The Mirror, Vol. 11, No. 516
“The United States of America expressed concern over the fourth term parliamentary election in Cambodia. The concern focuses on the partiality of the National Election Committee [NEC] towards the ruling Cambodian People’s Party [CPP].
“In a meeting with senior leaders of the Sam Rainsy Party [SRP] at their headquarters in Phnom Penh yesterday, two officials of the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, Mr. Gregory Lawless [Political/Economic Chief at the embassy] and Mr. Chea Sokha, told Ms. Mu Sochua, the Secretary-General of the SRP, and Mr. Keo Phirum, the Deputy Chief of [Sam Rainsy’s] cabinet, that the US is concerned about the arrangements for the election, that it will not be conducted neutral, free, and fair.
“Ms. Mu Sochua said that the SRP showed the two US Embassy officials the reports concerning many irregularities in previous elections, especially the second term Commune and Subdistrict Council Elections on 1 April 2007. She continued that from today on, the NEC tells the village chiefs – most of them are from the CPP – to delete the names of dead people, displaced people, people whose names are duplicate, and immigrants, from the lists. She stated that the partiality in the deletion of names may be up to 99%.
“In the meeting, Ms. Mu Sochua told the US diplomats that the SRP wants the deletion of names to be conducted with the participation by political party agents and non-government organizations, because most commune clerks, commune chiefs, and village chiefs are CPP agents or activists.
“Ms. Mu Sochua went on to say that the SRP asked the Ministry of Interior to facilitate the issuing of identification cards to the citizens, especially to the youth who have just reached the age of voting, and to whom identification cards have to be issued soon so they can register their names and verify their names for the 2008 election.
“The two US Embassy officials took the request into their report on the SRP in 2007 to send it to the US government, and vowed to help push the fourth term parliamentary election in Cambodia to be conducted so that it is free, fair, and transparent.” Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #450, 12.7.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 12 July 2007
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1389, 12.7.2007
- Thomico: Doing Politics Like Samdech Krom Preah [Norodom Ranariddh] Does, Monarchy Will Dissolve in 2008
- More Than 200 kg of Dried Marijuana Transported and Abandoned [by unknown people] in Sihanoukville
- Thailand Will Ban Use of Mobile Phones While Driving [in order to reduce traffic accidents]
- IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] Invited [by Pyongyang] to Send Inspectors to North Korea
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #6089, 12.7.2007
- [Cambodian] Ministry of Foreign Affairs Fully Supports Chinese Government While Taiwan Wants to Enter UN
- Japanese Investors Interested in Investments in Cambodia
- Three State Rubber Plantations [Chamkar Andoung, Boeng Ket, and Memut] in Kompong Cham Put for Bids for Investment
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4334, 12.7.2007
- Samdech Krom Preah Gives Green Light Again for Meeting between Officials of Norodom Ranariddh Party and Funcinpec
- Cambodia Condemns Acts [of Taiwan] Which Contradict One-China Policy [according to recent reports, Taiwan is increasing its activities to hold a referendum to support Taiwan’s entry into the UN]
- Japan Decides to Help Study Cambodia’s Master Plan on Underground Minerals and Gas
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.14, #3084, 12.7.2007
- PACT [NGO in Cambodia] Plans to Collects 1 Million People’s Thumbprints to Urge the Government to Speed Up Anti-Corruption Law
- Did Cambodian People’s Party Give Money to Kem Sokha to Create Party? [rumor says Kem Sokha is supported by Prime Minister Hun Sen]
- Investors Fed Up with Corruption and Application Procedures at CDC [Council for the Development of Cambodia]
Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #450, 12.7.2007
- US Concerned about Unfairness in 2008 Election
- Nhek Bun Chhay [Funcinpec Secretary-General] Accepts Samdech Krom Preah [Norodom Ranariddh] as President Again at Hun Sen’s Order
