New Year's Only Resolution
Happy New Year 2007.
We need only one resolution for 2007. There must be free and fair elections. The pundits already predicted the victory of the communal election on April 1, 2007 by the CPP. For sure the CPP is going to win because it controls everything. If there's no pressure and intimidation from the CPP, the people of Cambodia would have a freer choice.
The international community must put pressure on the Cambodian government to allow equal time for the all the parties on state televisions and radios. The people of Cambodia must be free to choose.
We need only one resolution for 2007. There must be free and fair elections. The pundits already predicted the victory of the communal election on April 1, 2007 by the CPP. For sure the CPP is going to win because it controls everything. If there's no pressure and intimidation from the CPP, the people of Cambodia would have a freer choice.
The international community must put pressure on the Cambodian government to allow equal time for the all the parties on state televisions and radios. The people of Cambodia must be free to choose.
posted by Proleung at
6:31 PM
4 Comments:
2007 COMMUNE COUNCIL ELECTION:
CPP USES INTIMIDATION, CORRUPTION AND ADMINISTRATIVE HARASSMENT
TO PREVENT SRP CANDIDATES FROM BEING REGISTERED
Candidates for commune council elections scheduled for April 1, 2007 must be officially registered from January 1 to 3, 2007. The Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) intends to put up candidates for all Cambodia’s 1,621 communes. However, the only opposition party represented in Parliament is encountering problems resulting from intimidation, corruption and administrative harassment from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), which is trying to block the registration of SRP candidates in remote provinces/areas.
1- In Koh Kong province, the CPP-affiliated authorities are using threat to force some SRP candidates to withdraw their candidacy in remote districts such as Botum Sakor and Thmor Bang, while controversial businessman Ly Yong Phat, who is also a CPP Senator, is pouring money to achieve the same goal. Ly Yong Phat is actively involved in gambling, trafficking, smuggling, money laundering and land grabbing. According to an article titled “Guns subdue farmers as Senator clears land” published in the Phnom Penh Post dated December 29, 2006, “Police and security guards fired guns to repel Sre Ambel farmers resisting the destruction of their orchards, now inside 20,000 hectares of concessions the government has granted CPP Senator Ly Yong Phat.”
For more information, please contact SRP representatives for Koh Kong province at 012 589 902 or 016 756 914 or 016 935 802.
2- In Pursat province, the CPP-affiliated authorities are intimidating villagers in the remote Veal Veng district into renouncing to be SRP candidates.
For more information, please contact SRP representatives for Pursat province at 012 963 312 or 011 963 312.
3- In Preah Vihear province, CPP-affiliated commune chiefs for Sroyang and Koulen Tbaung communes, both in Koulen district, have stopped working over the last few days (they have been invited to attend some “special events”). Therefore, certificate attesting residency and registration as voter in the concerned communes, which is required for any candidate to get registered, cannot be delivered. For more information, please contact SRP representatives for Preah Vihear province at 012 444 438.
SRP Members of Parliament
By
Anonymous, at 6:41 PM
CPP BLOCKS REGISTRATION OF SRP CANDIDATES
IN SENSITIVE COMMUNES IN MONDULKIRI PROVINCE
Today is the third and last day for candidate registration for this year's commune council election.
In the remote province of Mondulkiri (in the Northeast), the CPP-controlled Commune Election Committees (CECs) for two communes (Memang and Chong Phlas, in Keo Seima district), are unduly closed. SRP candidates and representatives are currently waiting in front of the offices of the two concerned CECs. They were told this early morning that the two CEC offices would be closed for three days. This is blatantly illegal, violates the election law and procedures, and is obviously intended to block the registration of SRP candidates.
As of today, the CPP is the only party that has put up candidates in these two communes where the situation is very tense because of a huge gold mine concession given to a Chinese company without any transparency. The exploitation of the gold mine has caused serious damages to the environment, the habitat and the livelihoods of the local population made up of ethnic minorities. The population has asked human rights organizations and the opposition to defend their legitimate rights.
We call on donor countries and all international organizations involved in the development of Cambodia to urge to National Election Committee (NEC) in Phnom Penh to immediately order the re-opening of the CEC offices in Memang and Chong Phlas communes.
SRP Members of Parliament
By
Anonymous, at 9:59 PM
CPP THREATENS SRP CANDIDATES IN PURSAT PROVINCE
TO CONFISCATE THEIR LANDS
Today is the third and last day for candidate registration for this year's commune council election.
In the province of Pursat (in the Northwest), two CPP commune chiefs in the remote district of Veal Veng have been intimidating SRP candidates into withdrawing from the election process; otherwise their lands would be confiscated. Poor farmers in that isolated area have no official land titles and are very afraid of arbitrary land seizures by the authorities.
SRP candidates for Thmar Da and Anlong Reab communes in the above-mentioned district are victims of such threats, which show that the upcoming election is anything but free and fair.
We call on donor countries and all international organizations involved in the development of Cambodia to put pressure on the Government and the National Election Committee (NEC) in Phnom Penh to put an end to such threats.
SRP Members of Parliament
By
Anonymous, at 2:28 PM
SRP HAS PUT UP CANDIDATES FOR SOME 1,595 COMMUNES (OUT OF 1,621)
In spite of pervasive intimidation and administrative harassment (see our previous statements), the opposition Sam Rainsy Party has succeeded in putting up candidates for over 1,595 communes (out of 1,621) for the upcoming commune council elections.
In a real democratic environment, we would have been able to run in all Cambodia's 1,621 communes. The two dozens communes where only the CPP will have put up candidates are in remote areas with virtually no communication links, where fear and intimidation are strongest.
We are proud of our achievement, which shows that the parliamentary opposition has set up a strong network of activists all over the country. We have put up some 22,000 candidates in nearly all Cambodia's communes.
The latest trick used by the CPP when they are unable to intimidate husbands is to intimidate the wives among our candidates or potential candidates. Numerous cases of such vicious intimidation can be detailed for Preah Vihear province (please call 012 444 438), Pursat province (please call 012 963 312 or 011 963 312) and Koh Kong province (please call 012 589 902).
SRP Members of Parliament.
For more information, please call 012 363 555.
Previous statements:
- CPP uses intimidation, corruption and administrative harassment to prevent SRP candidates from being registered (December 30, 2006).
- CPP blocks registration of SRP candidates in sensitive communes in Mondulkiri province (January 3, 2007 - 8:00 a.m.).
- CPP threatens SRP candidates in Pursat province to confiscate their lands (January 3, 2007 - 8:00 a.m.).
By
Anonymous, at 2:31 PM
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