Barefoot, seated on a rattan mat and flanked by a phalanx of senior CPP officials, Hun Sen spoke on subjects in Kampong Chhnang on September 17. (Photo: RFA)'Prepare your coffin,' PM tells Royalists
By Vong Sokheng and Charles McDermid
Phnom Penh Post, Issue 15 / 19, September 21 - October 5, 2006
Prime Minister Hun Sen, who once told a biographer he always dreamed of becoming a poet or songwriter, has instead proven yet again his world-class reputation as a vociferous orator.
In singular style at a September 17 farm inspection tour of Kampong Chhnang province, the 54-year-old strongman thundered for more than two hours in a gloves-off, scattershot diatribe that was equal parts paddy-field populism and personal potshots aimed at the leader of the royalist Funcinpec Party.
Barefoot, seated on a rattan mat and flanked by a phalanx of senior CPP officials, Hun Sen spoke on subjects ranging widely from workings of water pumps to the death of his mother in 1997. In a discourse that included rare compliments for longtime opposition foe Sam Rainsy and harsh criticism for embattled Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the prime minister mixed cautionary, home-spun humor.
"I know all," he said of a foiled attack on government officials. "Even if you farted, I would still know. You cannot hide from me."
Hyperbole aside, what was perhaps heard most clearly in the address was the sound of the tired CPP-Funcinpec coalition finally cracking asunder. Hun Sen would go on to call for the removal of four senior Funcinpec officials: Serei Kosol, Chea Chanboribo, Tuot Luch and Neuv Kassie. Two days later he would propose the replacement of 15 additional Funcinpec members, all of whom are secretaries or under-secretaries of state. The National Assembly and Senate will vote on the proposed reshuffling in coming weeks.
"I think in reality the coalition government is finished," said Koul Panha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections (Comfrel). "We can see that the coalition now is just a show, intended to keep up the good image of democracy. Funcinpec has no power or influence in the coalition government. For example, to expel Funcinpec officials from the government the CPP must confer with the Prince [Norodom Ranariddh], but the CPP just does what it wants. We can see now the CPP has fully consolidated its power in the government."
Funcinpec has subsequently issued a call to reject Hun Sen's call to replace the party's top officials on the grounds that the proposal violates the tenets of the CPP/Funcinpec Protocol of 2004.
Funcinpec, the French acronym of the National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, Economic and Cooperative Cambodia, was founded by King Father Norodom Sihanouk in 1981 in Paris.
Ranariddh replaced his father as party president in 1992 and has held the position ever since. He stepped down as President of the National Assembly on March 14 in the wake of excoriating criticism from the Hun Sen government on issues of nepotism, extramarital affairs, incompetence and lavish personal spending.
On September 18, Hun Sen called for him to be replaced and suggested that henceforth he would be working with Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bun Chhay. He said Funcinpec had serious divisions inside the party and it has survived only because of the image of the King Father.
"I told Excellency Nhiek Bun Chhay to find some people to replace officials who are still members of the Royal Government," he said. "I suggested to Excellency Nhiek Bun Chhay to select persons in Funcinpec to replace. Even the president of the Olympic Committee [Ranariddh], [I will] not allow him to continue working."
A senior political analyst told the Post that Funcinpec is indeed wracked by internal dispute between two camps — one loyal to Ranariddh and the other to Hun Sen.
"Funcinpec has no unity within the party at the moment and could not present a clear position in the coalition government because of the rift," Panha said.
Kosal, a senior Funcinpec official, told the Post on September 19 that the coalition alliance with the CPP is extremely fragile, its future unsure.
"I cannot predict the future of the sustainability of the alliance between the CPP and Funcinpec," Kosal said. "The blasts by the Prime Minister have had a serious effect on the morale of Funcinpec and we are not an unfeeling stump."
Kosal, who earned the moniker "The Tiger of Battambang" as a fierce military field commander, said the criticism against Funcinpec was an exaggerated political message meant to intimidate partisan officials before the commune and national elections scheduled for 2007 and 2008 respectively.
