6th December, 2008
Opinion by Khmerization
Cambodia has been aid-dependent for as long as one can remember. Cambodia has been reduced to the status of international beggar for one reason and that is due to the incompetence and the corrupt mentality of our clumsy leaders.
For the last 15 years or so, Cambodia has received international assistance to the tune of $600-$700 million annually. Yet, Cambodia is still one of the poorest countries in the world. This week, the international community has pledged $1 billion, its biggest aid package to Cambodia since 1993.
Cambodians of all circles and political persuasions, politics aside, should appreciate this generous assistance to our unfortunate nation. I for one, is thankful that the international community has not abandoned Cambodia, despite the world economic slowdown and despite the mismanagement of the present Cambodian government. While I appreciate this generous assistance, I’m also disappointed that the international donors are giving so much money to be managed by a corrupt regime without having the need for any accountability measures attached.
The anti-corruption laws, which have been demanded by donors and promised by Mr. Hun Sen so many times before, have not yet been approved by the Cambodian People’s Party-dominated parliament, 14 years after they were drafted. The bloated bureaucracy, of which a large portion of the national budget was spent on the salary of its idle bureaucrats, has got larger every year. The corrupt judiciary, the army, the police and the civil and public services have not been reformed, despite Mr. Hun Sen’s promises in previous donors meetings. Deforestations and human right abuses such as land-grabbing and forced evictions are still happening in a larger scale. These are some of Mr. Hun Sen’s unfulfilled promises. Yet, the donor countries pour an enormous sum of aid money into the hands of this incompetent and corrupt administration without putting any punitive measures in place should Mr. Hun Sen fail again to fulfil his often-broken promises.
This year’s promises are no different from the previous years. Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday opened the meeting promising foreign donors he would fight corruption with a new anti-graft law as soon as possible. How soon, no one knows because the same promises like this has been said by Mr. Hun Sen for the last 15 years, but the anti-corruption laws are still not being enacted into laws yet.
The aid money has been pledged, and like previous years, will be given regardless of whether Mr. Hun Sen kept his promises or not. We, as Cambodians, including the opposition parties, who love our nation, Cambodia, must be appreciative of this generous assistance. The only things we can do now is to campaign and push for accountability. The role of the opposition parties in any democratic countries is to keep checks and balances. They are there to monitor the performances of the government and expose their shortcomings to the public. While our Cambodian voters are not as well-educated and well-informed as voters in developed democracies, the opposition parties in Cambodia can still put pressures on the government and makes them accountable by effectively exposing their failings to the international community, the Cambodia-based international organisations and foreign embassies.
This aid money, while it will help boost the Cambodian economy tremendously, is more likely to help strengthen and solidify the iron fist rule of Prime Minister Hun Sen. While we, as conscious citizens of Cambodia, are not contented with the corrupt rule of Mr. Hun Sen, we have to be contented that he has successfully convinced the international donors to give his regime and our nation, Cambodia, generously. We must acknowledge that he is a master of convincing.//
Opinion by Khmerization
“This aid money, while it will help boost the Cambodian economy tremendously, is more likely to help strengthen and solidify the iron fist rule of Prime Minister Hun Sen. While we, as conscious citizens of Cambodia, are not contented with the corrupt rule of Mr. Hun Sen, we have to be contented that he has successfully convinced the international donors to give his regime and our nation, Cambodia, generously. We must acknowledge that he is a master of convincing.”
Cambodia has been aid-dependent for as long as one can remember. Cambodia has been reduced to the status of international beggar for one reason and that is due to the incompetence and the corrupt mentality of our clumsy leaders.
For the last 15 years or so, Cambodia has received international assistance to the tune of $600-$700 million annually. Yet, Cambodia is still one of the poorest countries in the world. This week, the international community has pledged $1 billion, its biggest aid package to Cambodia since 1993.
Cambodians of all circles and political persuasions, politics aside, should appreciate this generous assistance to our unfortunate nation. I for one, is thankful that the international community has not abandoned Cambodia, despite the world economic slowdown and despite the mismanagement of the present Cambodian government. While I appreciate this generous assistance, I’m also disappointed that the international donors are giving so much money to be managed by a corrupt regime without having the need for any accountability measures attached.
The anti-corruption laws, which have been demanded by donors and promised by Mr. Hun Sen so many times before, have not yet been approved by the Cambodian People’s Party-dominated parliament, 14 years after they were drafted. The bloated bureaucracy, of which a large portion of the national budget was spent on the salary of its idle bureaucrats, has got larger every year. The corrupt judiciary, the army, the police and the civil and public services have not been reformed, despite Mr. Hun Sen’s promises in previous donors meetings. Deforestations and human right abuses such as land-grabbing and forced evictions are still happening in a larger scale. These are some of Mr. Hun Sen’s unfulfilled promises. Yet, the donor countries pour an enormous sum of aid money into the hands of this incompetent and corrupt administration without putting any punitive measures in place should Mr. Hun Sen fail again to fulfil his often-broken promises.
This year’s promises are no different from the previous years. Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday opened the meeting promising foreign donors he would fight corruption with a new anti-graft law as soon as possible. How soon, no one knows because the same promises like this has been said by Mr. Hun Sen for the last 15 years, but the anti-corruption laws are still not being enacted into laws yet.
