P.R/No 10/07 COMFREL/M.U
Press Release
On
Pre-election Environment and Concerns over Blocking Mobile Phone Short Message Service (SMS)
Phnom Penh, March 30, 2007
COMFREL is highly appreciative of the efforts of the National Election Committee (NEC) at all levels, of political parties, and of other election stakeholders, in creating an election environment without serious violence. Resolution of problems was more effective than in the 2002 election period. However, observation shows that there were nevertheless some irregularities, even though the number of cases of threats decreased as compared with the 2002 elections (2002: more than 10 cases/day; 2007: around eight cases/day).
The main irregularities included: physical injury; threats; arrests; damage to property of political party activists; confiscation of voters’ identity card/documents; and forcing voters to swear oaths of support. There were 230 cases in total: 80 from the period between voter registration and the pre-election campaign, and 150 cases counted during campaigning.
COMFREL is also concerned regarding the two recent murders of political party activists, one in Battambang and one in Sihanoukville. Such cases lead to an environment of fear for voters. There were seven cases of murder of political party members, activists and candidates, as counted from the voter registration stage.
The Media
The four biggest political parties (CPP, SRP, FUN, NRP), standing for election in over 1,000 communes, were able to access more media coverage in newspapers and on the radio than the other eight political parties. The Political Parties’ Platforms program produced by the NEC was broadcast by means of state electronic media (TV and radio). Even though the Equity News program contributed greatly to dissemination on political parties’ activities, the program tone was not balanced. Some media did not follow the NEC’s regulations, even though the NEC had issued letters to relevant actors to draw their attention to necessary procedures.
COMFREL was gravely surprised and concerned in the period immediately before election day regarding the announcement by the NEC and the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication ordering all mobile phone companies in Cambodia to block the mobile phone text messaging service (SMS) from March 30, 2007 at 24:00 to April 1, 2007 at 15:00.
Blocking SMS affects freedom to access information and makes for difficulties in reporting cases of irregularity. COMFREL has been organizing a system allowing its networks to directly report cases of serious irregularity (murder and political violence) and election results via SMS to the database system at COMFREL’s headquarters. Observation has found that some political parties’ agents also used SMS to communicate and to report back on irregularity cases.
As such, the announcement affected communication and reporting as related to the elections. The ban also provoked many doubts and questions as to its rationale, as SMS is a means of providing clear and effective data in a cost-effective manner.
The NEC explained the ban by stating that political parties would otherwise use SMS to send messages and pictures to voters during the 'tranquility' period (the cooling-off-day – March 31 – and polling day). COMFREL finds that this explanation digresses from election procedures and regulations: using SMS is not considered to be election campaigning (according to Provision 8.1 of the NEC’s regulations and procedures). Additionally, pictures sent by SMS cannot be compared with the large and small posters already in place around the country. No law has stated that such posters or leaflets must be removed or outlawed (except in polling station compounds).
Thanks!
For further information, please contact:
- Mr. KOUL Panha, Executive Director of COMFREL, 012 942 017
- Mr. YONG Kim Eng, Member of COMFREL’s Board of Directors, 016 828 211
- Mr. MAR Sophal, Coordinator of COMFREL’s Monitoring Unit, 012 845 091 |
