Listen to the audio commentary by Heng Virak from New York:
Showing posts with label Cambodia politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambodia politics. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Viet Gov’t and Phnom Penh Puppets Scared of Cambodian Solidarity - រដ្ឋាភិបាលយួន និងអាយ៉ងភ្នំពេញ ភ័យខ្លាច សាមគ្គី ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ
Listen to the audio commentary by Heng Virak from New York:
Friday, August 31, 2012
Mobilize Youths: Op-Ed by Kham Logue
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| Opposition youth campaigning in Battambang during the 2012 commune election |
Originally posted on http://khamerlogue.wordpress.com/
`The Group good supersedes the Individual good', is an old adage but it still works timelessly like an old charm. The idealists, and especially the youths are fond of it.
In Cambodia politic, often youths were ignored but Hun Sen politicized them in greater good in volunteerism for the benefits of the society after his border demarcation address.
On 9 August 2012 Hun Sen's made a grand entrance and grand standing in his 5 hour border demarcation and swapping land with Yuon clarification address before the National Assembly. That had risen both in positive and negative feedbacks. The opposition seemed to think Hun Sen was unable to escape his treacherous acts.
Other hands his officials honored him with extraordinaire title. Before the youths eyes, Hun Sen made a historical event that none of the past regime leaders had achieved. This comparable to how one sees the half empty or half full glass example. At the same time, it appeared Hun Sen won approval on TKO over the opposition political jabs.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Sourn Serey Ratha's KPPM attacks The Khmer Post - Info provided by Anonymous
Click on the control below to listen to the audio program:
Opinion on Sourn Serei Ratha and Meach Sovannara by Anonymous
Click the control below to listen to Sourn Serey Ratha on KPPM:
KI-Media Note: To be fair to all parties concerned, the audio program provided by our anonymous reader is only one-sided, i.e. it is a soliloquy by Sourn Serei Ratha only, no attack or response can be heard from the part of Meach Sovannara.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Democrats must become a credible alternative to stop Hun Sen and the CPP
[Cambodian Democrats] have to be better. No Cambodian and no foreigner will take the risk to support a contender whom they see as no different from the incumbent. As they say . . . better the devil you know.
An article by Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth published by the Asian Human Rights Commission
Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party's victories in local elections were pre-ordained.Hun Sen rode to power under the guns of some 200,000 Vietnamese troops who crossed the border with Cambodia on Christmas Eve 1978, captured Phnom Penh in January 1979, and stayed in Cambodia as occupiers until 1989. They installed Hun Sen as premier in 1985.
A former Khmer Rouge defector to Vietnam, Hun Sen lost the 1993-United Nations organized elections, and used threats to win the post of second-premier. In 1997, he launched a coup d'etat against the first-premier. For 27 years, since 1985, premier Hun Sen has controlled Cambodia's administrative apparatus, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. He has become a dictator.
The "pagoda boy," as he called himself -- in reference to his childhood -- learned fast. Now 59, he says he wants to stay in power for life. He promises an open investment environment to the world's thirsty investors – 99 years leases on land concessions and availability of natural resources -- backed by political stability. He plays well on the world's appetite for democracy and elections. He allows just enough free expression as he carefully controls media outlets and public demonstrations sufficient to air some grievances. He's quick to tell potential transgressors he will "close the door and beat the dogs." He encourages elections, but ensures his opponents don't win. He and his party intimidate and bribe hungry citizens for votes.
The country has experienced economic growth for the last decade; investors and tourists remark upon Cambodia's skyscrapers, world class gambling casinos, and shopping malls. The regime siphons some $500 million of development aid yearly. Land grabbing and forced evictions allow Hun Sen and his cronies to get rich as they sell the co-opted property to investors, keeping a portion of the profit. One third of Cambodians live on 61 cents a day. Poverty has increased, particularly in rural areas. Corruption is rampant. Violations of rights are routine.
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Much Room in Politics for Women, Youth: Analyst
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| Ou Virak, head of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, on "Hello VOA". Photo: by Men Kimseng |
Tuesday, 08 May 2012
Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC
“The youth tend to feel that they would rather leave political issues for others to handle.”
