012 and July 2013 will be contested by the same political parties, with higher stakes. Elections conducted by universal suffrage presuppose that the leaders of the two main parties are able to confront each other on equal terms. For this reason I am requesting the intervention of [name of organization or country] in any appropriate form -- directly, as well as via relevant international organizations -- to allow me to return to Cambodia to contest these elections. Their legitimacy will determine not only the legitimacy of the next government in Phnom Penh, but the stability and development of Cambodia.

Cambodia survives in its current corrupt form thanks only to international aid. This includes aid from [name of organization or country], which comes in bilateral or multilateral form via international financial institutions.

Any initiative from [name of organization or country] would reinforce pressure from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Cambodia, the European Parliament, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and international human-rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, who have demanded steps to rectify the dangerous weakening of democracy and the rule of law in Cambodia.”

The following appeal, which has been sent to Members of Parliament worldwide, is attached to the above letter:

February 18, 2012

APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENTARY SOLIDARITY

My name is Sam Rainsy. I am an elected member of parliament of Cambodia and the leader of my country’s second-largest political party.

As the leader of the opposition I have been persecuted by the authoritarian ruling party and government of Cambodia.

In 1995 and again in 2005, I was unconstitutionally expelled from the National Assembly, but managed to recover my parliamentary seat after subsequent elections. At every election my party has increased its number of votes and parliamentary seats.

But on March 16, 2011, I was -- for the third time -- stripped of my parliamentary seat and unconstitutionally expelled from parliament by the ruling party, in total disrespect for the principles of representative democracy.

Over the last fifteen years I have escaped several assassination attempts, such as a deadly grenade attack in 1997 and another assault at the Ministry of Interior in 1998. Some eighty of my supporters have since been murdered in a long series of acts of political violence perpetrated with total impunity.

Besides trying to kill me or expel me from parliament, the ruling party has managed to deprive me of my parliamentary immunity and to get me sentenced to prison terms on countless occasions. I now stand sentenced to a total of 14 years in jail under political charges and have therefore been forced into exile in France.

My only crime is my unyielding denunciation of corruption and human rights abuses and my unwavering defense of the people who have elected me as their representative.

In 2000, former Portuguese socialist President Mario Suarez, with a group of MEPs from several parties, helped me obtain a “Passport for Freedom” from the European Parliament. In 2006, I received the Prize for Freedom from Liberal International.

On October 21, 2010, in its "Resolution on Cambodia, in particular the case of Sam Rainsy", the European Parliament condemned “all politically motivated sentences against representatives of the opposition and NGOs.” The resolution stated that "the strategy of Cambodia's ruling party is to use a politically subservient judiciary to crackdown on all government critics.”

On January 17, 2011, the Inter-Parliamentary Union said that it has ''become urgent to review Mr. Sam Rainsy's case and to rehabilitate him'' and called on the authorities, including parliament, ''to take action to this end without delay so as to enable Mr. Sam Rainsy to resume his rightful place as a member of the National Assembly.''

I call on your solidarity as a fellow parliamentarian. Please help me by asking the government of your country to put pressure on the authorities of Cambodia, which are heavily dependent on international aid, so that I can resume my parliamentary work in acceptable conditions and continue to promote democracy in my country.

Thank you.

Sam Rainsy
samrainsysrp@gmail.com

លទ្ធផលជាផ្លូវការ នៃការបោះឆ្នោតជ្រើសតាំង សមាជិក ព្រឹទ្ធសភា អាណត្តិទី៣ នៅថ្ងៃទី១៨ ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០១២ - Official results for the Senate Election

As indicated earlier, the SRP won 11 seats at the Senate and the CPP won 46. Overall, the SRP has a least a senator in all of the 8 senate regions in the country.

CCHR Case Study Fact Sheet Series - Buying Senate Election Votes

Dear all,

CCHR today releases the second fact sheet of 2012 in its "Case Study" series, a series which covers a broad range of subjects relating to human rights violations in Cambodia. This fact sheet examines the buying of senate election votes that was reported on 24 January 2012 and political corruption in Cambodia ("Buying Senate Election Votes") – please see attached in English and Khmer. The fact sheet will soon be available in both English and Khmer on CCHR's website at: CCHR Fact Sheets.

