Saturday, June 21, 2008

A Relentless Campaign Of Intimidation And Its Boomerang Effect


Romania's Nicolae Ceausescu
Iraq's Saddam Hussein

Thursday, June 19, 2008
Editorial by Khmerization
On the web at http://khmerization.blogspot.com
Mr. Hun Sen should look around himself and see the fates of other fallen dictators. Many have died a terrible and agonising death. Adolf Hitler was incinerated in a bunker (1945). Mussolini was hanged upside down by his own people (1945). Ceaucescu of Romania was sentenced to death by a firing squad by his own people (1991). Zia Al-Hug of Pakistan died of a plane crash, presumably from an assassination. Laurent Kabila of The Congo also died in a plane crash, presumably from an assassination (2000). Najibula of Afghanistan was hanged upside down by the Taliban(?) in 1989. Last but not least, Saddam Hussein, but not yet Saddam Hun Sen, was hanged by the Iraqi and the Americans soldiers in 2006.”
Prime Minister Hun Sen is in his irrational and manic mind again. His erratic behaviours and his belligerent political manoeuvres of late is worrisome. The latest developments in the Cambodian political spectrum is a cause for concerned. As a concerned citizen who followed the political event in Cambodia very closely, I am saddened to see PM Hun Sen devoting all his entire energy and time to a campaign of political intimidation and victimisation of his political nemesis.

I am of the opinion that Mr. Hun Sen’s use of Mr. Hor Namhong’s defamation suit as an excuse to suspend Mr. Sam Rainsy’s parliamentary immunity and his decision to revisit a finished business of the 1998 mortar attack on his motorcade was nothing more than an attempt to thwart and hijack Mr Sam Rainsy’s electoral victory. (Full details here).

People may recall that some time ago, I have written that when one said the truth one said it for the interests of the public and the truth is defendable in a court of law. It was the undeniable fact that Mr Hor Namhong was indeed a chief of Boeng Trabek Prison and Mr. Sam Rainsy’s speech, whether malicious and vexatious or not, was the truth and said in the public interests.

I, like many others, believe that the 1998 mortar attack on Mr. Hun Sen’s motorcade was a set up, organised and orchestrated, by Mr. Hun Sen himself in order to use it as a pretext to arrest Sam Rainsy and Ranariddh when they refused to accept him as the PM during a post election political stalemate. So, the reactivation of this case is to open up an old wound with the intention of bullying his way into a PM job again, should he loses the upcoming election. (Full details here).

A long term observers of the Cambodian political situation would view the latest political developments with cynicism, with sinister perception and with a sense of déjà vu. With this kind of relentless campaign of terror and political intimidation, Cambodia and the Cambodian people could never have peace in their mind. A sense of fears would discourage them from participating in the election process and create an atmosphere not conducive to the holding of a free and fair election.

The lesson of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s should be learned. When people’s legitimate political rights and freedom had been suppressed and a campaign of terror and victimisation was unleashed against them, the resultant effect was that they opted for an armed struggle. I am not an apologist of the Khmer Rouge and never will be, but many would have agreed with me that their armed struggle was not of their own choice but rather it was forced upon them as a result of the suppression of their legitimate political rights and freedom. I am drawing a parallel here as I want to wake up Prime Minister Hun Sen to the fact that his suppression, oppression and victimisation of opposition activists would see a return to the 1960s style of political movement turning into an armed movement. We could also see some aspects of vengeance and revenge killings against Lon Nol’s officials by the Khmer Rouge and the revenge killings against Khmer Rouge cadres after Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1979.

Coming back to the real issue, I believe that the reinvestigation of the 1998 mortar attack on Mr. Hun Sen’s motorcade and the request for the suspension of Mr. Sam Rainsy’s parliamentary immunity, is nothing short of a political witch hunt against Mr. Hun Sen’s political opponents. The investigating team, which consists of amateurs, resembles a vigilante group set up to hunt down Mr. Hun Sen’s political opponents in order to bring them to his kangaroo court.