"The comments were designed to paint color on Funcinpec, because the president of the party has never been thinking about pulling a coup against the Constitution," Kosal said.
Hun Sen's comments came in response to separate statements issued on September 14 by Ranariddh and Prince Sisowath Thomico. The former called for an alliance of democrats and royalists, and the latter for the Government to be dissolved and power handed over to King Father Norodom Sihanouk.
At the Kampong Chhnang ceremony, Hun Sen fielded both requests bluntly and flatly refused to hand over any power to the King Father.
"I think they are trying to find a pretext to topple me through the so-called demand to hand over power to [Sihanouk]. His Majesty did not accept this, but even if he did, I would not give it to him. Let's be clear: this would be betraying the people's will," he said. "Prepare your coffin if you want to dissolve the National Assembly."
The Prime Minister bristled at any suggesttion of a united front forming to compete with the CPP, comparing the situation to the bloody factional fighting of July 1997.
"I will use every means to respond appropriately to what you do. If you opt for military, I'll respond with military. If you opt for politics, I'll respond politically. If you opt for legal, I'll respond legally, he said. "If you use psychological or propaganda warfare, I'll use television, like today."
Hun Sen accused Ranariddh of betraying the coalition agreement by plotting with the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) to topple the ruling CPP.
"I absolutely will not allow you [Ranariddh] to use one leg in the coalition government and the other leg stepping with Sam Rainsy, and must not play the game of alliances to bargain for power in 2007 and 2008 in the government," Hun Sen said. "[You] must clearly confirm whether you want to stay, or you want to go out. For me, I would push you out in one move."
Chanboribo, spokesman for Funcinpec and Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Information, told the Post on September 19 that there is still strong support for Funcinpec at the grassroots level, and the publicized rift exists only at the top levels.
"I think that the problems inside Funcinpec are because someone has come to interfere [in the coalition government] and the national and international community will understand about this issue," Chanboribo said. "I am happy now that I have full time to work for Funcinpec [with] Samdech Krom Preah [Ranariddh] as the president."
But evidence suggests that Hun Sen has had enough of Funcinpec.
"I say the truth now. It seems I cannot go any further with Funcinpec," Hun Sen said in his televised and radio broadcasted speech. "'I prefer to have a clever enemy than an ignorant friend, to have a stronger enemy than to have a weak friend."
In singular style at a September 17 farm inspection tour of Kampong Chhnang province, the 54-year-old strongman thundered for more than two hours in a gloves-off, scattershot diatribe that was equal parts paddy-field populism and personal potshots aimed at the leader of the royalist Funcinpec Party.
Barefoot, seated on a rattan mat and flanked by a phalanx of senior CPP officials, Hun Sen spoke on subjects ranging widely from workings of water pumps to the death of his mother in 1997. In a discourse that included rare compliments for longtime opposition foe Sam Rainsy and harsh criticism for embattled Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the prime minister mixed cautionary, home-spun humor.
"I know all," he said of a foiled attack on government officials. "Even if you farted, I would still know. You cannot hide from me."
Hyperbole aside, what was perhaps heard most clearly in the address was the sound of the tired CPP-Funcinpec coalition finally cracking asunder. Hun Sen would go on to call for the removal of four senior Funcinpec officials: Serei Kosol, Chea Chanboribo, Tuot Luch and Neuv Kassie. Two days later he would propose the replacement of 15 additional Funcinpec members, all of whom are secretaries or under-secretaries of state. The National Assembly and Senate will vote on the proposed reshuffling in coming weeks.
"I think in reality the coalition government is finished," said Koul Panha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections (Comfrel). "We can see that the coalition now is just a show, intended to keep up the good image of democracy. Funcinpec has no power or influence in the coalition government. For example, to expel Funcinpec officials from the government the CPP must confer with the Prince [Norodom Ranariddh], but the CPP just does what it wants. We can see now the CPP has fully consolidated its power in the government."
Funcinpec has subsequently issued a call to reject Hun Sen's call to replace the party's top officials on the grounds that the proposal violates the tenets of the CPP/Funcinpec Protocol of 2004.
