Government Planned to Deploy Security Forces Around Polling Booths

By Khmerization

Radio Free Asia reported on 31st March that the government planned to deploy tens of thousands of armed forces to protect the safety and the security during the upcoming election which will be held on 27th July.

Mr Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior said: “We will deploy all the forces, including the Military Police, the National Police, the Armed Forces, the Air Force and the Navy to protect polling stations in case that there are disturbances. What we are doing is to ensure that the elections are held in a free and fair environment.”

Mr Sopheak declined to give specific numbers of troops to be deployed but confirmed that Gen. Hok Lundy, the National Police chief will head the combined operations.

According to broadcasts by the government-affiliated TV, Gen. Hok Lundy had already travelled to Oudor Meanchey province to give instructions to the provincial security forces there and that Gen. Hok Lundy is planning to meet with security forces in other provinces.

In relations to the security arrangements Mr. Tep Nytha, Secretary General of the National Election Committee (NEC), said: “This year the polling stations had increased to more than 15,300 stations. Three members of the security forces will be deployed in each polling station. If we compared to the 2007 elections of 14,448 stations, the polling stations had increased by 1500 stations, so the security has to be increased.”

Mr Kul Panha, Executive Chairman of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia said: “In term of the security issue regarding political disturbances, I don’t think there will be any problems because there is no external forces. In 1993 we have the Khmer Rouge and other factions still have their armed groups. Security is very important to ensure the freedom. The security must not appear to be creating fears. So, this must be thought through thoroughly.”

Sources from the NEC said that, currently, there are 4,000 national electoral observers and 35 foreign observers. All the foreign observers came from the US embassy and the American National Democratic Institute based in Cambodia.

The same sources have said that the NEC is short of funds by $2.5 million US dollars to fulfil the election budget of $17 million US dollars to organise the upcoming 27th July election. ///