Now, let’s look at the investigators’ credentials and their expertise or the lack of it. Meas Sophea and Mol Roeub are army generals who have no experience or expertise in the police investigation. Lek Bun Nhean, a Sam Rainsy Party defector from the countryside, was probably nothing more than an unemployed farmer who is seeking an opportunity to make a fortune from his defection. In an independent judiciary, these three people appointed by Hun Sen’s to investigate an attack of that magnitude would be called a vigilante group because they have no jurisdiction or expertise to investigate such a case, which should fall under the jurisdiction of the police.

One could not comprehend Mr. Hun Sen’s relentless campaign of terror against Mr. Sam Rainsy other than to say that it might be born out of a personal, a political and a vindictive vendetta, as Mr. Sam Rainsy is the only serious contender who could cause Mr. Hun Sen’s political downfall. Apparently, Mr. Hun Sen is building up a case against Sam Rainsy in order to use it against him after the election should the latter chooses to get in the way of his prime ministership. And one could say that a pattern of Mr. Hun Sen’s bellicose behaviours at this stage is reminiscence of the 2005 case when Mr. Sam Rainsy, Mr. Chea Poch and Mr. Cheam Channy were stripped off their parliamentary immunity, arrested and exiled.

Mr Hun Sen’s latest actions has reinforced the belief that he has no intention of relinquishing his grip on power should he loses the election. His campaign of terror cannot ensure a smooth election, let alone a smooth transfer of power should Sam Rainsy wins. The lifting of Rainsy’s parliamentary immunity could see him arrested any time soon and sent to long prison term. Should this scenario is to occur, we would see the darkest episode of Cambodia’s present day politics.

Does Sam Rainsy have any weapons to fight back?

Should the scenario that has been unveiled above is to occur, Sam Rainsy has to exhaust and unleash all options. In a tit-for-tat, Mr. Sam Rainsy should fight back through legal channel. There is a belief that Prime Minister Hun Sen was linked to a range of crimes and a possible war crime. It might be a wishful thinking, however, it is possible that Sam Rainsy can try to request for the FBI to release its investigations into the 1997 grenade attacks in front of the National Assembly which killed 19 people and wounded approximately 190 people, including one American. Victims and their families can lodge a law suit against Mr. Hun Sen in the Cambodian court, if the FBI investigations linked him to that crime. Secondly, Sam Rainsy can request to the Cambodian court to reinvestigate the murder of actress Pisith Pilika, which many people believed was masterminded by Hun Sen’s wife, with him as an accessory. Thirdly, the tortures and executions of Ranariddh’s loyalists after the 1997 coup can constitute a war crime. There is a belief that Prime Minister Hun Sen had ordered their tortures and executions after they surrendered. This crime is prosecutable in the International Criminal Court and is punishable by long prison term. Fourthly, as Mr. Hun Sen was a former Khmer Rouge’s high-ranking cadre, he is a suitable candidate for prosecution by the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, which is currently still in full operation.

Of course, this is just a wishful thinking. With Mr. Hun Sen at his firm grip on power, prosecuting him for any crimes would be hard, if not impossible. But Mr. Sam Rainsy should exhaust all options in order to fight back.

What is the boomerang effect on Mr. Hun Sen’s latest actions?

Mr Hun Sen must realise that no one, including himself, could live forever and therefore, rules forever. Mr. Suharto of Indonesia, with his military might, lasted for 30 years, after his military abandoned him. Mr. Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines lasted 21 years when the people power rose up against him and his military abandoned him. Mr. Augusto Pinochet of Chile lasted 17 years, again, after his military refused to go along with his brutal rule.

Furthermore, Mr. Hun Sen should look around himself and see the fates of other fallen dictators. Many have died a terrible and agonising death. Adolf Hitler was incinerated in a bunker (1945). Mussolini was hanged upside down by his own people (1945). Ceaucescu of Romania was sentenced to death by a firing squad by his own people (1991). Zia Al-Hug of Pakistan died of a plane crash, presumably from an assassination. Laurent Kabila of The Congo also died in a plane crash, presumably from an assassination (2000). Najibula of Afghanistan was hanged upside down by the Taliban(?) in 1989. Last but not least, Saddam Hussein, but not yet Saddam Hun Sen, was hanged by the Iraqi and the Americans soldiers in 2006.

