Though the commune council elections “have been a positive step” towards making Cambodia a fuller democracy, pre-election violence and intimidation continue to set ominous trends for the future, an international election monitoring group said Sunday.
In their “final statement” on this month’s elections, the Asian Network For Free Elections also stressed the “electoral process is not yet complete,” since recounts are still under way in some communes, the National Election Committee has numerous unresolved complaints and that few of those responsible for violence and intimidation during the pre-campaign period have been brought to justice.
Nine long-term Anfrel election monitors arrived in Cambodia Dec 24 and another 60 short-term monitors arrived Jan 28 in order to observe the Feb 3 elections. The monitors came from 17 Asian nations.
In the report, Anfrel listed among its concerns the continuing prospects of violence and intimidation in upcoming elections. The report points out that 21 candidates and party activists and one domestic monitor were killed, adding that intimidation of voters and bribes were widespread.
Anfrel also considers “the taking of thumb prints and the collection of voter registration cards” as “a more subtle, but by no means less influential” form of intimidation, the report states.
The monitors are also concerned about inadequate law enforcement, a “weak” election law, the “abuse of monopoly [political] power at all levels” and inadequate access to the media by all parties.
The report calls on leaders of all political parties to take “decisive legal and disciplinary actions against their candidates and supporters who engage in all forms of political thuggery.”
Anfrel also urged an overhaul in the election law, which it called “silent, ambivalent or weak in a number of issues.”
