Cambodia's Commune Elections:

The Cambodian government should take immediate steps to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of political violence committed during commune-level elections held in February 2002, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Action to end impunity should be a pre-condition for any aid to prepare for next year's national elections, Human Rights Watch said. The report includes a detailed case study of two politically motivated killings that took place in Kompong Cham province in November 2001, which were followed by a sustained campaign of intimidation against opposition members. The cases, which show the clear impact of political violence on voters and candidates, are scheduled to go to trial in Kompong Cham on May 2. Human Rights Watch called on the Cambodian government to institute mechanisms to promptly respond to reports of political violence in advance of national elections scheduled for July 2003, in order to deter the kind of violence and intimidation that characterized the commune elections in many parts of the country.