These are just some examples that Mr. Hun Sen needs to reflect on his future fate. He had ruled long enough, amassed more than enough personal fortunes and so he should retire quietly and enjoy his stolen wealth in a foreign country, presumably in Vietnam.

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

never a good thing to be a dictator, and this goes for anyone on the planet. usually, a dictator goes from riches to rags, not the other way around.

Anonymous said...

Last year in 2007 I went to Anlong Veng in the north-western border of Cambodia to spit on Pol Pot grave. I wonder when Hun Sen die where will his grave site be ?

Anonymous said...

people, please learn from the4 world around you. everything has its professional boundary, even a leader has to respect the law and the wish of its majority of voters. clinging to power for too long is not a good thing. maybe it's time for other newly, educated individual to have a chance to steer the country to a more prosperous direction as well. thank you.

Anonymous said...

Re: Iraq war, the he US reputation, in the eyes and thoughts of the international community, is already damned due to the inflated dossier on Weapon of Mass Destruction as an excuse to invade Iraq leave alone to stand up and admit that they hanged Suddam Hussein.

Since last year and last month the 2 allies the UK - PM Tony Blair has withdrawnn all Brithish combat troops and so does Australia under the Rudd administration is starting pull withdraw its diggers from Iraq leaving US to settle the war in Iraq by itself.

Suharto was fallen from power but was given a state funeral by the current President of Indonesia and was attended by many heads of state and dignitaries from around the world which is proven that the late Suharto was somehow doing something good for his country, people and the region.

Anonymous said...

that said, i think mr. hun sen had done a great job for cambodia so far. however, by him staying in the position of power too long can actually create a bad image of him as a bad dictator as he is really is a good dictator. maybe by him decided to stop running for prime minister could make him more popular with the khmer people.

but again, look around the world again. in singapore, one of the singaporean prime minister, i forgot his real name, was in power there over 30 years in the '60s, '70s, and '80s, and he did a lot for singapore. and i'm sure there are a few other like that in the world. perhaps, this kind of example goes to show that not all dictators are bad for the country; it's just being in office too long that made it look bad in the eyes of democracy.

again, one has to wonder. for mr. hun sen to stay in power for so long already, perhaps, says a lot about him, in a good way, perhaps? but it depends on who judges him, is it the majority of the cambodian people or is it his political opponents? maybe it should be left to the political experts to judge him.

the way, i see it is this: if mr. hun sen is so bad the way he dictates cambodia, i don't think he can stands a chance that long already, not just by cambodians alone, but by the world's diplomatic community as well. i give him some credit for having brought cambodia this far through thick and thin, literally speaking. i cannot imagine other could do what he did if it were for who he is, his character, his charisma, his political skills. i often would hear people (his political opponents) or attack his personal character more than his duty as a prime minister of cambodia. for example, the elitists and other special interest group of people often pointed out his mediocre background saying that he's from a peasant or ordinary khmer family with no former higher education, etc... they would also criticized this affiliation with the infamous KR regime as a young soldier. isn't this what most cambodian were asked to do then. so in a way, he had no choice as the civil war raged on, and god knows he couldn't help it if he bornt into a poor, peasant khmer family. i don't think he really had that choice deciding his god given destiny. and for some to point this kind of character is not right as they did not consider the situatin of cambodia at the that time and the fact that it goes to show that people can change and can achieve when given opportunity like everyone else. so, i don't think it's really fair to used those kind of personal character to slander a person of high ranking. because it makes me wonder what is the purpose of somebody saying such thing to degrade a person? there got to be a motivational force somewhere or something along that line.

anyway, i give mr. hun sen some credit for his service to our nation. however, the question ought to be how much longer is he willing to stay in office without regards that others are awaiting and wanting to run for office as well. and for anyone to say something like, oh, but we don't have anyone that is as capable and as willing as he is is not enough justification. if this doesn't work out, then i called for some kind of term limit for the prime ministership position. otherwise, if nobody cares to called for this kind of law, then, don't complain or whine about it because it brings into question any motive behind the delay of such essential law. thank you and god bless cambodia and her beautiful khmer people.

