Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Open Letter to U.S. President Barack Obama - By Theary Seng

Letter by Theary Seng published by The Phnom Penh Post on 20 November 2011



Open Letter to U.S. President Barack Obama

18 November 2012, Phnom Penh

Dear President Obama:

Thank you for winning the re-election—for both the sakes of Americans and the peoples of the world—and proving once again the tenacity and strength of American democracy.

And welcome to Cambodia!  During your two-day visit in my birthplace as the first sitting U.S. president, it is imperative that you raise these matters with Prime Minister Hun Sen:

1. Human rights, democracy

I cannot understand the difficulty of the dilemma facing you in attempting to balance the strategic interests by curbing the influence of China and human rights issues which is a sea of violations that run deep here.

I cannot understand the dilemma in this regard: it’s a false dilemma.  The U.S. national interests in Cambodia are human rights and political pluralism.  They cannot be any other.  I am fully aware of how naïve I sound to some analysts who paint the world in broad strokes and in the process, erase pivotal unique traits of Cambodia.  But if you are to take into consideration the unique historical development of Cambodia vis-à-vis superpower politics, it is to U.S. strategic interests in the medium and long-term to side with human rights and democracy.  Especially now, in light of globalization and information communication technology.  If history is any teacher, the U.S. must not repeat its disastrous policies of the Cold War years by turning once again Southeast Asia into a political theatre.  As you know, the Cambodians bore the ultimate price in the Khmer Rouge genocide. 

Your visit can write a more admirable American narrative in Cambodia for the present and the future by making human rights and democracy the unwavering flagship of your strategy.

2. Public Apology for U.S. Illegal Bombings of Cambodia which Created the Conditions for the Khmer Rouge Genocide

Not only should you not repeat the failed U.S. geopolitics of the Cold War here in Cambodia, but you have the unique, grand opportunity to right the wrongs by publicly acknowledging the illegal U.S. bombings which took the lives of half a million Cambodians and created the conditions for the Khmer Rouge genocide.  The Cambodian victims demand a public apology.  If you have the moral courage to make this public acknowledgement, it will do more good for us victims than any high-priced hybrid court will ever be able to accomplish in terms of offering reconciliation and a sense of justice.

3. Push for ECCC Cases 003/4 as the firm condition for UN withdrawal

The Extraordinary Chambers (ECCC) is an irredeemable political sham, embedding impunity with international stamp of approval and legitimacy the longer it goes on.  The insidious political interference into Cases 003 and 004 is but one illustration.  The new co-investigating judge American Mark Harmon has yet to do much on these cases. 

The US must unequivocally support the basic principle of judicial independence and threaten to withdraw if Cases 003 and 004 do not move forward.  This strong US stance—threat backed by action—will set the tone for the rest of the international community and will put the government of Hun Sen on notice of the US seriousness in combating impunity and pursuing justice and reconciliation, not only for the Cambodian people, but the Americans as well.   

In sum, the Cambodian people, like the rest of the world, look to you for political leadership but more importantly moral leadership, which in this age of ICT and globalization, does translate into political capital. 

CIVICUS: Center for Cambodian Civic Education is a partner of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights’ Speak Truth To Power project.  And as you have often quoted and believe in this truth of Robert F. Kennedy, so now may you be reminded when you meet with Prime Minister Hun Sen of how we the Cambodians deeply yearn to have you stand with us in tearing down the “walls of oppression and resistance”:  

Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

With my highest regards,


Theary C. Seng
Founding president, CIVICUS:  Center for Cambodian Civic Education
Founding president, Association of Khmer Rouge Victims in Cambodia

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

How much do Hun Sen, Hun sen's familes, relatives friends steal from Cambodia ? How much? Why do Cambodian people are still poor and Hun Sen goverment keep borrowing from oversea? Why does Hun Sen give Koh Tral , sea area, lands to Vietnam? why? and How come all Hun Sen relatives, friends can abuse Khmer people and even murder khmer people at any time? and why do Cambodia court system are only protecting hun sen and his familes, relatives friends?

Anonymous said...

No any apology for the US bombing in Cambodia. The Us 's bomb did not create the Khmer Rouge but the Khmer Rouge was created by the communist Yuon Ho Chi Minh since 1930 known as the Indo-china Communist Party led by Ho Chi Minh.

Anonymous said...