Funcinpec, the French acronym of the National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, Economic and Cooperative Cambodia, was founded by King Father Norodom Sihanouk in 1981 in Paris.
Ranariddh replaced his father as party president in 1992 and has held the position ever since. He stepped down as President of the National Assembly on March 14 in the wake of excoriating criticism from the Hun Sen government on issues of nepotism, extramarital affairs, incompetence and lavish personal spending.
On September 18, Hun Sen called for him to be replaced and suggested that henceforth he would be working with Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bun Chhay. He said Funcinpec had serious divisions inside the party and it has survived only because of the image of the King Father.
"I told Excellency Nhiek Bun Chhay to find some people to replace officials who are still members of the Royal Government," he said. "I suggested to Excellency Nhiek Bun Chhay to select persons in Funcinpec to replace. Even the president of the Olympic Committee [Ranariddh], [I will] not allow him to continue working."
A senior political analyst told the Post that Funcinpec is indeed wracked by internal dispute between two camps — one loyal to Ranariddh and the other to Hun Sen.
"Funcinpec has no unity within the party at the moment and could not present a clear position in the coalition government because of the rift," Panha said.
Kosal, a senior Funcinpec official, told the Post on September 19 that the coalition alliance with the CPP is extremely fragile, its future unsure.
"I cannot predict the future of the sustainability of the alliance between the CPP and Funcinpec," Kosal said. "The blasts by the Prime Minister have had a serious effect on the morale of Funcinpec and we are not an unfeeling stump."
Kosal, who earned the moniker "The Tiger of Battambang" as a fierce military field commander, said the criticism against Funcinpec was an exaggerated political message meant to intimidate partisan officials before the commune and national elections scheduled for 2007 and 2008 respectively.
"The comments were designed to paint color on Funcinpec, because the president of the party has never been thinking about pulling a coup against the Constitution," Kosal said.
Hun Sen's comments came in response to separate statements issued on September 14 by Ranariddh and Prince Sisowath Thomico. The former called for an alliance of democrats and royalists, and the latter for the Government to be dissolved and power handed over to King Father Norodom Sihanouk.
At the Kampong Chhnang ceremony, Hun Sen fielded both requests bluntly and flatly refused to hand over any power to the King Father.
"I think they are trying to find a pretext to topple me through the so-called demand to hand over power to [Sihanouk]. His Majesty did not accept this, but even if he did, I would not give it to him. Let's be clear: this would be betraying the people's will," he said. "Prepare your coffin if you want to dissolve the National Assembly."
The Prime Minister bristled at any suggesttion of a united front forming to compete with the CPP, comparing the situation to the bloody factional fighting of July 1997.
"I will use every means to respond appropriately to what you do. If you opt for military, I'll respond with military. If you opt for politics, I'll respond politically. If you opt for legal, I'll respond legally, he said. "If you use psychological or propaganda warfare, I'll use television, like today."
Hun Sen accused Ranariddh of betraying the coalition agreement by plotting with the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) to topple the ruling CPP.
"I absolutely will not allow you [Ranariddh] to use one leg in the coalition government and the other leg stepping with Sam Rainsy, and must not play the game of alliances to bargain for power in 2007 and 2008 in the government," Hun Sen said. "[You] must clearly confirm whether you want to stay, or you want to go out. For me, I would push you out in one move."
Chanboribo, spokesman for Funcinpec and Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Information, told the Post on September 19 that there is still strong support for Funcinpec at the grassroots level, and the publicized rift exists only at the top levels.
"I think that the problems inside Funcinpec are because someone has come to interfere [in the coalition government] and the national and international community will understand about this issue," Chanboribo said. "I am happy now that I have full time to work for Funcinpec [with] Samdech Krom Preah [Ranariddh] as the president."
But evidence suggests that Hun Sen has had enough of Funcinpec.
"I say the truth now. It seems I cannot go any further with Funcinpec," Hun Sen said in his televised and radio broadcasted speech. "'I prefer to have a clever enemy than an ignorant friend, to have a stronger enemy than to have a weak friend."
