'Aide-Toi, Le Ciel T’Aidera' [-"Help yourself, and heaven will help you"]

"Don’t think that everybody is in line with ‘chaul stung tarm bawt’. People here are just lying low for the right moment to burst into a violent flame and anger. They are keeping themselves quiet because they need security and time to educate and feed their family. People in the streets are complaining about the same story daily: The lack of justice, freedom of expression, violation of human rights, illegal land grabbing, unemployment, high cost of living, and endless other complaints…"

Tim Sakmony (L) and Yorm Bopha (R)

16 Sept 2012

An article by Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth published by the Asian Human Rights Commission

It’s useful once in a while to recall that I am not a politician and have no desire to be one. I am not here to tell people what they like to hear nor to disparage. I believe in the principles and ideals of republicanism; and I write about subjects I believe I am qualified to discuss. Readers’ actions and reactions are their own. While disagreements can provide the fodder for healthy debate, those engaging in debate should not display arrogance or intolerance. Passionate opinion can be expressed with civility.

My last article, "Khmer diplomat dubs Hun Sen a fabricator of Khmer history," appeared on the day of the late Srey Pheach’s funeral, attended by so many. It brought e-mails from Pheach’s friends and acquaintances from different places and from Phnom Penh where sits the dictator against whom Pheach fought until his last breath.

Validation

Pheach’s writing was validated by a high ranking member of the Khmer elite in Phnom Penh, whose credibility I have never doubted. I knew him when he was in the thick of the political events examined in the article. He referred to my article as "the most well written true story of Cambodia’s bloody past by the late Srey Pheach."

But he also added to the story Pheach shared. My friend wrote that Pheach did not mention the cessation of US bombings in 1973, followed by the "fast reduction of US forces from Vietnam," which hardened the "stubborn position" of the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese at the Paris conference. The war dragged on "for two more years until the total collapse of . . . Cambodia, Laos and South Vietnam"; and though Prince Sihanouk was assured by the VC/NVN they would help him return to power, they "preferred to deal with the Khmer Rouge for tactical and political reasons rather than with the . . . too independent minded" Prince Sihanouk.

A week earlier, a former US foreign service officer who had been attached to the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, told me he rejected "the old leftist allegation that US bombing was responsible for causing many Cambodian peasants to join the Khmer Rouge . . . used as an excuse for the atrocities perpetrated by the KR, a sort of ‘the bombing made them do it.’" He reiterated, Cambodians joined "the fight" called by Prince Sihanouk because they thought it was to restore the monarchy, rather than to support the Khmer Rouge. "Those allegations that the bombing caused people to join the KR are not based on any clear evidence as far as I know," he wrote. "This is an idea concocted mostly by Western intellectuals who then attempted to attribute it to the Khmer peasants."

Distinct Challenges Facing Ruling Party and Opposition for Election

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erKVboNIrWA

Are we tirer yet - Personal opinion by Khmer Guardian

https://www.box.com/s/qaj8oet35dzeehpamqe5

The Mystery of Cambodia - By Sam Serey

https://www.box.com/s/4c81df2726a6217e0ac8

Scant jobs in politics for youths

Sin Chan Pov Rozeth, 25, campaigns in her native O’Char commune, in Battambang province, ahead of June’s commune election. She now serves as deputy commune chief. Photograph: Pha Lina/Phnom Penh Post

Monday, 13 August 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

Young people rallied to support political parties at June’s commune election, but few have been rewarded with paid internal positions as a result, election watchdog Comfrel says.

The Kingdom’s political parties are lagging when it comes to developing policies that reward young people for wanting to be involved in party politics, despite many of them being highly educated, according to a Comfrel statement released on Friday.

“A number of teenagers . . . were activists for political parties during the commune election and the number of teenagers who voted was a much larger number than the previous [election],” it says. “However, the activities of youths have no bearing on the decisions political parties are making.”

According to Comfrel’s data from the June 3 ballot, 54 per cent of Cambodians voted in the commune election.

