Opposition Party Leader Observing Democratic Convention

CHARLOTTE - Kem Sokha, head of the opposition Human Rights Party, is in North Carolina to observe the Democratic National Convention, at the invitation of the National Democratic Institute.

Kem Sokha is among some 300 international political leaders to be invited by the democracy advocacy group to observe the convention, during which the Democratic Party will officially announce its candidate, Barrack Obama, for the presidential campaign.

The convention, which ends Thursday, was important to witness, especially the way the presidential campaign is covered by US media, Kem Sokha said.

Cambodia is preparing for its own national elections in July 2013, but opposition officials say they are facing a flawed and biased election system.

“I would like to see Cambodia organize the election in a way that each political party can have equal access to the media, especially during the campaign period,” Kem Sokha said. “I also want to see the freedom to campaign without fear, intimidation, vote buying and violence.”

Kem Sokha and other invitees of NDI will participate this week in a series of discussion panels put on by the organization.

Opposition Party Leader Observing Democratic Convention