Two major election-monitoring organizations have just announced that they will not monitor the upcoming national elections in July. They monitored the elections for commune (groups of villages) officials last year and were condemned by the prime minister with accusations of being “rebels”or of fomenting “color revolutions.” Color revolutions are the government’s buzzword for anyone who has the audacity to be in opposition to the government. It’s similar to Trump’s use of “fake news.” If you’re opposed to the ruling party in the US, it’s fake news; in Cambodia, you’re part of a color revolution. Now the election volunteers fear government reprisals, a well-founded fear as radio stations are closed and people reporting on politics are imprisoned.