CAMBODIAN ELECTIONS: LADIES FIRST, AS DEBATES GO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 000554 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, PLEASE ALSO PASS TO USAID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KWMN CB SUBJECT: CAMBODIAN ELECTIONS: LADIES FIRST, AS DEBATES GO PRIME TIME REF: A. PHNOM PENH 522 ¶B. PHNOM PENH 403 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The first multi-party candidate debate in preparation for Cambodia's July 27 election took place in Phnom Penh July 8. This initial debate featured women candidates from four parties, as a key theme of the National Democratic Institute (NDI's) USAID-financed program in Cambodia has been strengthening women's participation in politics. A second women candidates debate will occur July 9, followed by 20 further debates taking place throughout the country. For the first time, ten of the total 22 debates will be broadcast on state television -- marking a significant step forward in transparency and responsiveness to voters' concerns. The NDI-organized debates were initially scheduled to begin June 27, but hit a snag when NDI presented the parties an initial list of complex and clearly biased questions. The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) predictably protested, lodging a formal complaint which the National Election Committee (NEC) quickly adjudicated. NDI headquarters recovered smartly, dispatching a senior offical who managed to get the debates back on track. The Deputy Chief of Mission delivered remarks at this morning's opening, which will be televised with both today's and tomorrow's debates, noting how important it is that Cambodia's 8.1 million voters have the opportunity to see their candidates respectfully interacting and discussing important issues affecting the future of Cambodia. End Summary. LADIES FIRST -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Female politicians who are listed candidates from the Khmer Anti-Poverty Party, the Khmer Democratic Party, the Khmer Republican Party and FUNCINPEC participated in a televised debate July 8. Participants had a chance to present their party's platform, before taking two randomly selected questions prepared by NDI; one question posed by a competing political party; and three questions posed by members of the audience. There were some technical glitches with this first televised debate as the cameramen adapted to the rapidly moving format. And, by chance, the (random) selection of which parties would go on which date grouped less competitive parties together for this first debate. Female candidates from the more competitive CPP, SRP, NRP and HRP will participate in a second debate July 9. However, the opening of the debate series marked an important step forward in this election period. In her opening remarks, DCM expressed delight that the debates were able to go forward -- referring without explicit reference to NDI's successful recovery from earlier mis-steps. DCM also noted the importance of the debates appearing on widely watched state television, as well as four radio stations. ¶3. (SBU) Although the current Cambodian government has a stated policy of encouraging increased participation by women in politics, the number of women competing for National Assembly seats is lower than in past Cambodian elections. However, the women who are participating are playing more senior roles in their respective parties and are more highly placed on the electoral lists. Prime Minister Hun Sen has also announced plans essentially to set quotas for female representation in provincial positions, possibly including creating deputy governor positions specifically for women. Therefore, the female candidates debates provide an important opportunity for these women's voices to be heard. LIGHT ON SUBSTANCE -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Although the July 8 debate included only women, the debate format, questions posed, and answers provided had no noticeable gender focus. Candidates answered NDI-formulated questions about land use and their parties' foreign policy platform and took questions from the audience about dealing with poverty, addressing corruption, and developing the economy. The debate was respectful, with all candidates observing the rules and keeping to time limits. Candidates' answers were at times frothy -- advocating peace and love, respect for Cambodia's cultural heritage, and the creation of a Ministry of Social Wellbeing. However, emboffs observing judged this to be symptomatic of the lack of detail already noted in the platforms of three of these parties (KAPP, KDP and KRP). The FUNCINPEC participant was the debate's biggest surprise, elucidating a more fully developed strategy than we've heard in earlier sessions, but still trying to establish FUNCINPEC's credentials as the monarchists' party. Perhaps not surprisingly for three parties whose leaders are American citizens, the KAPP, KDP and KRP all advocated close PHNOM PENH 00000554 002 OF 002 ties with the U.S. -- with one candidate saying that her party intended to negotiate visa-free entry to the U.S. and another saying her party would solve poverty by seeking additional foreign aid. IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The studio audience of some 250 included approximately 50 individuals bedecked in KDP paraphernalia and a slightly smaller group in FUNCINPEC yellow. Two of the three audience members chosen to pose questions were from local NGOs -- election observer NICFEC and youth group YCC. The third audience member did not appear affiliated with any organization and posed an impassioned question about how the parties proposed to address poverty in Cambodia. The audiences' tangible enthusiasm for this questioner's presentation was a keen reminder of how important perceptions about the economy, corruption and wealth distribution are likely to be in this election. Poll data (ref B) shows that a high percentage of Cambodians believe the country is headed in the right direction. However, opposition parties -- most notably SRP -- believe that the most compelling planks in their platform combine promising better health care and more jobs with arguments that CPP officials and their cronies are the only ones benefiting from Cambodia's growth. FOOTNOTE: PREAH VIHEAR -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Although the World Heritage Committee's decision to list the Preah Vihear temple had not yet been publicized in Cambodia at the time of the debate, three of the four candidates mentioned Preah Vihear in their remarks, reminding us of the importance many Cambodians place on this issue. The candidates from FUNCINPEC and KRP cited the temple to emphasize sovereignty and national pride. Later, the FUNCINPEC rep answered a question about her party's highest foreign policy priority by stressing the importance of promoting Cambodia's national heritage, including temples, and taking action against looting. MUSSOMELI