Showing posts with label NICFEC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NICFEC. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Inaccurate voting lists give watchdog pause
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post
An election monitoring group yesterday claimed that people were failing to vote because their names were not included on voter lists at polling stations.
Speaking at a Phnom Penh forum held by civil society groups and political parties, Koul Panha, executive director of election monitoring group Comfrel, said that the National Election Committee must ensure that voters’ names were not left off the list for upcoming commune elections in June.
“They arrive at the polling station and cannot find their name, so they return home,” he said.
“The loss of voters’ names is because of technical mistakes or the changing of someone’s name.”
Koul Panha said the Ministry of Interior must issue permanent identification cards and send that information to the NEC, and the NEC must guarantee that someone with an ID card is able to vote.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Concerns over Political Intimidation and Obstruction prior to the 2008 National Assembly Elections Preparation Stage
COMFREL - NICFEC - CHRAC
Joint Statement
On
Concerns over Political Intimidation and Obstruction prior to the 2008 National Assembly Elections Preparation Stage
On
Concerns over Political Intimidation and Obstruction prior to the 2008 National Assembly Elections Preparation Stage
COMFREL, NICFEC and CHRAC are greatly concerned over the ongoing situation of political influence over the judiciary system, court and law enforcement armed forces (1), especially the recent arrests and attempted arrests, the use of violence toward political parties’ activists and the ongoing obstruction of some political parties’ activities. These cases take place repeatedly in Phnom Penh, Pailin, Kampong Thom, Takeo and Kampong Chhnang, with a negative impact on the environment for fair and free elections.
Arrests political parties’ activists without a court warrant and without in-depth investigation cause an environment of fear and mean that non-ruling parties’ activists dare not do anything. According to CHRAC’s Statement, Mr. Tout Saron, Kampong Thom’s Baray’s Ponro Commune Chief, was summoned at Toul Kroeus Market, Baray District by police officials led by Baray District Police Chief without showing a court order. In the meantime, there is a question about the different answers given by victim Toeum Norn, first when she met with a LICADHO officer and an officer of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia, and then later. On February 18, 2008, at the LICADHO office, Mrs. Toeum Norn did not make a complaint about detention against her will. Instead, she asked for help from LICADHO to protect her and her family, as she had previously defected from the Sam Rainsy Party to the Cambodian People’s Party and later wanted to go back to the Sam Rainsy Party. But, later on she said she was afraid the Sam Rainsy Party may kill her (2).
According to the CHRAC investigation, Mrs. Toeum Norn did not lose her rights to communicate with her friends and family. And there is nothing to prove that Mrs. Toeum Norn was either detained or arrested.
There has been obstruction and prevention towards some political parties, including the Sam Rainsy Party, the Human Rights Party, the Norodom Ranariddh Party and FUNCINPEC from carrying out political activities such as meetings and, in some cases, local authority crackdowns on meetings and taking down of a political party’s signboard. Evidently, there was violence involved in taking down a Sam Rainsy Party signboard, causing Member of Parliament for Phnom Penh H.E. Mr. HO Vann to be injured on March 22, 2008. The taking down of a Sam Rainsy Party signboard also took place in Pailin. A Norodom Ranariddh Party signboard in Banteay Meanchey was also taken down. In total, until now, there have been at least 20 cases of taking down of political parties’ signboards. These cases, which have happened to non-ruling parties, have not been addressed fairly and effectively.
The political party and candidate registration for the elections is due within less than one month. However, the Prince Norodom Ranariddh case has not been settled yet. This can be considered as contributing to an unequal election contest: the leader, and maybe a potential candidate, of one party cannot contest in the upcoming elections.
Civil society highly appreciates the efforts of the Royal Government and competent authorities who have ensured that the 2008 pre-election environment has seen no cases of murder and severe violence towards politician. However, the competent authorities should continue to try their best to stop arrests, intimidation and violence towards political party activists and politician. The Royal Government, competent authorities and relevant stakeholders should make efforts to effectively settle any case to ensure a good environment for free and fair elections and to ensure politicians and political party leaders (such as Prince Norodom Ranariddh) can contest in the elections fairly without any fear.
