Election Body Urged to Keep Gov’t Out of Politics

Nine non-governmental groups issued a statement late last week urging the country’s National Election Committee (NEC) to enforce laws that bar political parties from using state resources. … “The NEC has to punish the politicians and parties who use the state resources,” said Yong Kim Eng, executive director of the People’s Center for Development and Peace, which signed the statement along with NGOs including Licadho and the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia. NEC Secretary-General Tep Nytha said his committee was doing a fine job of enforcing the relevant laws and noted one example from 2008 in which it had fined an RCAF soldier after he posted signs for the ruling CPP around Kampot province. … The NGOs’ statement also called on King Norodom Sihamoni and the National Assembly to find a “political solution” for SRP president Sam Rainsy’s return. Mr. Rainsy is in self-imposed exile avoiding a 12-year jail term for charges he has called politically motivated and recently announced plans to return ahead of June’s commune elections. …