We hope that you find the fact sheet useful and interesting. If you should want to discuss the attached fact sheet, please don't hesitate to contact Ou Virak (at ouvirak@cchrcambodia.org or on +855 (0) 12 404 051) or John Coughlan (at johncoughlan@cchrcambodia.org or on +855 (0) 89 583 590).

Many thanks and kind regards,

CCHR

--

The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) is a non-aligned, independent, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect democracy and respect for human rights throughout Cambodia. For more information, please visit www.cchrcambodia.org.

http://www.box.com/s/bvr3nvn6daidp548aaj4


http://www.box.com/s/y3po6jafdr05fnmslhfa

How much does the senate election cost?

SRP accuses ruling CPP of election vote-buying

Monday, 06 February 2012
Meas Sokchea and Bridget Di Certo
The Phnom Penh Post

In the wake of what the opposition Sam Rainsy Party has called unprecedented gains in the senate election, the party has said that “virtually every SRP councillor” was approached by ruling Cambodian People’s Party officials attempting to buy their vote in the election, a party statement issued yesterday said.

The statement said that in Kandal province, where Prime Minister Hun Sen lives and votes, SRP councillors were offered US$5,000 a vote to swing their support to the CPP.

“Many forms of intimidation were also used to frighten the opposition into voting for the CPP,” the statement said, adding that “virtually every SRP councillor in all provinces was approached by CPP officials and offered between $500 and $5,000 to sell their votes to the ruling party”.

The premier has publicly thanked the 179 SRP councillors he says voted for his party, despite the SRP’s allegations of rampant bribery including one taped vote-buying attempt in Battambang province.

Results of Senatorial Elections Prove That Corruption and Intimidation Cannot Destroy The Human Spirit

February 5, 2012

RESULTS OF SENATORIAL ELECTIONS PROVE THAT CORRUPTION AND INTIMIDATION CANNOT DESTROY THE HUMAN SPIRIT

CPP Prime Minister Hun Sen is reportedly furious with many of his government advisers and provincial governors who, before the January 29 senatorial elections, had assured him that the opposition SRP would not be able to win any senator seat. They had assured him that, in the worst scenario, the SRP would just be able to keep the two seats won by the opposition in 2006, thus leaving 55 seats for the ruling party out of the 57 seats up for grabs in 2012.

The rationale behind their reasoning and prediction was the following:

• Opposition leader Sam Rainsy is outside the country and SRP activists are demoralized and disorganized.
• Through vote buying the CPP would easily secure the support of more than 50 percent of the 2,660 SRP commune councillors who have the right to elect senators. If 1,000 to 1,500 SRP councillors effectively voted for the CPP, the SRP would be deprived of any senator seat, and the CPP would be in the “winner-take-all” position.

As a result of this reasoning, virtually every SRP councillor in all provinces was approached by CPP officials and was offered between US$500 and US$5,000 to sell their votes to the ruling party. This is a real fortune given the salary of a commune councillor that doesn’t exceed US$ 20 a month. This explained the confidence expressed by CPP officials in provoking the “betrayal” of most SRP councillors. This explained Hun Sen’s optimism.

In Kandal province where Hun Sen lives and votes, SRP councillors were offered the highest amount of money (US$ 5,000) to sell out to the CPP so that the Prime Minister would be very happy with the final election results… Many forms of intimidation were also used to frighten the opposition into voting for the CPP.

In the end, in spite of the prevailing extreme poverty and the very tempting CPP money offer, only 160 SRP councillors, out of 2,660, did sell out. The loyalty of the remaining 2,500 opposition councillors allowed the SRP to win nine additional senator seats, making Hun Sen extremely disappointed and very angry.

The provinces which resisted best to the CPP -- with zero defection -- are the following:

Kratie, Mondolkiri, Koh Kong, Banteay Meanchey, Oddor Meanchey and Pailin. The first three provinces are the scene of extremely brutal land confiscations and forced evictions. The last three provinces were strongholds of resistance forces fighting against the Vietnamese occupation army in the 1980s and the Phnom Penh regime in the 1990s (everybody remembers the battlefields of Svay Chek, Thmar Puok, Banteay Chhma, Banteay Ampil, Pailin, Anlong Veng, Trapeang Prasat, Samraong Chongkal, etc.).