The aid money has been pledged, and like previous years, will be given regardless of whether Mr. Hun Sen kept his promises or not. We, as Cambodians, including the opposition parties, who love our nation, Cambodia, must be appreciative of this generous assistance. The only things we can do now is to campaign and push for accountability. The role of the opposition parties in any democratic countries is to keep checks and balances. They are there to monitor the performances of the government and expose their shortcomings to the public. While our Cambodian voters are not as well-educated and well-informed as voters in developed democracies, the opposition parties in Cambodia can still put pressures on the government and makes them accountable by effectively exposing their failings to the international community, the Cambodia-based international organisations and foreign embassies.
This aid money, while it will help boost the Cambodian economy tremendously, is more likely to help strengthen and solidify the iron fist rule of Prime Minister Hun Sen. While we, as conscious citizens of Cambodia, are not contented with the corrupt rule of Mr. Hun Sen, we have to be contented that he has successfully convinced the international donors to give his regime and our nation, Cambodia, generously. We must acknowledge that he is a master of convincing.//
18 comments:
These $1 billion in aid will mostly ended up in the hands of Mr. Hun Sen and his cronies.
What can we and the international community do to stop this corruption.
Let the people starve and let the thieves steal a part of tha aid or stop all aid and let the people die.
There is no clear cut solution to this.
KF
No, international community should stop the aid but they must have strict conditions imposed on Hun Sen before allowing him to use the !1 billion of money that was pledged.
When it come to corruption, no one is better than Ah Pleu-oversea. They have put every government on the planet in financial crisis.
This is a good example of a Ah Khmer Overseas getting fucked by the head from their white masters. All they know is complain, complain, complain. Ah Khmer Overseas should press the U.S. to repay Cambodia for the destruction they left behind when they bombed our country back to the stone ages. At least Ah Chen who helped Pol Pot gives Cambodia $250 millions a year. Ah Khmer Overseas just want the international community to give money to srok Khmer, even if some of the money do makes it to feed the poor.
Khmer patriot
Ah Pleu Overseas -
Would you rather have poor Khmer people dying because no money comes from foreign aid?
The government does steal much of the money, but some money does make it through to the people.
Ah Pleu Overseas should come here and live in the slums before they open their mouths.
Bullshit, the government doesn't steal any money. They have to pay the corrupted UN experts.
hun sen is the richest man in the world with cash on hands,,,bill gates is nothin' comparing to this thief...it's everybody lessons...live and practice the law of the jungle...the weak dies the strong rules....
From this board you can see why killing fields existed in Cambodia(very unique in the world history). The point is Khmer hates Khmer! just a small opinion like this on the board, which evrybody is entitled to say what they want...but in turn they are tearing each other by calling name...etc...they name each other ..khmer rouge..khmer bleu...khmer blanche...khmer serey...khmer oversea...khmer knong srok...etc... No solidarity but hatred! no wonder killing field existed only in Cambodia killing their own race...unlike the others they respect and care of each other as nation...I don't post much comment on the board because I know khmer nature...Jalkeousy hatred..and compete against their own race...
11:19pm correction: jalkeousy should read jealousy
11:19 PM - You are quite correct, sir. All AH Khmer srok Khmer know how to do is hate one another and destroy their own country. They respect and look up to the foreigners, especially Ah Sbek Sor, but cannot stand each other. They only know how offer their daughters as prostitutes and their sons as lady boys to Ah Sbek Sor, to make a few dollars. After they cheat each other and sell their lands, their bodies, and their souls to the foreigners, they take the money to buy fake passport/VISA to srok Ah Kaing and spend their money to make srok Ah Kaing even richer.
LOK Khmer New Zealand
Thank to PM Hun Sen, soon Ah Scam Rainxy can't no longer hurt Khmer people.
Jey Yoh, Hun Sen!
Jey Yoh, Hun Sen!
Jey Yoh, Hun Sen!
.
.
Don't worry, what regime have can't keep when their time to down.
The government that gave the cpp regime will want it back.
Who let Hun Sen dog out! who let the dong out? the lil pup 12:03AM blinds and deaf ,while the world is seeing it master the killer ,khmer rouge ,dictator ,Cambodian robber,Viet slave ,illiterate prime minister,the crook prime minister this lil dogy start to bark and bless the master ,what's wrong with this pup? Go and get a bone!
This aid money must be put into education, health, road constructions and paying public servants, army, court officials, teachers in order to reduce corruption. I hope this money will not end up in the hands of Hun Sen and his cronies.
4:15 AM - Most of the money will end up in Switzerland, Singapore, Malaysia, France, Australia, etc. The corrupt officials will use to send their kids to study in America. They will send the money to build houses abroad for their kids. They even send maids to America to serve their spoiled children while they study ESL part-time in community colleges. Then after two or three years, their children return to srok Khmer with Master degrees and Ph.D.'s
LOK Khmer New Zealand
I think this is a great blog, and I would like to Post a Comment
There has been some recent news you might like to hear.Obama is making it better for us already! There has been an increase of money availability to everyone. Due to recession there is increased funding for all types of grants. Even lenders are bending over backwards to bail you out too. Regardless of statistics, there is people getting tons of cheap money for personal use, investments,start businesses, buy homes, pay off debt, and more. Bailout is for YOU
Stopping aid would cut off the money supply that is fueling corruption and oppression, but would cause hunger and desperation for some of the population.
Both of these things are good for Cambodia in the long term.
Obviously the corrupt bandits "leading" this country must be removed. Americans had to fight to free themselves from the british. The british people had to fight to free themselves from corrupt monarchy. And so on, freedom is borne of struggle. It's time the Cambodian people worked together for a better future for themselves, instead of just being led to slavery by the smell of money. Stopping aid will expose the true nature of cambodias leaders, and move the people to demand better.
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