We want President Obama speech in public about Hun Sen regime!

We want the president Obama speech! Speech! spech! speech! speech! speech! speech! speech!

Please president Obama gives speech in Cambodia in public address all issues that are facing Cambodia today under Hun Sen regime.

Anonymous said...

No samdach Decho Hun Sen closed the door and bully President Obama about what is really mean by Human Right? and he shows all the documents during Vietnam war, half millions of Cambodians were death by B-52 Bomb. Samdach Decho Hun Sen ask question back to president Obama "Were these victims not Human being and deserve Human Right too?" and President Obama can't say a word afterward.

CIA,

Anonymous said...

No samdach Decho Hun Sen closed the door and bully President Obama about what is really mean by Human Right? and he shows all the documents during Vietnam war, half millions of Cambodians were death by B-52 Bomb. Samdach Decho Hun Sen ask question back to president Obama "Were these victims not Human being and deserve Human Right too?" and President Obama can't say a word afterward.

and If the president can't answer my question, it better that America enjoy 99 years of Cambodia crude oil under my watch.

CIA,

Anonymous said...

Does Theary really think that President Obama is a highly moral leader of United States of America?

President Obama was trained in Communinst ideaology Miss Theary Seng. There is no difference between Islam and Communism. President Obama is a Muslim.

Yeah, for the sinners sake he was re-elected just wat people deserve, debase and decadence of the American society with a President who will gladly endorse their rights to sin with government protection. That's democrazy for ya.

Anonymous said...

Ms. Theary let Youn & Chinese, Soviet Union pay the prices cause they created Communist in the cold war to expand their communism doctrine, they made the Angkar, Khmer Rouge, in fact without Vietminh & allies, in reality K.R never have been existed.....asked Chantet Men sam An who had been trained as Vietming since she was young girls among a thousand young boys and girls to come back to Khmer for Vietnam federation...

Anonymous said...

This Teary Sick is an asshole who focuses on the wrong issue.

Anonymous said...

everybody can write some kind of letter and send to the world by air. But please, before you post that kind of your letter, you first should provide more information about. Because we did not know, that all kind of written will reach the office of the president or just a fantasy of you in Khmer (ឃើញអញ្ញឡូយមែនទេ អញ្ញអាចសសេរទៅប្រធានាធិបតី). Usually, you should pass this letter by the US Embassy in Cambodia, because you are in Cambodia and you are talking of the Cambodian problem. You can be a citizen of the great world, but in Cambodia you are Khmer and not someone else.

Anonymous said...

I would like to inform Miss Seng that before you were born , Sihanouk lost control of Cambodia neutrality and leaned toward Communist clan . He , secretly used national route #4 , which was buit from Americans money , to supply arms & food to Vietcong troops stationed in Cambodia . Americans troops were killed everyday so that they have to bomb Vietcong in hot pursue to merely protect Americans lives .
If you want to say that America was wrong for protecting her sons ? you should give
up your American citizenship and be a good Vietnamese . OBAMA DON'T HAVE
TO APOLOGIZE CAMBODIANS ; SIHANOUK DID NOT DO WHEN HE WAS ALIVE .
PS : LON NOL INVITED AMERICA TO PROTECT NEWLY BORN DEMOCRACY &
FREEDOM . SINCE YOU'RE A LAWYER , YOU MUST READ GOOD KHMER
HISTORY - NOT THE ONE WRITTEN BY HUN SEN .

Anonymous said...

Don't try to fool others by your " CIA "balone.
Just fool yourself is good enough.

Anonymous said...

Theary,

We agree with you about pushing for human rights
and democracy, but to blame Henry Kissinger and the US for the Khmer Rouge genocide, we disagree.

Originally, the K hmer Rouge was born because of late Norodom Sihanouk 's strong-arms policy and politics.
The Khmer Vietminhs were born from and by Ho Chin Mingh's expansionism.

In the attempts to regain his power back from Lon Nol and Sarekmatak, Norodom Sihanouk, instead of retiring mass-recruted ALL Khmers to the jungles
battlefields.
Now the Khmer Rouge and the Khmer Vietminhs joint hands. Norodom Sihanouk, unknowingly is now singing and dancing to Ho Chin Mingh's tunes.
Angka was created, operated and controlled clandestinly by Hanoi.

