Sam Rainsy pray for the victims of the KR regime in Choeung Ek on 17 April 2008 (Photo: Reuters)Close up - This opponent to the regime that rules Cambodia for the past 22 years, used to live in exile in France. He represents a political renewal filled with Western democratic values.
04 June 2008
By Catherine Rebuffel
La Croix (France)
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Son of a well-to-do family, Sam Rainsy wants to bring back to his country its dignity which was lost during the Vietnam war and the subsequent rise of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime. An absence of real democracy and of the respect of human rights led him to lead a dispute against the breach of trust brought by the country leaders who only think about enriching themselves. Ranking 131 among 177 countries for human development, Cambodia suffers from all kinds of illnesses. More than one third of the Cambodian families earn less than 1 euro per day, about ¾ of them barely earn 1.25 euro.
While 60% of the population are less than 30-year-old, joblessness is in full swing in the country, 300,000 new graduates reach the job market each year, a truly “time bomb,” Said Sam Rainsy. “Our neighbors in Laos or Vietnam do not have this problem because they are able to attract serious investors,” Sam Rainsy said. “The state loses between $300 to 500 million each year,” he said based on a study performed by USAID, the US agency for development. Furthermore, 40% of the country’s territories, especially forest, are sold to private Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Taiwanese companies, whereas 80% of the population still lives on agriculture and more than 20% of the farmers were chased out from their lands.
Ending the corruption
That was Sam Rainsy’s fight during his tenure in the first reconciliation government at the beginning of the 90s. King Norodom Sihanouk even nicknamed him: “the deter to the all around pillage.” It was because of this also that he was evicted from the government in 1994. Not stopping there, he took the battle to an opposition party. None of these is new to him. Since his early childhood, confronting the regime in power was what made up his life. He was 9-year-old when Sam Sary, a former minister of Economy under Norodom Sihanouk’s regime and his father, fell from favor. Sam Sary then joined the opposition. One year later, he was forced to flee after he was accused of plotting against the state. It was in 1959, and Sam Rainsy never saw his father again.
Since then, the young boy led of life of wandering and anguish. Following an easy life of Cambodian elite, Sam Rainsy found himself brutally thrown into a precarious life, nevertheless he still had his mother and siblings. “I understood that the existence can turn precarious,” he said. He sunk even further when shortly later, his mother was jailed for one year. “Every morning, on the way to school, I waked pass the jail, “the violin,” located on Pasteur street. I stopped, climbed on some rocks along the wall of the building and I stared at the building for a long time, in the direction of the center court where my mother, grandfather, and several uncles were jailed. I had hoped to see my mother taking her walk, but she was kept in secret inside. I remained there, on the pieces of rocks, while tears flow down my cheeks.”
Such life experience prepared him for what to come. In January 1965, the entire family was expelled to Vietnam which was then in the midst of war. With help from well-placed French friends, the small group landed in Paris a few months later. Finally they found a respite, and started their new life. Education and professional success were Sam Rainsy’s achievements, he also fell in love with the woman of his life, Saumura, a Cambodian woman living in exile like him, the daughter of General Tioulong. The young couple got married in 1971, and they quickly launch themselves in the financial world, with much success.
The arrival of the Khmer Rouge to power in 1975 in Phnom Penh, brought the couple back to the reality of their country. Testimonials collected from the very first Cambodian refugees arriving in France plunge Sam Rainsy and Saumura in an absolute horror for the Pol Pot regime. They decide to set up a small newspaper, The Voice of Free Cambodia, printed in the basement of their home. In 1979, the Vietnamese troops “liberated” Cambodians from the yoke of the Khmer Rouge regime, two million of them were killed. Sam Rainsy, then well known among the Cambodian community in France, was concerned about the annexation of his country by Vietnam. He wrote to Norodom Sihanouk who was then calling for a fight for the independence of Cambodia. Sam Rainsy joined Sihanouk, and in 1982, at the UN headquarters, while accompanying the Cambodian delegation, he met Hun Sen for the first time. Back then, Hun Sen was the minister of Foreign Affairs of the pro-Vietnamese regime installed in Phnom Penh. Hun Sen, his current rival, would become the prime minister 3 years later, and he occupied this position since then.