Anonymous said...

i forgot his real name, was in power there over 30 years in the '60s, '70s, and '80s, and he did a lot for singapore.

Dear 5:29 AM
The person you are mentioned is Mr. Lee Kwan Yu - the founder of Singapore, is currently is the senior mentor of Singapore while his son Mr. Lee junior is the head of Singapore government.

Anonymous said...

How much longer. . .? You know the human's mind, especially the mind of a low-life who gets high position by luck, too little!

Anonymous said...

Best article.

Anonymous said...

4:57,
Don't forget.... from alive to dead!

Anonymous said...

thank you, 5:35am. i mean, perhaps, not all dictatosr are bad, granted most were bad or the worse in the history of the world; however, in the case of mr. lee kwan yu and perhaps, mr. hun sen? is not so bad at all. so, perhaps, in academia, we are taught to think for ourselves and to think reasonably because just because there are one bad apple, doesn't mean all the apples are bad. it also beckons the question: is the glass half empty or half full; i say, it really depends on the individual that looks at it; thus, there is no right or wrong way to say that it is half empty or only half full. thank you.

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen believes that he is recarnated from Sdach Kan.
Is he invincible ?
Sdach Kan was headed off at the end of his life, and so will Hun Sen.
Wait & see after the July 2008.

Hun Sen & his Evil ruling will be faded out very soon.

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen will die ugly!

Anonymous said...

THE NEXT TIME IS HUN SEN !

HUN SEN IS THE CRIMINAL AGAINST HUMANITY IN CAMBODIA.

ah Hun Sen massacred Khmer people on Sunday 30 march 1997
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Anonymous said...

It is fascinating to see the three dictators look a lot like Ah Scam Rainxy. They all has special immunity from the rule of law. They all scam and deceive people. They all used people suffering to get to to the top....

Anonymous said...

Ah Hun Sen choh noruok!

Anonymous said...

There should be no comparison between Lee Kuan Yew and Mr. Hun Sen. Mr. Lee was highly intelligent, highly-educated and a highly respected founding father of Singapore who steered Singapore into economic success. He was an elected strongman and have never committed any political murders.
On the other hand, Hun Sen was lowly-educated and detested in Cambodia. He came to power through a barrel of a gun- propped up by Vietnam- and then bullied his way into sharing power in 1993, after he lost the election. Staged the coup in 1997, then cheated to win in 1998 and 2003. He served Cambodia approximately the same time as Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, but look at Singapore and Cambodia. Lee Kuan Yew made way for a smooth transfer of power to a young generation, but Hun Sen is obstinately refusing to make way for his younger lieutenants such as Sok An, Chea Sophara, Sar Kheng, Ke Kim Yan etc. So there is no similarities between these two- one was an elected strongman, the other is a loser who bullied his way into power, misruled the country then committed numerous murders against his political opponents.

Anonymous said...

tell me how this could happen to hun sen, he controls everything, police, army everyone...and usa has no interest to push him out like sadam or others...hun sen will rule forever stop dreaming yourself ... this will never happen.... hun sen could only be removed by bloodshed people revolution...but forget about that!all cambodians are scared from the past war and they all keep low profile...hun sen knows very well cambodian weak point...listen to his threatened words ...it should have been the other way aound....to conclude stop dreaming unless one brave leader come up and lead the revolution to victory...otherwise forget it hun sen will rule forever! guarantee you all!....

