Sunday, November 22, 2009

The eternal confrontation

By Pen Bona
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Editorial
Translated from French by Luc Sâr


Thrice upon a time … Sam Rainsy again lost his parliamentary immunity. Such a misfortune befell upon him twice earlier already since he earned his seat at the National Assembly. On Monday 16 November, 87 CPP, NRP and Funcinpec voted for the lifting of his parliamentary immunity. The reason for this lifting: the Svay Rieng authorities blamed the opposition leader of uprooting six posts representing the new border posts between Cambodia and Vietnam. Sam Rainsy acted in this manner because he believed that this new delimitation was perpetrated to the detriment of Cambodia. He was thus obliged to uproot these posts so that Cambodia would not lose a piece of its territory.

On the other hand, the CPP is of a different opinion on the event. For the ruling party, the SRP chief had once again showed that his activism only resulted in damages.

The border issue is sensitive, as well as complicated for Cambodia. Going from the Angkorian splendor to a tiny kingdom that it is right now can explain the suspicion that the Cambodian people have on this issue, and thereby Sam Rainsy’s attitude.

Nevertheless, this chapter shows once more the complete absence of dialogue between the CPP and the opposition party. The two camps are not making any effort to understand one another, nor are they finding a middle ground. The SRP does not give much credit to the government for resolving the border issues with Vietnam to the best interest of Cambodia. As a Cambodian saying goes: “Pure gold fears no fire,” literally, this means that if the government works appropriately on this issue, it has nothing to hide. If the parliament minority were to be convinced of the efficiency of the ruling party, then most likely, Sam Rainsy would not have to uproot these stakes in Svay Rieng.

The perpetual misunderstanding between the CPP and the SRP explains the fact that the former is doing whatever it wants because of its prevailing position, whereas the latter can only resort to provocation to make itself heard. The confrontation is thus unavoidable and the law of the strongest prevails. The way things work does not lead to anything good and it only contributes to hurt the public image of the politicians in the eyes of the voters, as well as in the eyes of the international community.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen good to be khmer government.So bad for Somrainsy.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Hun Sen has learned a lot from the modern world, contrary Mr. Sam Raingsy has lost his knowledge.

Anonymous said...

Good Government that leads Cambodia to the first rank from the bottom.

Anonymous said...

why are we fighting each other and embracing foreigners? hadn't cambodia already had this bitter experiences in the past? have lessons been learned? should cambodian history repeat itself?

Khmer Young said...

Very good initiative to demonstrate peacefully around the world to show our unity and in-one-minded common-sense.

Sam Rainsy carelessly went followed the farmers to the installing poles. These wood-poles are surely planned by Vietnamese partner alone. Var Kimhong didn't realize that Vietnam installed those poles. But Var Kimhong as usual will keep his face and blame Cambodian farmers. In the meantime, Sam Rainsy didn't realize that those farms owner uprooted those posts.

However, as a leader, Sam Rainsy has to take responsibility by accepting fault and defending those farmers. See the video tape, we can see that Sam Rainsy didn't uproot the posts. He was busy talking on the phone.

But what is worse is the measure of Hun Sen government that has not reluctantly tried Sam Rainsy in their political court...or we can see Hun Sen government will destroy any Cambodian who dare criticize their misbehavior in associating with Vietnam.

Previously, we admire the "rule of law" and the election of national assembly, now we can clearly see that assembly in Cambodia is the dictator assembly. The members of this assembly are good in serving politics to protect their power and wealth, and inhumanizing minor voice, the SRP. The rule of law in Cambodia, is not the worst mechanism, it is the tool only for those powerful, the elites and the rich. To strengthen the rul of law under Hun Sen administration is to weaken the weak (opposition, farmers, workers and teachers etc).

It is absolutely the dictatorship assembly and the rule of law of a dictator.

Cambodian people are living under despare. They don't have any incentive in fighting against foreign invaders. From day to day, they are overwhelmingly fooled and intoxicated by soap operas, one-sided media, political serving commentator, biased TVs, biased radios, biased newspapers, corruption and manipulation etc.

In order to have a positive change in Cambodia, you have to do something meaningful. You are the agent of change. Join this demonstration and other activities to raise awareness and be instrumental to change of Cambodia.

In Solidarity,

KY

Anonymous said...

Too weak leadership face to a strong yuon pawn, khmer don’t have much to expect. Yet khmer think they have no other way to go than to deal with these two tragic figures

may be now hun and yuons decide to replace rainsy by kem sokha; more easy political tool to deal with

Anonymous said...

* a too strong yuon pawn

Anonymous said...

the blind and ignorant cpp party and the low life scum no one on this world will do like this blineses and ignorant cpp party.

Anonymous said...

Cambodians are tired of seeing and hearing SRP, Funcinpec, and the rest of them. Cambodians are tired of the oppositions failure to accomplish simple things, failure to unite, and failure to communicate. They have failed the Cambodian people and they are now only exist for the sake of existence. They have no value, represent no hope, and accomplish nothing for nobody. We all know that Sam Rainsy did what he did only for attention to himself and his party. SR has no plan of helping to solve nor finding any solution to any issue. If anything he's instigating the Cambodian-Thai tension. I and many other Cambodians have given up on them. By the next election SR and his party will be insignigicant and dissolved.

loclac

Anonymous said...

Mr sam rainsy will always be a khmer national hero. He has been undeterred in the face of injustice and been an advocate to the poor to stand up and fight social injustice. Together justice will prevail!