Phnom Penh, March 27, 2008
COMFREL NICFEC CHRAC
For further information, please contact:
1. Mr. KOUL Panha, COMFREL’s Executive Director, 012 942 017
2. Mr. HANG Puthea, NICFEC’s Executive Director, 012 959 666
3. Mr. SOUN Sareth, CHRAC’s Secretariat, 012 830 422
-------
(1) This was noted in LICADHO and ADHOC’s report on Cambodian Human Rights December 2007: ‘Charade Justice’.
(2) According to LICADHO’s report and the Cambodia Daily, published on March 24, 2008 (P.5).
Arrests political parties’ activists without a court warrant and without in-depth investigation cause an environment of fear and mean that non-ruling parties’ activists dare not do anything. According to CHRAC’s Statement, Mr. Tout Saron, Kampong Thom’s Baray’s Ponro Commune Chief, was summoned at Toul Kroeus Market, Baray District by police officials led by Baray District Police Chief without showing a court order. In the meantime, there is a question about the different answers given by victim Toeum Norn, first when she met with a LICADHO officer and an officer of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia, and then later. On February 18, 2008, at the LICADHO office, Mrs. Toeum Norn did not make a complaint about detention against her will. Instead, she asked for help from LICADHO to protect her and her family, as she had previously defected from the Sam Rainsy Party to the Cambodian People’s Party and later wanted to go back to the Sam Rainsy Party. But, later on she said she was afraid the Sam Rainsy Party may kill her (2).
According to the CHRAC investigation, Mrs. Toeum Norn did not lose her rights to communicate with her friends and family. And there is nothing to prove that Mrs. Toeum Norn was either detained or arrested.
There has been obstruction and prevention towards some political parties, including the Sam Rainsy Party, the Human Rights Party, the Norodom Ranariddh Party and FUNCINPEC from carrying out political activities such as meetings and, in some cases, local authority crackdowns on meetings and taking down of a political party’s signboard. Evidently, there was violence involved in taking down a Sam Rainsy Party signboard, causing Member of Parliament for Phnom Penh H.E. Mr. HO Vann to be injured on March 22, 2008. The taking down of a Sam Rainsy Party signboard also took place in Pailin. A Norodom Ranariddh Party signboard in Banteay Meanchey was also taken down. In total, until now, there have been at least 20 cases of taking down of political parties’ signboards. These cases, which have happened to non-ruling parties, have not been addressed fairly and effectively.
The political party and candidate registration for the elections is due within less than one month. However, the Prince Norodom Ranariddh case has not been settled yet. This can be considered as contributing to an unequal election contest: the leader, and maybe a potential candidate, of one party cannot contest in the upcoming elections.
Civil society highly appreciates the efforts of the Royal Government and competent authorities who have ensured that the 2008 pre-election environment has seen no cases of murder and severe violence towards politician. However, the competent authorities should continue to try their best to stop arrests, intimidation and violence towards political party activists and politician. The Royal Government, competent authorities and relevant stakeholders should make efforts to effectively settle any case to ensure a good environment for free and fair elections and to ensure politicians and political party leaders (such as Prince Norodom Ranariddh) can contest in the elections fairly without any fear.
Phnom Penh, March 27, 2008
COMFREL NICFEC CHRAC
For further information, please contact:
1. Mr. KOUL Panha, COMFREL’s Executive Director, 012 942 017
2. Mr. HANG Puthea, NICFEC’s Executive Director, 012 959 666
3. Mr. SOUN Sareth, CHRAC’s Secretariat, 012 830 422
-------
(1) This was noted in LICADHO and ADHOC’s report on Cambodian Human Rights December 2007: ‘Charade Justice’.
(2) According to LICADHO’s report and the Cambodia Daily, published on March 24, 2008 (P.5).
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Election Monitor Prepares Observers, Chiefs
By Mean Veasna, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
25 March 2008
Phnom Penh
25 March 2008
Hang Puthea is the executive director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia.
