(Photo: Reuters)Chinese Aid Raises Warnings on Rights
Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Tuesday, 04 May 2010
China has pledged to provide military aid, including more than 250 trucks, exceeding an aid package scrapped by the US earlier this year after Cambodia expelled a group of Muslim Uighur asylum seekers.
Political analysts warn that such aid can embolden Cambodia to ignore its international obligations on rights issues.
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong announced the $14 million aid package, which includes 257 trucks and 50,000 uniforms, on his return from the Shanghai World Expo, where he accompanied Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Hun Sen met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and, Xinhua reported, “extended gratitude to China for the unselfish assistance to Cambodia in its social and economic development.”
That assistance includes a $1.2 billion aid package from China that was pledged just a day after Cambodia returned 20 Uighurs to China. The group had sought asylum in Cambodia after fleeing unrest in their home province, Xinjiang, in July.
Chinese and Cambodian officials have denied the aid was linked to the expulsion.
Rights groups warn that aid from China comes without the conditions, such as human rights improvement, often imposed by the West.
Such aid “actually empowers and emboldens the Cambodian government to pay less respect to those international norms,” Phelim Kine, a researcher for Human Rights Watch and a former journalist in Cambodia, told VOA Khmer. “And unfortunately that’s what we saw with regard to the Cambodian government’s decision in December 2009 to forcibly and illegally repatriate 20 Uighurs asylum seekers from Cambodia back to China.”
Major donors to Cambodia need to exact “a much more robust and substantive response” to Cambodia’s refusal to comply with its international obligations, he said.
The US withdrew an aid package of 200 military trucks to Cambodia in March, in response to the Uighur expulsion. A US State Department official declined to comment on the Chinese military aid pledge.
Koy Kuong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Cambodia does not simply accept aid without condition, adding that Cambodia controls its own political agenda. However, he said, “Cambodia will not kneel down to ask for assistance that is attached to conditions.”
Chanly Kuch, a Cambodian political observer in the US, told VOA Khmer the military aid package was not necessary in a country that has already come through so much conflict.
“Cambodia does not need any war, either among Khmer and Khmer or among foreigners and neighbors,” he said. “These weapons are not needed, and we should promote freedom of humankind. I very much regret that our Cambodian government has still trended toward being an authoritarian communist country that suppresses the rights of human beings.”
Tung Yap, director of the US-based Cambodian-Americans for Human Rights and Democracy, said accepting such aid was a loss of face.
“In my view, Chinese aid seems like bribery to our Cambodian government,” he said.
Political analysts warn that such aid can embolden Cambodia to ignore its international obligations on rights issues.
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong announced the $14 million aid package, which includes 257 trucks and 50,000 uniforms, on his return from the Shanghai World Expo, where he accompanied Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Hun Sen met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and, Xinhua reported, “extended gratitude to China for the unselfish assistance to Cambodia in its social and economic development.”
That assistance includes a $1.2 billion aid package from China that was pledged just a day after Cambodia returned 20 Uighurs to China. The group had sought asylum in Cambodia after fleeing unrest in their home province, Xinjiang, in July.
Chinese and Cambodian officials have denied the aid was linked to the expulsion.
Rights groups warn that aid from China comes without the conditions, such as human rights improvement, often imposed by the West.
Such aid “actually empowers and emboldens the Cambodian government to pay less respect to those international norms,” Phelim Kine, a researcher for Human Rights Watch and a former journalist in Cambodia, told VOA Khmer. “And unfortunately that’s what we saw with regard to the Cambodian government’s decision in December 2009 to forcibly and illegally repatriate 20 Uighurs asylum seekers from Cambodia back to China.”
Major donors to Cambodia need to exact “a much more robust and substantive response” to Cambodia’s refusal to comply with its international obligations, he said.
The US withdrew an aid package of 200 military trucks to Cambodia in March, in response to the Uighur expulsion. A US State Department official declined to comment on the Chinese military aid pledge.
Koy Kuong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Cambodia does not simply accept aid without condition, adding that Cambodia controls its own political agenda. However, he said, “Cambodia will not kneel down to ask for assistance that is attached to conditions.”
Chanly Kuch, a Cambodian political observer in the US, told VOA Khmer the military aid package was not necessary in a country that has already come through so much conflict.
