August 21, 2008
EXAMPLES OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF NON-CPP SUPPORTERS
The following is an August 16, 2008 e-mail from Prof. Paul E M Reynolds who knows Cambodia well.
" I spoke with some friends on the phone today. They
are large families living in Russey Keo in the same small block on Road No 5 in
Phnom Penh. They all went to the polling stations and none were able to vote.
ALL of them have all their family members registered with the Sangkat with their
Family Books. One family (very pro-SRP, despite the fact that the elderly father
of the family is a driver for the CPP) were not on the list at all. The other
family were on the list but 'someone' had already voted under their names when
they got there. Their friends on the other side of the No 5 road were not able
to vote either, they say, but I have no details.
Another friend who lives with his wife and two small children between Norodom
and Monivong, South of Sihanouk, (he works at the South Korean Embassy) told me his
name was not on the list despite a prior visit to his block by officials
'checking electoral lists' ".
Prof. Paul E M Reynolds
Global Economic Policy Institute
(University of Westminster)