CCHR Press Release - CCHR welcomes agreement by the CNRP and the CPP to investigate election irregularities

CCHR PRESS RELEASE - Phnom Penh, 1 August 2013

CCHR welcomes the agreement by both the CNRP and the CPP to participate in a joint committee to investigate election irregularities

Cambodian democracy has come a long way since the last National  Assembly elections held in 2008. Last Sunday’s polling, and the immediate run up to the vote, was marked by largely peaceful campaigning and a surge in participation of Cambodian youth. The preliminary election results indicate that many voters were not afraid to vote for change and that there is a viable political opposition in the Kingdom of Cambodia (“Cambodia”), arguably for the first time since the first democratic election held in 1993.

Despite these significant positives however, several patterns of irregularities have cast doubt over preliminary election results and the overall fairness of the election. As a result and in order to ensure that the right of the Cambodian people to a free and fair election is upheld, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (“CNRP”) and the Cambodian People’s Party (“CPP”) have agreed to the establishment of, and to their participation in, an independent joint committee to investigate election irregularities and to push for definitive NEC reform. This is a positive development for Cambodian democracy and has the potential – if undertaken truly independently – to produce credible solutions for all Cambodians.

CCHR President Ou Virak comments:

“The agreement by Cambodia’s two main political parties – the CPP and the CNRP – to cooperate and participate in a joint committee to investigate election irregularities is extremely positive and bodes well for the future of democracy in Cambodia. During this sensitive time, we would like to call on people to remain calm and to be patient, allowing for the investigations to be carried out in due course. We would also like to appeal to people to avoid whipping up tension through the use of threatening language and hate speech. Democratic change is on the horizon in Cambodia and we must refrain from actions that could jeopardize its fruition.” 

For more information, please contact Ou Virak via telephone at +855 (0) 1240 4051 or e-mail at ouvirak@cchrcambodia.org or CCHR Consultant Orla Kelly via telephone at +855 (0) 6772 7025 or email at orla.kelly@cchrcambodi.org. 

Please find attached the PDF version of this press release in Khmer and in English.

Kind regards,
CCHR