Opposition claims vote form fraud

The Phnom Penh Post

by Meas Sokchea

Opposition parties say the CPP issued thousands of fraudulent 10-18 election forms in a bid to boost its vote tally on polling day and have vowed to fight the alleged vote rigging HENG CHIVOAN Sam Rainsy speaks to supporters at a rally on July 29 in Phnom Penh. C AMBODIA’S opposition  has accused commune officials loyal to the Cambodian People’s Party of issuing 10-18 election forms allowing ineligible people to vote illegally. The 10-18 form can be issued just before an election by commune-level authorities and is intended to allow those who have the right to vote but lack the relevant identity documents to cast their ballot on polling day. “ The CPP kept ghost voters on the lists…so they could make out 10-18 forms for people who have no right to vote such as minors and Vietnamese nationals,” opposition leader Sam Rainsy said at a joint press conference with the Human Rights Party and Norodom Ranariddh Party on Friday. “ We’ve received hundreds of these documents…the CPP has issued hundreds of thousands of [fake] 10-18 forms which represents systematic electoral fraud across the country. this is a serious problem,” Sam Rainsy said. Sam Rainsy said that if the courts were to prosecute the CPP-affiliated commune chiefs who issued the 10-18 forms illegally “ the entire grass roots structure of the CPP would disappear as all the commune chiefs will be in prison.” He added the problem was a legal case – of public officials falsifying documents – so the parties were planning to lodge complaints with the courts. Human Rights Party spokesman Keat Sokun said that the HRP still does not recognise the results of the election, as CPP tricks such as the use of 10-18 forms, had skewed the vote count.  He added the HRP would work with the other opposition parties to challenge the poll results. Norodom Ranariddh Party spokesman Muth Chantha also affirmed his party’s commitment to working together to combat “ the abuse of the Cambodian people’s rights.” CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said by phone Sunday that the 10-18 forms were a legitimate tool used at the discretion of local authorities to ensure that people who lacked the relevant documents but were entitled to a vote could cast their ballot. He said the forms were for everyone who lacked documents, not just CPP supporters, and said there were multiple instances of people who were known opposition supporters being given 10-18 forms. On Friday, Sam Rainsy reiterated his claim that millions of Cambodian citizens were deliberately disenfranchised by the National Election Committee (NEC), saying the 10-18 forms had helped the CPP ensure that 1.2 million votes were “ stolen.” Secretary General of the NEC, Tep Nytha said, “ if the opposition parties want to file complaints it is up to them, but if they go to the court over this I don’t know what law they are going to use.”

Authoritarian Regime Won: Opposition

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer Original report from Phnom Penh

After an apparent landslide victory for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, long-running Prime Minister Hun Sen will have another term in office, an “ impact to national prestige,” opposition leader Sam Rainsy said Wednesday.

“ The CPP has held power for 29 or 30 years,” he said, comparing it to authoritarian regimes around the world.

CPP lawmaker Chiem Yeap discounted the remarks, saying the election had the support of international observers and was smoother than elections past.

“ How can [the government] be authoritarian, as we have the National Assembly, government, Senate, people as voters and other institutions,” he said. “ Our leaders need face too. We will not give hopelessness to people who voted for us.

Source: VoA News

Cambodian opposition parties complain to king over election

	Photos 1 of 1 Cambodian election officials count ballots at a polling station

PHNOM PENH: Cambodian opposition parties have filed a complaint to King Norodom Sihamoni against election officials for allegedly preventing one million people from voting in last weekend’s poll.

The opposition Sam Rainsy Party, Human Rights Party, and Norodom Ranariddh Party told the king that one million registered voters were cut from the rolls by National Election Committee (NEC) officials.

“ This act is an intentional mistake which is committed by election officials,” the parties said in the joint letter, released late Wednesday.

“ This is a serious mistake committed by NEC officials at all levels which prevented at least one million people from voting,” the letter said, asking the king to find a way for them to cast ballots before the announcement of official election results.

Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party has claimed a landslide victory in Sunday’s election, saying it captured at least 90 of the 123 seats in parliament. Final results of the poll are expected in September.

More than six million out of 8.1 million eligible voters cast ballots in the poll.

European Union election observers have said only about 50,000 could not find their names registered when they attempted to vote.

The NEC has denied opposition allegations that voters were left off the rolls on purpose.

International monitors said earlier this week that the election was flawed and did not meet key standards, despite a more peaceful campaign and improvements in the electoral process.

The opposition parties have rejected the results of the election and demanded a re-run of the poll.

Source: Channel News Asia

Opposition Offers Money for Proof of Rigging

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer Original report from Phnom Penh

Mu Sochua, deputy secretary- general of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, calls out to supporters in Phnom Penh Wednesday.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy offered money to voters who could help him prove Sunday’s elections were rigged, as he led a rally at his party headquarters in the capital Wednesday.

More than 300 people gathered at the headquarters, under the watch of a large number of armed intervention, military and traffic police, who also positioned a water-cannon on Sotheros Boulevard outside the headquarters.

The Sam Rainsy Party won 26 seats in Sunday’s election, according to National Election Committee preliminary figures, but he has contested the results.

Sam Rainsy said at the rally he was attempting to collect from voters proof they had used an illegal administrative form, No. 1018, for voting. He offered $50 to anyone who could prove they voted with the form, even though their names were not on the voter registry.

Opposition votes were taken by NEC “ bandits,” who conspired to ensure a Cambodian People’s Party victory, Sam Rainsy said.

NEC Secretary-General Tep Nitha said the national election body had issued form No. 1018 a day before the election to people who were on voter registries but did not have photo identification, which is legal under election regulations.

Suth Dyna, deputy secretary-general of the Norodom Ranariddh Party, said Wednesday his party supported the Sam Rainsy Party’s call for form 1018. His party was also preparing documentation to complain over election results, he said.

Source: VoA News

Cambodian opposition supporters rally against election results

PHNOM PENH: About 300 supporters of Cambodia’s main opposition party rallied in Phnom Penh on Wednesday to protest the results of the weekend election and to demand a re-run of the poll.

Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party has claimed victory in the Sunday poll, saying it captured at least 90 of the 123 seats in parliament, giving it more than a two-thirds majority.

“ We cannot accept the results of the election. Please cancel the results of the election and hold a re-vote,” opposition leader Sam Rainsy told the crowd gathered inside his party headquarters in the capital.

Sam Rainsy has estimated that one million out of 8.1 million registered voters were cut from the rolls, although European Union election observers have pegged that figure at 50,000.

“ It is very unjust,” Sam Rainsy said to the cheering crowds, adding that he will file complaints against National Election Committee (NEC) officials.

Dozens of police were deployed along the streets near Sam Rainsy Party headquarters to prevent a public demonstration. The party’s deputy secretary general Mu Sochua stood at the entrance, shouting over a loudhailer that the election was “ not free and unfair” and urging people to join the rally inside.

NEC secretary general Tep Nytha denied the opposition allegation that one million people had been denied a vote and said there was no law that permitted a re-run of the entire election.

“ The case that one million people could not vote because their names had been disappeared from voting lists is not correct,” he told AFP.

International monitors said Tuesday the election was flawed and did not meet key standards despite improvements in electoral processes.

Source: Channel News Asia