Friday, February 16, 2007

Exclusive Interview with Sam Rainsy, SRP President (Part 2 of 2)

Translated from French

Cambodge Nouveau (New Cambodia)
February 2007 issue


The CPP fights a rearguard action

I put my confidence in human beings, I believe that sooner or later, people will think correctly. I believe that the CPP fights a rearguard action. It’s an obsolete party. It has some inertia, just like a car moving towards an abyss at a breakneck speed, but it is kinetic energy… an anachronism which cannot last for long. The CPP is there, it has all the advantages, all the prerogatives due to power, it has the means to control, to try to perpetuate the regime. But it is acting against the current, against the trends, against what a modern state would have done.

[The trends] is about fighting against corruption, about leading a new policy, about redistributing lands just like what Vietnam is doing – Vietnam is now becoming the second exporter of rice in the world, whereas it was lacking rice 20 years ago. The rural area reform was the first thing the Vietnamese undertook. In Cambodia, the CPP does not have the means, nor the desire to bring about such rural reform. The leaders cannot see farther than the tip of their nose. They own tens and hundreds thousands of hectares of land: it is not in their interest to bring about rural reform. If the agriculture sector remains paralyzed as it is now because of the unfair land distribution, the country will not advance, meanwhile at the top of the State, people are fighting to obtain lucrative positions through alliances between parties in order to divide up positions, and not to modernize the country!

Only a modern State with a modern, transparent fiscal system could put Cambodia on the right tracks to real progress. Not a system based on aids which treats citizens as beggars, which perpetuates this begging mentality. That’s not progress.

What it [the CPP] can gain from this game, is only a little bit of time, but one day it will explode back in their face. The unemployment is a ticking bomb. As long as you don’t set in place and lead a policy which allows the creation of 300,000 jobs per year, sooner or later it will explode in your face.

The CPP is like Mussolini’s fascism

The CPP is very sly. I don’t see it as a more or less communist party, but rather a party close to Mussolini’s fascism.

What is common between a communist and a fascist state, is that they are both police states. We have it: it’s the heritage from the State of Kampuchea. It is true that we have capitalism, but it resembles to that of Mussolini which encouraged large companies. Here, we don’t have “200 families” [which own France] as they say it in France, in Cambodia, we only the 20 go-between families, all these oknhas, … These 20 families are very close to the CPP high-ranking officials which monopolized the State, and they bludgeoned the unions, just like under Mussolini!

Another common point: Mussolini signed an agreement, a concordat with the pope – a conciliatory pope. Look at Tep Vong, look at these pagodas that are built everywhere on top of the [existing] misery, it’s the people’s drug! The CPP people are becoming very religious, they are hypocrites! Mussolini got along well with the pope, just like Hun Sen is getting along well with Tep Vong. Mussolini also got along well with king Victor Emmanuel III. I am currently writing a book in which I recall that Norodom Sihanouk, when he was King, told me: “I wonder if I am not like the last king of Italy, the people will blame me of being too accommodating…”

In both cases, State capitalism, workers repression, privileged relationships with the religious authorities, and a weak monarchy, all of these are puzzling. That’s the SRP language.

For a more social religion

It is true that Cambodian people are far from rising up. Why? Religion is interpreted in such a way as to sedate them.

The SRP wants to promote a more social concept of religion. Not the religion for a life after death, not for paradise, but for a religion which engages itself to improve the well being of people “right here, right now,” as [French President] Mitterrand used to say.

What sedate people is the religion, just like a drug, this favors the CPP: if you don’t have work, don’t rise up! It’s also the army draft, this famous law…. It’s also about the games on TV, where all the channels are broadcasting stultifying programs putting you to sleep, rather than programs which teach civic lessons, and from which people are learning to think, to look forward to their future, to ask about true social and professional problems.

We bet on the human spirit and on the youth

All of this shows that the CPP is scared, and that it does not stand up to the youth in terms of intelligence, in terms of light. It is not by chance that the SRP selected the candle as its symbol: the candle is the light! We believe that the true battle between human intelligence which can think, and the animal spirit, which is satisfied to live on a day-to-day basis because of religion, drugs, violence, superstitions, gambling… all things that stun, that push Cambodian people to resign to their fates. The SRP tends to be revolutionary, we tend to say: “No, wake up, go to vote! To the voting polls, citizens!”

