Election time.

The Cambodian commune elections are on Sunday, so cue the Blues Brothers-esque loudspeakers on cars, party supporters yelling into microphones at the speed of light and the silencing of activists.
It's that time of the year.

CPP supporters gather in Phnom Penh

It is very interesting to observe the dynamics of the different parties and their supporters. The ruling Cambodian People's Party has been flailing in a desperate display of domination with the recent land evictions which to me points to a lack of confidence. Loun Sovath, an outspoken activist monk, was violently arrested last week, and forced to sign a paper declaring that he would no longer attend protests.

There have been scuffles between supporters of the CPP and the Sam Rainsy Party (the main rival), despite bans on campaigning in certain areas (eg. Angkor Wat, National Road 6). I have been interested to see signs around the place detailing the 'proper' way to vote and campaign, with cartoons of people shaking hands and big green ticks next to them. Such is the fiction of politics.

A clever ploy introduced for these elections is to record what party each citizen voted for in their own communes, meaning that the government knows exactly who chose what. This seems like an effective way to inspire fear and doubt in the voters.

Kosal was debating with herself whether to be a 'good citizen' or to abstain. I was hoping that she would choose to resist (surprise, surprise) but eventually she said that she wants to vote.

My opinion on voting is this: if you don't find any party that you think is just, then don't support any of them. Voting for one of the many corrupt and incompetent parties in Cambodia says: "I support you and I support what you do."

As a foreigner it's hard to understand, but in the end, the country is slowly evolving into a credible governmnent. Here's to a fair result.