Monthly Documents Bulletin by Ta An Srok Khmer No. 28

https://www.box.com/s/30a567e8e646657f389d

Information Meeting on 17 June 2012 in Saint Genis Laval, France

We should heed Roosevelt's advice -- "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" not later, now!

https://www.box.com/s/850ec57c2c9499e1b34e

Boun's description of the Khmer propensity toward destroying an adversary is vivid: In civilized countries political competition is a sport -- the winner and loser move on -- but in the Khmer culture, "though an adversary is knocked down in a fight, the one with advantage does not stop but rushes to kick the downed adversary until the latter loses consciousness or even dies. This is no sport. Winning means the adversary must fall unconscious or die; it's not winning if the adversary is still breathing. This is Charet Khmer (Khmer more or Khmer trait)."

June 1, 2012

An article by Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth published by the Asian Human Rights Commission

Driving through America's southern countryside of green fields and wild flowers, a flurry of thoughts overwhelm me as the words of a song reach my ears: "The banker man grows fatter, the working man grows thin; It's all happened before and it'll happen again; It'll happen again, they'll bet your life; I'm a Jack of all trades and, darling, we'll be alright…"

That's my 12-year-old grandson's favorite song from a new Bruce Springsteen CD. "So you use what you've got, and learn to make do," the song goes, "You take the old, you make it new."

The words remind me, oddly, of America's youngest president (1901-1909), Theodore Roosevelt, who said, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." They are words about creativity: To imagine something that never exists and create it.

Martin Luther King, Jr., sees as a function of education, "to teach one to think intensively and to think critically."

There are two inseparable processes of excellence of thought: Creativity -- to produce something out of nothing; and criticality -- to evaluate whether what's produced leads one closer to a goal. This is quality thinking -- which determines the future of anything we do and the quality of our future.

The following morning, my grandson, his digital video camera running, interviewed me for his school project. One of his questions: Why do Cambodian opposition parties fight among themselves and why do members of the same party also fight among themselves? Oh, boy…

រឿង តាថេន ចៅសន ឆ្នាំ២០១២

18 ខែ​ឧសភា 2012
Originally posted at: http://khmersme.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/%E1%9E%9A%E1%9E%BF%E1%9E%84-%E1%9E%8F%E1%9E%B6%E1%9E%90%E1%9F%81%E1%9E%93-%E1%9E%85%E1%9F%85%E1%9E%9F%E1%9E%93-%E1%9E%86%E1%9F%92%E1%9E%93%E1%9E%B6%E1%9F%86%E1%9F%A2%E1%9F%A0%E1%9F%A1%E1%9F%A2/

តាថេនចៅសន ដែលខ្មែរស្មេរបានរៀននៅឆ្នាំ១៩៨៧នោះ បានរៀបរាប់ពីតាបសមួយក្រុមអះ អាង ថា ជាអ្នកសាងភ្នួសពូកែសក្តិសីទ្ធ និង ចង់ជួយអ្នកភូមិឲ្យរួចផុតពីគ្រោះចង្រៃនានា។

តាថេន ត្រូវបានអ្នកនិពន្ធរៀបរាប់ថា ជាតាបសលួចផឹកស្រា ប្រហែលជាចង់ស្រីទៀត តែតាថេន បានហាមអ្នកភូមិមិនឲ្យចូលទៅតំបន់ ដែលខ្លួនកំ ពុងតាំងសមាធិទេ ព្រោះថា នឹងអាច ដាច់ សីល។

តាថេន ត្រូវ ចៅសនលួចចូលទៅ មើលឃើញថា កំពុងផឹកស្រា ស្រែកឡូឡាជាមួយគូកន ហើយទីបំផុត ចៅសន ត្រូវក្រុមតាថេនចាប់បាន រួចយកទៅធ្វើទារុណកម្ម យ៉ាងព្រៃផ្សៃ បន្ទាប់ មកពួកគេ ក៏រត់ចេញពីវត្តអស់។ឯអ្នកភូមិ ដែលជឿលើបារមី របស់តាថេន ក៏នាំគ្នាជឿថា ចៅសន ពិតជាឆ្កួតមែន ព្រោះបានចូលទៅក្នុងកន្លែងព័ទ្ធសីមា។

