emily@devinemulvey.com
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CAMBODIA’S LEADING OPPOSITION LEADER
MU SOCHUA VISITS WASHINGTON, DC
Leading human rights voice visits Lawmakers April 12-14
April 4, 2011
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| Human Rights advocate Mu Sochua (center in pink shirt) |
Washington, DC -- Nobel Peace Prize nominee and human rights advocate Mu Sochua visits Washington, DC, this month to discuss sex slavery, human rights, and her continued fight against injustice and corruption in Cambodia.
Mu Sochua made headlines around the world in 2009 by standing up to Cambodia’s powerful Prime Minister after he publicly insulted her with degrading language. Facing jail time, Mu’s open letter, “As I walk to prison”, provoked an outcry from the international community. Mu was found guilty by the courts, which are known to be a political tool of the ruling party. By court order, Mu’s salary was deducted and her parliamentary immunity is still pending.
Considered one of the most courageous leaders in her country, Mu Sochua has been called “Cambodia’s fearless heroine” by The Daily Beast and a “passionate fighter for girls and women” by Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine.
With trials against Khmer Rouge officials accused of genocide from the 1970’s finally underway, Mu Sochua can talk about the pain of losing her parents to the bloodshed, the need for justice, and the hope that freedom and transparency can bring to her country’s fledgling democracy.
Mu Sochua was featured in the HBO film “REDLIGHT”, narrated by actress Lucy Liu, that tells the stories of young Cambodian girls sold into brothels. Mu Sochua has helped mobilize over 12,000 women candidates to run in commune elections. Over 900 women were elected, ushering in a new generation of women leaders. Mu Sochua has the support of her party to include 450 women candidates in winning positions for the 2012 local elections.
Mu Sochua is the recipient of the Vital Voices' Human Rights Global Leadership Award, presented by Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Mu Sochua will be meeting with members of Congress and attending the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards at the Kennedy Center.
For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Emily Sherman.
8 comments:
I appeal to Mr Sam Rainsy to transfer the party Leadership to Madam Sochua for this National General Election while she still has times to perform her leadership performance. Without staying in the country, Mr Sam Ransy name is starting to fade away from Cambodian voters. Mr Sam ransy must understood this reality if he wants his party to succeed at this election. At the same time, madam Mu Sochua has also already proven her leadership and her thread to Hun Sen leadership. With a Dictatorship, only woman like Madam Mu Sochua can take down their dominance in power.
Please look at countries around us which dictatorships have been removed by women leadership.
-Philippine of Marcos by President Aquino.
-Indonesia Suharto by Madam Surhano.
-Bengardess
-Serey Lanka
-Brasil
etc.. and etc..
Areak Prey
Areak Prey,
Your suggestion is very good and well taken!
Sam Rainsy's hope of being allowed to come back to Cambodia without facing jail time is quite slim.
I hope Mr. Sam will not fall into the same category of those Cambodian leaders who have proved themselves to desire to rule forever no matter what the cost is to their party, society and country.
I think Sam Rainsy is making a mistake by continuing to be the president of the Sam Rainsy party and yet does not come back to Cambodia to run his party for fear of being jailed.
Being jailed for the principles you believe in and not for a heinous crime demonstrates your willingness to go all the way to defend what you believe and see as the right things to do in your struggle to defend democracy and to the poor in a country you profess to love.
Being a boat captain, one cannot and must not be afraid of getting wet or even drowned by the water.
To lose the position as the president on the part of Mr. Sam can help demonstrate that the Sam Rainsy party is truly for the peopel and the country of Cambodia.
It is not a bad idea either to change the name of the party to something other than the name of a person!
There are so many names that can be used and for that reason a consideration for a name change is a must for a party that promises to be different from the Cambodian norm.
Anet Khmer
Correction:
Areak Prey,
Your suggestion is very good and well taken! I hope Mr. Sam reads and consider your opinion.
Sam Rainsy's hope of being allowed to come back to Cambodia without facing jail time is quite slim.
I hope Mr. Sam Rainsy will not fall into the same category of those Cambodian leaders who have proved themselves to desire to rule forever no matter what the cost is to their party, society and country.
I think Sam Rainsy is making a mistake by continuing to be the president of the Sam Rainsy party and yet is afraid to come back to Cambodia to run or lead his party for fear of being jailed. Being jailed is part of a political life of anyone who wants to be a politician in the land where the dictator rules.
Being jailed for the very principles you believe in and not for a heinous crime demonstrates your willingness to go all the way to defend what you believe and see as the right things to do in your struggle to defend democracy and the poor in a country you profess to love.
Being a boat captain, one cannot and must not be afraid of getting wet or even drowned by the water.
To lose the position as the president on the part of Mr. Sam Rainsy can help demonstrate that the Sam Rainsy party is truly for the people and the country of Cambodia.
It is not a bad idea either to change the name of the party to something other than the name of a person!
There are so many names that can be used and for that reason a consideration for a name change is a must for a party that promises to be different and for the country.
Anet Khmer
At last KI Media has dumped Sam rainsy. Mu Sochua is now "Cambodia's Leading Opposition Leader".
It is not a bad idea, really. The devil you know is so hopeless that the devil you don't know looks so attractive.
Kuoy Pichet
Yeah, but would Mu Sochua have the guts to execute a party coup? Sam Rainsy's ego is so big that he will not let it go for the party's interest.
et al
Dear All,
If my opinion is serious taken by Mr Sam Ransy then his political future will be still restored and he will be one day turn back to be leader of the country. My opinion is not about dumping Mr Sam Ransy at all. I still have my full support to his leadership and his Nationalism. But what I want to see his party has a new reshuffled to have more chance for the election while his is not alway in the country. I have many experiences with human memory. At many circumstances, I found people always having short of memory. Therefore without staying closed to the voters, these voters will not remember who you are.
The transfer of leadership is very vital for SRP for the election. If Mr Sam ransy is reluctant-ed to do that, I worry that a leadership challenge will be possible because of frustrations among party members. The leadership challenge is very easy to archieve. You need only 50%+1 of all elected members of the SRP to elect a new leader, Mr Sam Ransy will loose his leadership for ever. Another scenario is that Mr Sam Ransy need to prove himself a Democrat as well by allowing his SRP more democratic opinion. Therefore, from time time, this party need to have a meeting for an ENDORCEMENT OF THE PARTY LEADERSHIP. This Endorcement is very important to show the world that SRP is still rallying behind their LEADER.
Areak Prey
I don't know who you are Ms. Rattana Keo but I really appreciate your patriotism to Khmers. In Cambodia under Hun Sen regime, Khmer kids don't know anything about Koh Tral and Real Khmer History because CPP fully cooperates with Viet to brain washes Khmer kids after 1979 until present’s day.
The teachers at Cambodia can’t tell Khmer kids the true about their true history because they are being blackmail by the Hun Sen government. (“You want to be missing” that is the phrase CPP Viet spies’ tactic using every day at Cambodia school)
I would like Ki media educate Khmer people more about their own true history because majority of Khmer kids educated from 1979 till present day are big missing link to Cambodia real history.
We Khmers around the world must not accept the way CPP government brain wash Khmer kids today.
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