The youth: you will see two youth movements in Cambodia: the CPP youth and the SRP youth.

The CPP youth are motivated with material advantages. They are conscripted to go dancing, to eat out, to take pleasure trips, to receive gifts, to meet, … to party, all things that stun them.

The SRP youth is a studious youth, which holds seminars, discussion groups, which compete by debating each other based on the Internet, on messages, on study reports … we are betting on the human spirit. We will form people who will claim their rights, who will ask for changes.

-------
Social Buddhism: Indeed, Buddhism is a social tradition, in particular that of the Greater Vehicle [Mahayana], Sam Rainsy explained. It worships pre-incarnations of the Buddha, a more human Buddha, who had known during past lives, passions, dilemmas, internal struggles … I belong to the Small Vehicle Buddhism [Hinayana], but there again, I support a Buddhism which is more socially engaged. That’s in fact what happens in Burma, in Sri Lanka … Let’s remember that in Vietnam, monks immolate themselves. Here, Buddhism is the ideological foundation of the regime which is preaching a Buddhism that sedates people.

There are five Buddhist precepts:
  • “you shall not kill,” but giving out orders to kill is the same as killing, not arresting a guilty person is also the same; a politician can also be guilty
  • “you shall not steal,” but stealing from the nation, the corruption, it is even more serious
  • “you shall not lie,” but then what is propaganda?
  • “you shall not commit adultery and incest,” but [it is OK] to admit to human trafficking, to prostitution, to pornography?
  • “you shall not drink alcohol,” but [is it OK] to admit to using drugs?

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

oh .... he's so ugly ..i hope that Sam Rainsy lose the election ...

Anonymous said...

I strongly support and believe Samrainsy will win the people heart in the election 2007 and 2008. He will get the honest votes from khmer people, but not like the CPP always get dishonest votes from all the election.

I wish Samrainsy to be become the Prime Minister of Cambodia in 2008 election.

The CPP puppet of YAOUN HANOI will get the deafeat.

Anonymous said...

Sam Rainsy is the only hope that there is in Cambodia at the present. He's a trailblazer in his field. He's shown his courageous, determination, perserverence, and and outgoing with all classes of Cambodia. Whoever opposes Sam Rainsy, may not be a person who thinks positively about what Cambodia could accomplish for the greatness of Cambodia. He's the only lifeline we have, so please let support him emotionally and financially if we can. Whoever has read "Who is Angkar?" by Kim Tiouy aka Grandmother Teang, excuse my spelling, one must know that the communinst Vietnamese regime trained a group of so-called Khmer rouge faction, and instigated the poor farmers to rebel against the true Khmer people for the government so that this faction can control Cambodia for the benefit of Vietnam in terms of land swallowing, economics, social benefits, and to wipe the Khmer race and Khmer map off the map of the world. So please do not forget that the Communist regime has put Heng Samrin, Hun Sen, and Chea Sim on the pedastol. These people should no longer be power. They should be replaced by true Khmer scholars, professors, doctors, and architects, and lawyers. So Sam Rainsy is one the present scholars we have. He's the moon that shines very brightly on Cambodia, outbeating any other candidates. We hope he and his party can advance drastically in the commune, districts elections held in April. The communist Vietnamese have masterminded with too many tricks such as to sympathize with remote farmers who have lost everything due to bombings by the U.S and land grabbing form military officers, so that they join with them and rebel against the government. No matter what, we should never trust the Communist Vietamese regime because they have incorported the ideology of Ho Chi Minh, who wished to spread communim throghout Indochina

Anonymous said...

poster 9:25am. your hope is running out as Sam Rainsy is running in. and you ought to be slave.

Anonymous said...

Dream on, no one in their right
mind will wanted to bring back Lon
Nol and move backward to the
70's again. Sorry, no can do.

Anonymous said...