A Khmer Vietminh Hun Nal (Sen ) was called to go to Vietnam in 1978, and the Vietnamese invasion took place in January 1979.

So Theary, please study your Khmer history.
Thank you.

Anonymous said...

CIA ឡប់ៗ ៗ YOUN CREATE ANGKAR TO CONTROL KHMER ROUGE TO KILLED KHMER
AND NOW CIA SHOULD OPEN YOUR EYE AND SEE HOW MANY YOUN ARE LIVING IN CAMBODIA . BUNG TON LE SAB ARE FULL OF YOUN AND JUST IN FRONT OF ROYAL PALACE CALL AREY KHSACH IT FULL OF YOUN. U.S.A TRY TO HELP CAMBODIA BUT WHAT THEY GET? THEY JUST GET A SHIT LIKE YOU AND WHAT YOUN GET YOUN GET RIGHT NOW CIA ?

Anonymous said...

Theary Seng 's writing is so professional but her political insight is worse than that of Hun Sen or Heng Samrin.

Does she want the world super power to help Cambodia freed from the dictator, or does she want the US to turn toward the bad guy or does she just want to show off.
What does she want for future Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

9:46 am ,
you are so right and so intelligent
where as Seng Theary is just like a little girl not finishing 6th grade.

Anonymous said...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Mi Choy mray Seng Theary. Can you dare to explain that who were behind the Khmer Rouge? Mi Choy Mray, Mi thork teap. Mi Kbot cheat play Youn Politics. Mi Choy Mray never care about Land Grabbing, but yesterday you were at Boeung Kak with Khmer from Boeung Kak, it was only your dirty trick. Mi Choy Mray, Why don't you include ah Ho Chi Minh in your Dart game? Mi Chkeh Youn. Mi Choy may Mray look at yourself in the mirror, how choy Mray, you are? How Chkeh Youn you are? Mi Choy Mray Kbot cheat for the living!
What the president Obama warn Ah Hun Hen recently was phenomenal for the good being for Cambodia. Look at Aung San Suu kyi, you are not comparable to her sandal. You are at ECCC is simply to play ah Youn game. GET LOST!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

REAL LAWYER DON'T SPEAK LIKE HER.
I AGREE WITH 2:11AM that She is a traitor for a living. At the bottom line it seem like she is the same line as Hun Sen. Her letter is like to speak for Hun Sen. She is chkout chkout LOL.

Anonymous said...

Some can tell Khmer people how seng Theary earn her life on Phnom penh? How much she made? Who dress her? Sh e rent or own her house? who pay her plane ticket? How does it work her organization? If you question more, you will understand who shi is?
Personnally, if she is really Khmer she doesn't act that way.

Anonymous said...

ង្វៀងសេង ធារី :
(មានសេរីភាព​គ្រប់​គ្រាន់ ជាយួនក្នុងស្រុកខ្មែរ,
ដែលខុសពីបងប្អូនខ្មែរយើងធម្មតា!)
(មាន$$$ពេលបាយហាង-ស៊ីផឹក-ជក់Cigare)
(មាន$$$ពេលដើរលេងក្រៅប្រទេសបានតាមចិត្ត)
(មានពេលមាយា-កាច់កកាច់ស្រង់)

អត់បញ្ហា!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
___________________________________
សេង ធារី :
-ខ្លួនឡាំប៉ាគ្មានសេរីភាព ក្នុងការលេងល្បែងកូនក្មេង
គប់ព្រួញ!
(ហ៊ី!...ហ៊ី!..ហ៊ី!..ហិ!...
ខ្ញុំនឹងបន្តលេងទៀត..ហិ!...ហិ!..
សូមអរគុណ!)(ភាសាមាយាដូចយួន)។
_________________________________

ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ :
(អារដ្ឋាភិបាលចោរហ៊ុន សែន,វាស់ដីឲ្យដើរ)
(គ្មានអាហារហូបចុក)
-គ្មានសេរីភាពក្នុងការតស៊ូប្រជាមតិ ទាមទារ
ដីធ្លី,ផ្ទៈសម្បែងដែល អាយួនហ៊ុន សែននិង
អាយួនយៀកកុងដ៏សាហាវយងឃ្នង
ដែលបានវាយធ្វើបាបរឹបអូសឆក់ប្លន់ ប្រមូលទ្រព្យសម្បត្តិខ្មែរ,
និងបាញ់សម្លាប់ខ្មែរចោលជាបន្តបន្ទាប់......
_________________________________
ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ :
-មានពេលឯណាឥតប្រយោជន៍ទៅលេងល្បែង
ក្មេង គប់ព្រួញឆ្កួតៗ-ឡប់ៗ មិនគ្រប់ទឹក....
ដូចនាងយួនទំយើម្នាក់នេះ។
_________________________________

