20/04/2011
Opinion
STRAIGHT TO THE POINT
Bangkok Post
Very soon the people of our country will be going to the polls bitterly divided. I think it is safe to predict that unless some form of compromise settlement is reached between the present ruling establishment and the Puea Thai Party either before, during, or soon after the elections, we can expect very strong political turbulence and street violence in the coming months - no matter who wins the elections.
Several thousand red shirt demonstrators gathered at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok on March 12 this year for a raucous but peaceful rally, where leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship lambasted the government.
The whole problem revolves around the issue of ''fairness''. It is very clear that both the constitution and ''the system'' are stacked against Puea Thai's chances of winning the election and Thaksin Shinawatra's opportunity to make a comeback. Even in the unlikely event of Puea Thai winning the election and being able to form a government, I'm pretty sure that either judicial or extra-judicial means would soon be exerted to remove that government.
Even before the elections have begun, the army has made it clear to the public how they would like them to vote, by publicly denouncing key red shirt leaders linked to Puea Thai and filing lese majeste complaints against them. This is a blatant interference in the election process and has already doomed any chances of the elections being judged as ''free and fair''.
At the same time, the choice of the new batch of appointed senators by the selection panel representing the judiciary and independent state organisations (including the Election Commission) has made sure that Puea Thai will by default have many opponents in Parliament.
The message is clear. The establishment (please make your own list of its principal components) is not going to allow Puea Thai to govern the country!
This is in fact a stalemate, a ''lose-lose'' situation. Puea Thai cannot govern, but the red shirt movement which retains great mass support will try to make sure that Puea Thai's opponents cannot govern, either. The predictable outcome will be further turmoil, violence and misery for everyone.
I believe that the only way forward for a future of relative peace, prosperity, and democracy lies in some form of negotiated settlement between the political parties representing opposing pol itical forces. In my view the main obstacle to this possibility will be the attitude of the military and some other powerful sectors of the establishment.
The core of a negotiated settlement would have to involve agreement on the process and timetable for drafting a new constitution, or at least making fundamental amendments to the present constitution, based on the principles of establishing a more level playing field for democratic political contests and addressing key issues of concern on both sides of the polarisation of Thai society.
For example, the present political role of the judiciary should be completely removed, as well as the non-elected component of the Senate. Also, provisions allowing for political parties to be forcefully dissolved and their executives to be banned from politics en masse should be discarded. These are all instruments that have been used to manipulate and sabotage democratic processes.
The selection processes for independent state organisations such as the EC, National Anti-Corruption Commission, Human Rights Commission, ombudsmen, and Constitutional Court need to be redesigned to strengthen civil society participation and to safeguard their in dependence and insulation from political interference.
To fully defuse the present explosive situation, there should also be clear agreement on preserving the monarchy as a constitutional institution completely above politics, with the monarch as head of state having a constitutional mandate to uphold the democratic system. The law regarding lese majeste will need to be amended so as to allow democratic discussion and expression of opinion on the functioning of the monarchy and to prevent misuse of lese majeste as a political tool.
Other obstacles to democracy that will need to be removed include the political censorship of websites, restrictions to freedom of expression incorporated in the Computer Crimes Act, and the draconian powers bestowed to authorities under the Emergency Rule and Internal Security laws.
Finally, we will need some form of legal control to prevent incitement to violence and hatred in public speeches and all forms of media.
In my view, these are the minimum requirements for a long-term political settlement with good prospects for avoiding further bloodshed and establishing rule of law acceptable to all sides.
Personally, I would like to see the drafting of a completely new constitution by democratic means, hopefully encompassing a much wider range of political, economic and social reforms. However, at this juncture I think most of us would be happy just to settle for some form of political settlement that could give us hope for a democratic and peaceful future.
The question is whether the power brokers will allow us this possibility.
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Jon Ungphakorn is a human rights and social activist, winner of the 2005 Magsaysay Award and a former elected senator for Bangkok.