I am happy to be slave of Samrainsy and democracy but you yourself the slave of CPP and YAUN HANOI (Communist).

Which one is better guy?

Anonymous said...

To be Khmer, one must know its history through all the sources you have, such as primary sources (parents, siblings, grandparents, teachers, and scholar, and those who have first-hand the events that have happened), and secondary sources (such as books, documentary, and encyclopedia. However, the primary sources are the most important because they are written from the actual experiences they have gone through. So please fellow Khmers, you have to read "Who is Angkar?" by Mrs. Kim Tiouy aka Grandmother Teang. She has shed so much light on me with her experiences. I used to read news, and documentaries about Khmer Kampuche Krom, and Cambodia, of how we're always losing land to neighbouring countries especially to Vietnam and Thailand. We must get back South Cambodia or Kampuchea Krom, Surin and other provinces in Thailand back. Then one could be considered themselves patriotic and for the sake of our people. We should never whine and cry, we must be very educated to lead our people. Hun Sen and his buddies (friends) should resign from his post immediately in order for our country to advance into the 21st centuries. All the countries in the world have seen so much peace, prosperity, liberty, freedom, and justice. Besides, Khmer Rouge Trial must go as expected so that we may reveal the masterminders, Vietnam and China, to the world, and tell the world tha Khmer have been fighting Khmer because of them, their instigation, and tricks, just to wipe the Khmer race out of the world. So please read her novel.

Anonymous said...

to all the sam rainsy lovers .... haha, if he (SR) wins the election, i will fight to get him out of power ... but do not dream too much ... cuz we all kn who's going to win the 2008 election... the best is always the winner. GO CPP !!

Anonymous said...

I remember earlier that H.M Norodom Sihanouk has criticized that we should not spend approximately $52 million on the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. I just like to say that justice worth every little cent, no matter how much it is. Every Khmer person must have some light on its darkest history so that the next generation can continue to find the missing history puzzle to fulfill its truth. The truth is imperative for the survival of its people, land, and the next generations. Im sad that our controversial king could not get the land back from Vietnam or Kampuchea Krom but he tried his mighty best for the little people with no voices or existence in this world. The ex-king should be regarded as sacred even though he's had flaws in the past. He's not immortal. He's a human being. Personality and emotions are charming, deceiving, jealous, intelligent, and betrayal. He's done his job to the very best, but win the mighty power of France and Vietnam and Thailand. The bottom line is to die peacefully is to have peace, stability, and justice for the country so the torch can be passed to the next generation who still has to deal with the same matters from centuries ago over and over again. When will this vicious cycle be over and our Khmer people actually want to live in Cambodia, have jobs and families there instead of living in developed countries day in day out, hoping to hear great news of Cambodia everyday? Second law of thermodaynamics states that energy is needed to put in the system in order for the system to function and maintain its processes, without energy the system will fall into randomness. In "Who is Angkar", Grandmother Teang questions this philosophy of why all Khmers are leaving Cambodia to obtain a different life in developed countries and forget about our homeland, and who's gonna lead our country, the Vietcong or Vietminh, or the communist Vietamese regime?

Anonymous said...

Yes, we all know you are sad that
we can't get KK territories back
for you, but you need not burnt
our country down for that, fools.
Now, STFU, okay?

Anonymous said...

Count me in, Post11:14!!!

Anonymous said...

Post10:54, who's the winner?

That is who we will follow. Get it?

We are not stupid.

Anonymous said...

We all can predict the outcome of the elections. But why are u supporting the CPP? What is your stance, goals, and views? Please shed some light of why u are supporing the CPP? Don't you see their backgrounds, stance, and agenda? so please provide some arguments here for our fellow Cambodians who support Sam Rainsy. Remember that, according to Grandmother Teang, Heng Samrin, Hun Sen, and Chea Sim are the "knew" Khmers, trained by the vietamese philosophical ideaology, and political ideology, to break the spirit of the people in order to control. That's how the Communist Vietamese did, leading to the war ousting Lon Nol regime and ousting the Khmer Rouge. They controlled many factions of Khmer Rouge regime, including the faction of Khmer Rouge consisting of Hun Sen and his buddies. They incorporated their agents within Khmer Rouge, True Khmer Krom revolution, true Khmer Liberation Front led by Senior Seun Sann. Khmer Rouge were actually formed by Khmer scholars such as professors, etc but they were then fooled by the communist Vietcong and Vietminh. So their ideology is to break in order to control.

