OPINION
Democracy in Cambodia is Moving Forward
By Sam Sotha
{The comments in
this article are solely the opinion of the author and do not necessarily
reflect the opinion of the Royal Government of Cambodia}
Sunday, June 3rd, 2012 revealed another significant
step forward in the strengthening of the democratic process in Cambodia. In the morning, starting from 7:00 am until 3:00
pm, Cambodian people from all walks of life rushed to their nearby polling
stations to cast their votes, while those who had registered to vote in their home villages, were already there
before voting day.
In these spectacular circumstances, no one can blame
them that they were not fulfilling their responsibility and rights. Most importantly, it was not only their opportunity
to vote to choose their own community/local leader whom they trusted, but also to
participate in every discussion and decision making process to improve their own
community.
The National Election Committee (NEC) reported that 9.2
million Cambodians had registered and that 5.8 million or 64% voters turned out
to vote. A semi-permanent ink stained on their forefinger
clearly showed to the nation and the world of their responsibility as a
citizen.
Today, NEC spokesperson has announced the provisional outcome
through local radio and television stations of the following results: CPP won
1,591 chiefs over
1,633 communes, while Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) took 23, Human Rights Party (HRP) 18
and Funcinpec 01 respectively.
Through the above provisional results, it is clear
that the ruling party is still continuing to control almost all the communes
across the country.
Let us congratulate the National Election Committee
for their continuously improving performance to strengthen the legal and
electoral administrative frameworks, thus enhancing the credibility of the election
organized by Cambodian themselves.
But the
questions arose whether we accept the results and that this election is really “free,
fair and just”, the fundamental elements which will be the key indicatives towards
its credibility? Before we jump to conclusions,
let us pause a little and look back to the UN sponsored and supervised
elections in 1993 and fast forward to today as how we shall template the
fundamental principles for attaining real and transparent democracy?
In 1991, the United Nations had brokered the peace accords to end the
more than two decades of Cambodian internal conflicts and civil war which was followed
by consecutive elections: general elections in 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2008; and
commune/local councils in 2002 and 2007.
All events in those elections evidently disclosed that all political parties,
new and old, well established or weak, the ruling and opposing parties have all
enjoyed their victories. For instance,
the election of 2002 the CPP won 7703 members, while the SRP came up with 1,346
members and FUNCINPEC with 2,211 members, and while HRP at that time did not
exist. Again, in 2007 the CPP won 7,993
and the opposing SRP extended their triumph up to 2,660 members. Hence, Sunday, last week’s election marked
another milestone towards progress of democracy in Cambodia, one that elucidates
that even newly formed political parties also got seats in the councils across
the country.
There is no doubt that the elections were conducted in
a peaceful atmosphere. According to NEC,
the election was observed by around 15,000 observers from local and
international organizations, the European Community and foreign embassies in
Cambodia.
Let us compare Cambodian election to the recent
elections of any developing country such as Haiti, where their presidential
election was closely monitored by the United Nations and donors. Unlike Haiti where the turn out represented
only about 23 percents of the registered voters and with tainted widespread
frauds and irregularities, the Haitian Provisional Electoral Council and UN
representative in Haiti dismissed those complaints and acknowledged the election
was free and fair; the commune council election in Cambodia where the voters
turn out was about 64 percent of the registered voters and under peaceful
atmosphere proved to be free, fair and credible.
Furthermore, this commune council election
has given equal opportunities to people to participate at every commune in the
country. Citizens had a voice in
selecting their representatives who have the greatest impact on their daily
lives. Indeed and in principle, a real democracy is
obtained from people, where voters can freely express their opinions and select
their favored representative through democratic elections.
Therefore,
from this day on, would every political party and civil society organization which
has an important role to play in improving the electoral process in Cambodia, accept
the results? Shall we close the chapter
of egotism, social and political fragmentation, violence and instead heighten the
needs for reconstruction and reconciliation. Honoring the results of last
Sunday’s election is a fair game played by all political parties in a
democratic society.
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About the author: Mr. Sam Sotha is
former Ambassador to Mine Action, Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), Cluster
Munitions and Disarmament. He is the
author of a book “In the Shade of a Quiet Killing Place”, his personal memoirs.
About the book, go to www.heavenlakepress.com