Women and youth still have only minor roles in Cambodian politics, which remains dominated by men, a prominent rights activist said Monday.
But both may yet still emerge as powerful political forces, said Ou Virak, head of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, as a returning guest on “Hello VOA.”
A huge percentage of young people remain disengaged from politics. Many don’t know who their local commune leaders are. And few are actively involved in upcoming election campaigns.
“If the youth don’t know what their commune councilors are doing, [they feel] there is no point for them to vote,” Ou Virak said. “The youth tend to feel that they would rather leave political issues for others to handle.”
Thursday, April 26, 2012
ចំណុចខ្សោយដែលជនជាតិខ្មែរគួរកែប្រែបង្កើនភាពខ្លាំងនៃសង្គមកម្ពុជា
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| ពូកែតែជាមួយគ្នាឯងទេ អាវ៉ាអឺយ! |
ដោយ ប៉ែន បូណា
Radio France Internationale
បច្ចុប្បន្ន កម្ពុជាកំពុងខិតខំប្រឹងប្រែងងើបឈរឲ្យស្មើមុខមាត់គេឯងក្នុងតំបន់ក៏ដូចជាក្នុងឆាកអន្តរជាតិ។ ប្រទេសក្រីក្រនិងខ្ទេចខ្ទាំដោយសង្គ្រាម និងអំពើប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍មួយនេះបាននិងកំពុងលាងជម្រះអតីតកាលដ៏ជូរចត់របស់ខ្លួនហើយកំពុងកសាងអនាគតឆ្ពោះទៅមុខ។ ប៉ុន្តែ មានចំណុចខ្សោយមួយចំនួនដែលជាហ្វ្រាំងទប់ល្បឿននៃការអភិវឌ្ឍន៍។ ចំណុចខ្សោយដែលគេច្រើនតែមើលរំលងពីមួយជំនាន់ទៅមួយជំនាន់បាននិងកំពុងក្លាយជាជំងឺដ៏គ្រោះថ្នាក់ដែលត្រូវព្យាបាលឲ្យបានឆាប់។ តើអ្វីខ្លះជាចំណុចខ្សោយរបស់ជនជាតិខ្មែរ?ចំណុចខ្សោយរបស់ខ្មែរ គឺ៖
- ខ្មែរច្រើនពូកែតែជាមួយគ្នាឯង
- មើលមិនឃើញកំហុសខ្លួនឯង
- គិតគូរពីផលប្រយោជន៍ផ្ទាល់ខ្លួនធំជាងប្រយោជន៍រួម
សត្វខ្លាដែលមានរបួសសូម្បីតែរុយក៏មើលងាយវាដែរ យ៉ាងណាមិញ សង្គមមួយដែលមានជំងឺនិងកំពុងចុះខ្សោយតែងតែត្រូវបានគេមើលស្រាល។ នេះកត្តាសត្យានុម័តដែលមិនអាចប្រកែកបាន។ ទ្រឹស្តីនេះប្រហែលជាអាចពន្យល់បានអំពីការតវ៉ាមិនសូវមានប្រសិទ្ធិភាពរបស់កម្ពុជាចំពោះការឈ្លានពានរបស់ថៃ ក៏ដូចជាការប្រមាថជីវិតពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរជាបន្តបន្ទាប់ពីសំណាក់ទាហានថៃនៅតាមព្រំដែន។
និយាយបែបនេះមិនមែនដើម្បីបន្តុះបង្អាប់សង្គមរបស់ខ្លួនឯងទេ ប៉ុន្តែ គឺជាការដាស់ស្មារតីជនជាតិខ្មែរឲ្យចេះឈឺចាប់និងប្រែក្លាយការឈឺចាប់ឲ្យទៅជាថាមពលផ្លូវចិត្តឥតរីងស្ងួតដើម្បីបង្កើនភាពរឹងមាំនៃសង្គមរបស់ខ្លួន។ ជាទូទៅ មានចំណុចខ្សោយមួយចំនួនដែលក្រុមអ្នកតាមដានសង្គមកម្ពុជាបានមើលឃើញ ហើយដែលជនកម្ពុជាគួរតែកែប្រែ។
ចំណុចខ្សោយទី១ គឺ«ខ្មែរច្រើនពូកែតែជាមួយគ្នាឯង» នេះជាអ្វីដែលគេសង្កេតឃើញពីជំនាន់មួយទៅជំនាន់មួយ។ មានន័យថាបើមានបញ្ហាអ្វីរវាងខ្មែរគ្នាឯង ប្រតិកម្មហាក់ដូចជាក្តៅគគុកជាងមានបញ្ហាជាមួយសាសន៍ដទៃ។
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
CAMBODIA: Khmer Buddhist New Year 2556 is time for Cambodians to spark effective change
Thus, as the Khmer New Year brings each a new soul, I pray Cambodians heighten their Buddhist consciousness and practice of their Lord's teachings in order to change old thoughts and old habits and unleash nonviolent action against oppression.
