Saturday, November 14, 2009

Cambodia Should Look East in Defense of Territorial Integrity: Sam Rainsy

Sam Rainsy’s letter as published in The Cambodia Daily, November 14, 2009

CAMBODIA SHOULD LOOK EAST
IN DEFENSE OF TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

The CPP-dominated National Assembly is planning to suspend my parliamentary immunity on Monday, November 16. There will be a special parliamentary session with the lifting of my immunity being the only topic on the agenda.

I expected this move by the Hun Sen government. It proves how subservient the Cambodian authorities are to the Vietnamese government.

On November 4, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung “proposed that the Cambodian government take due measures to deal with [Sam] Rainsy's acts of sabotage and not permit similar cases to occur, as they negatively affect the fine relations between the two nations.” You can see the official statement from Hanoi at http://www.nhandan.com.vn/english/news/041109/domestic_vs.htm

On October 25, as an elected representative of the Cambodian people, I had only expressed my support for, and solidarity with, Cambodian farmers who are victims of land grabbing along the Vietnamese border in Svay Rieng province. You can see the context of my intervention and related evidence at http://tinyurl.com/ykblbpr

The attempt to silence me by lifting my parliamentary immunity also shows that the current Phnom Penh government totally ignores King Father Norodom Sihanouk's concern about Cambodian farmers losing their rice fields because of border encroachments by the Vietnamese authorities as I elaborated in my November 7 letter to the Retired King. See related documents at http://tinyurl.com/yzcxqyq and at http://tinyurl.com/yec3hw5

Vietnam's prime minister apparently blew out of proportion my symbolic gesture to morally come to help Cambodian farmers who are victims of local injustices involving Vietnamese authorities. But this incident could also show that I embarrassed Vietnam by shedding light on a much bigger issue with strategic implications and much higher stakes than one may first consider.

The recent appointment of fugitive Thai national Thaksin Shinawatra as an adviser to the Cambodian government in order to exacerbate tensions between Cambodia and Thailand may be just a ploy to divert the public attention from much more serious problems concerning Cambodia’s territorial integrity, which appears to be more vulnerable on our country’s eastern border than on the western border with Thailand because of Vietnam’s more subtle expansionist policies and Mr Hun Sen’s subservient attitude towards Hanoi.

Sam Rainsy
Member of Parliament
Phnom Penh

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen can't see east because one of his eye is blind.

Anonymous said...

Do not blame a one eye Cambodian strongman. If Thais invaded Cambodia, Hun Sen will depend on Vietnam to protect our land. Then, every Cambodians will believe that Vietnam is their protector, similar to January 7, 1979. Sam Rainsy created his own problem by taking the laws to his own hands.

Anonymous said...

We can see clearly, we must deeply respect our master Vietnam, give them everything as they request.

(Signed),
Hun Xen, Chea Xim, Heng Xamrin

Anonymous said...

Khmer leader are Idot,

They don't trust own people power but believe foreignern to help them.
They are hungry for power but forget all in the past history who take their land.
Viet use the same strategy to annex Cahmpa, Kampucheakrom and Khmer territory step by step but Khmers don't see it.
I don't think Thai people are stupid like Khmer. Well, Thai see the dangeriuos for them if Cambodia and Loas full controll by Viet in Indochina.

Now, we can view in 10 years later what will happen with Cambodia

Anonymous said...

You mean looks only the east and not west side, let the Thai invade Cambodia. Not a bad idea you have, Mr. Sam Raingsy.

Anonymous said...

11:45pm

Sam rainsy needs to take this matter to court along with evidence of the viet encroachment into khmer territory.

Anonymous said...

LOOKING EAST:

The Khmers must organize in hit and run death SQUADS similar to the Malays' tactic in southern Thailand.
We must prepare to seize the initiative and take the fight to the viet foes everywhere:

- in the rice paddy fields
- in the Mekong and Tonle Sap
- in the offshore islands
- in the streets of Phnom-Penh
- in the National Assembly
- in the garment sweatshops
- in the School and Hospital
- in the Pagodas
- in the brothels at Sway-Pak district

We must make their life a LIVING HELL.
Lord Buddha willing, we shall prevail.

Anonymous said...

SRP...YOU DID IT...FOR A GOOD EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE OF CAMBODIA....WHY....NOW...SCARE OF HUN'S...BE BRAVE..AND FIGHT TO THE END.....IF NOT LOVING POWER AND FACE LIKE HUN....FIGHT FOR IT...EVEN YOU DIED ...DIED FOR A GOOD CAUSE...NOT LIKE HUN'S...DIED FOR YUON....

Anonymous said...

យស្ស អច្ចន្តទុស្សីល្យំ
មាលុវា សាលមិវោត្ថតំ
ករោតិ សោ តថត្ថានំ
យថា នំ ឥច្ឆតី ទិសោ ។
ភាពជាអ្នកទ្រុស្តសីលហួស
កម្រិត គ្របសង្កត់(អត្តភាព)
របស់បុគ្គលណា ដូចជាវល្លិជ្រៃ
រួបរឹតព័ន្ធដើមសាលៈយ៉ាងនោះ
ឯង បុគ្គលនោះឈ្មោះថាធ្វើ
ខ្លួនឲ្យដូចជាចោរដែលប្រាថ្នានឹង
ធ្វើសេចក្តីវិនាសដល់គេ យ៉ាង
នោះឯង ។ ពុទ្ធភាសិត

Anonymous said...

Call me Xam Rainxy...

Anonymous said...

Well written article, Mr. Sam Rainsy. Hun Sen is exposed big time! Take out the MAP, people! Take Hanoi to World Court and let us nab the Hanoi land thieves red handed. If Hanoi tries to steal more territory from China, this shows that the beast is never afraid from stealing more from Cambodia. The Viets already stole the Khmer Mekong Delta and they even try to rename it as theirs. That the act of the Viets alright. Let us involve China in this matter so that the Viets will learn to be good neighbors.

Anonymous said...

Khmer people along the border must send their signature to the United Nations via opposition such as Sam Rainsy party, Human Right party and Human right Watch organization .
viet created problem at the west and at the mean time,they stealing Khmer's land from the east via cpp government that has been installing it since 1979 after vietnam engineered the killing in Cambodia.