VZCZCXRO8168
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0575/01 1981104
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161104Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY 0079

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 PHNOM PENH 000575 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL 
USAID FOR ASIA BUREAU 
NSC FOR L. PHU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIA ELECTIONS: CAMPAIGN SEASON SNAPSHOT FROM 
PARTS OF TWO PROVINCES 
 
REF: A. PHNOM PENH 558 
     ¶B. PHNOM PENH 554 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Emboffs recently conducted pre-election 
monitoring trips in mainly rural parts of two populous 
provinces during the official campaign season for Cambodia's 
July 27 National Assembly elections, noting intense Cambodian 
People's Party campaigning throughout the areas traveled. 
Out of six Commune Election Committees (CEC) with whom 
Emboffs met, all six reported they had not received a single 
formal election campaign complaint.  During a meeting with 
Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) members in a rural district of Prey 
Veng province, a local SRP leader stated that the district 
party office has received election-related grievances but has 
not submitted complaints to CECs.  The Prey Veng Provincial 
Election Committee (PEC) chief stated that few complaints 
have been submitted to CECs or to his PEC because he has been 
encouraging party leaders to reach mutual understanding among 
themselves to avoid election-related conflicts.  Though 
complaints do arise, the atmosphere in Prey Veng to date is 
reflective of most of Cambodia this election campaign - 
peaceful (except for the rare and short-lived megaphone 
contest between rival parties) and with considerably fewer 
serious incidents of threats, intimidation or violence than 
in 2003.  A July 14 candidate debate including four of the 
major parties confirms post's assessment that the major 
issues in the campaign are corruption, inflation, job 
creation, and more economic development to bring Cambodians 
out of poverty.  Illegal immigration is a hot-button issue. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Roughly halfway into the month-long official 
campaign period for Cambodia's July 27 National Assembly 
elections, Emboffs observed seemingly well-coordinated and 
funded CPP campaign efforts during recently conducted 
monitoring visits to two nearby provinces, Kampong Cham and 
Prey Veng.  Kampong Cham province is represented by 18 
parliamentary seats, more than any other province in 
Cambodia, and Prey Veng by 11, the third-highest number of 
seats for one province.  In 2003, the CPP won eight of the 
seats in Kampong Cham, FUNCINPEC five, and SRP five.  In Prey 
Veng, the CPP won six seats, FUNCINPEC three, and SRP two. 
Emboffs met with CEC and village members in communes where 
the SRP had won positions during the 2007 commune council 
elections or where local human rights NGO Adhoc stated they 
had received reports of election or political party-related 
complaints. 
 
CPP's Campaigning Ubiquitous in Some Areas 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On some rural roads in both Kampong Cham and Prey 
Veng, Emboffs passed through some villages where CPP blue 
flag campaign stickers or signs were posted on nearly every 
house and kiosk, and in a few villages the blue flags were 
tacked to nearly every tree along some dirt roads.  In the 
Soutip commune of Kampong Cham province, small CPP flags hung 
on many trees, fences and houses, each wrapped in a plastic 
cover sheet.  The Soutip CEC reported 8,504 voters in the 
commune.  During the 2007 commune council elections the SRP 
won five out of nine commune council seats including the 
chief, first deputy and second deputy council positions; the 
CPP won four.  Emboffs noticed some, but fewer, FUNCINPEC, 
Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), and SRP signs in Soutip.  Some 
trees and fences were decorated with SRP signs in a similar 
fashion as those with CPP signs. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) While driving through some villages, Emboffs noted 
a few houses with large CPP campaign posters, strings of blue 
CPP flags across the yard, and the blaring of campaign 
messages from loudspeakers.  These appeared to be local 
campaign headquarters, or the houses of prominent CPP members 
or supporters.  Emboffs observed no houses adorned in this 
manner with propaganda of political parties other than the 
CPP in the parts of the few villages visited during these 
trips; however, during a later trip through towns in Kampot 
province, houses were similarly decked out with FUNCINPEC, 
NRP, and SRP flags and signs. 
 
"Eyes Closed" to SUVs Campaigning Without License Plates 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On National Highways 1 from Phnom Penh to Prey 
Veng, and routes 6 and 7 from Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham, 
Emboffs spotted tens of late-model SUVs with large CPP 
emblems pasted to side and rear windows.  Approximately half 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000575  002 OF 004 
 
 
of such vehicles had license plates removed.  Also spotted 
were vehicles sporting SRP and Human Rights Party (HRP) 
propaganda, though far fewer than those of the CPP.  Emboffs 
did not observe SRP or HRP vehicles with license plates 
removed, but did see one vehicle with a green Royal 
Government of Cambodia license plate that was decorated with 
large SRP campaign stickers.  (Note:  A July 11 Cambodia 
Daiy article quoted a recent letter from SRP Parliamentarian 
Son Chhay to Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng stating, "There 
are some civil servants, police officers and military 
officers who removed (license plates) from state vehicles in 
order to (conduct campaigning)."  In the same article, MOI 
spokesperson Khieu Sopheak was reported to have stated that 
officials who had spent their own money on vehicles may do as 
they wish with the vehicle, but that they should remove state 
or military license plates.  Regarding whether driving a 
vehicle without license plates violated Cambodia's traffic 
laws, Khieu Sopheak reportedly stated that it is up to the 
traffic police to enforce the law.  In the same article, 
Phnom Penh Municipal Traffic Police Chief Tin Prasoer was 
quoted: "We cannot stop (vehicles with plates removed) during 
the campaign rally; otherwise they will be disappointed.  If 
we can forgive them, we close our eyes."  End note.) 
 