Anonymous said...

revolution is not good as cambodia doesn't need one. look what happen to the KR regime. so much of their stupid backward revolutionary vision. are you saying cambodia should have another one like that? stupid one time is not enough and want another one! how psychopathetic someone who wishes this is! before people supported, but now, i don't thing anybody in their right mind will support that radical idea again.

what i don't understand is why some politician or people want to resort to war and more killings of innocent people? why can't everyone solve problem in a legal and lawful way like everybody else? no wonder cambodia population is always shrinking compare to the neighbors! i like to see someone do this so-called war by themselves. i think there are numerous ways to find solution in a civilized way. i think war is only between nation who violated other nation's sovereignty, but not civil war again. how stupid can that be! talk about self-interest and power-hunger! not!!! only terrorists would declare war for no apparent reason. please don't include the cambodian people in this, just do it on your own, by yourself. i think don't anybody in the majority would vote for that.

Anonymous said...

only uneducated people say such thing as war. be careful, for saying war because you can be a terrorist and that is illegal to be a terrorist or something along that line.

Anonymous said...

War should not be an option- it should be avoided at all cost. Cambodia got enough of it already. Remember, no one can live forever and likewise, no one can rule forever. At some time his day will come. either losing through an election or his party and his lieutenants like Sar Kheng, Sok An, Ke Kim Yan, Heng Samrin and others in the CPP will kick him out because they wanted to be PM too. At the moment Hun Sen doesn't trust his police and military leaders, only those close to him like Kum Kim, Pol Saroeun, Meas Sophea, Mol Roeub etc. There are rumours that he doesn't even trust Sok An, Hok Lundy anymore, let alone trusting Ke Kimyan, Sar Kheng and so on. So his days are numbered. It is only a matter of time.

Anonymous said...

In most case dictator go from scandalously rich directly to six feet underground.
Good luck Mr. Hun Sen!

Anonymous said...

KHMERS are not coward , KHMERs now are more educate then 60',70',80'and 90 , event KHMER peoples that living in the country side are educate a lot better then before , so Mr 10:34 AM , please don't try to fool us.
Mr 10:34 AM , you sound like YOUN that speak Khmer name( CHUM KOSAL , He's HUN SEN adviser I saw him in CTN KHMER TV CHANNEL , that GUY make me sick , He can talk anything good a bout HUN SEN , defence HUN SEN with a sweet voice , polite words , but those sweet voice and polite word it poision more than the KING COBRA ..SIC!
Anyway , you are rigth about KHMERS people , we don't want any more war in our country , but MR we KHMER PEOPLEs have to defence our coutry as long as , MORE then 4MILLION YOUN speak KHMER like YOU sir still exist in our coutry , we will resist stand up to face any danger to defence our country with any mean . We are sorry to all YOUN like you SIR , that try to swallow our coutry , and tell us not to fight for a chang , WE don't want our country to BECOME like our POOR KHMER KROM.
Mr HUN SEN is a CRIMINAL a gaint HUMANITY in CAMBODIA , He kills Khmers poeple during Khmer rouge regime , He kills more Khmers during YOUN invaded our country brutaly when HUN SEN PLAN call K5 , a lot's of inocent KHMERs peoples force to go to jungle step on land mine get kill by decease and so on HUN SEN doesn't care a bout those lifes that lose , instead he HAPPYand enjoy with a promotion from YOUN HANOI.
Then a coup a gaint RANARITH , a Hundred of RANNARITH supporter have been kill in a brutal way , their tongue have been pull out, their eye have been removed.
and then Granade Attack a gaint SAM RAINSY Peaceful protesters Again hundred peoples have been kill or wounded.
Also Mr CHEA VICHEA , PISET PEALIKHA , and many more have been slaughter by HUN SEN.
Cambodia have to chang , BUT not HUN SEN way .
HUN SEN have two CHOICE , pack up now and go to HANOI with his 2 or 300million dollar that he got from KHMER blood and build couple of palace there OR wait for his DOOOOOM day and get HANG OR SHOT BY his OWN men(YOUN).
C Pee Pee suporters ARE WELLCOME to respond.!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