10 comments:
Whatch out. Do not trust hun's man. He will push out slowly one by one.
Make sure you know who will be next one. Be alert at all time if you are
not knhom yuon like hun's man.
AH HUN SEN and his words""Even if you farted, I would still know."
This mother fucker is too busy going around smelling people fart and not doing any work? I don't get it! How would this bastard know if people fart unless he smells it in the first place! Is this the kind of leader that Cambodian people want? ahahaha!
The prime minister must be a disappointed man. It is sadly true that his oppositions are neither clever nor strong.
Or is he lucky?
SiS
Hun Sen can only smell fart, because he was born this way. He doesn't smell blood, because he sent people to their death without remorse. He doesn't smell earth, because he gave away Khmer land territories to the Viets. He doesn't smell sea water, because he is going to give away more Khmer maritime territories to the Viets and Thais. He doesn't smell foods, because a large number of Cambodian population live below the poverty line.
This man doesn't know anything about rampant corruption, human rights violation, illegal logging, sale of state properties, land grabbing, money laundering, constitutional amendments, injustice, human and drug trafficking. But, he knows all about farts. Let's make it his middle name and call him "Hun Fart Sen".
This year he tries to break Funcinpec for commune elections. Next year, the fate of SRP will be the same as Funcinpec for national election.
4:10PM THIS TEAR HE TRIES TO SHOW THAT HE BREAK FUNCINPEC FOR COMMUNE ELECTION, NEXT MOVE HE WILL KISS RANARITH AGAIN SO THE BOTH CAN STILL FROM PEOPLE AND THE NATION!
CPP AND FUNCINPIC TRY TO CHEAT US CAMBODIAN ON MORE BIG TIME BEFOR THE OIL DISCOVERY AND THEN THEY WILL BECOME DICTATOR for live or may pass to their grant children!
POOR CAMBODIAN SLAVE.
those 3 faces look so urgly and evil?
Ah chhk'aer HUN SEN is just, as one says in America, one ill-bred son-of-a-bitch (SOB) no more, no less. Ah koun mee chhk'aer ngee yuon ott pooch!
09/25/06
AKnijaKhmer
Go Mr. Hun Sen!!
Teach them (opposition Khmers) what real politic is all about - Khmer style. Break them all down and laid them all low. If they want to duel with bullets, let us duel them with bullet-just alot more than what they can throw at us. We have plenty of experience in dueling with these weak western educated Khmers. Our friends are everywhere, and if anything should go wrong, we can always call on our immediate friends for help. China and Vietnam are our very powerful friends.
Also, if we can smell the opposition farts before they themselves know that they were going to fart, we are king!! Right now, we are in a position to take Cambodia anywere. We should realigned Cambodia to the pre-1988 idealogy.
The added benefits for such a move is the rapid attainment of povety reduction, and the achieving of the orderly society respectful of its absolute leaders. The pre-1988 idealogy allows us absolute power and we do not have to explain ourselves to any donors, or the UN, if someone refuse to comply with our policy. We can always introduce all reactionaries to our "little friends," the Ak 47s.
The realignment should not be hard for us. We are communists. If people do not do what we told them to do, we can alway Khmer Rouged them Cheung EK style.
In the end, we said: Gai-yoo Paddavatt Kampuchea!! and at the rate we imprisoned and murdered the intelligensa, starve intellectual debates as well as erode our political partnership with our weaker oppositions, we will definitely do a great diservice to all Cambodian. The less educate Khmer we left alive, the easier for us to herd them into a slaugther house. Gai-you paddavatt Kampuchea...
One more time...Gai you paddavatte Kampuchea Mr. Hun Sen! Cambodia has made real progress when its leaders are capable of smelling its people farts.
Enough of the internal fighting and jossling for power.For once will these people put the nation interest before themselve.Why cant they argue in parliament about what economic policies to use,what infastructure to build instead of who get which high ranking position.Get productive people.Anyhow Ranariddh is a really weak individual.He is one of those guy who is borned with a silverspoon,spoiled and protected by father the king.He is of those guys who will cry if you call him names.
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