Op-Ed by MP
(NB: Below is the opinion of the author, and as such any perceived shortcomings or defects are those of the writer alone rather than of any of Cambodia’s political party or opposition groups).
KHMER people must learn to take reign over all things Khmer instead of deferring to external, foreign sources and authority, not least Western ones. To do otherwise would be to play into the hands of the enemies of the Khmer nation in that they are casting self-doubt on crises and events enveloping the people and nation even as we debate and discuss these topics. Let me explain.
Firstly, intellectual material is not set in stone; it is there to be drawn upon sensibly with all due care as to their authenticity, relevance as well as to one’s ethical consideration. We are at liberty to either dismiss or accept any given set of written reports as inaccurate or accurate by relating such information to actual empirical events as they arise. There is no need for Khmer nationalists to either rely on hearsay or rumours or to defer to foreign sources for verification of most of the main events reported, from external and domestic oppression of the Khmer nation to institutional corruption and territorial losses. These are historical and empirical facts that can be manipulated or sensationalised for certain ulterior political agenda, but they cannot be merely dismissed as propaganda or fabrication. These said phenomena are occurring even as we speak; not a figment of anyone’s imagination. Even the perpetrators themselves are indirectly or directly acknowledging the events’ veracity - as well as their own complicity in the same events - by throttling public discussion and by keeping these events under the carpet.
We have witnessed how difficult it is for Khmer people and activists to seek to resolve such issues inside Cambodia where the institutions of order and justice only recognise interpretations of facts that are expedient to their defence process, and make use of them in their favour. People had been put in prison, assassinated, charged with the crime of defamation and falsifying public documents and so forth. Even foreign pressure groups like Global Witness have come under savage attack (such attacks are always savage!). Even if the editor of Khmer Machas Srok newspaper could not produce specific concrete evidence to support his allegations of high level corruption, does that necessarily tell us that the officials accused are clean? If moreover unfounded allegations alone are sufficient grounds for persecuting any one, then Mr Hun Sen and most of his lieutenants would be behind bars by now. That one party can only make public allegations at his/her own peril while another is able to do so with impunity at all, speak volume about the inherently unequal relations in the exercise of power and litigation of social justice such.
Secondly, the Khmer people themselves are the ones at the receiving end of history in the making. They are thus the primary sources for our consultation and education, and not Western journalists and reporters who conduct their research often from the safety of their own hotel rooms in Saigon or Bangkok. Public journals and written materials have their due part to play, and so do foreign support and assistance, but the principal and decisive part to be played by Khmer nationalists and patriots will be to take ownership of their own history and world views by drawing upon the energy, experiences and wellspring of sentiment that have been - are being – churned by social injustices as endured daily by their own people and nation. To do this, they have to transform and revolutionise their collective mindset from one of being passive recipients of other people’s authority to arbitrators of their own country’s destiny. If having a superiority complex is not considered a good thing, then having an inferior one is certainly worse. As one Negro slave historian notes:
Well, again I leave this issue to my respected readers to reflect upon.
MP
KHMER people must learn to take reign over all things Khmer instead of deferring to external, foreign sources and authority, not least Western ones. To do otherwise would be to play into the hands of the enemies of the Khmer nation in that they are casting self-doubt on crises and events enveloping the people and nation even as we debate and discuss these topics. Let me explain.
Firstly, intellectual material is not set in stone; it is there to be drawn upon sensibly with all due care as to their authenticity, relevance as well as to one’s ethical consideration. We are at liberty to either dismiss or accept any given set of written reports as inaccurate or accurate by relating such information to actual empirical events as they arise. There is no need for Khmer nationalists to either rely on hearsay or rumours or to defer to foreign sources for verification of most of the main events reported, from external and domestic oppression of the Khmer nation to institutional corruption and territorial losses. These are historical and empirical facts that can be manipulated or sensationalised for certain ulterior political agenda, but they cannot be merely dismissed as propaganda or fabrication. These said phenomena are occurring even as we speak; not a figment of anyone’s imagination. Even the perpetrators themselves are indirectly or directly acknowledging the events’ veracity - as well as their own complicity in the same events - by throttling public discussion and by keeping these events under the carpet.
