A civil society “task force” on Cambodia elections came together provided an independent domestic monitoring team for the May 1993 elections organized by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). Cambodia’s foremost human rights organizations – like ADHOC (Cambodia Human Rights and Development Association), Human Rights Vigilance, pooled their efforts in leading the Task Force and in a determination to promote the success of the UNTAC administered national democratic election. The Task Force worked in close collaboration with international organizations throughout Cambodia to monitor the electoral process before, during and after polling day. The Task Force managed to provide civic and voter education to over one million voters and selected, trained, and deployed 200 Cambodian election observers.
Although the “UNTAC” elections and outcome will always be the subject of historical debate, the Task Force demonstrated very clearly that effective domestic civil society input was an indispensable part of the new democracy. Accordingly, in December 1995, these human rights organizations with other civil society organizations thus formed the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia – COMFREL. In 2013, COMFREL got ten member NGOs active on the Board of COMFREL.
COMFREL is currently engaged in lobbying and advocating for improvements to the legal framework for political and electoral reforms; it has active preparations for future civic education, and it also monitors the performance of parliamentary members to assess their fulfillment of political platforms. COMFREL endeavors to build the capacity of its own network as well as those with our partners at national and provincial levels. COMFREL conducts public forums and assesses the performance of commune councils, by focusing on the issues of local governance and participation of citizens in local bodies to build democracy from village-level upwards.
NICFEC is a neutral and impartial grassroots network of advocates and volunteers supported by an alliance of seven non-governmental organizations that are working together to strengthen and expand democracy in Cambodia.
Before the 2013 elections, the two election monitoring groups urged the National Election Committee to act on the two key recommendations before the poll. Firstly, immediately post voting lists in villages; anyone unable to find their name should be allowed to apply for the identification of certificate for election. Secondly, an ad hoc commission should be established, drawn from all political parties contesting the election, to monitor polling stations.
Reference:
Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia, https://nicfec.wordpress.com/about/
Meas Sokchea, Election Monitoring Groups Call for Reform, The Phnom Penh Post, May 3 2013, http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/election-monitoring-groups-call-reform.
Resources :
PDF : Electoral Analysis Report (Women’s Media Centre of Cambodia: 2013)
PDF : Final Election Observation Report on Cambodia’s 2013 National Election (Transparency International Cambodia)
PDF : Joint-Report on the Conduct of the 2013 Cambodian Elections (Electoral Reform Alliance: 2013)
PDF : Analysis: Cambodian Commune/ Sangkat Council Election 3 June 2012 (Women’s Media Centre of Cambodia: 2012)
PDF : Pre-Election Statement: Parliamentary Elections (NDI: 2008)
PDF : Report of the observation delegation, parliamentary elections (European Parliament: 2008)
PDF : Preliminary Statement (EU: 2008)
PDF : Press Release (EU:2008)
PDF : Final Assessment and Report National Assembly Election (COMFREL: 2008)
PDF : Joint Statement on Atmosphere Prior to the 2008 Elections of Members of the National Assembly (COMFREL / ANFREL / CHRAC / NICFEC / PEFOCJ: 2008)
PDF : Cambodian Elections: Lessons Learned and Future Directions: A Post-Election Conference Report (NDI:2004)
PDF : Pre-Election Assessment Mission Kingdom of Cambodia I, 14 February 2003 (IRI: 2003)
PDF : Pre-Election Assessment Mission Kingdom of Cambodia II, 28 April 2003 (IRI: 2003)
PDF : Pre-Election Assessment Mission Kingdom of Cambodia III, 30 June 2003 (IRI: 2003)
PDF : Final report: National Assembly Elections (IRI: 2003)
PDF : Final Report: National Assembly Elections (EU: 2003)
PDF : Cambodia Commune Council Elections 2002: EU EOM Final Report (EU: 2002)
PDF : Parliamentary Elections 1998 Observation Report (IRI: 1999)
PDF : AAEA Observation Mission Report 1998 (AAEA: 1998)