Anonymous said...

And Post10:57, just stay in your
texbook and toonsworld, okay?
We don't want none of the stupid
history.

Anonymous said...

Well, among other things, Sam
Rainsy don't have a drop of hand
on experience in running a country.
He lived in France and Canada that
is nothing like here. We got
Autocracy government all around us,
and I am sure Sam Rainsy will burnt
us down to the ground just as Lon
Nol did. Need I say more?

Anonymous said...

You people don't read enough books in order to enlighten our stance.

you come back with no arguments except with emotions and feelings.

That's not scholarly thinking. So please before you say something, also think of arguments rather than outpouring emotions.

Go back to school to further your education so you can help serve the country.

Rich countries are full of scholars unlike you guys who don't advance further in education except for dreaming to win to lottery.

And also, never use violence in your thinking.

Violence and swearings are the two most degrading factors of human beings.

Anonymous said...

youn's the best khmer friend. i love youn because they lack bitching and hypocrisy , ha! everybody should learn from youn.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Sam Rainsey is the man in 2008!!! Mr. Sam rainsey is for Khmers's heart and soul.

Thanks God, we finally found a man that we can proudly call our own!!!
Good luck & best wishes Sir!

Anonymous said...

True, especially in the field of
millitary strategy. Yuon have
defended themselves well against
all foreign invasion, the
Mongolian, Chinese, French, US,
Japan....

Long Live Mighty Vietnam!!

Anonymous said...

PS: Oh yeah, the only thing that
KK ever defended themself from are
the Phnongs. Who will wanted to go
along with that? Yurk, Yurk, Yur,
spit, spit, spit....

Anonymous said...

Yes Post12:14, it is your freedom
to call Sam Rainsy your own, but
do it in Canada and France, not
here, okay?

Anonymous said...

Sam Rainsy has a modern view of the world. He is not limited to a limited regional vision. He sees what Cambodia can become. All educated Khmer should support the best Candidate, and in this case, Sam Rainsy appears to be the Best in the group.

Anonymous said...

Well then, he should stay in the
modern Canada and France. He don't
fit here. He will be like the
backstaber SISOWATT Sarimatak who
burnt Cambodia to the ground. We
don't want anyone like him no more.

Anonymous said...

I am happy to be slave of Samrainsy and democracy but you yourself the slave of the dictator Hun Xen and YAUN HANOI (Communist)and the Chines.
Which one is better guy?


Mr. Sam Rainsey is the man in 2008!!! Mr. Sam rainsey is for Khmers's heart and soul. We are khmers ,we love our Sovanaphum and Samrainsy is the hopefull for us in 2008.

Long Live Samraisy!!!!we are all khmers with you.

Anonymous said...

To: Posts 9:25, 10:51, 11:14, 11:26, 11:33,11:39, 11:57, 12:16, 1:06,and the CPP thugs or Ah Youn Communist supporters. You are the Khmer killer. You have bee killing Khmer since June 28, 1951 when the CPP was established. This is to say that your party had brought Cambodia down the drain beyond recognition. You blamed Khmer Rouge for killing Khmer, but your senior CPP leaders in cluding Ah Sen Kvak, Chea Sim, Heng Samrin.... and Crazy Sihanouk were Khmer Rouge. Therefore their hands were bloostained as POl Pot or Khiev Somphan. You also claimed that Vietnam rescued Cambodian from the KR. It's rediculous. It wuold be fair to say that the CPP could not kill every Cambodian therefore they needed help from Ah Youn to wipe out the whole population or to Vietnamize every Cambodian so that Ah Youn will swallow Cambodia whole. Ah Youn use ah Kvak Sen and his thugs like you to kill Khmer. Look at K-5 Program in the the early 1980's (may be you are not interestd in history because of your mental learning handicap. That's why you talk like thugs. Get it?

