October 22, 2008By A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Pacific Daily News (Guam)
In Cambodia, known as the land of the gentle smile and big heart, the rise of totalitarianism in the form of Hun Sen, Inc. is threatening the people and the country. Sen's power grabs are ignored by the international community and sanctions are absent.
While looking backward to historical events does not move us forward, history tells us why we are where we are. Its lessons can guide our future.
Ironically, Hun Sen, Inc. was created as a result of the failure to implement the 1991 United Nations-sponsored Paris Peace Accords. In brief, the non-implementation left the Hanoi-backed runaway Khmer Rouge faction in complete control of Cambodia's institutions after Pol Pot was knocked out of power.
The Accords stipulated that a neutral interim government would be put in place until the "free and fair general elections" of 1993, and the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General was to promote and protect human rights in Cambodia.
The neutral interim authority was never established.
I am reminded of a column in the New York Times two decades earlier by former Khmer diplomat Pheach Srey, who asked if replacing the Pol Pot Khmer Rouge by the Vietnam-installed regime, in which current Premier Sen was then a Khmer Rouge regional commander, was not the same as asking Cambodians to choose between "the plague and cholera."
Despite Cambodia's declining rate of economic growth from 10.1 percent in 2007 to 7.2 percent in 2008, and a crippling rate of inflation, which rose from 18.7 percent in January to a record high of 22 percent in July, and reported famine around the Tonle Sap Great Lake, Sen's Cambodia has ended forced labor camps and built roads. The newly rich populate the cities and resorts with large villas, and in this environment, many Cambodians report in recent polls that they feel the country is headed in "the right direction."
But Hun Sen, Inc. has grown so powerful that it has sidelined competitors, eliminated potential threats, and has established itself as the only source of employment. Without shame and at a cost to the struggle for freedom and human integrity, some members and leaders of the opposition parties have left those ranks for jobs in Hun Sen, Inc., which has become the only center for allocation of resources in the country.
Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge gang crushed the soul, killed and mutilated the bodies of Cambodians to stay in power and to transform society. Hun Sen, Inc. may not be using the same brutal methods as his predecessors, but Hun Sen and his associates maintain unrelenting control of the land and the people. It can provide anything, for a price. It sells islands and beaches. It helps evict people from their homes and their land.
On Oct. 17, the Asian Human Rights Commission reported Hun Sen, Inc., which has leased out Phnom Penh's Boeung Kak Lake to a private company for development for 99 years for $79 million, has flooded homes and turned off the area's fresh water supply, forcing thousands of families to leave the area.
Hun Sen, Inc. had made life so impossible for former Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General Yash Ghai to do his job effectively that Ghai was obliged to resign his post. ABC Radio Australia reported Ghai's words on Oct. 3, "My deep conviction is that the (Cambodian) government has absolutely no interest in the promotion of human rights; the whole state exists on systematic violations of political, economic, social rights ... And I really can't see that there is going to be any change of heart just because there is a new representative."
When dictators rule, they don't act responsibly. So irresponsible was Hun Sen, Inc. that it chose to put the nation in danger when Sen vowed on Oct. 3 to turn 1.8 square miles of disputed land surrounding Preah Vihear Temple into a "death zone" if the 84 Thai soldiers "camping" some 30 meters from Sen's troops in Veal Entry did not leave the area in 24 hours.
Nationalism was whipped to a frenzy on both sides of the border. Nationalists from Thailand and Cambodia vowed to die to keep the Temple theirs. Yet the Temple Preah Vihear was already Khmer by history, and legally, with the 1962 verdict of the International Court of Justice. There are recourses other than a "death zone."
On Oct. 15 a firefight broke out between the two forces. After three Cambodian soldiers were killed and several soldiers from both sides were wounded, Thai Premier Wongsawat declared it his policy "to resolve this conflict through negotiations." The author of the "death zone" maintained silence, but Sen's foreign minister's statement says the fighting incident was actually "not an invasion by Thailand." In the field, Cambodian and Thai commanders held a five-hour talk that left troops from both sides where they are. Back to square one.
Nationalist Cambodians, quick at professing undying love to protect the Motherland, need to put a brake on Hun Sen, Inc. The deaths at Preah Vihear could have been prevented.
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.
While looking backward to historical events does not move us forward, history tells us why we are where we are. Its lessons can guide our future.
Ironically, Hun Sen, Inc. was created as a result of the failure to implement the 1991 United Nations-sponsored Paris Peace Accords. In brief, the non-implementation left the Hanoi-backed runaway Khmer Rouge faction in complete control of Cambodia's institutions after Pol Pot was knocked out of power.
