In June 5, 2015 during the 66th Remembrance on the loss of Khmer Kampuchea Krom land at the temple, Mr. Sophoan Seng, leader of the CEROC, was interviewed by Pen Puthsophea of Special Reporter.
During the visiting of H.E. Sam Rainsy to Calgary in May 23, 2015, Mr. Sophoan Seng, the leader of the CEROC, met and discussed with H.E. Sam Rainsy about the right to vote of Khmers overseas during the important gathering with hundred participants at James Jack High School.
Answering to many stunning questions on demanding right to vote of those participants, H.E. Sam Rainsy wholeheartedly supported the campaign and whenever CNRP lead the government, he shall push for the endorsement of allowing Cambodians overseas to vote in Cambodia elections.
Our member team led by Ms. Janet Seng in the United States of America, advocated the rights to vote of Khmers overseas while greeting H.E. Sam Rainsy, the President of CNRP and Minority Leader of the Cambodia Assembly.
On the trail of The CEROC campaign, this 19 May 2015 meeting in person with HE Sam Rainsy, Minority Leader of the Cambodia Assembly and President of Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), his vocal voice is widespread to all Khmers, Maha Krousa Khmer, on the Rights to Vote in all Cambodia elections, which is not to only fulfill the citizenship duties of civil civic, but this is to fulfill the unalienable rights and obligations as a Khmer citizen.
Courtesy: Janet Seng, an active member of the CEROC.
A man looks at a registered voters list in Phnom Penh during the 2013 elections. A new committee has been formed by the NEC which will work with the EU and Japan to implement election reforms. Hong Menea
The Electoral Reform Alliance has urged experts from Japan and the European Union not to shy away from addressing “severely undemocratic” provisions of Cambodia’s new election law when they meet with National Election Committee members next week.
The new bipartisan NEC, approved in April, this week set up an ad hoc committee to coordinate work with donors such as the EU and Japan, which have agreed to help the body organise new, digital voter lists, NEC spokesman Hang Puthea said yesterday.
The committee, announced on Monday, will be led by NEC vice president Kuoy Bunroeun and include Em Sophat, selected deputy of the committee, Duch Son, Hing Thirith, Mean Satik and Puthea.
It will meet the EU team next Wednesday and the Japanese delegation on Thursday to discuss voter registration ahead of commune and national elections in 2017 and 2018, respectively, Puthea said.
“We want to use computers in every commune to identify voters’ thumbprints and photos to prevent repeat registration and confirm the location of registration in order to avoid the problem where people lose their names, register again and they do not know where they can vote,” Puthea said, adding the digital system would reduce irregularities.
Although welcoming the support to modernise the voter lists, Koul Panha, executive director of election watchdog Comfrel, said it was imperative that Japan and the EU also use their roles to advise the NEC against using the new election law to suppress citizen’s political rights.
“They need to work not just as technical support, but work to make sure there is a free and fair environment in Cambodia for elections,” said Panha, also an ERA spokesman, pointing to provisions that restrict NGOs and levy fines for “insulting” political parties or candidates.