NGOs fear political violence ahead of election

By Ly Menghour

The Mekong Times

A group of some 40 civil society organizations yesterday expressed deep concern over the increase in violence against political party members in Cambodia in the first part of this year. The organizations say this political violence is threatening Cambodian citizens’ and politicians’ freedom to take part in politics, a right they say is enshrined in the constitution.The civil society group – including the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free Elections in Cambodia (NICFEC), Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL), and coalition the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) – said the court system and some government institutions are used as political tools to propagate political violence and threats. The group said that the rights of the individual are often not respected, with party defectors often filing complaints against their former parties over violence and threats. They warned such a situation could cause a political crisis for the Jul 27 national election. “Cases of murder, threat, intimidation and political persecution are occurring, especially in far flung areas, while Cambodia is preparing for the upcoming national election,” Thun Saray, president of local rights group Adhoc, said at a press conference yesterday.According to the observations of the NGO group, detailed in a report covering January to April of this year, there have been five assassinations of political party members, 21 cases of persecution and intimidation of party members and 15 cases of removing political party banners. “Civil society organizations believe that the political situation in Cambodia is very bleak if political violence is still occurring in the period leading up to the national elections. This will affect the result of the national election which should be free, just and fair in compliance with the demands of the Cambodian people,” Thun Saray added.Civil society organizations also noted that most perpetrators have yet to be arrested, let alone prosecuted. No robust legal measures have been instituted to prevent such abuses, they claimed.“The Cambodian legal system is like a spider’s web which functions to ensnare the vulnerable and victims of crime, and which frightens voters,” Center for Social Development President Theary Seng said about the Kingdom’s court system.Koul Panha, director of COMFREL, said the murder and intimidation chiefly happens to members of opposition parties, such as the Sam Rainsy Party, Norodom Ranariddh Party and Human Rights Party.“As well as [what is occurring now], murder, violence and intimidation took place against party members before the 2003 national elections. These cases still remain under investigation and have not been solved,” he said.According to the group, the five months running up to the 2003 elections saw eight assassinations of political party members and 43 cases of violence and intimidation. However, in the first five-month period of this year, there have already been five party member assassinations and 21 cases of violence and intimidation. The group claimed these figures show the situation this year is worse than in 2003.Hang Puthea, NICFEC director, noted that, although the campaign period defined by the National Election Committee (NEC) – 26 June 26- July 25 July – has not commenced yet, political parties have already commenced campaigning.Tep Nytha, secretary general of the NEC, rejected the civil societies group’s appraisal, claiming that the situation before this year’s national election is better than that of any of the previous elections. “[Murder] is something that happens in simple societies,” he said. “The research has not been clearly conducted, but some political parties and civil society groups have been drawn into [making these conclusions] on political issues. Also, civil society groups don’t believe the research and conclusion of the experts. On the contrary, civil society organizations make conclusions by linking the [murders and violence] to political issues, which ruins the political environment.”Tep Nytha claimed political violence, threats and murders have declined in 2008 compared to the 1993 and 2003 general elections and the 2007 commune elections. He said the NEC has been working with the government since 2007 to ensure security during the election. However, Eng Chhay Eang, secretary general of Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), agreed with the civil society group’s statement. “If the intimidation and murders of political party members continue, the election will not proceed freely and justly,” he warned. “During the period before the election, the SRP has suffered from intimidation and the ‘buying of hearts’ [by other parties]. This concerns the SRP for the election.”