US ambassador to Cambodia Joseph Mussomeli said Saturday Cambodians in US communities, like this one in Long Beach, Ca., would accomplish more for their homeland by unifying.Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
09 August 2007
Cambodian-Americans would be able to do more for their homeland if they unified, following the model of other immigrant groups, the US ambassador to Cambodia said Saturday.
"If all the Cambodian-Americans would work in a more unified fashion, like Cuban-Americans, Jewish-Americans or even Italian, and others, when there is the problem, I think that you could do more for Cambodia and you could at least work better and be more effective politically," Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli said. "But right now the Cambodian groups in Long Beach, Lowell and Chicago and Atlanta, while there is some communication, is not as cohesive as it should be."
Mussomeli spoke to nearly 200 Cambodian-Americans at a dinner in Atlanta, Ga., Saturday, while visiting the US.
"The reason I really wanted to come to talk to you tonight is because I really think Cambodian communities are fractious and disassociated from one another and it would be good if Cambodian communities throughout the US would work more closely together," Mussomeli told the gathered Cambodians.
About 500,000 Cambodians live in the US, networking through temples, churches and aid organizations, as well as shared workplaces.
Chhay Huor, a Cambodian-American who invited the ambassador to speak at the dinner, later himself stressed the importance of unity within the communities.
"Supposedly if we have any problems we can go to lobby in Washington, DC, if we can work closely together as one," he said. "This is because customarily in the US lobbying is the most necessary act in Congress."
Another Cambodian-American at the meeting, Franklin Ly, said Cambodians working together would make it easier to meet their goals.
"Foreigners, such as Americans, or other nationals, they do have more unification than the Khmer, as I understand, because I have associated businesses with Chinese, Vietnamese," he said. "I have not seen Khmer hand-in-hand doing business together, trusting each other, no."
"If all the Cambodian-Americans would work in a more unified fashion, like Cuban-Americans, Jewish-Americans or even Italian, and others, when there is the problem, I think that you could do more for Cambodia and you could at least work better and be more effective politically," Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli said. "But right now the Cambodian groups in Long Beach, Lowell and Chicago and Atlanta, while there is some communication, is not as cohesive as it should be."
Mussomeli spoke to nearly 200 Cambodian-Americans at a dinner in Atlanta, Ga., Saturday, while visiting the US.
"The reason I really wanted to come to talk to you tonight is because I really think Cambodian communities are fractious and disassociated from one another and it would be good if Cambodian communities throughout the US would work more closely together," Mussomeli told the gathered Cambodians.
About 500,000 Cambodians live in the US, networking through temples, churches and aid organizations, as well as shared workplaces.
Chhay Huor, a Cambodian-American who invited the ambassador to speak at the dinner, later himself stressed the importance of unity within the communities.
"Supposedly if we have any problems we can go to lobby in Washington, DC, if we can work closely together as one," he said. "This is because customarily in the US lobbying is the most necessary act in Congress."
Another Cambodian-American at the meeting, Franklin Ly, said Cambodians working together would make it easier to meet their goals.
"Foreigners, such as Americans, or other nationals, they do have more unification than the Khmer, as I understand, because I have associated businesses with Chinese, Vietnamese," he said. "I have not seen Khmer hand-in-hand doing business together, trusting each other, no."
11 comments:
How? when khmer killed khmer by the millions, how can you trust your khmer neighbor.. I don't give a dammn to BS UNITY!! I just care about getting food on the table for my family that should be good for me. Fuck Unity!! when same blood killing same blood.
Cuban American is unifying strong. you must kidding me. Come on, it is strong because the cold war Cuban missile crisis residual and mentality still continue in US congress and politics. More than 40 years of embargo still take effect. And Cuba is now the only communist state in Western hemiphere and the worse part is she is just located 60 miles off shore Florida's key. Regardless Cuban community strong or weak, the US is having very strong interest in her neighbor. Cuba is a sore eyes to US.
Jews community is strong because US is palying vital role in Middle East theater. Israel is playnig an crucial role in keeping Muslim hemisphere and influence at bay. Plus it is the historical root of Christianity domination in US politics. 3 billions dollars a year in aids to Israel. The aids will be increased more this year and on. Regardless strong or weak, the US can't ignore one piece of land of vital organs in US foreign policy and future Western civilization.