8 comments:
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By Ms. Rattana Keo
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 10,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 10,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 10,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 10,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
Var Kim Hong does recognize that Cambodia, if compared to the colonial Service Geographique de l’Indochine scale map 1/100,000 and the 1985 delimitation treaty, will loses 9,000 hectares; and compared to U.S Army Mapping Service scale map 1/50,000 with the 1985 Treaty, would lose about 7,900 hectares to Vietnam. This statement was confirmed by Var Kim Hong to Mr. Touch Bora Esq through a telephone conversation on 30 August 2002 at 4:30 p.m. (Sydney time), which Mr. Touch Bora Esq wrote in his letter dated on 9 September 2002 sent to Sam Dach Ta Noroudom Sihanouk concerning over border affairs.
In fact, the loss is absolutely more than the 1000 square kilometers stated by MP Sam Rainsy in his statement, if we add the size of the historical water of 30000 square kilometers awarded to Vietnam under the 1982 Agreement which has been into affect and now already become under the full control of Vietnam. And this would not be the last if the equidistance principle be used to delimit the maritime boundary, Cambodia will lose an additional area of sea and seabed measuring at least 860 square nautical miles from the Brevie Line to the north, analyzed by Mr. Touch Bora Esq or another 10000 square kilometers confirmed by Mr. Sean Pengse, the President of the Cambodian Border Committee Worldwide, which exclusively include another Koh Poula Wai to Vietnam added to the previous lost islands- Koh Tral (Dao Phu Quoc) and Koh Poulo Panjang (Dao Thu Chu).
This is why sVar Kim Hong said in front of Students´s Movement for Democracy (SMD), and Sam Dach Ta Norodom Sihanouk on 22 Janaury 2000 during our audience with him concerning the border resolution with Vietnam that; “If we want peace, we must sacrifice our flesh to the tiger.” The truth is discovered now that, “Sacrifice the flesh to tiger actually means cutting our land to the Viet.” This word was clearly spoken out from his mouth and there were Sam Dach Ta as witness and 31 members.
We must condemn this Var Kim Hong for his role in helping the traitorous regime of Hun Sen.
Smart Khmer Girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
The two posters you should talk something directed to the topic. Dont just put your head down.
Most Cambodian that involve in politic as politicians in Cambodia because they are try to get better position in government and plus better chance of corruption to gain millions of US dollars. That is the only one purpose of most politicians in Cambodia.
They don't care about The Cambodian people, The Khmer Nation as much as they care about their luxurious cars, big modern villas, millions $US deposited in the banks, Sex with teenagers.
If they just put their mind to build Cambodia. The Cambodia will be like Singapore right now or even better Country and Nation.
Innocent Cambodian people die to serve politic but the politicians are the only group get happiness at the end. Is it true through Cambodia history?
Examples:
Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Funcinpec Party, from 1979 to 1993, how many Khmer lives were dying or lost their limbs because of they believe in Dr. Prince Norodom Ranariddh and his Funcinpec Party. They were carry guns, bombs to fight with Vietnam. They don’t even have salary or proper foods. They were fighting because they believe they would have better chance to have better future as they promised them during they were using them as tool to gain power in serve their politic goal.
As they won the election 1993, Funcinpec Party and the party leaders slowly forget them and their suffering in severing Ranariddh and Funcinpec politics goal and purposes. They (disable veterans of war) lived like animals bag people for money on the street but the majority of top Funcinpec Party are living in Luxury lifestyle practice their European lifestyle and their Royal lifestyle. The disable veterans that were serve them before can’t even meet them ask for their charity because they simply have forgotten and order their bodyguard push them away like animals.
1997 Thousand of Khmer lives again were dying for serving Ranariddh and Funcinpec Party leaders but they have been simply forgotten by Dr. Ranariddh and Funcinpec Party again and again. They were dying for the sake of serving politic lead by the politicians as mention above.
So the question is “Are you Khmer people willing to die for they can be rich and famous and you be forgotten?”
We don't believe, trust and think, Smart Khmer girl is a real Khmer.
She or he is playing games like other Khmer traitors included Thai people & Thai soldiers of "Khmer descent" fight again Cambodia and Khmer soldiers.
11:15AM Your grup is traitors like dog poo poo. Your group is animals poo poo. Your group is shit poo.
11:15 AM
They made in vietnam. What can you say?
siem thugs obviously still living in the dark ages, etc! they think what they did during the dark ages that they can just do it again in this modern era in cambodia. shame on the siem thugs for stealing and violating khmer law, etc, etc!
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