Complaint Filed Against Poipet Chief For Swearing In 4 Srp

Friday, September 15, 2006

By Pin Sisovann
THE CAMBODIA DAILY

Five CPP and Funcinpec commune councilors from Banteay Meanchey
province's Poipet commune have filed an official complaint against
their SRP commune chief Hay Nam Heng for his part in organizing a
swearing in ceremony of four SRP village chiefs Monday.

San Sean Huor, CPP first deputy commune chief, said the thumbprinted
complaint was sent to the provincial authorities and the Interior
Ministry.

The complaint was filed following the swearing in of four SRP village
chiefs who were elected June 21 but had a short-lived victory when CPP
Provincial Governor On Sum alleged irregularities in the vote.

San Sean Huor said that Hay Nam Heng violated an Interior Ministry
directive by holding the ceremony for the village chiefs.

Hay Nam Heng was also accused of violating the election process,
causing a disturbance at the commune office and putting forward invalid
village chief candidates, San Sean Huor said.

Hay Nam Heng could not be reached for comment.

Fellow SRP councilor Mean Sarith said that he was unaware of the
complaint. But he added that the commune's councilors had all agreed
that the village chief election had been conducted in an acceptable
manner, until the results came in showing that four SRP chiefs had won
over the CPP and Funcinpec.

SRP officials claim that pro-CPP protesters tried to disrupt the
swearing in ceremony by using loudspeakers, banging on buckets and
cutting off power to the commune office, making it impossible to use a
microphone.

SRP lawmaker Eng Chhay Eang said the complaint was a bid by CPP
officials to seize some of the only village chief positions in the
country that the SRP managed to win.

Funcinpec commune councilor Yuth Sarath said he signed the complaint
against his commune chief because councilors "are afraid the higher-ups
will think we disrespected the law like [Hay Nam Heng]."

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