Funcinpec Party's Insignia Board Destroyed Prior to Communal Election
Kampong Cham's Senator and director of Funcinpec working group says that the theft takes place after news of royalist Funcinpec's presi
Funcinpec party's insignia board has been stolen and destroyed in Srey Santhor town, Kampong Cham province Sunday night, while communal election is upcoming, say Funcinpec party and NGO's officials. Funcinpec's Women Association's director, Srey Kim Neang says that Funcinpec's insignia board placed in 2003 was stolen by an unidentified person and destroyed without any apparent cause. She says that she cannot determine the reasons for the destruction of the insignia board, or the identity of the perpetrator. The communal election is scheduled to take place on April 1st, 2007. The legal process is underway while the National Election Committee (NEC) is distributing the notice of information cards to voters, from October 1st. to October 20. Kampong Cham's Senator and director of Funcinpec working group, Ms. Men Maly says that the theft takes place after news of royalist Funcinpec's president, Prince Norodom Ranariddh's return reached Cambodia, and that some people worry about a possible boost for Funcinpec's popularity. Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Election in Cambodia's (Nicfec) personnel Lon Saran who lives next door to the site says that a horse cart passed by in the middle of the night and (someone riding or driving it) pulled down the insigna board. Nicfec's director Dr. Hang Puthea says that he cannot make any comment about the reason for this behavior. Sub-district chief, Loung Hon says that he will do some research on this action. A Srey Santhor town's representative from Funcinpec party says that this is the first time that Funcinpec party's insignia board was stolen before communal election takes place, and that this action will increase every time the election takes place.