In 1992, one year after the Paris Peace Agreements on the Cambodian conflict, Sam Rainsy decided to return home. He asked his second daughter, 14-year-old Muriel, to type a letter sent to his compatriots: “In spite of the recent political attempts and assassinations in Phnom Penh, and in spite of the threat and warnings I received, I have decided to return back to Cambodia to stay close to the Khmer people.” His distraught older daughter also learnt the news. The sorrow of his two oldest daughters, Patrice and Muriel, did not stop the departure of their parents who were then accompanied by their youngest sibling, 7-year-old Rachel. “It’s a daily dilemma for me for not being able to reconcile my political commitment and my responsibility as a father. I wish that my children will never have to make the same painful choice as I did,” he said in a somber tone. He added: “My message is my life.” Furthermore, Rainsy means “light” in Khmer, represented by the candle, the emblem of his party. “It’s the light that must win over death, over the dark forces,” he said.
Said in an innocent atmosphere of a Paris apartment, Sam Rainsy’s metaphor may sound somewhat emphatic. But it was not the case for Sam Rainsy, a man who escaped death several times. Following his eviction from the government in 1994, he founded the Khmer Nation Party (KNP) which will later become the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP). Not because of personality cult, but because the original name of his party was stolen from him. His party later earned votes, to the point that it was considered as a serious threat to those who tried to eliminate him physically on several occasions. In 2005, he brought a lawsuit against Hun Sen for the 1997 assassination attempt which he miraculously escaped. Following the lawsuit, he was forced to take the exile road once again.
Returning to Cambodia two years ago, Sam Rainsy continues his fight. This time, he is the target of Hor Namhong, the minister of Foreign Affaris, whom he publicly denounced last April of leading a Khmer Rouge regime “re-education camp.” It seems that nothing is shaking Sam Rainsy up. “Buddhist teaching makes me understand that if I fear death, I would be dying a little bit each morning,” he said. As a testimonial to Sam Rainsy’s words, the flame of the small candle still shines bright.
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(1) Calmann-Lévy Editor, 302 pages, 20 euros.
04 June 2008
By Catherine Rebuffel
La Croix (France)
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
“Buddhist teaching makes me understand that if I fear death, I would be dying a little bit each morning” - Opposition leader Sam RainsyWithin a few weeks from the general election which will take place on 27 July, 60-year-old Sam Rainsy is leading his campaign. The main political opponent to the 57-year-old prime minister Hun Sen, Sam Rainsy speaks French fluently. The reason for this is because he spent 27 years of his life in exile in France. Like all other candidates, Sam Rainsy has his political program, but the book which he just published contains more than a political program. Rooted in the stone (1) is also the story of his life and events that led him to dedicate his life to the “Struggle for the revival of Cambodia.”
Son of a well-to-do family, Sam Rainsy wants to bring back to his country its dignity which was lost during the Vietnam war and the subsequent rise of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime. An absence of real democracy and of the respect of human rights led him to lead a dispute against the breach of trust brought by the country leaders who only think about enriching themselves. Ranking 131 among 177 countries for human development, Cambodia suffers from all kinds of illnesses. More than one third of the Cambodian families earn less than 1 euro per day, about ¾ of them barely earn 1.25 euro.
While 60% of the population are less than 30-year-old, joblessness is in full swing in the country, 300,000 new graduates reach the job market each year, a truly “time bomb,” Said Sam Rainsy. “Our neighbors in Laos or Vietnam do not have this problem because they are able to attract serious investors,” Sam Rainsy said. “The state loses between $300 to 500 million each year,” he said based on a study performed by USAID, the US agency for development. Furthermore, 40% of the country’s territories, especially forest, are sold to private Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Taiwanese companies, whereas 80% of the population still lives on agriculture and more than 20% of the farmers were chased out from their lands.
Ending the corruption
That was Sam Rainsy’s fight during his tenure in the first reconciliation government at the beginning of the 90s. King Norodom Sihanouk even nicknamed him: “the deter to the all around pillage.” It was because of this also that he was evicted from the government in 1994. Not stopping there, he took the battle to an opposition party. None of these is new to him. Since his early childhood, confronting the regime in power was what made up his life. He was 9-year-old when Sam Sary, a former minister of Economy under Norodom Sihanouk’s regime and his father, fell from favor. Sam Sary then joined the opposition. One year later, he was forced to flee after he was accused of plotting against the state. It was in 1959, and Sam Rainsy never saw his father again.
Since then, the young boy led of life of wandering and anguish. Following an easy life of Cambodian elite, Sam Rainsy found himself brutally thrown into a precarious life, nevertheless he still had his mother and siblings. “I understood that the existence can turn precarious,” he said. He sunk even further when shortly later, his mother was jailed for one year. “Every morning, on the way to school, I waked pass the jail, “the violin,” located on Pasteur street. I stopped, climbed on some rocks along the wall of the building and I stared at the building for a long time, in the direction of the center court where my mother, grandfather, and several uncles were jailed. I had hoped to see my mother taking her walk, but she was kept in secret inside. I remained there, on the pieces of rocks, while tears flow down my cheeks.”
