This part (57), Mr. Sophan Seng continued to articulate on The CEROC or Commission for Election Rights of Overseas Cambodians for their effort to advocate for the Universal Suffrage or Cambodians overseas absentee voting so that those Cambodians overseas can exercise their right to fully participate with Cambodia politics through election.
Continuing to summarize his speech at the Polikoffee on March 5, 2016, the question on what is the CEROC?, Mr. Sophan ardently picked up the importance group of all Cambodians overseas populations such as Cambodian soldiers stationing at Africa, government officials especially embassy’s staffs, students, migrant workers, and diaspora members, all should be inclusive to access to voting in order to implement full democratic principles of Cambodia.
According to his observing, the amendment of national constitution to clearly state “allowing rights to vote for Cambodians overseas” is imperative. Both major voice and minor voice political parties in the parliament must initiate to create or amend law that allow Cambodians overseas to vote. Pragmatically speaking, Prime Minister Hun Sen must initiate this agenda and work towards achieving it so that younger Cambodian generations can remember his statesmanship in guarding the principles of democracy in this country as well as for the sustainable development of Cambodia.
Commission for Election Rights of Overseas Cambodians (The CEROC),
This part (56), Mr. Sophan Seng continued to elaborate on The CEROC, or Commission for Election Rights of Overseas Cambodians, an advocate body for the full fledgling participation in political affairs by the Cambodians overseas.
1. Cambodians overseas have no matter with Cambodia politics in general, but Cambodia as a nation has matters with them as those Cambodians overseas has sent millions of dollar a year to help develop economy of this nation. This doesn’t include the feeling of attachment and pride they have always conveyed for Cambodia. And those Cambodians overseas have brought Cambodia to the international arena more than the current effort of Cambodian government to contribute through their embassies.
2. Cambodian government leadership must be responsive to comply by the Cambodia Constitution and the charter of rights of the United Nations. Article 34 of Cambodia Constitution and Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations have solemnly confirmed the unalienable rights of Cambodians overseas to vote in Cambodia elections.
This part (54), Mr. Sophan Seng elaborated about the meeting with NEC’s officials on February 19, 2016. Mr. Sophan Seng who is the leader of the CEROC, was honored to meeting H.E.Kuoy Bunroeun, Deputy of NEC at the head office to discuss the right to vote of Cambodians overseas.
The meeting was anticipated by two permanent members and two deputy secretaries of the current NEC. The discussion is summarized following:
Mr. Sophan Seng highly valued the new NEC that is better and more independent than before including the high expectation of its performance for this upcoming commune election 2017 and national election 2018. Precisely, he addressed the need to allow and facilitate access for Cambodians overseas to vote in Cambodia elections (inclusiveness). The CEROC’s objectives are: – to organize suggestions, petitions, and participation of all Cambodians overseas, and – to produce paper work on mechanism, technical and comparative studies through researches and academic gatherings.
Solution: H.E. Kuoy Bunroeun welcomed the tasks of research and recommended to submit petition through a right channel. NEC is implementing in accordance to the existing laws solely.
2. In the future, the NEC shall prepare high ranking officer(s) to visit Khmers diaspora to interact with them about the progress of the NEC.
3. H.E. Kuoy Bunroeun debriefed the advantage and disadvantage points of the new NEC following:
Advantage Points:
Institutionalized into Cambodia Constitution
Procedures, mechanism, and implementation of the NEC
Election laws: new voter registration using fingerprint, photos and computer database etc.
Able to make all decision makings
Disadvantage points:
– Population database and identity matching are under limit
– Ability of NEC’s staffs especially in each voting booth (PSO) is under limit
– Infrastructure such as electricity is very limited
– Etc.
Pertinent topic of #Politikoffee this week: “Rights to Vote of Cambodians Overseas”
Our honor to welcome Mr. Sophoan Seng as our speaker. Mr. Sophan is the:
– Leader of Commission for Elections Rights of Overseas Cambodians (CEROC)
– Deputy Returning Officer for Elections Canada 2014-2015, Calgary Forest Lawn Electoral District
-Founder of Cambodian Leadership Skills
– Graduate of University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA, (MA, PhD Candidate)
លទ្ធិប្រជាធិបតេយ្យសម្រាប់ប្រជាជាតិយើង តម្រូវឲ្យដាក់បញ្ចូលជនជាតិខ្មែរនៅឯនាយសមុទ្រផងដែរ / Democracy for our nation must be inclusive of overseas Cambodians (*)
ក្រោយការជួបពិភាក្សាពីកិច្ចការបោះឆ្នោតរវាង គ.ជ.ប និងឯកអគ្គរាជទូតសហភាពអឺរ៉ុប នៅព្រឹកនេះលោក ហង្ស ពុទ្ធា បានបន្ថែមថា ពលរដ្ឋដែលមិនចង់ចំណាយពេលវេលា និងចំណាយថវិការធ្វើដំណើទៅបោះឆ្នោតនៅកន្លែងចាស់នោះ ពួកគេអាចសុំការបញ្ជាក់ទីលំនៅថ្មីពីមេភូមិ ឬសង្កាត់ ដោយយកលិខិតនោះភ្ជាប់ជាមួយអត្តសញ្ញាណប័ណ្ណ ហើយពួកគេអាចបោះឆ្នោតនៅទីស្នាក់នៅថ្មីនេះបាន។
