Op-Ed by Chum Sirath
Phnom Penh
Like it or not, Prime Minister Hun Sen is a master of the art of "divide and reign." The defection in the 1990s of Ieng Sary signaled the beginning of the end for the Khmer Rouge. The allegiance of then-Funcinpec Foreign Minister Ung Huot conferred a sense of legitimacy to the post-July 1997 government.
Equally significant were the breaking apart of the Son Sann Party following the defection of Ieng Mouly, the defection of Toan Chay from the Prince Ranariddh-led Funcinpec, and the attempt to break the Khmer Nation Party, which led to the party being renamed after its president, Sam Rainsy.
What happened to these defectors—some are in jail, some are not heard from anymore—is not very important.
Today, the defections of SRP officials look impressive with the amplification of the media. But the CPP and SRP both have strong structures, and it will be interesting to see which of the two parties will emerge stronger out of this episode.
In a mature democracy, investigative journalism would help understand the reasons behind and the impact of these defections: public interest, fear, greed?
In France, a finance minister had to resign because his official residence rental was far too expansive. In the UK, a home minister was reprimanded because he intervened to speed up the delivery of a visa for a friend. And the most famous case of investigative journalism is the Washington Post Watergate story, which led to the resignation of US President Richard Nixon in the 1970s.
May these events encourage investigative journalism to develop, thus fulfilling the role of the press as the Fourth Estate.
Equally significant were the breaking apart of the Son Sann Party following the defection of Ieng Mouly, the defection of Toan Chay from the Prince Ranariddh-led Funcinpec, and the attempt to break the Khmer Nation Party, which led to the party being renamed after its president, Sam Rainsy.
What happened to these defectors—some are in jail, some are not heard from anymore—is not very important.
Today, the defections of SRP officials look impressive with the amplification of the media. But the CPP and SRP both have strong structures, and it will be interesting to see which of the two parties will emerge stronger out of this episode.
In a mature democracy, investigative journalism would help understand the reasons behind and the impact of these defections: public interest, fear, greed?
In France, a finance minister had to resign because his official residence rental was far too expansive. In the UK, a home minister was reprimanded because he intervened to speed up the delivery of a visa for a friend. And the most famous case of investigative journalism is the Washington Post Watergate story, which led to the resignation of US President Richard Nixon in the 1970s.
May these events encourage investigative journalism to develop, thus fulfilling the role of the press as the Fourth Estate.
15 comments:
Hi m a journalist, m writing an article about the Cambodians blogger. How do u think about the blog? Is it important for our daily life or not?
Hun Sen can only divide and concure Cambodia. If he's so good at this strategy, he should divide and concure youn so that he can break from their chain.
To 4:13PM
Thanks for writing blogs regarding issues pertaining to events taking place in Cambodia and her people whether it is politically or socially. I find it to be extremely informative. I appreciate your hard work; this is the only way I can keep myself up-to-date to what is happening in Cambodia and Cambodian communities across the globe.
the author should have also cited the defection of Ranaridh from the Alliance of democrats enabling Hun Sen to from his packet government. What happened to ranaridh 2 years later? where is he now? how does Hun sen thank him. If I am today SRP defector, I would not feel safe
Regard the Cambodian blogger, it is very important, I read it every day to keep myself up to date with the situation in Cambodia. I really appreciated it.