Such life experience prepared him for what to come. In January 1965, the entire family was expelled to Vietnam which was then in the midst of war. With help from well-placed French friends, the small group landed in Paris a few months later. Finally they found a respite, and started their new life. Education and professional success were Sam Rainsy’s achievements, he also fell in love with the woman of his life, Saumura, a Cambodian woman living in exile like him, the daughter of General Tioulong. The young couple got married in 1971, and they quickly launch themselves in the financial world, with much success.
The arrival of the Khmer Rouge to power in 1975 in Phnom Penh, brought the couple back to the reality of their country. Testimonials collected from the very first Cambodian refugees arriving in France plunge Sam Rainsy and Saumura in an absolute horror for the Pol Pot regime. They decide to set up a small newspaper, The Voice of Free Cambodia, printed in the basement of their home. In 1979, the Vietnamese troops “liberated” Cambodians from the yoke of the Khmer Rouge regime, two million of them were killed. Sam Rainsy, then well known among the Cambodian community in France, was concerned about the annexation of his country by Vietnam. He wrote to Norodom Sihanouk who was then calling for a fight for the independence of Cambodia. Sam Rainsy joined Sihanouk, and in 1982, at the UN headquarters, while accompanying the Cambodian delegation, he met Hun Sen for the first time. Back then, Hun Sen was the minister of Foreign Affairs of the pro-Vietnamese regime installed in Phnom Penh. Hun Sen, his current rival, would become the prime minister 3 years later, and he occupied this position since then.
In 1992, one year after the Paris Peace Agreements on the Cambodian conflict, Sam Rainsy decided to return home. He asked his second daughter, 14-year-old Muriel, to type a letter sent to his compatriots: “In spite of the recent political attempts and assassinations in Phnom Penh, and in spite of the threat and warnings I received, I have decided to return back to Cambodia to stay close to the Khmer people.” His distraught older daughter also learnt the news. The sorrow of his two oldest daughters, Patrice and Muriel, did not stop the departure of their parents who were then accompanied by their youngest sibling, 7-year-old Rachel. “It’s a daily dilemma for me for not being able to reconcile my political commitment and my responsibility as a father. I wish that my children will never have to make the same painful choice as I did,” he said in a somber tone. He added: “My message is my life.” Furthermore, Rainsy means “light” in Khmer, represented by the candle, the emblem of his party. “It’s the light that must win over death, over the dark forces,” he said.
Said in an innocent atmosphere of a Paris apartment, Sam Rainsy’s metaphor may sound somewhat emphatic. But it was not the case for Sam Rainsy, a man who escaped death several times. Following his eviction from the government in 1994, he founded the Khmer Nation Party (KNP) which will later become the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP). Not because of personality cult, but because the original name of his party was stolen from him. His party later earned votes, to the point that it was considered as a serious threat to those who tried to eliminate him physically on several occasions. In 2005, he brought a lawsuit against Hun Sen for the 1997 assassination attempt which he miraculously escaped. Following the lawsuit, he was forced to take the exile road once again.
Returning to Cambodia two years ago, Sam Rainsy continues his fight. This time, he is the target of Hor Namhong, the minister of Foreign Affaris, whom he publicly denounced last April of leading a Khmer Rouge regime “re-education camp.” It seems that nothing is shaking Sam Rainsy up. “Buddhist teaching makes me understand that if I fear death, I would be dying a little bit each morning,” he said. As a testimonial to Sam Rainsy’s words, the flame of the small candle still shines bright.
----------
(1) Calmann-Lévy Editor, 302 pages, 20 euros.
30 comments:
I am tired of seeing the face sam rainsy... He's not democratic. He's on the same boat as Norodom Ranariddh, opportunist's people.
SRP's members have suffered so much. Especially their emotions are at their lowest when Eng Chhay Eang is elected as the general secretary.
Khmer Canadian
Well if you Khmer-canook is tired then get lost, okay?
3:57
Same here. Sam Rainsy is not really Khmer because he thinks like a French, speaks like a French, and acts like a French.
He will never have the popular support because of this fact. In the U. S. they call those people carpetbaggers.
A U. S.-educated Khmer.
Give Cambodia to Mr. Sam Rainsey & The Royal family. The Royal family are better in the hand of an educate people like Mr. Sam Rainsey and the Sma Rainsey's party an dnot in th ehand of the ignorant. You know who...
