Monday, April 23, 2007

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.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL, only 23 people came to see
the rising star (Kem Sokha)?

Buddy, you going to have to go
door to door. I think those obese
asses is too lazy to go to the
Holiday Inn. Just get a bunch of
flyers made up and hand it to
them in their government funding
housing. That way, you wont regret
the expense to the West.

Don't give up and good luck, bro!

Anonymous said...

Kem Sokha will never ever join SRP. He's here to separate the votes for Hun Sen.
Here is the trick:
In 1 county, if CPP got 40% and SRP got 39% and Kem got 20%. CPP wins even if there are 59% of the people vote for democrats. If Kem was not there SRP would win easy because Kem's votes are democrats. Democrts will vote for Democrats not communist or dictature.

Don

Anonymous said...

only 23? that's 23 more who blieve in democracy.

Anonymous said...

Is it 23 supporters or just 23 to listen to him? Mr. Voha and (Kamsoth?) you should do better than that. BL has a lot of Khmer who want to listen to him but you do not know how to gather them. You are suck.......

Anonymous said...

Sokha, throw some moneys in their
corrupted association's faces, and
you will get all the supports that
you need.

Anonymous said...

Sokha has no money to throw. If you get to know him better, you will see.