PSRInformations - Free
PSRInformations - Free PSRInformations - Free
11.01.2013 By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer Credibility of Elections at Risk: Monitors Opposition party leader Sam Raisy, file photo. WASHINGTON DC - Cambodia faces the prospect that this year’s national election will not be fully accepted by the West, election monitors say. With one of the few credible opposition leaders, Sam Rainsy, in exile and facing criminal charges he says are politically motivated, and no political solution so far in sight, the election may not be viewed as free, fair or legitimate, the monitors said. US officials have already expressed their disappointment in Sam Rainsy’s continued exile and exclusion from the electoral process. Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, told VOA Khmer that if the opposition leader cannot take part in the election, it could cost Cambodia credibility in the West. “The key is the image of the elected government, especially in the West, and full UN recognition,” he said. “This is still a problem, and also it is not as fully recognized as before.” Cambodia must reform its democratic process, which is still possible, he said. In fact, Cambodia still has a chance to become a model country that others can learn from, he said. Cambodia lost its bid last year for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council, in part because of the country’s poor records on human rights and democracy, and because it failed to gather enough international support. The US last week expressed its disappointment with the National Election Committe’s decision to remove Sam Rainsy from the national voter registry. The criminal charges against him, stemming from his destruction of border markers in Svay Rieng province in 2009, make him ineligible to run for office, even though he is the head of the new Cambodian National Rescue Party. “The exclusion of a leading opposition leader calls into question the legitimacy of the whole democratic process in Cambodia,” Victoria Nuland, a PSR Informations PSR-France, 69 rue de la Chapelle, 75018 PARIS 4ème Année Page 2
spokeswoman for the State Department, told reporters in Washington last week. “So we’ll continue raising this, and as I said, we are disappointed.” Tep Nitha, secretary-general for the NEC, defended its decision, saying the committee is following Cambodian law. However, critics say the committee is biased toward the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, hastening its decision to remove Sam Rainsy from eligibility. Hang Puthea, executive director for the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free Elections, said it is possible that local and international observers alike are now “concerned” with Cambodia’s transition to democracy. But he said Cambodia’s stance toward the West has changed. It has forged a closer relationship with China, which grants large amounts of aid without the requirments of Western donors. Suon Bunsak, chief secretary for the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee, warned against such a shift. A free and fair election is needed in Cambodia, and that can only come with the return of Sam Rainsy, he said. “So this issue should see a political compromise, to allow the president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party to compete in a democratic process, which is better,” he said. The national parliamentary elections are slated for July this year. The elections will pit the new opposition against the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, whose lawmakers hold 90 of 123 National Assembly seats, following a sweeping victory in the 2008 elections. The Sam Rainsy Party won 26 seats in that election, and the Human Rights Party won just three. That did not give the opposition enough seats to stop the super majority of the ruling party. Posted by Socheata at 5:15 AM 11/01/2013 ------------------------------- Sam Rainsy Confident of Return The Cambodian opposition chief believes the government will allow him to contest upcoming polls in order to safeguard the vote's legitimacy. 2013-01-08 RFA PSR Informations PSR-France, 69 rue de la Chapelle, 75018 PARIS 4ème Année Page 3
- Page 1: Numéro192 PSRInformations KNbkSseR
- Page 5 and 6: of 31 percent of the popular vote i
- Page 7 and 8: Son Chhay, head of the Sam Rainsy P
- Page 9 and 10: Du 20 au 23 décembre, Michel Druck
- Page 11 and 12: verser 4 millions de riels (1000 do
- Page 13 and 14: DEFORESTATION - Des Jaraï crient v
- Page 15 and 16: Le lieu de villégiature privilégi
- Page 17 and 18: ECONOMIE - Le FMI avertit que la ha
- Page 19 and 20: Every person can and should be Prea
- Page 21 and 22: Here's another non-Cambodian figure
- Page 23 and 24: Muoi said outbound investment is th
- Page 25 and 26: unilaterally declared that the memb
- Page 27 and 28: The Observatory is deeply concerned
- Page 29 and 30: Villagers claim the KDC grabbed mor
- Page 31 and 32: But the claims were met with doubts
- Page 33 and 34: Earlier Thai Foreign Minister Surap
- Page 35 and 36: He said he has collected about 2,00
- Page 37 and 38: PSR Informations PSR-France, 69 rue
- Page 39 and 40: PSR Informations PSR-France, 69 rue
- Page 41 and 42: enAmant… PSR Informations PSR-Fra
- Page 43 and 44: Cependant, même s’il se dégage
- Page 45 and 46: d’Angkor et des différentes éta
- Page 47 and 48: d) « Retour aux sources. Episodes
- Page 49 and 50: Veacha Neay Hennesy : “… the in
- Page 51 and 52: PSR Informations PSR-France, 69 rue
11.01.2013<br />
By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer<br />
Credibility of Elections at Risk: Monitors<br />
Opposition party leader Sam Raisy, file photo.<br />
WASHINGTON DC - Cambodia faces the prospect that this year’s national<br />
election will not be fully accepted by the West, election monitors say.<br />
With one of the few credible opposition leaders, Sam Rainsy, in exile and<br />
facing criminal charges he says are politically motivated, and no political<br />
solution so far in sight, the election may not be viewed as free, fair or<br />
legitimate, the monitors said.<br />
US officials have already expressed their disappointment in Sam Rainsy’s continued exile and<br />
exclusion from the electoral process.<br />
Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for <strong>Free</strong> and Fair Elections, told VOA Khmer<br />
that if the opposition leader cannot take part in the election, it could cost Cambodia<br />
credibility in the West. “The key is the image of the elected government, especially in the<br />
West, and full UN recognition,” he said. “This is still a problem, and also it is not as fully<br />
recognized as before.”<br />
Cambodia must reform its democratic process, which is still possible, he said. In fact,<br />
Cambodia still has a chance to become a model country that others can learn from, he said.<br />
Cambodia lost its bid last year for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council, in part<br />
because of the country’s poor records on human rights and democracy, and because it failed<br />
to gather enough international support.<br />
The US last week expressed its disappointment with the National Election Committe’s<br />
decision to remove Sam Rainsy from the national voter registry. The criminal charges against<br />
him, stemming from his destruction of border markers in Svay Rieng province in 2009, make<br />
him ineligible to run for office, even though he is the head of the new Cambodian National<br />
Rescue Party.<br />
“The exclusion of a leading opposition leader calls into question the<br />
legitimacy of the whole democratic process in Cambodia,” Victoria Nuland, a<br />
PSR Informations PSR-France, 69 rue de la Chapelle, 75018 PARIS 4ème Année Page 2