A Photo Diary of the Launching Events of
Speak Truth To Power
of the
Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
in association with
CIVICUS: Center for Cambodia Civic Education
in Cambodia
Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, 22—26 Feb. 2011
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Upon arrival into Phnom Penh and immediately after lunch at the FCC, we took a tuk-tuk ride in a roundabout way to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, only to be nicely distracted and greeted by Sambo at Wat Phnom. Here, the newly minted teenager, ever engaging Michaela Kennedy Cuomo lavishing kisses on Sambo as mom, Kerry Kennedy, memorializes the moment (Phnom Penh, 22 Feb. 2011).
Kerry Kennedy with CIVICUS Cambodia Theary Seng, CITA president Rong Chhun, Michael Hayes (founder of The Phnom Penh Post) at a reception hosted by Madam MU Sochua and Mr. Scott Leiper at their elegant residence (Phnom Penh, 22 Feb. 2011).
UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Surya Subedi, Kerry Kennedy, John Heffernan, Theary Seng and host Madam Mu Sochua at her lovely residence (Phnom Penh, 22 Feb. 2011).
John Heffernan (director of RFK Center’s STTP), Senior Minister Om Yentieng (president of Cambodian Human Rights Committee and RGC representative to ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission for Human Rights), Kerry Kennedy, CIVICUS Cambodia Theary Seng at La Residence after a nice lunch and conversation, joined by Dr. Kol Pheng (not pictured), before the afternoon launching seminar at Pannasastra University of Cambodia auditorium (Phnom Penh, 23 Feb. 2011). We were all deeply moved by His Excellency’s Khmer Rouge ordeal, how he survived three executions. Senior Minister Om Yentieng, in turn, invited us to dinner at Topaz restaurant two days later, Friday, where we enjoyed a private room of great food and great conversations, joined by his two sons (Nel and Terry) and his personable personal assistant Chheang Dara and where he said that the Speak Truth To Power materials should be widely disseminated, including via his Cambodian Human Rights Committee, how his CHRC has an MOU with ADHOC (Mr. Thun Saray); he invited me to join him on future visits to prison, an offer I will accept. The Friday dinner came immediately after our one day trip to Siem Reap—with no overnight stay: Silk Farm and three temples of Ta Prom, Bayon (HE Om Yentieng’s face reflect the Bayon face in this photo) and Ankor Wat. We ran late for dinner when Kerry, waiting for us, saw a Buddha wooden statue in a boutique of the Hotel Cambodiana where they were staying (as the guests of Prince Norodom Sirivudh), that was about to close, on her last night, after a 3-day search. We appreciate the understanding of Senior Minister Om Yentieng, especially as my mobile ran out of battery and we couldn’t inform of our slight delay.
Students signing in for the first day launching events, the seminar, the photo exhibition at Pannasastra University of Cambodia (Phnom Penh, 23 Feb. 2011).
The Seminar speakers: John Heffernan, Dr. Kek Galabru, U.S. Ambassador Carol Rodley, Dr. Kol Pheng (founder of Pannasastra University and former Minister of Education), Senior Minister Om Yentieng (president of Cambodian Human Rights Committee), Kerry Kennedy, Theary Seng, Father John Visser (country representative of Don Bosco Cambodia), 23 Feb. 2011.
National anthem sung acapella by exquisite Ms. Pheun Sreypov of Cambodian Living Arts. All the local TV stations filmed the launching events which were broadcasted all day long and internationally among the Cambodian diaspora communities in Europe, the US and Australia.
Kerry Kennedy with her deeply moving personal account of her journey toward embracing human rights work, filmed by German cinematographer Marc Eberle and all the local TV stations which also air internationally (Phnom Penh, 23 Feb. 2011).
Senior Minister Om Yentieng who gave the Keynote Address (Phnom Penh, 23 Feb. 2011).
UN Special Rapporteur Surya Subedi
UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Surya Subedi generously stopped by between his myriad of meetings to give a few remarks to a packed auditorium of diplomats, senior government officials, NGO leaders, donors and students (Phnom Penh, 23 Feb. 2011).