Bullshit 4:32.Sam rainsy is always better than your current guys in the govt who always kowtow to yuons.
Before I can say anything about you, tell me first, how educated are you 4:32 AM?
Ah Khmer-Yuon and Ah Spam Rainxy think they are educated only. Little do they know they are making fool of themselves everyday.
And a freaking Viet/Yuon's slave and a parasite like yourself @4:50AM should just go back home to Hanoi, okay? Quit loitering and spamming KI-Media now! Leave now before it's too late!
No ,he should stay because without him around ,we are not going to have anything to kick around anymore.It's will be bored to death having only the likemind around.
Just go to voting booth and vote for better Khmer and vote for The Sam Rainsey's party on July 27th.
#9 is evil, and it's also looks like mosquito lava that will ultimately spread dengue fever all over Cambodia. Don't vote for number "9".
Instead vote #4 as a symbol for moving up the latter and out of poverty.
Nah, You don't know what the fuck you're talking about 6:08 AM. Because if you do, you should have learned what the word "latter" means first...lolz (*kick you in the butt three times and count only as one*)
We all know that the Cambodian people will vote for SRP! Kiss your tail goodbye Viet puppet Hun SEN!!!
AH HUN SEN had a chance to run Cambodia to the ground!
AH PRINCE RANARIDDH had a chance to run Cambodia to the ground!
Now tell me did Mr. SAM RAINSY have a chance to run Cambodia?
Not even at low level government position because AH PRINCE RANARIDDH evicted him from his government position for taking on major corruption as a finance minister and not as an opposition party leader because AH CPP always view him as a threat and they steal his party name, threaten him with jail time, and even outright trying to assassinate him for being anti-Vietcong for violating Cambodian sovereignty!
Now tell me why would AH HUN SEN and AH PRINCE RANARIDDH view Sam Rainsy as a threat to their political establishment? It is because they are all following Vietcong sponsor political programs to make Cambodia as weak as possible!
Cambodia is not a weak country as most Cambodian leaders and most Cambodian people would like to think and Mr. Sam Rainsy leadship is a testament to what Cambodia can be if Cambodia has the right leader! May I remind all of you stupid Cambodian people include AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave mother fucker and AH PRINCE RANARIDDH that Mr. Sam Rainsy is trained in the area of business and financial and he is not a warmonger like all you mother fucker! Since all of you came to power and there is not thing but military coup, assassination, and exile, and civil war!
And I know being a businessman like myself and I don’t give a fuck about political party line and I don’t even give fuck about the Vietcong and the Thaicong because I care more about my bottom-line! I believe the front line of Cambodian army is the Cambodian businessmen and these Cambodian businessmen can’t wage their economic war if they don’t have a good business leaders and a good government economic policy! If Cambodian has strong and good economic and Cambodian leaders can transform Cambodian army overnight into a strong army that Cambodian archenemies would think twice about invading Cambodia!
Strong economic = Strong Cambodia!
Cpp..Cppis number 4 in chinese {zei} mean bad luck , so khmers ppls should khnow which party are you gonna vote for...?
chen khmer
Xia Xia 6:41 AM!
Ah puok yuon hanoi pon mam neak khang deum nuh tam dan the news mun ke mun eng phong. Puok ah chor plond teuk dey Khmer nih chom chia akrok chua chiet men. Time will come and hell will get you. Ah Khmer yuon Hor Nam Hong Hell is getting you soon even you refuse polygraph test (lie detective).
Kaduy Mae Ah Rainsy!!!!
Fuck Ah Rainsy
eh ...comrade..8:40am pls b polite/////////////////////////
kaduy ma Ah chor burt kaduy mee rany hun kwah....down to hell ////
to 3:57,
YOU yourself havn't done nothing for cambodia and it people. AND you are already judg-ing someone else.
And you called yourself "educated" ! you are a disgraced!
Sam Rainsey might talk like a french, and think like a french as you quoted. ALTLEAST, he didn't forget his home land and DID more for cambodia then you, and your whole family put together.
3:57, you are a disgrace, let sam rainsey do his part, and you should do your part! before you judge anyone. HAVE YOU JUDGE YOUR MOM, YOUR FAMILY, AND YOURSELF ?
fken guy
Bullshit, Ah Scam Rainsy didn't do shit for anyone but to cause Khmer suffering for his own political gain.
Vote #4 to end all Khmer suffering and send Ah Scam Rainsy back west to France.