His group has monitored Cambodian elections since 1998, and this year plans to deploy 700 observers throughout the country, Hang Puthea said Monday, as a guest on "Hello VOA."
He has also scheduled, with UNDP funds, to train village chiefs in election procedures.
Meanwhile, the NEC was preparing to do its work for the election, he said.
Legally, the NEC must be independent, but the national committee's political tendencies should be judged by the people, he said.
What's interesting, he added, is that so many people choose to exercise their right to vote.
His group has monitored Cambodian elections since 1998, and this year plans to deploy 700 observers throughout the country, Hang Puthea said Monday, as a guest on "Hello VOA."
He has also scheduled, with UNDP funds, to train village chiefs in election procedures.
Meanwhile, the NEC was preparing to do its work for the election, he said.
Legally, the NEC must be independent, but the national committee's political tendencies should be judged by the people, he said.
What's interesting, he added, is that so many people choose to exercise their right to vote.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Election Monitor Recommends NEC Focus
By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
13 February 2008
Washington
13 February 2008
A leading election monitor said Tuesday the national election body should start now focusing on election irregularities in order to ensure fair elections.
The National Election Committee should look at irregularities, complaints, threats, intimidation and campaign material collection, said Puthea Hang, executive director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections.
“I understand that the NEC is trying to do self reform so first they should take public opinion,” he said.
The NEC has called on political parties and non-governmental agencies to prepare recommendations this month for smooth elections of acceptable standards.
Puthea Hang said agencies will hold meetings this week to submit recommendations to the NEC.
Nicfec plans to push for a regulation within the NEC that nullifies results where election procedures are ignored.
For example, if there are threats, polling stations are opened late or ballot boxes are found unlocked, the results from that area should be rejected, he said.
NEC Secretary-General Tep Nitha said the NEC has fully applied election laws in the past and worked to solve complaints.
The NEC will review all the recommendations from political parties and election groups, he said, adding that the deadline for recommendations is Feb. 20.
The National Election Committee should look at irregularities, complaints, threats, intimidation and campaign material collection, said Puthea Hang, executive director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections.
“I understand that the NEC is trying to do self reform so first they should take public opinion,” he said.
The NEC has called on political parties and non-governmental agencies to prepare recommendations this month for smooth elections of acceptable standards.
Puthea Hang said agencies will hold meetings this week to submit recommendations to the NEC.
Nicfec plans to push for a regulation within the NEC that nullifies results where election procedures are ignored.
For example, if there are threats, polling stations are opened late or ballot boxes are found unlocked, the results from that area should be rejected, he said.
NEC Secretary-General Tep Nitha said the NEC has fully applied election laws in the past and worked to solve complaints.
The NEC will review all the recommendations from political parties and election groups, he said, adding that the deadline for recommendations is Feb. 20.
Friday, September 07, 2007
11.2 percent of Cambodia's eligible voters still not registered
September 07, 2007
More than eleven percent of Cambodia's eligible voters remain unregistered, according to a voter registration audit recently complete by a coalition of election watchdog NGOs, local media said on Friday.
Using a random sample of 682,000 voters throughout the nation, the report found that 88.8 percent of eligible voters were registered and 11.2 percent unregistered, reported Chinese- language newspaper the Commercial News.
The audit report was jointly prepared by the U.S.-based National Democratic Institute, the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (NICFEC), and the Center for Advanced Study.
The registration of voters is more important than deleting ghost voter names from the voter list, said NICFEC Executive Director Puthea Hang, though he added that it is a high priority for the National Election Committee (NEC) of Cambodia to do the clean-up of the list.
Meanwhile, NEC Secretary-General Tep Nytha told reporters that NEC is updating the voter list according to accurate documents and fact.
NEC had verified that commune councilors were 91 percent accurate in listing voter names, he added.
Cambodia is to hold general election in July 2008 and a new government will be set up then.
