CAMBODIA |
STATUS OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE CPP AND THE CNRP March 29, 2014 I- NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES At their summit meeting on 16 September 2013 the two parties agreed to discuss and jointly work out an electoral reform. The starting point of any serious electoral reform is related to the electoral commission known in Cambodia as National Election Committee (NEC). At the latest bilateral talks, the CNRP made a proposal based on recommendations issued by the European Union in 2008 and by the United Nations in 2012, which were intended to make the NEC an independent body (*). This CNRP’s proposal is to make the NEC a constitutionally mandated institution and to get NEC members elected by a two-third majority at the National Assembly. The CPP rejected last week that proposal from the CNRP. The latter is now awaiting a counterproposal or any constructive idea from the CPP that would take into account the E.U. and U.N. recommendations (*). II- FREEDOM TO ASSEMBLY Since January this year the constitutional right to freedom of assembly has been denied to all groups of citizens having any grievances to express. The ruling CPP has therefore imposed a de facto martial law corresponding to an illegal and unconstitutional state of emergency. Evoking the risk of violence is ludicrous on the part of the Government given the fact that all CNRP-organised demonstrations, with hundreds of thousands of participants, have always been peaceful. Tomorrow, Sunday 30 March will be a test. While always strictly abiding by the principle of non-violence, the CNRP will hold in the park across from the National Assembly old building a ceremony commemorating the 17th anniversary of the deadly 30 March 1997 grenade attack, followed by a people’s congress to be attended by only a few thousands people. National and international observers are welcome to witness any act of provocation on the part of CPP-controlled forces whose objective would be to create violence so as to have a pretext to further reduce the democratic space in Cambodia. Sam Rainsy CNRP President (*) Regarding the NEC, the E.U. Election Observation Mission issued in 2008 the following recommendation: “The government of Cambodia must take steps to ensure that the NEC operates as a fully independent institution, to enhance its credibility and acceptance among the political parties and electorate.” Similarly, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Cambodia, Professor Surya Subedi, issued in 2012 the following recommendation: “The National Election Committee (NEC) should be reformed so as to have independent and autonomous status. There should be consensus among the major political parties represented in the parliament on the appointment of the president and members of the NEC and the provincial election committees (PECs).” Cambodian Opposition Seeks Top-Level Meeting as Reform Talks Flounder March 26, 2014 The main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) has suspended its participation in election reform talks with the ruling party at the senior officials level, calling instead for a meeting between opposition chief Sam Rainsy and Prime Minister Hun Sen to break an eight-month stalemate. http://www.rfa.org/english/ |
INDONESIA |
PDI-P Holds Coalition talks with prospective partners
March 31, 2014 The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which is considered one of the strongest contenders for the upcoming legislative election on April 9, says that it is in talks with other political parties over forming a potential coalition. New Survey Shows Joko Widodo, PDI-P Remaining Most Popular March 27, 2014 Jakarta. The electability of Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo remains the highest among this year’s crop of presidential hopefuls with a new survey showing that he garners more than 37 percent of the support, leaving his contenders behind, but still shy of the 50 percent support needed to take the race in a single election. http://www.thejakartaglobe. |
PHILIPPINES |
INFOGRAPHIC: The Bangsamoro Peace deal at a glance
March 28, 2014 The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), scheduled to be signed March 28, 2014 in the Philippines, will hopefully end the decades-old conflict in Mindanao. Finally, another chance for lasting PEACE. http://www.rappler.com/nation/ |
TAIWAN |
DPP Says No More Interparty Talks
March 30, 2014 The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus yesterday said it would stop participating in interparty negotiations convened to resolve the political stalemate over the cross-strait service trade agreement because the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has repeatedly failed to respect the wishes of the public. http://www.taipeitimes.com/ TRADE PACT SIEGE: Council condemns KMT actions over service agreement March 27, 2014 The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) yesterday said in a press release that it was extremely concerned about and alarmed by the manner in which the cross-strait service trade agreement passed the legislative review stage. http://www.taipeitimes.com/ DPP Statement over Events Surrounding Last weekend March 27, 2014 DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang held a press conference on Sunday in response to the current student occupation of the Legislative Yuan as a result of the KMT administration using non-democratic methods to push for the passage of the Cross Strait Services Trade Agreement. http://dpptaiwan.blogspot.com/ Journalists Obstructed as Police Use Force at Taiwan Student Demonstration March 26, 2014 The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Association of Taiwan Journalists (ATJ) in condemning the restraining of media reporting on a student-led demonstration in Taiwan which led to a violent confrontation between police and protestors earlier this week. This week, the ATJ issued a declaration on the infringement of coverage with calls for police education in the wake of the heavy-handed police response. |
THAILAND |
Democrats set Poll Conditions
March 25, 2014 The Democrat Party will not contest a general election as long as rules governing the country remain unacceptable to the public, party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Tuesday.
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