Petition to U.S. President Barack Obama for Democracy in Cambodia

September 25, 2012

TO ALL CAMBODIAN AMERICANS

Dear fellow compatriots,

President Barack Obama is to visit Cambodia in November. We urge you to sign a petition calling on him to cancel his trip unless he receives binding assurances that free and fair elections will be held in Cambodia in July 2013 in line with the United Nations’ recommendations for thorough electoral reform. This includes making it possible for Cambodians living abroad to take part in the forthcoming polls.

If assurances of democratic and inclusive elections cannot be obtained, we don’t want the current autocratic government in Cambodia to present President Obama’s visit as an endorsement by the U.S. of its human rights abuses and manipulated elections leading to a distortion of the will of the people.

Please add your name with your postal address to the attached petition and send it to me at sochua@hotmail.com . I will make sure it reaches The White House and also House representatives and senators from your state of residence. If you know of other Cambodian Americans who would also be willing to sign, please have them do so at the same time. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mu Sochua
 Cambodian American citizen
 Member of Cambodia’s National Assembly
 Secretary General of the Cambodia National Rescue Party
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September 2012

PETITION TO U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA FOR DEMOCRACY IN CAMBODIA

PLEASE CANCEL VISIT TO CAMBODIA IF GOVERNMENT WON’T IMPLEMENT U.N. REFORMS TO ENSURE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS

Dear Mr. President,

The Cambodian community in America wishes to draw your attention to the democratic deficit that exists in our country of origin.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia, Professor Surya P. Subedi, in July recommended thorough reform of the electoral system to allow meaningful national elections to take place in July 2013. A key recommendation for the reform of the National Election Committee, which administers elections, to make it a neutral rather than a partisan organization, has been rejected by the Cambodian government.

You are due to visit Cambodia in November as the country holds the presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2012.

We call on you to cancel this trip unless you receive binding assurances of electoral reform in line with the U.N. recommendations. This should include making it possible for Cambodians living abroad to exercise their voting rights, at least in the countries where Cambodia has diplomatic and/or consular representation.

If assurances of democratic elections cannot be obtained, please don´t allow an autocratic government to present your visit as an endorsement by the U.S. of human rights abuses and manipulated elections leading to a distortion of the will of the people.

Professor Subedi wrote in July that "If the electoral process is unable to command the trust and confidence of the electorate, the very foundation of the Cambodian political and constitutional architecture embodied in the Paris Peace Agreements will be shaken and the country may run the risk of a return to violence."

Over the years America has given many Cambodians the chance to achieve a better life. While they have worked to do so, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has held uninterrupted power since 1985. Please, Mr. President, use your good offices to allow our compatriots back home the opportunity for self-determination that we, as Americans, now take for granted.

Respectfully,

Signed by

[ Name(s) and address(es) ]