Other Parties' Signage on Roads Not Homes 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Emboffs saw party signs for each of the 11 parties 
running in the national elections while driving to and 
through Kampong Cham and Prey Veng along national highways 
and some village roads.  However, it was observed that few 
homes had SRP or HRP signs affixed directly to them; and not 
one house was spotted that had a Norodom Ranariddh Party 
(NRP), FUNCINPEC, or smaller, lesser-known party sign pasted 
on it.  In parts of Smaong Cheung commune of Prey Veng 
province that Emboffs visited, many houses were observed with 
CPP stickers pasted on them, fewer houses with no party 
stickers, and no houses with a non-CPP party sticker affixed 
directly to them.  One kiosk owner with a large HRP sign 
posted in front of her house and kiosk close to the road 
stated the sign was not in her yard and that the party had 
asked her for permission before erecting the sign.  The kiosk 
and adjoining house had no other party sign affixed.  At a 
different kiosk that had no signs posted, the shopkeeper 
stated that CPP members had come to her family house asking 
her to post a CPP sign but she declined.  She said she was 
momentarily afraid when she told the CPP members "no" but 
they did not bother her or force her to put up the sign. 
 
¶7.  Smaong Cheung commune in Prey Veng province has 10,752 
registered voters across its 17 villages.  Adhoc recommended 
Emboffs conduct pre-election monitoring in the village 
because the NGO had received reports that Smaong Cheung 
village chiefs had been neglecting to hand out Voter 
Information Notice (VIN) cards to SRP members.  During 
interviews with about 15 village members, all but one 
reported that they had received their VIN cards; the CEC 
stated they had not received any complaints.  In the 2007 
commune council elections, the CPP won nine out of eleven 
seats in Smaong Cheung, the SRP won the first deputy chief 
seat, and the NRP won the second deputy chief seat. 
 
Villager's House Doubles As Polling Station 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Twenty-two out of 26 total planned polling stations 
in Smaong Cheung commune will be located at the homes of 
local residents.  Emboffs visited one of the future polling 
stations, a typical Cambodian-style wooden house on stilts 
located off a dirt footpath several houses back from the 
dusty main village road.  The polling area will be set up 
underneath the house, a space that is currently occupied by 
rows of chopped wood, a raised wooden platform, and other 
household items.  The resident stated that her home had been 
chosen as a polling station for previous elections and was 
selected because of its central location. 
 
SRP Afraid Its Party Agents Will Be Bought? 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The six CECs we met with reported that their local 
SRP leaders had not yet submitted the name of the party's 
local party agents but that other parties represented in 
their communes had already submitted party agent names. 
(Note: Party agents are defined as partisan observers who 
primarily represent and protect the interests of their party. 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000575  003 OF 004 
 
 
 They help identify and expose mistakes and rigging at the 
polling stations on election day.  End Note.)  In the Soutip 
commune of Kampong Cham province, where the SRP won the 
chief, first and second deputy chief, and two other seats in 
the 2007 commune council election, the CEC chief stated that 
the SRP had not yet submitted party agent names in their 
commune because the SRP had less than 1,000 members there. 
He stated that three SRP commune council members and many 
others in the commune have left the SRP and joined the CPP. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) In Preah Sdach district of Prey Veng province, the 
district SRP committee chief stated that the party was hiding 
the identity of SRP party agents until closer to the 
elections because he fears local village and commune chiefs 
would convince the party agents "not to do their duties 
well."  During the same meeting, one SRP member who planned 
to act as a party agent stated that he was not worried for 
his personal security as a party agent. 
 
SRP Complaining But Not to CEC 
------------------------------ 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Within five communes where Adhoc told Emboffs they 
had received reports of non-specific "discrimination" against 
non-CPP members, removal of non-CPP party signs, and places 
where village and commune chiefs had "taught" residents to 
vote for the CPP, and a sixth commune where the SRP had won a 
majority of commune seats, the local CECs reported that they 
had not received formal complaints from residents or parties. 
 During a meeting with Preah Sdach district SRP members, one 
man stated that he resolved a recent politically related 
problem on his own instead of filing a complaint with the CEC 
because the persons involved were his relatives.  He said the 
relatives were authorities in his village and they told him 
that if he did not leave the SRP, they would try to inhibit 
him from obtaining administrative documents when he needed 
them.  A different SRP member at the meeting stated that he 
had been receiving anonymous phone calls from a person 
promising him money to leave the SRP.  He said that he did 
not file a complaint for two reasons:  first, he did not know 
the identity of the caller; second, he reported the calls to 
Prey Veng SRP Parliamentarian Chea Poch who told him to 
ignore the calls. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) The Preah Sdach district SRP chief stated that 
party members and other villagers are afraid to submit 
complaints against CPP members because written complaints to 
the CEC require detailed information regarding where and when 
the incident happened, and the identities of the alleged 
victim and alleged perpetrator.  He stated that those with 
grievances are afraid of exposing their identities through 
such complaints.  He did not elaborate on the nature of the 
grievances.  However, the meeting took place together with 
approximately 30 SRP members from the district, and none came 
forward stating that they themselves were afraid to submit a 
complaint. 
 
