The Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (Comfrel) said
Friday that it had recorded 120 cases of civil servants and party
officials breaking the election law since the campaign season began June
27.
Speaking at a meeting held at Comfrel’s Phnom Penh headquarters,
monitoring coordinator Kong Ravine said civil servants, including
military and judicial officials, have been electioneering on behalf of
the ruling CPP and that there were also several cases of CPP officials
giving gifts to villagers to win votes.
Out of the 120 cases recorded by Comfrel, there were 29 cases of
party signs and posters being destroyed, 18 incidents of threats,
intimidation or violence, seven cases of party activities being unfairly
interrupted and 38 cases of local authorities campaigning on behalf of
the CPP.
In Ratanakkiri, Kompong Thom and Kompong Cham provinces, officials
were spotted handing out gifts to voters on five different occasions.
“In particular, there were many cases related to civil servants, RCAF
[Royal Cambodian Armed Forces] and court officials participating in the
election campaign for the Cambodian People’s Party, and they used state
resources,” Ms. Ravine said.
According to the election law, people who hold such positions are
forbidden from campaigning for any party and are also prohibited from
using state buildings, vehicles or other resources in the campaign.
According to Comfrel, there have been 23 such cases over the past two
weeks.
Ms. Ravine said violent incidents have decreased compared to the
campaign period before the 2008 election, and there have been no reports
of election-related murders to date. “However, the number of
campaigning officials has increased since 2008,” she added.
Ms. Ravine said Comfrel also noted a number of complaints filed
against the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) by
authorities. She cited one example in Banteay Meanchey province where a
military police officer filed a complaint against the party for putting
up posters on state property.
Tep Nytha, secretary-general of the National Election Committee
(NEC), appeared to be more sympathetic to gift-giving and to civil
servants using their positions and state resources to campaign for the
ruling party, claiming that Comfrel must have been looking through
“different glasses to the NEC.”
“It does not go against the NEC’s rule if they participate in the
campaign outside of work time or if they get permission from their
work,” he said. “However, if they
campaign while wearing their uniforms, they are not allowed to be a part
of the campaign.”
As for the giving of gifts to voters, he said that the NEC had only
heard of one case in Ratanakkiri and was investigating the matter.
Comfrel on Friday also announced the launch of a new online program
called Ask the Candidates, in which young people can pose questions to
parliamentary candidates via text message.
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