Together, We Can!

TOGETHER, WE CAN!

April 02, 2008
Op-Ed by Justin Sok

I just wanted to capture a precious moment of everyone’s attention. Since I was among the individuals living in the community and had also raised issue relating to the upcoming annual Cambodian New Year Cultural parade, I wanted to express my thoughts with every one on the issue in the hopes of bringing this matter to a close. It is by no means my intention to reiterate and/or harangue about the issues as a personal memoir. However, I feel that it is important to share the issue out in the open so that the public would have an opportunity to witness how the issue was raised and how it would eventually affect the outcome of our annual Cambodian New Year Cultural parade.

They say, “Every barrel always has a few rotten apples.” It would not be a controversial issue if this were about a few rotten apples. But the issue raised was clearly about a few community organization leaders who, without having consult with their associates and without giving the public an opportunity to share their opinions on the issue, were quick to execute their plans in which they had hoped that their status would shine. Among the goals and objectives they have proposed to add on to the original ones were to “invite a dignitary from Cambodia” to participate in the annual Cambodian New Year Cultural parade, which will be held on Sunday, April 6, 2008. However, since the issue of the “invitation” appeared to be somewhat sleight-of-hand and surreptitiously undertaken by the few so-called community organization leaders, it would defeat the whole purpose of our solidarity and damn our democratic principles. The issue of “inviting” a high-ranking Phnom Penh government official was clearly the focal point of our argument, and if the proposed issue were allowed to stand, it would surely prove foreseeable future detrimental.

Despite the relentless pursuit for dialogue made by concerned individuals and groups of Cambodian and Cambodian-American people from our community, to clarify the invitation issue, it is encouraging to hear from Mr. Peter Long, Cam-CC. Mr. Long issued a public statement, which he had claimed to have “misunderstanding” among the few so-called community organization leaders. The Cam-CC had been informed that “Deputy Prime Minister Sok An will not attend the annual Cambodian New Year Cultural parade,” he added. Although the public statement was not scrupulously stated, nor was intended as “public apology” for having caused such an upheaval in the community, it has significantly calmed our Cambodian and Cambodian-American people in the community. I had hoped that the recent controversial issue could always be rectified. I would personally like to commend Mr. Long for his fervently taking the actions to reassure the public with the limited information he had to offer. I am quite confident that Mr. Long’s gestures were meant to reach out and try to cement the relationship among the Cambodian and Cambodian-American people in our community and as well as the Cambodian people overseas.

The law required that business corporations and organizations should always have stipulated their internal policies and procedures on how to appropriately conduct their business with the public. For instance, one of the rules would be a disciplinary action, which it adhered to would specifically state the procedures and rules on how to handle the member/employee(s) who has violated that rules. Frankly, I would like to make a fair generalize statement that the public would like to leave this action in the hands of the community organization leaders and their members to decide what would be appropriate action to take for the few individuals who were identified within the organizations that had made this monumental and inexcusable mistake.

On the other hand, I would hope that the community leaders and the organizations would process this and take the issue raised by our Cambodian and Cambodian-American people in the community as an educational learning opportunity. I wish that the community organizations, the Cambodian and Cambodian-American people in the community, and as well as, the Cambodian people overseas would come to the conclusion that “it is always best to make room for improvements.”

While we are trying to put this matter in the rear mirror, let’s hope that in the future the organizations and community leaders would pay more heed to the community, focus more on responsibility, accountability, and be more transparency about the hair-splitting public matters, which would help prevent from causing friction and misunderstanding among the people in our community. The public has given a voice and that voice has indeed needed to be honored.

The importance of civility, reminding us of the difficulty of the tasks, and saying that we ought not to be surprised that we were struggling and that these struggles reflected our seriousness, and that nothing less than an open and honest discussion of issues was suitable to the tasks we faced. It has been historically proven that when people pull together and roll up their sleeves to work together on a particular issue, they can achieve anything. Together, I believe we can!

I wanted to take this window of opportunity to thank all the Cambodian community organizations, leaders, and their members for their commitment, diligent, and meticulous work for the New Year Celebration. Through their work, I am confident that the New Year Celebration will be a success. I would also like to offer my sincerely acknowledgement and thank the individual concerned citizens (you know who you are), the associations, and the concerned citizens as a whole for being the eyes and ears of the community. Lastly, I would also like to extend my deep appreciation and gratitude to the Cambodian and Cambodian-American people living in our community, and as well as, the Cambodian people overseas for their courage in standing up for what they believe is just, and for added their voices of encouragement and support.

For this New Year Celebration, wherever you are, I wish each and every one of you a shower of good health, happiness, prosperity, and a Happy New Year! May this New Year and the years a head of you be much brighter than you could possibly guess! Happy New Year!

Thank you.

Justin C. Sok
April 02, 2008