The assassination of Mr Khim Sambor is a political threat

Phnom Penh, 12 July 2008

After receiving the news that Mr Khim Sambor, a journalist for the Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper, and his son were tragically shot to death on the afternoon of 11 July 2008, the Sam Rainsy Party members of Parliament and officials of the SRP express grief and pity for their unfortunate deaths.

When one who dares to write or argue against those with absolute power is assassinated, the perpetrators behind the killing are never found nor tried according to the law. This clearly demonstrates the nature of those in power. SRP members of Parliament urge all members of the Cambodian nation to come together with the SRP in order to find and punish the killers of these patriots as soon as possible. By voting for the SRP, it can be ensured that an SRP government will find the murderers and bring them to justice as soon as possible. SRP members of Parliament also urge the International Community and both local and international electoral observers to unite and push for the investigation of the assassinations of many Cambodian patriots such as Mr. Chea Vichea, leader of the Cambodian workers' trade union, Mr. Om Rasadi, former member of Parliament, as well as countless numbers of journalists, political activists and others in order to bring their killers to justice.

SRP members of parliament also ask for the protection of Mr. Oum Sara, the information officer of the SRP, who faced an assassination attempt on 6 July 2008, and the protection of journalists and political activists from all opposition parties from being assassinated in the future.

SRP Members of Parliament

For more information, please contact 012 858 857

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Phnom Penh, 11 July 2008

SRP calls for attention to lawsuit on vote-buying in Battambang province

11 July 2008: SRP in Battambang filed a complaint to the Commune Election Committee (CEC), Koh Khmum commune, Thmar Kol district, Battambang province. The complaint stated that a CPP official in the commune used money to buy CPP votes from the population.

9 July 2008: At 1pm, Tep Yin, the CPP representative for the Koh Khmum commune gathered 100 people for a meeting in the Luong Thaign pagoda in the Koh Khmum village, Koh Khmum commune. He distributed 5000 riel per person in exchange for the promise that the people would vote for the CPP. Tep Yin warned the people who received the money that they absolutely had to vote for the CPP and also, could not expose the distribution of this bribe to other parties, especially the SRP. The SRP has many witnesses that are willing to answer questions and provide evidence to the NEC commission on this vote-buying situation in the Koh Khmum commune. Distributing money to the population during an electoral campaign in exchange for the promise that they will vote for a specific party is a serious breach of the electoral law and violators must be punished with a fine or with the removal of the right to vote.

Almost all of the complaints filed by the SRP in the Battambang province concerning violations of the electoral law and illegal activities in the electoral campaign have been rejected by all levels of electoral organizing committees, while some complaints were resolved with unfairness and bias.

The SRP asks that local and international observers help follow the complaints on vote-buying in the Koh Khmum commune in order to determine whether all levels of the electoral organizing committees in the Battambang province resolve these complaints according to the law, or if these committees are paralyzed with a bias for the ruling party as have been previous committees.

Secretary General

For additional information, please contact 092 256 982