It’s been a couple of days since I left Battambang, drove to Kampong Cham, and am back in Phnom Penh now. You can hear the campaigning trucks all over the country, in the cities, on the major national roads etc (yeah, those insanely loud speaker phones that kill your ear drums and destroy the pleasure of sound in general). It’s hot. Provincial elections will be commencing June 3rd (?), so just under two weeks to go.
Besides what you read in the newspaper about Sam Rainsy Party members complaining about having difficulties from the local authorities and their constant struggle for fair campaigning, the opposition party is facing much more basic problems other than the higher influential spheres getting in the way. Theres a desperate lack of funding, this includes the basic necessities such as fuel for the motorbikes, truck rental, audio equipment, posters, food and everything in between. A small portion of rice with some veggies/beef is the only thing energizing hundreds of party members and supporters that spend countless of hours in the excruciating heat, elderly on the verge of fainting.
All these heartbreaking efforts for change are being immensely challenged by a great number of factors: the populations deeply routed fear of change, the authorities questionable (least to say) restraining, financial issues and much more. However, there’s also a very powerful drive led by many courageous men and females that are determined to reach their goal and seemingly nothing can stop them.
Much more footage in the works, videos and such are en route. Stay tuned.
PS. Thanks to Micky Wiswedel for lending me the tilt-shift. Word up!