Teachers Demonstrate How To Vote CPP 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶13.  (SBU) SRP members in Preah Sdach district reported that 
Lvea commune high school students, some of whom were of 
voting age, had come home with National Assembly election 
ballot "worksheets" replicating actual ballots except that 
only the CPP was represented in name and logo on the 
worksheet.  The students reported that their Ta Kork village 
high school teachers had used the worksheets to teach them 
how to vote.  One of the SRP members told Emboffs that when 
he went to file a complaint about the incident to the local 
CEC, the CEC told him that they did not have any of the 
"1202" official complaint forms.  He then planned to file his 
complaint when he attended one of the CEC's regular meetings 
of political party representatives but when he went to the 
most recently scheduled meeting, no one showed up but him. 
The district SRP office did not have any complaint forms 
either -- the district SRP chief told Emboffs that community 
members have to obtain the 1202 forms from the CEC.  (Note: 
He apparently had received no complaint forms from the SRP 
party apparatus.  End Note.) 
 
Prey Veng PEC Promotes Mutual Understanding 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶14.  (SBU) During a meeting with Prey Veng PEC members, the 
PEC chief stated that he held weekly meetings with 
representatives of the nine political parties running for 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000575  004 OF 004 
 
 
seats in the province, and that he told the parties to 
promote mutual understanding among themselves to avoid 
election-related conflicts.  He stated that Prey Veng 
residents know how to submit complaints to their CECs or PEC 
because he had instructed party reps to distribute 
election-related information to their members, information 
that included how to submit complaints.  The PEC added that 
if villagers have complaints, they should submit them to the 
party to which they belong.  (Note: The PEC chief told 
Emboffs that if international observers see violations of 
election law or procedure on election day, they should report 
it directly to the NEC, not to the PEC.  According to the 
Cambodian Code of Conduct for Electoral Observers, observers 
may report any apparent violation to the Election Committee 
structure at any of its three levels.  End note.) 
 
Prey Veng PEC's One Complaint Resolved 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶15.  (SBU) The Prey Veng PEC reported it has thus far 
received one complaint from Roung Domrei commune where the 
SRP alleged that MOI Secretary of State Prum Sokha handed out 
gifts such as rice and sarongs to voters.  The PEC dismissed 
the complaint stating the PEC found that Prum Sokha had 
distributed CPP logo t-shirts and hats that are not deemed 
"gifts" as handouts of money, rice or sarongs are considered. 
 Prum Sokha was reported to have handed out items during a 
groundbreaking ceremony of a Japanese government funded 
school.  The PEC told Emboff that Prum Sokha had also 
distributed notebooks and pencils to students of the school. 
 
NDI-Debate in Prey Veng:  Cambodians' Concerns Televised 
Nationwide 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
¶16.  (U)  In a candidate debate held in Prey Veng's Kampong 
Trabaek district July 14, the candidates and citizens posed 
unrehearsed questions which are indicative of the issues 
being raised in this campaign.  The major opposition parties 
(SRP and HRP in this debate) raised corruption, citing a 
recent study that USD 300-500 million is lost every year to 
the government's coffers due to corruption.  The high cost of 
food, fertilizer, and gasoline were also highlighted in the 
debate as were programs to create more jobs or build on the 
country's recent economic development.  One citizen asked the 
candidates if they would pass the current draft 
Anti-Corruption Law and, if they could not, what were their 
plans for stepping down.  Enforcement of Cambodia's 
immigration laws was a big topic among the debating 
candidates.  SRP candidate and current MP Chea Poch 
highlighted the existence of over 1,400 Vietnamese families 
in a nearby river town.  (Note:  To date, the rhetoric has 
been strong on immigration but has not turned ugly.  End 
Note.) 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶17.  (SBU) During the first two weeks of the official 
campaign season, in parts of Kampong Cham and Prey Veng, the 
CPP looked to be spending more of its campaign money on 
highly visible party advertisements -- giving the appearance 
of other parties being left in the dust in these pockets of 
the electorate.  However, it is still early, and with less 
money to spend within the non-dominant parties, they may be 
making decisions to wait out a spending spree on party 
stickers and flags until the right moment closer to the 
elections.  One district SRP leader stated that their current 
strategy is not the sticker-on-every-tree approach, but 
rather to hand out leaflets, fliers, and small party 
information cards in a more subtle effort.  As Post's 
pre-monitoring trips continue around the country, including 
completed trips to parts of Phnom Penh, Takeo, Kampot, and 
other parts of Prey Veng, Emboffs have noted strong SRP, 
FUNCINPEC, and NRP showings in regards to visible campaign 
propaganda. 
MUSSOMELI