អា អគ្គមហាសេវាដៃចោរ ឬ អាបណ្ឌិតភ្លេចរៀន ហ៊ុន សែន ខ្វះចំណេះដឹង មិនចេះធ្វើអ្វី ក្រៅអំពី(វិធី បំបែកបំបាក់ខ្មែរ ដើម្បីគ្រប់គ្រង) នោះទេ។ ចៅហ្វាយ យួន របស់ អា ហ៊ុន សែនបាន បង្រៀនអា ហ៊ុន សែន អោយប្រើប្រាស់ វិធីនេះ ដើម្បី យួនខ្ចីដៃ អា ហ៊ុន សែនបំផ្លាញខ្មែរ ឧទាហរ៖
-អំពើក្បត់ជាតិ របស់អាហ៊ុន សែន ដែលចុះហត្ថលេខា កាត់ដី ខ្មែរ អោយយួន,
-អំពើក្បត់អាហ៊ុន សែន ដែលបញ្ចូលពួក រាស្ត្រយួន អោយមករស់នៅ គ្រប់ខេត្តក្រុង នៃប្រទេសខ្មែរ រាប់លាននាក់ ដោយអា ហ៊ុន សែន អោយសញ្ញាតិ ពួកនោះជាខ្មែរ,
-អំពើក្បត់ជាតិ ទី ៣ គឺ អា ហ៊ុន សែន បានសំលាប់ អ្នកស្នេហាជាតិ ដែលមានគំនិត អភិវឌ្ឍប្រទេសខ្មែរ,
-អំពើក្បត់ជាតិ ទី ៤ គឺ អា ហ៊ុន សែន បង្កភាពភ័យខ្លាច ដល់ ប្រជារាស្ត្រខ្មែរ ដោយវិធីចាប់ចង វិធីរំលោភដីធ្លី វិធីសំលុតបំបិទមាត់ សាក្សី ជាដើម។
អាអគ្គមហាសេវាដៃចោរ ហ៊ុន សែន ត្រូវតែទទួល ទារុណកម្ម នៅនរកអវចី ដោយ ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ ដែលបានបូជាជីវិត ដោយសាច់ស្រស់ ឈាមស្រស់ ទៅហើយនោះ។
បរាជ័យទៅ អាក្បត់ជាតិ អគ្គមហាសេវាដៃចោរ ហ៊ុន សែន!!!
Yeah that is his tactics. Got to belive me What goes up must comes down. What goes around must comes around. Tiger, only strong when he is young with shinny claws and fangs. But all natures or thing has its doom.
Unfortunately, politicians play games on the backs of the population. For Hun Sen it seems to have become a sport to weaken the opposition parties by luring higher ranking members into the CPP. As a matter of fact, this is part of the political game throughout the world. So Hun Sen just follows in good old traditions. As long as the opposition is so weak and has no real leadership structure he will continue to be successful. Though the SRP is important in today's Cambodia it won't make a dent in the course of events. It does not have the stature required to offer a real alternative. That may be because there simply aren't enough qualified people in today's society. Cambodia will probably have to wait another 5 to 10 years for those to appear from today's university graduates.
We just can not wait till the tiger get old1 How many of our young children goin to die may be the wholf village would eat by the tiger!
The villlage will become jungle!! ! that to much for the wait let kille the tiger!!!or out it in kage!!!
If AH HUN SEN is all that mighty and how come he couldn't break the Vietcong chain from his neck?
All of defectors who joined AH HUN SEN in the past were disappeared from the political scene or public life! Maybe AH HUN SEN have a lot of money to pay them to shut the fuck up or he could threaten their life and beside AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave control everything in Cambodia...the police, the military, and the court!
Past success performance doesn't guarantee the same future outcome!
That is true. But one day this dog will turn around and bite its master. Believe me it will happen.
Dear KJE
Unfortunately, politicians play games on the backs of the population.
That is applied to all politicians around the globe no matter where are they. 1st they need to get people behind them, support them then vote them into the office. Once they are in the office things would go slightly or drastically different way then during their campaigns - lots of broken promises.
For Hun Sen it seems to have become a sport to weaken the opposition parties by luring higher ranking members into the CPP.
Yes, it might be the case but that come down to each individual conscious, moral and self-respect which may be interpreted into searching for what they think fit to them whether or not would serve the purpose of a nation or individual ego in pursue their long waited dream and only them can know the entire story. Therefore cannot just pinpoint finger to other party for luring them, then voters shall carefully balance their thought and facts before casting their vote.
Hun Sen is a "STONG MAN" who is afraid of V.N.
You don't call him samdech decho for nothing.This guy is fucking smart.
The bastard Samdech Dagkol Hun Sen only smart for himself but not for Cambodia!
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