# 4 is in the hand of MERDERRER , RAPIST , ILLEGAL LOGGING , DRUG TRAFFICING , HUMAN TRAFFICING , put the country for SALE , ASBUSE HUMAN RIGTH , CUT LAND in PEICES sale to YOUN HANOI , if you support CPeePee... YOU are the criminal that commite on KHMER PEOPLE above , and we all KHMER peoples know that you are very PROUDE to do so.. because you either YOUNS TRANFORM TO KHMER , KHMER WITH YOUN SPERM or KHMER with YOUN brian like AH HUN dicusting SHIT..
#9 is IN the hand one of the KHMER VICTIME that try to FIGTH , to CHANG , TO SAVE , to PREVENT , all khmer nation and KHMER LAND that the MONSTER with one EYE AND it master YOUN HANOI try to ditroy and SWALLOW in the next FIVE year..
This man is a MAN that never one kill KHMER pople or commite crime like the PUPPET YOUN HANOI did ( HUN SHIT), he try everything from his hart and from the legally support of KHMER peoples inside and outside the country that SUFFER or want to have a REAL DEMOCRACY in CAMBODIA that is free from YOUN PUPPET.
Mr SAM RAINSY MAY act like a FRANCE , speake like france..BUT I mean BUT , he is alot better than HUN XEn..I watches TV call TVK..for five minute a bout HUN XEN speech , in his speech i can't belive that this MAD dog are very RUDE all the language that this man talk the same as the kid that never went to school .
MR SAM RAINSY are try to help KHMERS peoples and their nation from become YOUN and YOUN rubber land...
VOTE # 9 for the BRIGTH FUTURE
VOTE # 4 MEAN our NATION Will be DISAPPEAR from the wold MAP(DEAD).
MAY LORD BUDHA BLESS MR SAM RAINSY AND KHMER PEOPLES..
Wrong, you are mistaken #4 for #9. Often that will happened when you live in the west for too long.
Ah Khmers who support Ah Kwak, Hun Sen:
Leave my hero, Mr. Sam Rainsy, alone. He is the best of all Khmer leader that I knew since I was born. No other Khmer leaders are compared with him. The worst one is Ah uneducated Hun Sen.
At least educated people are much better than uneducated people like some of you. Uneducated leader like your master, Hun Kwak, makes Cambodia and her people lost a lot of land and starvation. You, idiot, tell me what is Cambodia presently progress. Don't tell me it's developing. It developes in corruption, land grabbing, jailing opponents, lost sovereignty, etc... but not economy.
Fuck all Ah Hun Sen supporters. Jail all of them when Sam Rainsy in power. Place them in Prey Sar.
Halaluyah!!!!!!!!!
Cambodia belongs to new smarter and better leader and it's belong to Mr. Sam Rainsey! Sam Rainsey!!!!!!!!Sam Rainsey!!!!!!!!Sam Rainsey!!!!!
Hun sen is dumb. he only care for himself and his croonies. The rest of Cambodia can just see pes. Still want him for your P.M stupid??
So did Pol Pot and many other socialists living in Cambodia...they all went to school in France...Point taken.
!!!!
you IDOIT 1:31 AM , pol pot just like you , not smart , slow ,drop out..
god bless all khmer people and all of those who love cambodia.
true, how about teach, cooperate and incorporate, instead of bing too sensitive or to extreme with cambodia. how about working together as in unity for a good cause or a good reform or change for cambodia, instead of being greedy and selfish and having the caste system like in some society. people will cooperate if we know how to lure them and communicate with each other, instead of "me, me" and " you, them, they, etc." how about "we, us, khmer people, cambodia, for the sake of national interest and national development. why, we have to pick side and be animosity toward each other? why so much hate? didn't the KR killed enough people already because of such petty disagreement. common, khmer people can be smarter than that!
if you ask me, maybe everybody needs to take a good look at themselves before they point fingers at others. argument doesn't happen from one side only, it goes both ways. maybe we need to share, work together and accept each other by agreeing to disagree sometimes. we are so blinded by our own self-interest and often forget about the interest of cambodia as a nation. this is what tend to make us weak. i hope we can learn to let of go of the past and embrace the better future to come. after all, if we think about it, we only get to live once and why not make the best of this life time while we live and stop making problems all the time. remember, everyone has a purpose on this earth, and we all have two choices, if we really think about it. we can choose either one i.e., whether to be happy or sad, to be active or not, etc... think of it as everything has its opposite. please choose one wisely. until we remind ourselves about this two choices, whatever it maybe, we will or never get over it. thank you for allowing me to say so. god bless.
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