Efforts to Prevent Opposition Petitioning Spread to Provinces
Efforts by authorities to prevent the opposition CNRP from collecting signatures for a petition asking the international community to not recognize Prime Minister Hun Sen’s CPP-led government have expanded to the provinces, local and CNRP officials said Sunday. In Prey Veng province, Sithor Kandal district Governor Phea In said that he had ordered authorities to confiscate petitions from CNRP activists in response to an order sent down from the provincial Governor Has Sareth. “We just want to know why they are collecting thumbprints from villagers,” Mr. In said to explain why local officials were clamping down and confiscating the CNRP petition. “CNRP activists are doing this without informing us, and this is a violation,” Mr. In said, adding he had convened a meeting with commune chiefs to tell them to stop CNRP activists from petitioning in their area. …