April 15, 2012An article by Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth published by the Asian Human Rights Commission
Talking about the need for political change in Cambodia gets "old." I write aplenty in this space and elsewhere on the topic, yet Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian People's Party persists and keeps piling on more reasons why change must occur.
It's obvious a lot has changed in Cambodia, especially the mirage of development and progress seen in images of bustling metropolitan cities with high rises, latest model cars, crowded markets and restaurants, camera-toting tourists. Cambodia is a paradise for foreign investors who compete for her markets and resources. This influx of capital accelerates change, but these are the sort of changes that should be taken only after deliberation and consideration of their potential impact. This broad-based review does not occur in Cambodia today.
The more things change
An oft-quoted proverb of French origin by novelist Alphonse Karr (1808-90), later quoted by George Bernard Shaw and others, says, "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose," or "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Is this paradoxical?
I admit to being chagrined at reading a commentary by an editor of the Bangkok Post who in "Poor Cambodia not looking so 'poor' anymore," (April 6) noted ironically that "billions of dollars in aid money" help make Phnom Penh visibly "clean" and "spotless" a la Singapore, "at least in those areas where (foreign) delegates (to the ASEAN conference) were either visiting or staying," with "perhaps … the highest number of Lexus vehicles per capita" and "only three beggars" observed. "I personally don't believe that the funding (from aid donors) ever reaches those Cambodians in real need in any case," the editor writes, among other things.
Widespread concern among observers about the worrisome widening gap between those is confirmed by a longtime friend, a non-Cambodian professional with decades-long experience working with peoples in developing countries, who shared World Bank data that show the dramatic rise in economic inequality.
Statistically, poverty in Cambodia has been reduced between 1993 and 2007, but one-third of the near 15 million Cambodians still live below the national poverty line of 2,473 riel per day, or US$0.61; the Gini Coefficient moved up from 0.35 in 1994 to 0.40 in 2004 and 0.43 in 2007 (0 being perfect equality and 1 being absolute inequality); within the rural areas where some 80 percent of the people live, rural inequality rose from 0.27 in 1994 to 0.33 in 2004 and climbed again to 0.36 in 2007.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Hon. Thach Setha, SRP Senator and Permanent Committee Member: Role of Opposition Party in the Legislative and Executive branches
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| Hon. Thach Setha SRP Senator, Permanent Committee Member and Executive Director of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Community, KKC |
Seminar on Role of Opposition Party in the Legislative and Executive branches in the Kingdom of Cambodia on April 9, 2012:
Friday, April 13, 2012
Meach Sovannara from the Khmer Post visited Watt Poirier Pagoda in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu6Z0t3XmnU
For additional program in Khmer, please listen, support and donate to
To donate to the Khmer Post, click "donate"at this link
.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy's interview on Voice of America on 24 March 2012
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| Opposition leader Sam Rainsy |
Click the control below to listen to the interview:
Friday, March 23, 2012
RFA's Interview of Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy on 22 March 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq7CtNjB3ig
Friday, March 16, 2012
CAMBODIA: A survival recipe -- attitude change, practice Buddha's teaching, engage in nonviolent action
This brings me to a recipe for Cambodians' survival: Cambodians need a change in attitude first and foremost, including a reexamination of Lord Buddha's teachings to make a new Cambodia. When enough Cambodians understand and follow Buddha's true path, a new society can be developed; successful dealings with expansionist neighbors to the East and aggressive neighbors to the West can be initiated; and the generalized fear of Cambodia's extinction may be assuaged.