“Cambodia does not need any war, either among Khmer and Khmer or among foreigners and neighbors,” he said. “These weapons are not needed, and we should promote freedom of humankind. I very much regret that our Cambodian government has still trended toward being an authoritarian communist country that suppresses the rights of human beings.”
Tung Yap, director of the US-based Cambodian-Americans for Human Rights and Democracy, said accepting such aid was a loss of face.
“In my view, Chinese aid seems like bribery to our Cambodian government,” he said.
17 comments:
Many fishes are ended up in the dishes because of their hungry mouthes. Offcourse people are trying many way to attrack and to lure for their favor. It is no different with fishermen who have used many methods to catch their fishes. If you look at these two idiots, aren't they look like these naive fishes in the small pond? They will bike any bait put to them at full force. At the end, they are going to be a dishes for everyone.
Areak Prey
How much Hun Sen allows his wife and other fuel distributor companies steal Cambodians money.
14 000 000 Cambodians.
14 Cambodians use 1 Litre of fuel per day.
1 000 000 Liters per day.
365 000 000 Litres per years.
30% of tax gives $120 000 000 per years.
Since 20 years, $2 400 000 000 stolen by distributor fuel companies.
One of China's money diplomacy towards Cambodia is " give her enough rope and she will hang herself". Think again about its military strategy.
I want to ask 4:30 and 4:25,since Cambodia became independent, what goverment is the best ???? Sihanouk, Lon Nol, Pol Pot, Ranarith or Hun Sen.
It seems like you guy spend so much time attacking the current gov. Who do you prefer to run the country ?????
The both ware/are the Khmer Rouge communist, they have never interested in west countries. They need the west because they need Dollors, not Papa China and Uncle Ho are the best for them.
About the 250 trucks, How many years they can be used?
5:47 AM WE NOT SPEND TIME TO ATTACK THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT. WE WANT TO CHANGE THE CURRENT REGIME. I MEAN HUN SEN'S REGIME. WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO HAVE HUN SEN'S DICTATORSHIP TO RULE CAMBODIA FOR LIFE. UNLESS YOU REALLY BELONG TO A CPP PARTY THEN YOU GO AHEAD STICK WITH YOUR PARTY. I'M NOT BELONG TO ANY PARTY BUT I WANT TO SEE CAMBODIA CHANGING A LEADERSHIP NOT ONE PERSON RULER BECOME A DICTATORSHIP AND OPPRESS THEIR OWN PEOPLES. WAIT AND SEE WHEN THEY TREAT YOUR FAMILY BADLY THEN YOU CAN TELL ME HOW YOIU FEEL AND THINK ABOUT IT.
To poster 5:47AM,
You must be one of the idiots to ask me that question again. Is Cambodia currently independent? At what level? Cambodian are being abuse at all level. The recent survey by RFA has said
1-3% of Cambodian people are very happy with their present lives with curent leadership ( all CPP members and all their robbers Oknha )
2-75% of Cambodian population are struggling to survive ( School teachers, all public servants, Police and ordinary soldiers, and all small businessmen and all farmers ).
3-22% of the rest of population are surviving day by day and some day has to live with empty stomarch.
All Cambodian National Institutions are set up to serve personal interest.
But if you look from 1955-1975 Cambodian have lived with dignity and law for all. Noone dare to abuse other even Lon Nol or Sihanouk. Why? National Instutitions and National law were all being strenghten by all level.
Cambodia now cannot recognised as a good governance nor a lawfull State. It is very anarchy. Everything is controled by a small group of Mafia?
Areak Prey
One has to realize that nothing is free in this world. If you accept something from somebody, you owe them something and sooner or later you will have to pay back with interest and if you're unable to pay back, then things will get very nasty - you'll lose everything. Of course by then Hun San would be dead but khmer people will carry on the burden for generations to come. Look at Africas, they are facing that problem right now. They will never be rich because they whites have total control over them.
