Charles Dittmeier – Page 248 – Welcome to Cambodia, and…..

World Famous Wannabe

I’m in Kampot this afternoon for a meeting at DDP in the morning. When I was walking back to the guesthouse this evening, I saw a burger joint with this sign.

I don’t think so….

There was no way the ruling party–the CPP, the Cambodian People’s Party–was going to lose the election last Sunday. The CPP-controlled legislature and courts had the main opposition party declared illegal and forced into exile or imprisoned the opposition leaders.

One of the opposition leaders in exile in France called for a boycott of the election but that was a dismal failure because the CPP made a big issue of the “clean finger” campaign (the index finger is dipped in ink when a person votes) and basically threatened to prosecute anyone who didn’t vote, and they know the person didn’t vote if there’s no ink on his or her finger. (There’s no law that says a person must vote but that’s irrelevant to the CPP.) Also the CPP can see which villages or other area had a low voter turnout and then that area could say goodbye to any hope of a new school or road or other service.

The only alternative left for those who wanted to protest was to go to vote but then invalidate the ballot by marking no candidate or several candidates. The headline above shows that is what nearly 9% of the country did. Approximately 600,000 ballots were declared invalid. In the last election in 2013, only 1.6% of the ballots were invalid. Everyone knows what the huge jump in invalid ballots means but the government can claim that they had a large turnout that makes the one-party election “legitimate.”

Notable Quotes

“It is time for Christians to lift up the truth over falsehood, as a way of life. To defend public service over political tyranny. And to always protect the increasingly vulnerable. It is time to reclaim Jesus. Jim Wallis.”

~ Jim Wallis, Sojourners

Cambodia Elections 2018

Today was election day throughout the country. It seems to have gone peacefully but that was to be expected since there was no real opposition. Here are some photos from the day.

Cambodian Election 2018

Today is the first day of a three-day holiday for the Cambodian national elections. The actual voting takes place tomorrow and the day before and the day after were declared holidays to allow people to travel to the provinces to vote. There is no absentee balloting. Campaigning was allowed up to yesterday. Today–what the officials call a “clean day”—no campaigning or demonstrations are allowed. Passive signs like this ruling party sign–on public property–can be a passive voice for the parties although the ruling party is the only one that can really afford them.

Battambang Oranges

You want oranges? We got oranges….

These oranges are from Battambang Province in northern Cambodia. That province is famous throughout Cambodia for its oranges (which are actually green and do not turn orange).

Another Change of Seasons

Pomelos are for sale on the street now, a sign of the changing seasons when the trees, weather, etc., all remain the same. Pomelos, with color and texture and appearance of a grapefruit–but with a much better taste, IMHO, are one of my favorite fruits.

Notable Quotes

Another Farewell

This evening Maryknoll Cambodia said goodbye to Sami Scott, a Maryknoll Lay Missioner who has been with us for ten years. She is transferring to a new Maryknoll mission in Haiti.

At the airport (L to R): A friend, Op Siphal, Len Montiel, Sami, Regina Pellicore, Ann Sherman

Cambodia Elections 2018

We just finished the second weekend of the campaigning period leading up to the general elections next Sunday. A lot of the activity at the start of this final week was centered on stages set up around the city. Click here to see some of the venues along the riverfront.