Election campaigning

On June 26th, one month before Cambodias forth general election since the UN-backed voting in 1993, the election campaign was launched. Phnom Penh Post reports that the streets of the Cambodian capital were filled with political party activists with "banners flapping and bullhorns blaring". There are eleven parties running, but according to Phnom Penh Post is the ruling party CPP widely expected to win the election on July 27th.

Cambodias Prime Minister and leader of CPP, Hun Sen, called for a calm non-violent campaign reports Phnom Penh Post. He urged members of his own party to ignore insults from the oppostion. He also promised a peaceful transfer of power if CPP would lose the poll.

Mar Sophal from the election watchdog Comfrel said, according to Phnom Penh Post, that even if the atmosphere is better than in previous elections, there are still threats against activists among the people.

--

On July 5th I will attend a course to become an election observer for Comfrel. I have to be honest no idea what you're suppose to do when observing the voting...make sure no one is apparantly threating each other? I will return to this subject after the 5th.

Other blogposts (in Swedish) about: Kambodja, Cambodia, val