5:47 AM WHY DON'T U GO AHEAD AND JOIN WITH A COMMUNIST PEOPLE PARTY ( CPP ) OR UNLESS U ALREADY JOIN IN A GANGS. I HOPE YOU WILL LEARN ONE OF THESE DAY FROM HUN SEN'S REGIME.
of course with any military aid from any one country, if we don't manage it well, it could be bad; however, look at the recent spat with siem, siem looked down on cambodia for not having enough modern weapons and ordnance, etc. so, of course, cambodia have to think about national self-defence, too, you know. it's easy to criticize, but we have to look at the big picture of cambodia as a country. we need to be ready at all time for national self-defense, despite negative rumor about any military aid, you know. who says cambodia can't be multi-tasking, whether military aid, development, building new, reliable infrastructure, etc, etc... we have to think big, not confine to narrow view, you know!
we need to take china to international court in the pass china diny now we have the real evedence we rub china with ( khmeroug tribunal) fuck you china you fucking communish now you can't get aways from (kh tribunal ) armerican admited now china and russa with vietname all that country mush take responsible the war in the pass hope armerian help cambodia open face who the real murder in cambodia
Sadly Cambodia has nerver had adequatly independent from any foreigner control,espcially individual mentality. Cambodian leaders, mentally have no autonomy idiology especially the wealthy and the royalist families, they're always seeking someone who hillingly capable to ensure their power before they start to abious theirown people:
1 - they're get used of spoilling by the foreign owners, power, facility, money and entertainment.
2 - They like bribery to feed their extra heart outside the house.
3 - They're kind of humanity have no clue how to cook food without cookbook, (especially foreigner cookbook).
4 - They're poor mentally, at all aspects (Frog in the well).
5 - Most of them are the City people (Phnompehn most of them).
Dear 5:47am, I personally want to see Khmer fully independent but I hop not(my ages), this is one of my unswer. Polpot has had secured Cambodian territorial intergrety. Samrainsy the Oui!!Oui!! leader but not too soon. The royal Yuon is bad enought,what is thus will be greater, once the breeze to be turned with new direction.
My best unswer of all is you and I as well as Khmer around the world, please educate well to our children show them helping to protect our homeland in the futuer, after the violence turbulence dying down.
May Buddha bless Khmer all!
K.O
Look in the past. Cambodia does not have any weapons to defend herself from the neighbours so therefore they have no respect of our borders. They enroached our border as they please. why? because we are so defenseless, we have out-dated weapons from WWII or cold war. So how you going to defend our country from the enemy? I think Cambodia should stock pile all kinds of weapons to protect her borders from enemies that try to steal our land.
11:48AM I oppose your comment. In fact if Cambodian leaders smart enough not to use the help and the debt from China ,Cambodia can protect herself very well with the help from UN and the world but instead they have no brain to control over small problems. Hun Sen afraid the Thai take the youn encroach khmer s from the East and keep sway the problems to the west but they both are problems to Cambodia why we fight at one site ? China have done the tremendous disaster to Cambodia China was control Pol Pot at that times after the youn invade Cambodia where is the good and modern weapons to save Cambodia(At the time the youn living among Cambodian people not too many,how about now, bringing the China weapons and money to Cambodia, don't you think Hun Sen start to bring more trouble ad up to Cambodia?
Nothing is free
King , Hun Sen and all the cambodian higher op think China is God, but in fact China is a thorn. A huge thorn to Cambodia's real success and prosperity. What good is Cambodia becoming closer to Communist again when we all know that Communist China and Vietnam killed 2 millions of our people?
Those trucks, tanks and everything else are more for preparing Cambodian to aid Thaksin in case thing gets real ugly in Thailand than to help Cambodia. China and our Cambodian opposit of smart gov. should know that Cambodian people want nothing less than peace and real prosperity for own country and that is the future state of Switzeland in Asia that we really want to achieve. Get it to your head. You are not helping anything by inject your influence to Cambodia. You're an unneed Communist State and we need you like we need a decease China!
Look at North and South Kerea or Thailand and Vietnam. Perhaps, the only Thailand's mistake is failing to copy the US's system and establish the state's welfare department. With all the wealth Thailand has or claims to have, she can not do anything more. That's why Thailand where she is at today. All the women and poor people who are ready to die fighting Abhisit are either having family member that is sick or else they are so poor to care for themself and their government is turning their back on them. King Bhumibol has $ 36 billions according to the Futune's magazine in the US. It's shameful that he too cann't do anything with it either. What are the interest and the dividence that are made from those billions of dollars? King did not load them back up to the bank and use them as a new principle. Where are they the elite Thailand and congress?
Yap Men !
Post a Comment