Heng Soy's personal reply to an irate reader

While posting an article about Chumteav Dr. Bun Rany Hun Xen being bestowed another honorary doctorate degree from the Sylla U., one irate reader posted:

"Very nice manipulative pictorial juxtaposition, KI! Kudos! It's funny how people like you expect things in Cambodia to be perfect. Look at America, richest nation, but still has million of people living under the poverty line. There is more to be done for Cambodia but if you decide to be a dumb fudge and expect things to be 100 percent right you are definitely a lunatic, especially considering the nothing you've done and any solution to the problem.

Pointing out a problem doesn't make you a hero. Solving it does. So, are you gonna keep being a all-talk that bitches about the problem or are you gonna do something to help solve the problem?"

The following is Heng Soy's personal reply to this burning matter:

Dear Sir/Madam,

It was a delight for me to read your comment. However, with all due respect, if posting juxtaposed photos is considered “very manipulative”, then what do you qualify someone who is putting words in my mouth? Political distortion? False accusation? Deliberate manipulation? To my knowledge, nobody in their right mind could expect a country to be perfect, and as you rightly pointed so, there are indeed people living below the poverty line in the US of A. But, the question is: how many of these poor American citizens are being savagely evicted out of their lands/houses as in the case of Cambodian citizens?

I thank you for pointing out that I should do something to help solve the problem in Cambodia. I would gladly do so, but would Mr. Hun Xen and his government freely allow me to do so? If you don’t believe me, just look at the case of Mr. Sam Rainsy: for pointing a problem of potential encroachment by Vietnam on Cambodian territories, he was accused of being a traitor instead. Where else in the world have you seen such travesty of justice? Shouldn’t the government check it out, or, at least, bring in independent experts to verify the case? In fact, the government could not even reveal where the exact location of our border is. To cite another case, when Cambodian troops stationed along the Thai border complained about food shortage, and when opposition MPs attempted to help solve the problem by bringing in foods to the soldiers, do you remember what they were told by the CPP-obeying army commanders: these MPs are not allowed to enter the area because they are opposition MPs.

Furthermore, to refresh your memory, Mr. Hun Xen himself indicated that he will continue to occupy power in Cambodia for so many years to come, and even hopefully until he reaches the ripe age of 90-year-old. Now, do you still think there is still room left for me to provide my humble help?

If solving problems make someone a hero, I was wondering what had our heroic government officials solved so far to earn their honorific title of “Samdachs”? Why is corruption still rampant? Why does deforestation still persist? Why forced evictions/land-grabbing still remain? Why don’t we know where our borders are? Why couldn’t the Cambodian people freely express their opinion? Why is poverty still persistent? Oh, I forgot: we just get out of destruction ... never mind the fact that this destruction took place some 30 years ago and that billions of dollars in foreign aid were poured into Cambodia since then.

Last but not least, in my humble opinion, before I can provide my help, shouldn't I be able to speak out what my help solution would consist of? So, in your opinion, is it still too much for me to ask to express my opinion freely first?

Nevertheless, what really puzzle "people like me" the most is the fact that "people like you" tell "people like me" to help "people like you", but for "people like me" to even start helping "people like you", we need to know what your problems are. Now, since "people like you" never want to tell what your problems are, somebody else has to point out your problems, don't you agree? ... Wait didn't you say I am part of those who point out the problems? Now, what do you want me to do first? Pointing out your problems first or helping you solve your problems first, or both?

Yours sincerely,
Heng Soy