National Election Committee Dismisses Criticism of Reform
At the ceremony yesterday making the official start of the National Election Committee’s new mandate, NEC chairman Im Suosdey criticized the U.N. human rights envoy to Cambodia for taking an exceedingly harsh view of the country’s much derided electoral system. In a July report to the U.N. Human Rights Council, Surya Subedi said “major flaw” remained in the administration of the country’s elections, and made a number of recommendations that would help to make the NEC and the election process independent of political influence. The European Parliament and Australia Senate have both since passed resolutions supporting Mr. Subedi’s report – which included the recommendation that convicted and self-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy be allowed to stand in July’s national elections – and called on the government to make sure the voting was free and fair…