i can see hun sen and his cronies will rule forever! bet ya 1 dollar for a million, hun sen know no one dare chalenging him all his deputies are now linked to him by their children marriage...case like sadam hussein do not apply here! thanks to all you so educated now hun sen will win no matter what because he cheats the vote directlt and indirectly, you will see cpp will be way ahead all those fools 11 parties are just cpp cosmetic! hun sen laugh his ass off ...he even threat civil war to people because he knows your all weak point...hun sen you are a real lucky son of a bitch thanks to the cambodian coward attitude and thanks to pol pot who did the job for him...HUN SEN IS FOREVER PM!!!BET YA 120 percent! sok an sok kheng hok lundy meas sophea they all linked to hun sen by their relative and their children/s marriage... sSTOP DREAMING YOU FOOLS OUT THERE THANKS TO YOUR HIGH EDUCATION HUN SEN WILL RULE FOREVER!!!!

Anonymous said...

HUN SEN supporter pretent be making fun of IT MASTER 1:12 PM, you fool 1:12 PM , if you think HUN SEN ( next SADDAM DEAD BODY ) can rules foever why she so afraid of opposition leader popularity , she try to to making up a fake story , try to buy the guys that quit from SAM RAINSY party , some of them since 1998 , try to hire the criminal that get KICK out from the PURE and CLEAN PARTY and use it (compare with a dog)a gaint inocent leader ,treat to reivestigate rocket attack 10 year a go , But he forget to reinvestigate ,the case of Mr CHEA VICHEA , MRS PHISET PHILIKA( hAVE SEX WITH HUN SEN , THEN HUN SEN SENT IT WIFE TO MURDER HER), Granade Attack on peaceful protesters , Miss TOUCH SREY NICH , and so many more ..This black lips with dirty teeth call opposition leader play dirty , but event his mouth he never brush it and smell all the way to the west,YACK YACK

Anonymous said...

Bullshit, the CPP doesn't try to buy anyone. People joined it because it the way to the 21st century. That is all.

Anonymous said...

Bullshit!
You, Bullshit!
Do you know what Hun Sen do?

Anonymous said...

Yes! But, nobody in Hun Sen Clans's anyone to join. All we (CPP) do is offering a prospect a position, wealth, land, and lifestyles of the elite Khmers. However, once you're accepting the offer, then a person become part of a cult! The rules of oppression/suppression, intimidation, and/or assaults your own clanships or citizens are part of the cohesiveness of the CPP.

We are proud to be CPP. We are proud Hun Sen's rule by the iron fists. Yes, Hun Sen is worse than Saddam Husein. Who care?

Anonymous said...

until there is a law to limit the terms in office of the prime ministership, i don't think there is anything illegal about staying in power until retirement age, given as long as that individual is winning in the national election. thank you.

Anonymous said...

The problem is : it is not only hun sen is dictator.
We have Chea Sim, Heng Samrin, Say chhum... all khmer rouge.
Please don't only blame on Hun Sen. Chea Sim and Heng Samrin are living easily without any complaints. ATTACK others CPP too.
It is not fair!!!

Anonymous said...

As long as Hun Sen wins fairly and squarely no one will complain about him staying in office at all. The point is he cheats to win. Yes, Chea Sim, Heng Samrin and other CPP members are bad too, but these people they live their own life quietly, unlike Hun Sen who is inventing stories nearly everyday to victimize innocent people. But most importantly, he is the PM, he is running the country, so he has to take full responsibility for all the problems in Cambodia. Remember, the rule of leadership is, everything is the leader's fault.

Anonymous said...

Je suis en accord avec 4:58AM a propos de notre tyrant Hun Xen. Un jour, a ta fin, moi aussi, j'irai crasher sur ton tombeau, Hun Xen.

Anonymous said...

All three of them in the picture matched Ah Scam Rainxy profile in every way.

Anonymous said...

1.59pm. i'm sure your boy Ah Hun Xen contemplate on his fate everyday and everynight, esp. the threat from youns, it can come any time without warning.

we khmers love our people including our traitor Hun Xen, we won't kill him, except youns,