We have witnessed how difficult it is for Khmer people and activists to seek to resolve such issues inside Cambodia where the institutions of order and justice only recognise interpretations of facts that are expedient to their defence process, and make use of them in their favour. People had been put in prison, assassinated, charged with the crime of defamation and falsifying public documents and so forth. Even foreign pressure groups like Global Witness have come under savage attack (such attacks are always savage!). Even if the editor of Khmer Machas Srok newspaper could not produce specific concrete evidence to support his allegations of high level corruption, does that necessarily tell us that the officials accused are clean? If moreover unfounded allegations alone are sufficient grounds for persecuting any one, then Mr Hun Sen and most of his lieutenants would be behind bars by now. That one party can only make public allegations at his/her own peril while another is able to do so with impunity at all, speak volume about the inherently unequal relations in the exercise of power and litigation of social justice such.
Secondly, the Khmer people themselves are the ones at the receiving end of history in the making. They are thus the primary sources for our consultation and education, and not Western journalists and reporters who conduct their research often from the safety of their own hotel rooms in Saigon or Bangkok. Public journals and written materials have their due part to play, and so do foreign support and assistance, but the principal and decisive part to be played by Khmer nationalists and patriots will be to take ownership of their own history and world views by drawing upon the energy, experiences and wellspring of sentiment that have been - are being – churned by social injustices as endured daily by their own people and nation. To do this, they have to transform and revolutionise their collective mindset from one of being passive recipients of other people’s authority to arbitrators of their own country’s destiny. If having a superiority complex is not considered a good thing, then having an inferior one is certainly worse. As one Negro slave historian notes:
‘A slave ceases to be a slave, the moment he redefines the impositions imposed upon him by his master’.When Mr Hun Sen was asked what he made of the charge that Cambodia was being ‘colonised’ by Vietnam, he simply shrugged off the idea, insisting that in this day and age it would be impossible – Cambodia (under his rule) would not agree to being colonised.
Well, again I leave this issue to my respected readers to reflect upon.
MP
6 comments:
It's too late and too soon that Cambodia and Cambodians have been colonized by Yuons. The prove is Yuons are stealing Khmer lands by put some wrong border posts. If Yuons colonize Cambodia, they don't need to steal Khmer lands.
it is time to awaken the rich khmer spirit, khmer philosophies, khmer society, etc. to the richness of of khmerness as a nation. yes, khmer is a nation on earth, and with it comes many many great achievement, philosophies, etc that guided and existed in cambodia since time immemorial. khmer society and people need to dig into learning more about our khmer things as we are a rich and proud nation of khmer people and all khmer things. it is a renaissance for khmer to wake up learn from our wise ones of the past, present, etc... of course, we can learn, adopt and infuse new, foreign concepts into our khmer ones as well. but let us reawaken our great khmer things as well. god bless cambodia.
My beloved 5:23 AM!
I am undeniably disagreeing with ya,
Ye ain't scholarly need Ph.D to simply figure out that Youn is currently and truly a Master of Khmers.
Only good education and empower and enlighten Khmer people. Democracy is the only means to achieving this. Yet, we have a long way to go.
We should have a Mam Sonando for every province of Cambodia and when all Khmer have radios tuned to Mam Sonando, the middle man, our political conscious will be rise.
He is a good man, a reasonable man, and he speaks the truth and dare say everything and anything on his mind very civil but sharp!
listen to his radio at vichu sombokkhum http://www.sbkcambodia.org/pages/news.htm
We thank you MP's article for encouraging cambodians to take destiny in their own hands.
History proves that khmers were not passive. Cambodians felt the oppression, they struggled through for better conditions for their lives.
Criminal activities suppressed them from achieving their rights respected as citizens,and also the imposed poverty that disengage them from pursuing for a change in their live. Very unfortunate that these oppression quite often come from the abuses of the power in the government.
Therefore , you ought to appreciate that poor cambodians do not rest easily. Seeking for external intervention is quite the right thing, especially the doners are perceived that they have given those in power more ability by being rich.Rich and powerful become a sharp blade for killing cambodians.In relation of time allows the RGC to change means that more endurance cambodians have to persrvere against.It also can be said that DONERS become negligent to their commitment that is the more reliable hope for cambodians,while the king has not been decisive in fulfilling his obligations, under the prescribed articles of constitution.
Recent reaction of UN,NGOs and donors are the only HOPE whilst the oppostion in many cases being treated as criminals.Medias often controlled and bias,otherwise suppressed.
I hope that you could see these factors, and sympathise with the poor and desparate cambodians.
Neang SA
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