Any way, my advice to all of you,Ah Youn supporters, right now is to find a better place before it's toooooo late. It might be that I am dreaming, but THE DREAM CAN SOMETIME BE TRUE!!! Don't be nervous if it happens.

Anonymous said...

YAUN HUN SEN knows nothing about economy, he knows only killing khmer people, crabbing people's land, committing corruption and cut more more Cambodia territory to YAUN HANOI.

Is it true?

Anonymous said...

KHMENG WAT KHNONG SROK
TO
MR. SAM RAINSY

JUST TRY TO ELIMINATE FROM YOUR RANKS SOME OF THE KHMER YANKEE -AND THIEU KY... SOME OF THEM WHO ARE GANGS... DECHETS HUMAINES... AND POUK KHROM BATH SANGKUM NOW LEAVING AND SLAVE OF UNCLE SAM.

WE DO NOT NEED ALL THESE DECHETS HUMAN SHIT IN CAMBODIA...THEY ALWAYS POST COMMENTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO , JUST BARKING AND RESTING... AND BEGGING YOU FOR SOME LUCRATIVE DREAM POSTING!

JUST SELECT THE RIGHT PERSONS...IF YOU WANT MORE RSPECT FROM CAMBODIANS INSIDE CAMBODIA.

KHMENG WAT KNONG SROK

GOOD NIGHT!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
YAUN HUN SEN knows nothing about economy, he knows only killing khmer people, crabbing people's land, committing corruption and cut more more Cambodia territory to YAUN HANOI.

Is it true?

2:30 PM

It is damn TURE!!!!!!!!! my friend

Anonymous said...

KHMENG WAT KHNONG SROK shuts your HELL up!!!!!

From your friend

Anonymous said...

achar wat khnong srok

lok ta achar gives you a small advice as follows:

1-tveou laor bann lao! you go to paradise in your next life, i.e. khmeng wat khnong srok.

2- tveou akrak mean babkam, you go to hell of satan, i.e. khmer overseas with a bad behavior and spirit of no education... including sacrava... you go to satan ' house where you can tell stories about your sins.

lok ta achar wat khnong srok

Anonymous said...

KHMENG WAT KHNONG SROK

TO

3:18 PM

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ADVICE...
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US:
1- I LOVE MY COUNTRY AND CAMBODIANS WITH COMPASSION
2- YOU PRETEND TO LOVE CAMBODIA WITH HATRED AND RUBBLISH...

AND TO
LOK TA ACHAR KNONG SROK

SA THOUK... SA..THOUK! PARADISE IS MY NEXT DESTINATION AFTER MY MISSION ACHIEVED!

Anonymous said...

KeEp our fire burning for Mr. Sam Rainsey!!!!

SAM RAINSEY! SAM RAINSEY! SAM RAINSEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Khmeng wat knong srok, be patient! if you don't learn what sam raingsy says today, you'll learn it tomorrow or day after tomorrow. I agree that some people are so difficult to be educated especially those who don't want to listen at all like those of your group. But you must acknowledge a social development. What people think yesterday is not always the same as today or tomorrow. One day people will think correctly and will accept what the new discovers have expressed like in sciences. You are just like a cat who used to fall in hot water and are always afraid of any kind of water though you might know the water is not hot. But don't worry, time to help you learn news things because your brain is still small and too young to catch new lessons.

Anonymous said...

Sam Rainsy never ever wins the Election.
He's a very Prop of Hun Sen & Yuon-Hanoi decoration of Democracy image.A fake image to show the world that Cambodia is a Free Country....Free and Fair Election.
For sure Yuon won't kill Rainsy..but SRP's supporters will died in vaine : "Slap Ort Ambil Pralak ".

Anonymous said...

If we die with dignity we happay to die for Khmer. Unlike you bloodsucker who everyone wants you to die because of your greed, corruption and landgrabbing from the poor. People are fed up of your horrific act that you commited daily. They wish you die soon so that they can have a better life and the country will be safe from Ah Youn.