In his final appeal to all SRP councillors who were going to cast their ballots, Sam Rainsy told them: “You are like volunteer soldiers going up to the frontline to defend your country. Volunteer soldiers fighting for their country always win over mercenaries who fight for money. Cambodia expects every one of you to do his duty.”

President Sam Rainsy’s patriotic appeal was largely heard. The 2,500 SRP councilors must be praised for their loyalty toward their country, showing that corruption and intimidation cannot destroy the human spirit.

SRP Members of Parliament

មួយ​ណា​ឈ្នះ​ពិត​ប្រាកដ? - Who's the real winner?

លោកស្រី ជូឡុង សូមូរ៉ា ពីគណបក្សសមរង្ស៊ី និងលោក ហ៊ុន សែន ពីគណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា

សៅរ៍ 04 កុម្ភៈ 2012
ដោយ ៖ សរ សោភ័ណ
សារពត៍មានសេរី

អ្វី​ដែល​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង​ទទួល គឺ​ភក្តី​ភាព​របស់​សមាជិក សមាជិកា​របស់​ខ្លួន ក្រោម​ពាក្យ «ទិញ​មិន​លក់ សម្លុត​មិន​ខ្លាច» ហើយ​ដែល​ទឹកចិត្ត​ស្មោះស្ម័គ្រ​នេះ ជម្រុញ​ឲ្យ​គណបក្ស​សមរង្ស៊ី​ដណ្តើម​យក​បាន​១១​អាសនៈ​ជាមួយ​កិត្តិយស​ថ្លៃ​ថ្លា។

ការ​បោះឆ្នោត​ជ្រើសរើស​សមាជិក​ព្រឹទ្ធសភា​អាណត្តិ​ទី៣​បាន​បញ្ចប់​ទៅ​ហើយ ដោយ​មេដឹកនាំ​គណបក្ស​ទាំង​ពីរ​ដែល​ចូល​រួម​ប្រកួត​ប្រជែង​ដណ្តើម​អាសនៈ​ក្នុង​ស្ថាប័ន​នីតិបញ្ញត្តិ​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​មួយ​នេះ​សុទ្ធ​តែ​អះអាង​រៀងខ្លួន​ថា បាន​ទទួល​ជ័យ​ជំនះ​យ៉ាង​ត្រចេះ​ត្រចង់។ ជោគ​ជ័យ​ដោយ​សារ​តែ​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​កាន់​អំណាច និង​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង​បាន​ទទួល​អាសនៈ​គួរ​ឲ្យ​ពេញ​ចិត្ត​ទាំង​អស់​គ្នា ដូច​អ្វី​ដែល​ខ្លួន​រំពឹង​ទុក​នៅ​មុន​ពេល​បោះឆ្នោត។

