VZCZCXRO3091
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0853 1731133
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221133Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8606
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 000853 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CB
SUBJECT: MU SOCHUA ON SRP CONCERNS: VOTER REGISTRATION, 
ANTI-CORRUPTION LAW, MEMORIAL STUPA 
 
REF: A. (A) PHNOM PENH 778 
     ¶B. (B) PHNOM PENH 765 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) Secretary General Mu Sochua 
met with the Ambassador on June 22 to revisit the ongoing 
problem of voter registration obstructions in preparation for 
the 2008 national elections.  Mu Sochua detailed National 
Election Committee (NEC) unresponsiveness to SRP's concerns 
that the voter registration process systematically favors the 
ruling party (ref A).  SRP proposed a possible solution to 
the NEC: instead of allowing the politically-aligned and 
locally influential village and commune chiefs to register 
voters, assign agents from each of the political parties to 
form voter registration teams that go door to door.  The SRP 
is also pushing the NEC and the Ministry of Interior (MOI) to 
de-politicize the voter identification system by disposing of 
the "Form 10/18" as a means of voter i.d.  Commune-level 
authorities are mandated to issue the form 10/18 to villagers 
who have not had the opportunity to apply for and/or receive 
their official, MOI-issued national identification cards. 
SRP claims that the majority CPP commune-level authorities 
prevent non-CPP villagers from obtaining their due form 
10/18.  They also claim that, during the April 1 commune 
council elections, commune chiefs and clerks issued 10/18 
forms to individuals who were not on their commune's voter 
list thereby fraudulently allowing additional voters in their 
communes.  The Ambassador will discuss the issue of voter 
registration with Minister of Interior Sar Kheng. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Mu Sochua and the Ambassador discussed mutual 
frustration over the anti-corruption law still languishing 
with the Council of Ministers.  The Ambassador reassured Mu 
Sochua that he has raised, and will continue to raise, the 
issue with Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.  However, in past 
discussions, Sok An has insisted that Cambodia's penal code 
be passed first and then the RGC can move forward with the 
anti-corruption law.  Mu Sochua delivered to the Ambassador a 
copy of the SRP statement to the June 19-20 Cambodia 
Development Cooperation Forum (formerly the Government-Donor 
Coordination Committee meeting).  In addition to points on 
the anti-corruption law, the statement recommends the RGC and 
donors focus on the following: deforestation, land issues and 
evictions, judiciary reforms, independence of the NEC, and a 
law to manage future oil revenue. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Mu Sochua communicated the SRP's strong intent to 
save the memorial stupa commemorating a 1997 grenade attack 
on an SRP rally (ref B).  When the Ambassador stated his 
concern over the possibility of the stupa being removed 
secretly in the middle of the night, Mu Sochua responded 
 
SIPDIS 
adamantly that this would result in an ugly fight.  She said 
the party would mobilize supporters, bringing SRP villagers 
and workers to Phnom Penh to object to the stupa's removal. 
She rejected the Phnom Penh Governor's argument that 
Buddhists do not traditionally build monuments to the dead in 
public places stating the stupa is not just a symbol but a 
place believers regard as a home for souls of those who lost 
their lives at the location.  The Ambassador expressed his 
support for the stupa staying put.  Unfortunately, his 
letters to the Phnom Penh Governor, MOI and MFA have not yet 
produced a favorable response.  The Ambassador intends to now 
raise the matter with Prime Minister Hun Sen when they meet 
on Monday, June 25 with the message that removing the 
memorial stupa would make Cambodia look bad in the eyes of 
the international community. 
MUSSOMELI