The Accords stipulated that a neutral interim government would be put in place until the "free and fair general elections" of 1993, and the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General was to promote and protect human rights in Cambodia.
The neutral interim authority was never established.
I am reminded of a column in the New York Times two decades earlier by former Khmer diplomat Pheach Srey, who asked if replacing the Pol Pot Khmer Rouge by the Vietnam-installed regime, in which current Premier Sen was then a Khmer Rouge regional commander, was not the same as asking Cambodians to choose between "the plague and cholera."
Despite Cambodia's declining rate of economic growth from 10.1 percent in 2007 to 7.2 percent in 2008, and a crippling rate of inflation, which rose from 18.7 percent in January to a record high of 22 percent in July, and reported famine around the Tonle Sap Great Lake, Sen's Cambodia has ended forced labor camps and built roads. The newly rich populate the cities and resorts with large villas, and in this environment, many Cambodians report in recent polls that they feel the country is headed in "the right direction."
But Hun Sen, Inc. has grown so powerful that it has sidelined competitors, eliminated potential threats, and has established itself as the only source of employment. Without shame and at a cost to the struggle for freedom and human integrity, some members and leaders of the opposition parties have left those ranks for jobs in Hun Sen, Inc., which has become the only center for allocation of resources in the country.
Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge gang crushed the soul, killed and mutilated the bodies of Cambodians to stay in power and to transform society. Hun Sen, Inc. may not be using the same brutal methods as his predecessors, but Hun Sen and his associates maintain unrelenting control of the land and the people. It can provide anything, for a price. It sells islands and beaches. It helps evict people from their homes and their land.
On Oct. 17, the Asian Human Rights Commission reported Hun Sen, Inc., which has leased out Phnom Penh's Boeung Kak Lake to a private company for development for 99 years for $79 million, has flooded homes and turned off the area's fresh water supply, forcing thousands of families to leave the area.
Hun Sen, Inc. had made life so impossible for former Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General Yash Ghai to do his job effectively that Ghai was obliged to resign his post. ABC Radio Australia reported Ghai's words on Oct. 3, "My deep conviction is that the (Cambodian) government has absolutely no interest in the promotion of human rights; the whole state exists on systematic violations of political, economic, social rights ... And I really can't see that there is going to be any change of heart just because there is a new representative."
When dictators rule, they don't act responsibly. So irresponsible was Hun Sen, Inc. that it chose to put the nation in danger when Sen vowed on Oct. 3 to turn 1.8 square miles of disputed land surrounding Preah Vihear Temple into a "death zone" if the 84 Thai soldiers "camping" some 30 meters from Sen's troops in Veal Entry did not leave the area in 24 hours.
Nationalism was whipped to a frenzy on both sides of the border. Nationalists from Thailand and Cambodia vowed to die to keep the Temple theirs. Yet the Temple Preah Vihear was already Khmer by history, and legally, with the 1962 verdict of the International Court of Justice. There are recourses other than a "death zone."
On Oct. 15 a firefight broke out between the two forces. After three Cambodian soldiers were killed and several soldiers from both sides were wounded, Thai Premier Wongsawat declared it his policy "to resolve this conflict through negotiations." The author of the "death zone" maintained silence, but Sen's foreign minister's statement says the fighting incident was actually "not an invasion by Thailand." In the field, Cambodian and Thai commanders held a five-hour talk that left troops from both sides where they are. Back to square one.
Nationalist Cambodians, quick at professing undying love to protect the Motherland, need to put a brake on Hun Sen, Inc. The deaths at Preah Vihear could have been prevented.
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.
18 comments:
Peang Meth , I think you just want stir up trouble don't you? We, Cambodian had more than enough coruption already. So please STOP!!!. Cambodia is about to grow.
I think Hun Sen did very good job on the economy.
it is sad, when you are getting poisoned and yet pretend that it doesnt happened.
cambodians are a frog in the well, unable to see anything else that is outside the well.
but i can't blame them, for some of us khmer who seen the world, Cambodia is a beautiful place, it is too bad that its people are more concern with money and landcrusiers
more than enough corruption? what are you doing about it? cowards who are afraid of death died foolishly known as cowards - those who stand and fight will always remain heroes
fake ass cambodians claiming they are buddisht
I don't like Hun Sen, but I like the way he handle the situation with Thai. Yes deaths occured, but that's life, that's sacrifice to the nation. Don't let the fuking Thai bully Khmer. Be strong. Hun Sen could only take so much. Do you really think the UN can resolve Thai/Khmer problem?
If a leader has no interest in working for the country and her fellow citizen, and that person(s) should step down in order to put the country for the able body. Hun Sen is good at paying lips service. Hun Sen, Inc definitely a word to describe his family.
