CAMBODIA: ELECTION CAMPAIGNS: PEACE & ECONOMY ISSUES

(23 Jul 1998) Khmer/Natsound

With only three days to go before Cambodia's national elections, two issues are weighing heavily on voters' minds: peace and the economy.

Battered by more than two decades of almost constant civil war, Cambodia ranks among the lowest in the world in terms of per capita income.

In a country where most people work the land to earn money, many still struggle to put food on their own table.

Visit almost any street corner in Phnom Penh and the lingering effects of the country's tragic past become clear.

For these children the daily battle is just to find food to eat.

They don't even dream of attending school, or improving their lot.

Both Cambodian strongman Hun Sen and his political rival Prince Norodom Ranariddh have pledged to improve the economy if they win.

But the two candidates, who ruled the country in coalition until Hun Sen ousted the prince in a bloody coup last July, didn't have high marks for bringing economic change during a rule marked by widespread allegations of corruption.

SOUNDBITE: (Khmer)
"I want to see prosperity come back fast to the economy and more development for our children's sake."
SUPERCAPTION: VOX POP

SOUNDBITE: (Khmer)
"I want the new leader to create jobs for all the youth and help people to make money."
SUPERCAPTION: VOX POP

The economy was in crisis when Ranariddh and Hun Sen came to power following the 1993 U-N monitored elections.

But economic problems have steadily worsened since Hun Sen ousted the prince last July in a bloody coup.

Many foreign countries withdrew aid to the struggling nation, which depends on (m) millions of dollars of annual donations.

Things worsened when foreign investors took flight after Hun Sen's troops looted businesses across the beleaguered capital.

But the man who heads Cambodia's government-run development council still has hope for the future.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Provided that everything goes smoothly for the election, you will have, definitely, huge investment after the election - by the end of this year."
SUPER CAPTION: Chenda Sophea, Secretary General of the Council for the Development of Cambodia

Hun Sen has also been criticised for awarding cronies fat business deals while people in Cambodia are starving.

Many ordinary Cambodians blame government corruption for their country's economic problems.

Hun Sen has hinted he is taking the criticism on board.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"And I will be creat(ing) a whole economic government. So priority: economy, economy, economy, economy, economy - 5 times."
SUPER CAPTION: Hun Sen, Cambodian Co-Premier

Outspoken critic of Hun Sen and main opposition leader Sam Rainsy, is a trained economist.

Rainsy was the country's former Finance Minister until he was sacked after criticising top officials for alleged corruption.

He says both the prince and Hun Sen are corrupt and lack the know-how to steer the country through the murky waters of the Asian economic crisis.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The two economic priorities for Cambodia would be: one, to strengthen its agriculture. It's to preserve its agriculture, actually; and the second one, to open up the economy by dismantling the cartels controlled by the Mafia."
SUPER CAPTION: Sam Rainsy, Opposition Leader

Rainsy has championed the countries poor labour practices, leading a series of demonstrations by factory workers complaining about low wages and poor conditions.

This has scared some business circles who see militants like those involved in a February factory riot as threats to development.



SOUNDBITE: (English)




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