15 March 2012Source: http://www.humanrights.asia/opinions/columns/AHRC-ETC-009-2012
My article last month in this space brought comforting and kind words in e-mails from some Cambodian and non-Cambodian readers, to whom I am grateful. It's they who encourage me to have hope in Cambodians' abilities to find ways to effect change.
I continue to receive requests from readers in Cambodia to provide translations from English of my articles for "Lok Ta, Lok.Yeay, Pou, Mign" (the elders) to read. I was touched by taxi-driver Svang Huy, a graduate with a bachelor's degree in English literature, who asked permission to translate into Khmer my articles compiled in Loyola Marymount University Professor Sovathana Sokhom's book (2011), What is Your Ten Minutes Worth? I am heartened at the interest expressed by those who clearly want to learn. I encouraged Svang Huy not to get hung up with specific words translation, but to adapt my ideas into Khmer. If he does this, I have promised to go over his finished product one article at a time.
Arguments and counterarguments
Proponents of the "filled stomach" and "stability" perspectives supported by Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian Peoples' Party which asserts that positive change will come only after the people are contented with "full stomachs" and a cessation of significant political dissent and provide data and photographs in support of their position. Similarly, regime opponents highlight areas that sorely need reform and improvement.
A "Cambodia observer" writes, "We must give peace and stability in Cambodia a chance, while helping to develop Cambodia in the 'appropriate' and ‘equitable' direction." A Cambodian elder scoffs: The current leadership has been in control "virtually solo" for 33 years, a period during which forced evictions, land-grabbing, deforestation, the sale of the country's natural wealth, among others degradations, have steadily increased; fear and intimidation are used to keep people cowed.
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| Taboo thesis topics |
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| Discussions on the Cambodian Red Cross led by Bun Rany Hun Xen is a taboo |
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| (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post) |
The visitor spoke to a family at the base of Wat Phnom with belongings beside them still wrapped in a blanket: "They seemed to have no idea what they were going to do in Phnom Penh but hope that life in the city would be better than where they came from. It is a sad situation."
Skyscrapers as development
Images of bustling Cambodian metropolitan cities, adorned with high rises and skyscrapers, latest model vehicles, crowded markets and restaurants, and camera-toting tourists, are equated with progress and development.
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| Canadia Bank Tower (Photo: Flickr) |
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| Inauguration of the Dreamland amusement park by Hun Manet, Hun Xen's son and possibly his heir |
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| A young girl who will never set feet at the Dreamland amusement park. |
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Monday, February 06, 2012
Why would you want to trade the Khmer Nation’s freedom for someone else's idea of utopia?
Op-Ed by Neay K'rudth
Following years of listening, and learning from Khmer circle abroad, elite or otherwise, I have concluded that there are two types of Khmer:
A majority who are perfectly content to follow and live under someone else’s dogma or persuasion originated outside of Khmer traditional and cultural pragmatism.
And those in the minority who insistently work alone to try to piece together an original and genuine Khmer vision of a nation under which the government is by and for the people, that will put emphasis on General Welfare, protection of sovereign individual liberty and rights suitable for a nation made up of overwhelmingly under-class and under-educated rice farmers and peasants, who historically have been callously exploited by successive domestic tyrants and foreign aggressors.
Each of us, of course know which camp we belong to; I have no need to label anyone right, wrong, naïve, royalist, loyalist, nationalist, capitalist, liberalist, socialist, communist, opportunist…. and such, history will ultimately be the judge.
...
http://www.box.com/s/vjzfqdaitsabb7ducoxj
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
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