U.S. Ambassador Carol Rodley and British Ambassador Andrew Mace after the seminar (Phnom Penh, 23 Feb. 2011).
Kerry Kennedy and Theary Seng speaking with Madam OUM Suphany, the prolific author who is an active officer of the Association of Khmer Rouge Victims in Cambodia (AKRVC). A handful of AKRVC members attended the seminar, including lauk Monysak (Phnom Penh, 23 Feb. 2011).
Students looking at the Photo Exhibition, reading the Khmer translation (Phnom Penh, 23 Feb. 2011).
The Photo Exhibition after the seminar (Phnom Penh, 23 Feb. 2011).
6 comments:
I couldn't help but to think of how "intellectual" their conversation must have been. lol
Please stop Theary Seng from posting her rubbish photo diaries here. This is neither news nor sensitive. It is deeply embarrassing for KI Media to keep posting these obscenities. How can anyone take serious a person who is organizing an event supposedly about “Speaking Truth to Power” and bragging about a diner invitation by “Senior Minister Om Yentieng”, who “in turn, invited us to dinner at Topaz restaurant two days later, Friday, where we enjoyed a private room of great food and great conversations, joined by his two sons (Nel and Terry) and his personable personal assistant Chheang Dara”.
Theary, don’t you even realize how disgusting and ridiculous this is? Please stop Theary Seng from posting her rubbish photo diaries here. This is neither news nor sensitive. It is deeply embarrassing for KI Media to keep posting these obscenities. How can anyone take serious a person who is organizing an event supposedly about “Speaking Truth to Power” and bragging about a diner invitation by “Senior Minister Om Yentieng”, who “in turn, invited us to dinner at Topaz restaurant two days later, Friday, where we enjoyed a private room of great food and great conversations, joined by his two sons (Nel and Terry) and his personable personal assistant Chheang Dara”.
Theary, don’t you even realize how disgusting and ridiculous this is? Have you lost the last bit of your mind and any decency (probably never had any)?. How can someone like this claim to speak on behalf of KR victims while boasting about their “lovely houses” and “elegant residencies” and not even realize how obscene they are. You are disgusting, disgraceful, and shameless. What little influence you have you use it for your personal advancement.
This event has been advertised like 10 times on KI Media but all it seems to have been is a ‘high’ society event serving Theary Seng’s self-serving agenda. Great job!
Bunch of hypocrites is what you are.
Poor 3:35, feeling unloved, are we?
Theary, you are so very pathetic and you don’t even realize it.
Academic credentials or not, the whole event and its presentation here on KI Media are disgusting, talking about your fucking lovely residences and how ‘high’ society you are. Anything came out of this event, except for you hypocrites clapping each other’s shoulders ensuring yourselves how great and relevant you are.
Who is this supposed to serve except yourselves and your careers? What about speaking truth to power? Diner invitations at Topaz from the dictator’s poodle. And you don’t even realize how disgusting you are, how you are betraying your supposedly ‘fellow’ Khmers who are so much less fortunate than you, although not a bit less, probably much more, deserving.
Also, Theary, please stop pretending you have a PhD. That ‘doctorate’ of yours is a bachelor-equivalent practical degree. Nothing to boast about. Its not a PhD, a research degree. You have not published a single academic paper. You are just good at pretending you have academic credentials. And what does it tell about your intellectual capacity that you graduated along the prince of Spain? All it means is that you were not the only one who was there because of privileged backgrounds rather than own achievements. Please stop boasting about it. You got nothing to throw around with your name yet you use anything in reach, even the poor Khmer Rouge victims.
I would like to propose that Theary Seng uses the comment function on KI Media, like everyone else. If she has nothing interesting to say except posting photos of supposed members of ‘high’ society then her voice should not be privileged in this way. It’s been this way now for far too long. Please get real.
Its not a matter of how intellectual their conversation might or might not be.
Its how deep their compassion for humanity, and willingness to stand up for injustice in cambodia.
Thank you all, Mr Subedi, Kerry Kennedy, John Herrernam, Theary Seng, and Ms Mu Sochua.
May God bless you all, and your famil.
and you, 4:30pm, you are licking her ass for sure.
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