Has anyone witnessed Hun Sen stopped intimidating, siphoning funds from donors, political killing, monopolising for his family gain, etc? Please elucidate your thought
Dr. Peng-Meth, you're the nail on the head!
Cambodia leaders were borned to terrorize its citizens as far as i'm concern.
Dr. Peng-Meth, you are truly right about that.
Thank you,
Taking the terminilogy of Dr and pretend it as an highly educated.
So poor, we suffered so much from this kind of people.
Cambodian society is distroyed by this kind of people. Look at those western educated KR leaders. I'm sure that the western values will not work in Cambodian society.
Dr Peang meth,
Unlucky that Cambodfia have too many of your types and Hun Sen's types. I know you used to be a part of anti-VN resistance movement that killed severals of Khmer people during the 1980s. Imagine by that time, Khmer people were like meat in the sandwich of fighting between your group and VN-support group.
Now we have many PhDs both in the countries and outsides, that can't be able to serve the interest of the ppl. The local PhDs know well how to squeeze money from rock. The international phds know clearly how to SIT AND CRITICIZE the local phds...
WHO CAN KHMER PPL RELY ON?
So, who is better than Hun Sen? I think Cambodians enjoy this long peaceful time the first time since ... maybe, after the fall of Angkor. If you look at the history, how many Khmer kings who could reign more than 20 years after Angkor? Political killings have occured in every regime in Cambodia. I doubt who's going to be the best leader in Cambodia. Maybe, me!^_^!
Hun Sen is powerful. In stead of attacking, we should do something good as an example for him. If he feels INSECURED, he never transfers his power without a fight. So, keep engaging and see if the differences can be addressed!
Let Hun Sen do the job. Assuming that Hun Sen is 100% brutality, next leader (his son) would 70% and the son of his son 30% and the son of this son again would be 10%. In stead of provoking another civil war in Cambodia, let him do the work until he is bored .... Hopefully ... Yes, again Peace is better, and when we have peace laws will be enforced gradually.
Nevertheless, his voice tone during the interviews with RFA regarding the 300 M loan from China, suggesting me that he is a money eater.
I am apologize to mention this,with out Hun is next Hun and others very next Hun,twenty nine years past ,why is the decease of Pol Pot 's frightening are still freaking us? There two many Cambodian very intelligences in Cambodia ,why don't they choose the new leaders? Vietnam sour soup everyday ,every weeks,are we tired? Of-course not because the viet HIV's infection are all over Cambodia body from the top to the bottom,hoping to cure? The answer will be absolutely no ,it wait to the day that Cambodia last breath .Before not too many Viet in Cambodia,but now a day the Viet knows all the bushes where Cambodian go to release the expired food. What all Cambodian nationalist expect from Cambodia HIV's health?
If the miracle it exist, we are all Cambodian having our hope that our breeds not extinct from this world.
Dr.Peang Meth you are 130% right,if Cambodia has Dr. Lo ,Mr Som and you together ,it might be better off than what the are now.
May God Bless you three and Cambodia!!!
Prof.Dr. A. Gaffar Peang-Meth,
You have hit the nail on the head. jJudging from the comments above,I'm convinced you have driven home your message.
Mind you, as in the past, some of us are like a frog in the pot. A frog dropped into boiling water will immediately jump out; but if put in a pot of water at normal temperature, will sit calmly in the pot while the temperature rises to boiling and will be killed.
Again in the past, and perhaps these days as well, some slaves even claimed they were happy because they were better fed (by their masters)than those miserable, wretched people who are living as freemen.
Under totalitarianism, the State or the ruling party is the single employer. Such were Germany under Hitler, the Soviet Union, Mao's China, Pol Pot's Cambodia, etc....
Thanks to you and other anti-Vietnamese and communist, freedom-fighters, such totalitarianism has collapsed.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
I think that the comment of Dr Peang Meth is not reflect the reality in the border and the present conflict. Please read the memo of British MP Chris Mullin here
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=36662&SESSION=891
Thanks Dr. Peang Meth for your enlightened comment!
Hun Sen Inc. is very suitable to current policy of CPP and Hun Sen's vision.
This CPP will continue to monopoly everything in Cambodia and in that time it will become the successful Hun Sen Inc.
Not only economic and politics, Hun Sen has tried to achieve his corporation, the issue of Preah Vihear has been showcased very well by Hun Sen to stir Cambodian nationals to agree and enjoy become his corporation.
To some extend, I agree with Dr. Peang Meth comment. However, I would like to ask him one question " Which country in world have released from poverty and dictatorship by the help of sanction?". If he calls for sanction on Hun Sen government, I would like him to reveal in a bit more detail on positive and negative impact to Khmer as a whole and who will suffer the most.