គណៈកម្មាធិការ​ជាតិ​រៀបចំ​ការ​បោះឆ្នោត​បាន​ប្រកាស​លទ្ធផល​បណ្តោះ​អាសន្ន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​កម្ពុជា​ទទួល​បាន​សម្លេង​គាំទ្រ​ ៨៨៨០ រីឯ​គណបក្ស​សមរង្ស៊ី​ទទួល​បាន ២៥០​សម្លេង​ពី​អង្គ​បោះឆ្នោត។ លទ្ធផល​ដែល​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​គណនា​រួច​ទៅ​ហើយ​នោះ​បង្ហាញ​ថា គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​នឹង​ទទួល​បាន​៤៦​អាសនៈ ស្មើ​នឹង ៧៧,៨១% ហើយ​គណបក្ស​សមរង្ស៊ី​នឹង​បាន​១១​អាសនៈ ស្មើ​នឹង ២១,៩៣%។ លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្រ្តី ហ៊ុន សែន បាន​ថ្លែង​ដោយ​មោទនៈ​ថា គណបក្ស​របស់​លោក​កើន​សម្លេង​៨០០ ពី​ការ​បោះឆ្នោត​ឲ្យ​ដោយ​មន្រ្តី​គណបក្ស​ហ៊្វុនស៊ិនប៉ិច គណបក្ស​នរោត្តម​រណប្ញទ្ធិ និង​គណបក្ស​សមរង្ស៊ី ចំណែក​មន្រ្តី​គណបក្ស​សមរង្ស៊ី​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​គណបក្ស​កាន់​អំណាច​ពី​បទ​ទិញ​សន្លឹក​ឆ្នោត។ សាក្សី និង​ភស្តុតាង​មួយ​ចំនួន​ត្រូវ​បាន​លាត​ត្រដាង​ដោយ​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង​ពី​ការ​ទាក់ទាញ​ទឹកចិត្ត​លើ​សមាជិក​ក្រុម​ប្រឹក្សា​ឃុំ​សង្កាត់​របស់​ខ្លួន​ក្នុង​តម្លៃ​មួយ។ ទោះ​ជា​ជួប​ប្រទះ​នូវ​ព្យុះ​ទិញ​ទឹកចិត្ត​បែប​នេះ​ក្តី ក៏​គណបក្ស​សមរង្ស៊ី​ ដែល​អាណត្តិ​មុន​មាន​ត្រឹម​២អាសនៈ បាន​ដណ្តើម​យក​រហូត​ដល់​ទៅ​១១​អាសនៈ រី​ឯ​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​ដែល​ប្រឹង​ប្រែង​គ្រប់​រូប​ភាព រាប់​ទាំង​ចំណាយ​លុយ​មិន​ស្តាយ​ស្រណោះ បាន​កើន​អាសនៈ​ត្រឹម​តែ​១​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ។

Thank you note to the SRP community

Three Topics in Sam Rainsy’s Interview With Radio France Internationale (RFI)

February 4, 2012

THREE TOPICS IN SAM RAINSY’S INTERVIEW WITH RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONALE (RFI)

In an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI) broadcast on February 4, 2012 opposition leader Sam Rainsy elaborated on three main topics:

Click the control below to listen to the interview

Click here to download the interview in MP3

- Senatorial elections: The opposition’s remarkable gains (from two to 11 seats) at the January 29 Senate elections represented a victory of the human spirit over intimidation and the power of money. The ruling CPP lamentably failed to weaken the opposition SRP, which appears stronger than ever and stands as the only force capable of challenging Hun Sen’s anachronistic regime and bringing back dignity to the Khmer people.

- Triangular relations between Cambodia, China and Vietnam: It is in the interest of Cambodia to support the legitimate sovereignty right of China over the Xisha (or Paracel) Islands and the Nansha (or Spratly) Islands in the South China Sea. The Cambodian people should gratefully remember China’s punitive military intervention against Vietnam in February 1979 following the invasion and occupation of Cambodia by the Vietnamese army the previous month. In the future,

only China can effectively help Cambodia defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity against expansionist Vietnam.

- Role of Cambodia as the new ASEAN president: Among other tasks, Cambodia should help Myanmar (or Burma) move further toward democracy. But ironically enough, whereas in Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has just been released from house arrest and allowed to run at coming national elections, in Cambodia the opposition leader has been forced into exile and prevented from running at coming national elections. Therefore Cambodia has shamefully become worse than Myanmar and cannot pretend to be a leader of any sort.

Listen to Sam Rainsy’s 10-minute interview in Khmer at http://tinyurl.com/6wpyhed

SRP Cabinet

Congratulations from SRP-NA on the Senate Election

Senate Voting Along Party Lines, as Expected: Analysts

SRP MP Tioulong Saumura following her senate vote (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC

“How can the senators represent the people if the commune council votes for them.”

The Senate elections held over the weekend produced results as expected, analysts said Monday. But the polls, open only to already chosen members of local commune councils, don’t reflect the will of the people, election observers said.

The ruling Cambodian People’s Party received about 78 percent of the votes, with the opposition Sam Rainsy Party taking the remainder, increasing from two to 11 seats.

Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said the numbers showed voting along party lines, as expected, rather than commune councils extending the will of the people.

“There is no relationship like that,” he said. Some commune councils are unpopular over their handling of community problems like land disputes, he said.

Congratulations from SRP-France on the Senate Election

Letter to Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy from Civil Will Party of Mongolia

From democrats to democrats,

The Civil Will Party of Mongolia is a member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats.