Cambodia Kicks Off Election Campaign

by Ma Nguyen Tong

31-1-2002

Campaigning began in Cambodia in the country's first ever local elections, which had already been overshadowed by a series of poll-related deaths. Ahead of the election on February 3, 2002, King Norodom Sihanouk ordered Cambodians not to let violence and intimidation stop them from voting. His appeal was made public as the Prime Minister, Hun Sen, ordered the armed forces to take action against political violence, althouigh what this meant was unclear as Hun Sen's party was behind most of the violence. The elections were described as a pioneering effort to establish democracy at grassroots level, in spite of a recent spate of political killings, in a country that has no concept of democracy and not even a clear word for it in the Khmer language. However, opposition candidates continued to turn up murdered.

In the middle of January, the United Nations released a report saying 15 political activists competing against the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) had been murdered or had died in suspicious circumstances. The report said there were clear patterns of intimidation and harassment, mainly perpetrated by local authorities and police, all working for Hun Sen's party. More died later in the month

Hun Sen said that taking power with a gun, intimidation and violence were the most contemptible forms of power, which is an odd statement for him to make given he, too, had taken and holds power through the barrel of a gun. Both the 1993 and 1998 general elections were plagued by violence and allegations of vote-rigging.

Pioneering poll

The elections continued the process initiated by a United Nations-supervised general election in 1993, which restored a semblance of multi-party democracy after decades of war and corruption. The corruption continues and basically only Hun Sen's party is allowed to win as a good way to commit suicide is to vote for another party.

At stake was control of the nation's 1,621 communes, currently governed by the CPP, Hun Sen's party, who had been in power for the last two decades. The CPP faced two main opponents - the royalist Funcinpec (National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Co-operative Cambodia) - a junior coalition partner at national level - and the Sam Rainsy party, named after its leader.

Speaking at the start of his campaign, former finance minister Sam Rainsy said Cambodia was ready for change.

"This is a great day," he said, "because [it] gives us an historic opportunity to change grassroots leadership after 23 years of the same corrupt authoritarian regime."

In Kampong Cham, 70 kilometres north of Phnom Penh, thousands of people greeted Funcinpec leader Prince Norodom Ranariddh. He also urged people to vote for a change.

"The people are tired of the old leadership that has governed the same communes for more than 20 years," he said. He also called for to an end to pre-election violence.

The CPP said it did not send its leaders out to campaign on January 18, but instead asked supporters to canvass door to door.

Cambodian opposition candidate found dead

Another opposition candidate contesting Cambodia's district elections was found dead. Vat Din from the Sam Rainsy party was found floating in the Mekong river; he had not been seen since January 18, the first day of the official campaign period, when he went to place fish traps in the river.

Meanwhile, the Cambodian national election committee scolded all the parties contesting the polls for breaking campaign rules. It said they had incited confrontation and damaged the atmosphere of reconciliation by giving out leaflets bearing the picture of King Norodom Sihanouk to gain votes, and by playing tapes criticising their opponents.

Cambodian activists shot dead

Two more Cambodian opposition political activists were shot dead less than a week before local elections in the country. The authorities said they were not certain of the motive behind the killings of Lah Kok and his wife Math Chas, but a local government official said the incident was of great concern because it took place so close to the February 3 elections. The couple were members of the opposition FUNCINPEC party.

Mounting violence ahead of the elections as of January 29 had claimed the lives of 17 activists and candidates, and prompted the government to increase security measures.