Cambodia-What is the main factor of US interests beside humanitarian and guilty of do nothing during the killing field.
Well, perhaps US will step up when Chnia becaome more powerful in Asia. But US more likely trun to Vietnam and India to buffer China influence than Cambodia. Losing Cambodia to China will not drastically harm US foreign policy in Asia either. But VN does do damage.
I agree with Mr. Ambassador. I'm particularly critical of those indviduals who can not even united communities within a state and yet want to rule the country.
I, too, agreed with Ambassador Mussomeli. We, Khmers, have a saying "it takes thousands of ants to build a mount". Yes, the saddened parts are that Khmers have too much internal conflicts & dissociative.
In those 2 points, I am ashamed to be Khmer. Looked at the Hmong communities who used to live in the mountain/jungle. They became very educated and a strong communities. How many Khmer went beyond High School to pursue a career? I would guess 1000 of us in the USA actually went to colleges or universities.
Twins cities by most are the strongest Khmer communities! The others are just SSI payroll system.
Khmer Rouge Era in doctrine us no to trust each other. At the same time everyone like to say I`m just trying to survive so I don`t give a damn about others. You don't have to look far to see how unity would work to benefit our Khmer Community.
All the examples are around us. Look at the Hmong communities, they were out there at the California State Capital to make the Court release those that try to over throw the Lao Government on Bail, and they did. Think how can the Hmong Community could benefit more than us when the U.S.A bomb us and the Khmer Republic of Cambodia allow the United States to Bomb the Viet Cong and Khmer Rouge. We`re left in the dark because we did not demand what is OWED to US like the Hmong did.
This goes out to the Laos Community too who are disenfranchise. We need to unite ourselves then unite along with the Hmong and Laos to make our self stronger. Now that is a better Idea because we all came to the United States and other countries for the same reason.
wars created by outsiders non-cambodians make cambodian people distrust each other. we should be united based on the interest of our nation.
Khmers are not united even the blind can see that. In fact they do just the opposite: they like to kill each other through out the history then blame it on others.
To all the above comments. When you mentioned the word "Khmer", is that including you, too?
Enough is said about Cambodian disunity! I really hate to see Cambodian people adopt the herd mentality or the way ant colony think! I fail to understand what part did Cambodian fail to unify as a group of people to fight the enemy unless Cambodian people are being misled into believing something! Back then the communists were very good at spreading their propaganda and they promised everything under the sky to make those stupid alliterate Cambodian people into believing that they can have everything if they join the communist revolution! Then what happen? Well! All these stupid illiterate Cambodian people were very disappointed because now they worked like animal with no food under the hot sun digging their own grave! ahahahah!
Every time I went to the Cambodian Temple or Cambodian New Year and I see a lot unity among Cambodian people because they showed me that they can come together and doing something! Now if Cambodian people don't have unity and how can they build Temple or celebrate New Year!
It is not such a bad idea for Cambodian community to be fractious and disassociated to show some diversity! My reasons are somewhat complexes due to my experience with the Khmer Rouge communal living system that forced Cambodian people to spy on each other, to think alike, to dress alike, and to serve Angkor with all their heart day and night!
Because of the Khmer Rouge communal living system which forces Cambodian people to conform and when Cambodian people conformed and the Khmer Rouge can kill Cambodian people as easy as a chicken! Well! I believe even a chicken is better than Cambodian people because at least the chicken put a struggle before its death!
Cambodian people aren't that stupid anymore in dealing with AH HUN SEN government! The international community need to understand that AH HUN SEN government is still practicing same tactic as the Khmer Rouge because Cambodian people can be disappeared without reason for hanging with the wrong crowd or for doing something noble! AH HUN SEN Khmer Rouge system of government can make any Cambodian people disappeared just like Monk Tim Sakhorn! Do you remember the trade union Chea Vichea? He was shot in broad daylight because of his unity with dirt poor Cambodian people to fight for a better working condition!
I want to say a lot more but time will not permit me...So please stop all the self-blaming or self-whining and start by doing something to change Cambodia! I don't care what you do as long you are doing something so that Cambodia will one day join the world community!
Khmer must learn to admit their mistake. Rarely I ever see Khmer people are willing admit of their wrong doing, instead they shift the blame. It is a human thing to make mistake but what we must do is learn from it not to repeat the same mistake.
To 10:32PM!
Would you be kind enough to tell the world what that mistake is?
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