Every Khmer should remember that border conflict was not originated from Cambodian side and we should be more careful in the way we explain this conflict to the world.
Hun Sen's mistake on the border issue could be only one point, that the way of dealing with the conflict. However, he is not wrong at all in bringing all Khmer attention on the issue.
I think the most valuable thing that all Khmer people, especially intellectuals, should do in this circumstance is to give good suggestions to Hun Sen government how to solve the problem effectively. We should criticize the government in the spirit to push it to work correctly and every criticism must be carefully evaluate as it could harm Cambodia reputation to the world concerning the crisis.
Views from a Khmer oversea student
For me it is hard to agree with Dr. Peang Meth.
1- The only strong fraction among the main four movements was Stat of Cambodia, but with the help of western country and China, this other 3 together can be a balance force with Hun Sen group. After the peace talk agreement the other 3 did not get along each other well.
2- After election, even the bargain of power from Hun Sen but newly form government give many opportunities for Funcinpec and Democrat liberal Buddhist party to build their strength, but instead they were more divided because of power and money.
3- Rannariddh and Son San put many incompetent people in government and Parliament.
4- CPP has had strengthen their structure from the ground. CPP has absorbed many influential people from the two main parties specified above. Everyone can see many ministers, secretary of states and under secretary of states are former Funcinpec member.
5- The current crisis is clearly created by Thailand. They had tried to oppose the listing of Preah Vihear in World Heritage since the beginning of the application. The cause of the skirmish was Thai soldiers who tried to occupy main route of Cambodia soldiers toward Preah Vihear temple so that they can threatening of fighting.
He is very right about HUN SEN. WE DON'T LIVE IN THIS WORLD ALONE THE WAY HUN SEND THINKS FOR HIS OWN GROUP OF PEOPLE.
WE CAN'T BE HAPPY WHEN OUR FELLOW CITIZENS ARE SUFFERING AND STRUGGLING.
BY HELPING THE POOR AND EXPANDING INVESTMENT IN THE RURAL ACTUALLY WILL HELP CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN THE RIGHT AND THE POOR. IN RETURN, THE GOVERNMENT WILL GET TO COLLECT MORE TAXES BY INCREASE OF INVESTMENTS AND INCOMES, FUELING DEMAND AND EXPANDING OUR MARKET ECONOMY. THIS IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION.
I do agree with Dr.Peang Meth.
With Viet control of all Cambodian institutions, especially Interior and Defense, Viet managed and manipulated Cambodia by all means to keep Hun Sen Inc,. alive for ever,so Vietnam will befenit from her Puppet Regime. All Cambodian ressources were pillaged, deforestation, lands grabbing, Human Rights violation. Khmer people had been oppressed of all RIGHTS, while Viets migrants had special privileges over the Khmer heads.
And did all Khmer overseas notified that all of you including myself have been called ANIKKACHON,
but instead Viet immigrants were given Khmer citizenship by CPP, the Ruling Party.
It's ashamed for all Khmers as Descendants of Angkor empire builders ?
Why ? Our stupid king and Khmer leaders had put our Cambodia on the brink of a 2nd Champa with over 100,000 Viet troops still occupying Cambodia, plus 5 to 6 millions Viet illegal immigrants are settling in Cambodia. Among these latters are thousands and thousands Viet militias and Viet secret agents. One Viet leads a group of a dozen Khmer policemen...
Our Fish stock in Tonle Sap is gone for good, deforestation for Viet plantation all over Cambodia, plus lands eviction...etc.
Ah Sok Kong amassed over 50 millions dollars from last year alone, when 2.7 millions tourists visited Angkor Wat. Tourists who wrote a check had to Pay order to
Vietnam Government. It ashamed and ashamed and ashamed...and how does Hun Sen Inc,. run the country ?
Preah Vihear will be the same way. Wait and see !!!
The Real KHmers lived in poverty, struggling to survive from day to day with 1/2 dollar a day, while the leaders of the Hun Sen Inc,. put CAMBODIA FOR SALE for thier own
pockets, their own families, and their cronies.
Why right now all Khmers, inside and overseas, got angry with Thailand, and not against Viet INVADERS, when Hun Sen, N.Sihakmony, N.Sihanouk flew to Hanoi to sign additional treatied in 2005 by ceding Khmer territories
to Vietnam ???
Khmer leaders had violated the 1991Paris Peace Accord first, so Thailand as a signatoried country on that International Agreement has no need to comply with it either.
Norna Chea Kheatakor Reas Khmers ?
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