SRP MP Mu Sochua's message on the 2009 Council Election

May 17, 2009

Dear friends and colleagues,
The Sam Rainsy Party is about to enter another layer of power-sharing in the administration of districts and provinces in Cambodia. According to unofficial results last night, we came from 0 to 60 elected councilors at provincial level and from 0 to 573 elected councilors at district level. We are very proud of our councilors as every single seat SRP received is a seat of value, of pride and of dignity.They are the real founders of SRP at the base level and they speak with so much pride about the past 15 years of struggle at the base level. They fight for justice with their conscience despite threat and intimidation of all forms from the ruling party.
Another pride of SRP out of this election is the youth who were mobilized just in 2008 for the national elections and are now given the chance to lead with their elders. It is a very powerful image of trans-generational movement of a force for change for rural Cambodia.
What does this mean in terms of SRP forces at the base level? It means that of the 2,660 elected commune councilors who were elected in 2007, around 10% sold out to CPP(because of the seat allocation formula, this percentage seems higher). I do mean SOLD OUT because each vote was bought for around US$1,500. You can imagine what this sum means to someone at the commune level who makes US$20 per month. The vote buying campaign was nation wide and very wide spread and very open. Just 3 days before election, SRP showed over 30 commune councilors who declared on tapes how they were offered money to vote for CPP and even FUNCINPEC that received money from CPP to destroy SRP. They were just 30 among several hundred cases.
But let me share with you stories of those who refused to sell their conscience: A councilor in Prey Knang, Teuk Chou district, Kampot province was willing to divorce his wife when he found out that CPP gave her US$ 250 to pursuade him to vote CPP. He maintained his vote for SRP and the family returned the money. Now we need to convince him to return home and forgive his wife. He is a Cham minority.
A councilor in Takaen commune, Chouk district, Kampot province disowned his son who forced him to vote CPP. His son was pressured by CPP because he is a policeman.
The district/province Election
What does it mean in terms of power-sharing at sub-national level? It means that there will be a voice of the opposition in pratically all of the 24 provinces and 178 districts thoughout Cambodia. CPP used to rule alone for 30 years at that level! SRP newly elected councilors at district and provincial levels are the best, the most outspoken and courageous and very aware of local issues. It will be more difficult for CPP to continue with corruption as we will object and will report it, the same way our MPs at national level have been functioning.
The newly elected councilors will greatly assist SRP elected MPs as we can be more vigilant, we can exert pressure on the provincial and district governors who receive orders directly from CPP. In constituencies where we have no elected MPs, these newly councilors will be our representatives.
What does it mean in terms of impacting the lives of people? It means that we can be right there when there is abuse of power, of human rights as we are now closer to the people. Our councilors live with the people in the same district, same province.
Now we move on towards the 2012 commune election and 2013 national election.
One last word I have to say:the fight for justice is a never-ending story.
On behalf of SRP Cambodia.