Kem Sokha's visit to Long Beach

Cambodian activist meets with residents

Politics: Kem Sokha fights to promote human rights in his native land.

04/22/2007
By Greg Mellen, Staff writer
Long Beach Press Telegram (Long Beach, Calif., USA)

Kem laid out a scenario by which his party and the Sam Rainsy Party, the current leading opposition party, could gain enough votes to hamstring the CPP and bring reform to the country.

LONG BEACH - In a wide-ranging discussion about his home country and his hopes to change the political landscape there, Cambodian human-rights activist turned political candidate Kem Sokha met with a group of 23 residents Sunday at the downtown Holiday Inn.

Kem, 55, is in the midst of a tour across North American to drum up interest in his newly formed Human Rights Party.

After speaking for about 40 minutes, Kem fielded questions for nearly two hours in a spirited give-and-take.

Those who came to see Kem seemed to agree with his message.

When asked why Cambodian-Americans should concern themselves with the volatile politics of their homeland, Kem said many in America are linked financially and emotionally to their native land.

"I think that Cambodian-Americans are still concerned about the old country and still want Cambodian democracy and want it to be a real democracy," Kem said.

Kem added that many Cambodian-Americans still have family in Cambodia. And while few Cambodian-Americans here are affluent, they still send money to Cambodia.

"Their families are poor and living is still a problem," Kem said. "But the system has not changed, so they have to send money every year."

Chea Ling hoped Kem could help lift up Cambodia and end its reliance on U.S. support.

Kem, the son of a farmer in a country in which 80 percent of the population is in agriculture, said that his vision is to make the Cambodian farmer self-sufficient and self-reliant.

Voha Nuch wished Kem success in his bid to wrest power from the ruling Cambodian People's Party and Prime Minister Hun Sen, who have had almost total control of the country for the last 10 years since a 1997 coup.

However, Nuch said Kem faced long odds toppling the Cambodian leader and his party.

"It's hard for us to overcome, but we won't give up, we'll keep going," Nuch said.

Kem laid out a scenario by which his party and the Sam Rainsy Party, the current leading opposition party, could gain enough votes to hamstring the CPP and bring reform to the country.

Kem said in the last election, about 2.5 million, or more than 35 percent of the eligible population, didn't vote. If he can reach that disenfranchised population, he can have an impact in the election.

Kem plans to enter his party in the national elections in 2008. He applied for recognition for his party earlier this month and plans to hold a national convention on July 7, when the party will formally set down its platform.

Chang Song, a former minister of information in the government of former leader Lon Nol, was reserved in his judgment.

Chang said Cambodia remains a society where ideals such as human rights and democracy are abstractions that are hard to achieve.

And while he thinks Kem is a fair man, Chan says "human rights and democracy have a lot to overcome in a feudalistic society."

But Kem says people need something to believe in.

"To have true peace, you must have a true future," Kem said. "Everything starts with human rights."

After his public meeting, Kem sat for a private conversation with representatives of the Khmer Republican Party and its president, Lon Rith, son of former leader Lon Nol.

Kem returns to Northern California later this week and will tour the Midwest and East Coast before returning to Cambodia on May 14.

Greg Mellen can be reached at greg.mellen@presstelegram.com or (562) 499-1291.