-រឿងល្បែងគប់ព្រួញនេះបើសេង ធារី ខ្លួនពិតជាខ្មែរ...មានភាពក្លាហាន ពិត​ប្រាកដគួរណាស់តែត្រូវមានរូប
ពួកអាមេមេឃាតករអ្នកកាន់-អំណាចផ្ដាច់ការ
នៅភ្នំពេញសព្វថ្ងៃនេះដែល ECCCកំពុងត្រូវការ មានដូចជា:
-អាយួនខ្មៅ ........ហ៊ុន សែន
-អាយួនខ្មៅ ........ជា ស៊ីម
-អាយួនខ្មៅ.........ហេង សំរិន
-អាយួន............ហោ ណាំហុង
-អាយួន............កៀត..ឈុន
-អាខ្មោចយួន........ហូ ជីមិញ

Anonymous said...

sign off
Hun Sen' macho

Anonymous said...


ខ្ញុំបាទសំថ្លែងអំណរគុណដ៏ជ្រាលជ្រៅដល់
លោក 2:32 AM ដែលបានគូសបញ្ជាក់
នូវចំណុចដ៏ច្បាស់ដែលខ្ញុំបាទចង់សង្កត់
ធ្ងន់។
-រឿងល្បែងគប់ព្រួញនេះបើសេង ធារី ខ្លួនពិតជាខ្មែរ...មានភាពក្លាហាន ពិត​ប្រាកដគួរណាស់តែត្រូវមានរូប
ពួកអាមេមេឃាតករអ្នកកាន់-អំណាចផ្ដាច់ការ
នៅភ្នំពេញសព្វថ្ងៃនេះដែល ECCCកំពុងត្រូវការ មានដូចជា:
-អាយួនខ្មៅ ........ហ៊ុន សែន
-អាយួនខ្មៅ ........ជា ស៊ីម
-អាយួនខ្មៅ.........ហេង សំរិន
-អាយួន............ហោ ណាំហុង
-អាយួន............កៀត..ឈុន
-អាខ្មោចយួន........ហូ ជីមិញ
ពេញចិត្តទាំងស្រុងហ្មង! បើពុំដូច្នោះទេ សេង
ធារី ក៏ជាឈ្នាន់របស់អាយួនយៀកកុងដូចតែ
អង្គសម្ដេចទាំងបីព្រះអង្គដែរ៕

Anonymous said...

We agree with 9:26 PM.
Thank you

Anonymous said...

She was right I agree with her on almost all points, American should apology to Cambodian victim; American killed Cambodian more than 500, 000 and destroyed the whole infrastructure, property even though wildlife such as Kou Prey disappeared.

Before China step in, American totally ignore Cambodian, now Cambodian found oil then American step in to support dictatorship by providing the scholarship to his three sons and almost 20 years quiet with human abuse in Cambodia; American support Hun Sen corrupt crony by providing their companies access to American market cause land grab from poor in order to build their farms and factories. American sent military aid to corrupted Cambodian government in order to supress Cambodian who dare to voice against the regime like we see during ASEAN meeting.

Obama top security advisor said Obama talk “tense” to Hun Sen on human right but who know they might talk about oil instead because no journalist allowed inside the room. Obama should warn Hun Sen that if Hun Sen still abuse Cambodian American will ban on all export that have corrupted Hun Sen cronies involved.

American should pay $50, 000 x 7000, 000 Cambodian victims (1970-1975), China should pay $50, 000 x 1.7 million Cambodian dead (1975-1979) plus 5.3 million Cambodian victim, and Vietnamese should pay $50, 000 x 100, 000 Cambodian dead (1979-1985) and return property stolen from Cambodia plus Koh Tral and Koh Krachak Ses, and border encroachment must return to Cambodian and take illegal migrant home.

Anonymous said...

@9:26 PM ,@6:16 PM,and @7:03 PM
Agree with to eat ACH theary xreng!