Cambodia says foreign observers from China, Myanmar and Singapore to monitor July election
Cambodia said it was reviewing applications from an additional 800 foreign observers from non governmental organisations
Cambodia’s National Election Committee (NEC) on Wednesday said 50,000 observers, including some from China, Myanmar and Singapore, will monitor a general election next month, which is widely expected to be a landslide victory for Prime Minister Hun Sen after the main opposition party was dissolved last year.
Cambodia has invited international observers to monitor the July vote, but local election watchdogs, including the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) urged international observers to think twice before accepting.
Korn Savang, a monitoring coordinator at COMFREL, criticised the three countries for not having enough experience.
“China isn’t a democracy and doesn’t have experience with elections, Singapore doesn’t either and Myanmar is just beginning its democracy so the critical issue is their evaluation, on what level we can trust it,” Korn said.
Hun Sen and his allies have waged a campaign against critics, including members of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), in what opponents say is a bid to prolong his leadership after 33 years in office.
The CNRP was dissolved and its lawmakers banned from politics in November after the Supreme Court ruled that it had tried to overthrow the government – something the CNRP has denied.
