April 17th: Lesson Learned?

Apr 21, 2009
Opinion by Jayakhmer
On the web at http://www.modernprogressivekhmer.blogspot.com

“In order for this struggle to have meaning, the oppressed must not, in seeking to regain their humanity (which is a way to create it), become in turn oppressors of the oppressors, but rather restorers of the humanity of both.” Paulo Freire

April 17th brought back vivid memory of the painful past. It was the day when the brutal Khmer Rouge seized power from the U.S. supported government of the Khmer Republic. This day marked the beginning of the demise of the modern Cambodia. As million of Khmers were evacuated to the rural areas of Cambodia, the systematic killing and starvation began. It was estimated that more than 1.7 millions died from executions and starvation.

When such tragedy occurred, the easiest and most natural thing to do is to point finger and blame. The Khmer Rouge are being blamed and rightfully so. Some of the perpetrators and the architects of this tragedy are being brought to justice in a protracting and lethargic trial. While the Cambodian people patiently wait to see and to hear the end of this political theatrical phenomenon, they are not better of than they were, perhaps six decades ago.

Blaming and even convicting the remnant of the Khmer Rouge, however, only creates an incomplete picture of responsibility. The Khmer Rouge could not win without the support of the national consciousness at the time. Once it was clear that the war was not between Khmer and the Vietcong, many Cambodians could not wait to see the end of the war because they bought into the myth that Cambodia would return to peace and prosperity when the war ended. Somehow, I feel that the country should share the responsibility for this tragedy.

How can the Cambodian people avoid the mistakes of the past? If they are not careful, they may be doing it right now. Then, they are the ones to be blamed not just those who are at the top of the political structure.

How far has Cambodia gone from the situation that brought Cambodia the day of April 17th? Although the country made some progress, it has not gone too far.

Politically speaking, Cambodia has not changed much. If the Cambodian people listen carefully they would notice that the status quo may use different political propaganda and modify political slogans, but basically the leaders are doing the same thing as their predecessors.

If one deconstructs the last six decades of political events and simply look at them at the broadest sense, one would clearly see that the country has been replacing a group of status quo with a different one without much net gain of freedom and liberty for the people.

Cambodia has replaced the French Administration with the Khmer royal families and the elitists (who are also French educated) in the name of “national independence.” The elitists got rid off the monarchy in the name of “patriotism and national salvation” because the cold war alignment under the leadership of His Majesty the former king proved to relegate Cambodia in a compromised and disadvantage position among Southeast Asian nations.

The Khmer Rouge claimed to “liberate the nation from the oppressed former regime and the U.S. imperialist” when they took over. They, then, morphed to be the cruelest oppressors themselves by creating a phantom organization such as “Ang-Ka” to strike terrors and to commit systematic killing.

Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1979; it too created a new status quo. The Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) came to power with the help an invasion force in the name of “national salvation” and has managed to stay in power since.

Curiously, the leadership style has not changed. All have the same characteristic, the one that is inherently undemocratic.

We know that the government of His Majesty the former king was operated under one person. It was his Majesty. The Khmer Republic lived too shorted to know who was really in control. Under the Khmer Rouge, we now learned from various testimonies that Pol Pot was the top person. Currently, Prime Minister Hun Sen definitely is in control. Cambodia is a one man show. Even the party that tries to challenge the status quo is perceived to be a one man show.

To extricate the country from the situation that brought Cambodia April 17th, change is desperately needed. Change in Cambodia cannot be realized simply by deploying political propaganda or rephrase political slogans. Nor changes can occur by changing a few minds at the top of political structure. Authentic change has to come from the mass and ordinary people.

The challenge for all Cambodians is can the mass change without proper education- the kind that rigorously engage the mind of individuals to the point that each can think critically about issues and especially about issues that ultimately impact their lives.

Without education that encourages critical thinking, one does not depart too far from being ignorant. And ignorance kills. Just like what happened after April 17th, 1975.