Source: Xinhua
Using a random sample of 682,000 voters throughout the nation, the report found that 88.8 percent of eligible voters were registered and 11.2 percent unregistered, reported Chinese- language newspaper the Commercial News.
The audit report was jointly prepared by the U.S.-based National Democratic Institute, the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (NICFEC), and the Center for Advanced Study.
The registration of voters is more important than deleting ghost voter names from the voter list, said NICFEC Executive Director Puthea Hang, though he added that it is a high priority for the National Election Committee (NEC) of Cambodia to do the clean-up of the list.
Meanwhile, NEC Secretary-General Tep Nytha told reporters that NEC is updating the voter list according to accurate documents and fact.
NEC had verified that commune councilors were 91 percent accurate in listing voter names, he added.
Cambodia is to hold general election in July 2008 and a new government will be set up then.
Source: Xinhua
Survey: More Than 10 Percent Unregistered for National Polls
Voters registration (Photo: Youth Council of Cambodia)Win Thida, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
06 September 2007
A recent survey by two independent election monitors showed more than 10 percent of eligible voters had yet to register, the groups announced Thursday.
The Committee for Free and Fair Elections and the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia said about 680,000 potential voters still need to register, a number similar to that predicted by the National Election Committee.
Cambodians will vote for representatives in parliament in July next year, which in turn determines who sits in ministerial seats. A relatively low number of voters in this year's local elections has worried some observers who say voters are either confused by the process—or apathetic to it.
"We audited, first, to give a report observing the election to be independent, second, to state whether the voter lists are correct, third, for election process transparency," Nicfec Executive Director Hang Puthea said Thursday, at a press conference to announce the findings of the survey.
The voter list audit was undertaken over four days in August, with technical support from the US group National Democratic Institute.
"We think that this is the first new stage," said NDI program leader Ly Sothearayuth. "We must audit the voter lists because in the past the idea of the people participating in the election is low level."
Leaders of the Norodom Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy political parties hailed the survey as a positive step toward elections that could help foster the participation of as many voters as possible.
Voter lists have come under careful scrutiny in recent months, with some political parties citing them as a potential points for election tampering.
The Committee for Free and Fair Elections and the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia said about 680,000 potential voters still need to register, a number similar to that predicted by the National Election Committee.
Cambodians will vote for representatives in parliament in July next year, which in turn determines who sits in ministerial seats. A relatively low number of voters in this year's local elections has worried some observers who say voters are either confused by the process—or apathetic to it.
"We audited, first, to give a report observing the election to be independent, second, to state whether the voter lists are correct, third, for election process transparency," Nicfec Executive Director Hang Puthea said Thursday, at a press conference to announce the findings of the survey.
The voter list audit was undertaken over four days in August, with technical support from the US group National Democratic Institute.
"We think that this is the first new stage," said NDI program leader Ly Sothearayuth. "We must audit the voter lists because in the past the idea of the people participating in the election is low level."
Leaders of the Norodom Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy political parties hailed the survey as a positive step toward elections that could help foster the participation of as many voters as possible.
Voter lists have come under careful scrutiny in recent months, with some political parties citing them as a potential points for election tampering.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Election Monitor Addresses Campaign Issues on 'Hello VOA'
Khemara Sok
VOA Khmer
Washington
22/03/2007
VOA Khmer
Washington
22/03/2007
Click here to listen to Khemara Sok hosts 'Hello VOA' in Khmer
(Real Media Player required)
(Real Media Player required)
Hang Puthea, director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections, discussed election concerns with "Hello VOA" Thursday, as campaigning entered the close of its first week.
While the first commune elections helped decentralize government power in 2002, many candidates failed to deliver on their promises, Hang Puthea said.
Whether the April 1 commune elections will be free and fair was yet to be determined, he said, but monitor groups and other aid agencies were watching closely.
While the first commune elections helped decentralize government power in 2002, many candidates failed to deliver on their promises, Hang Puthea said.
Whether the April 1 commune elections will be free and fair was yet to be determined, he said, but monitor groups and other aid agencies were watching closely.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