ឥឡូវនេះ រឿងនេះ បានរីក រាលដាល ស្ទើរពេញ ផ្ទៃប្រទេស ទៅហើយ អ្នកណា ដែលដឹង រឿងច្រើន ឬតវ៉ា ចង់ឲ្យ ពលរដ្ឋ មានចំណេះ ដឹង មានលំនៅដ្ឋាន សមរម្យ ច្រើន រក យុត្តិធម៌ ច្រើន ក៏ នឹងត្រូវ គេចោទដូច ចៅសនដែរ។

Help our nation - A short story by Pen Puthsphea

http://www.box.com/s/squoz3rbsmz9mtljksfy

CAMBODIA: Something is happening among Cambodians on which democrats can build

Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth

An article by Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth published by the Asian Human Rights Commission

Venomous comments those who sign themselves "Anonymous," posted on Khmer (and non-Khmer) blogs disregard the "due recognition and respect for the rights and the freedoms of others" (UDHR Article 19.2; ICCPR Article 19.3 (a) and (b)). Expletives, profanity, and uncorroborated charges that poison public discourse among Cambodians serve no good cause. This needs to change.

In my column in this space in August, "A look at the future of Cambodia's youth and education," I posited that, "If youth is the future of the country and education is a sine qua non element of a country's development, without change in the status quo ante, Cambodia's future will be anything but bright." In my concluding sentence, I suggested that, "Broad-based application of Buddhist values and principles can help Cambodian society make its way to a future those on the current path may never find."

Then last month, in my column, "Perhaps Cambodians' soft power will advance their struggle for rights and freedom," I noted with relief that I may have overlooked what could be a promising trend in Khmer behavior.

The 2000-year-old Khmer tradition in "smoh trang, korup, bamroeur, karpear" ("to be loyal to, to respect, to serve, to defend") the divine leader (king) that has boxed in Cambodians' creative thinking, has not disappeared. Rather, more Cambodians are developing self-awareness; find ease in speaking openly, even if what they say is not popular; and are demonstrating analytical, rational, and thoughtful voices in their writing.

Powerholder - Op-Ed by James Sok

http://www.box.net/shared/nartusakrbj7lkgxu3jl

Hero-King's return to the Kingdoom - Op-Ed by Ieng Mala

http://www.box.net/shared/d3f987rxnqmse3k0b8m0

IF YOU WERE THE PRIME MINISTER OF THIS COUNTRY...

Thursday, October 27, 2011
By ខែ្មរ សុវណ្ណភូមិ (Khmer Sovannaphumi)

During my official meeting this morning with some congressmen in the effort to seek for political resolution for Cambodian opposition leader and the implementation of Paris Peace Accord 1991 today I was asked that: "If you were the Prime Minister of this country what would you do in order to make a positive and effective change regarding to these concerning issues?

She stressed that our country is a member of European Union and the European parliament has released its resolution adopted in Strasbourg on 21 October 2010 regarding to these issues already. Why do you still seek individual state support? What is the difference?

It will be very appreciated if you all can share ideas regarding to these questions because more diplomatic meetings will be followed.

Difficult tasks await - Op-Ed by James Sok

http://www.box.net/shared/k1fscn7jqc5828jckli1

"Easy does it"? - Op-Ed by James Sok

http://www.box.net/shared/si28msy4sv73m99ab76y

CAMBODIA: Perhaps Cambodians soft power will advance their struggle for rights and freedom

Last August, my column in this space examined the future of Cambodia's youth and education. Immediately after it appeared, an American friend e-mailed to ask if I was perhaps too pessimistic.

FOR PUBLICATION

AHRC-ETC-048-2011

October 14, 2011

An article by Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth published by the Asian Human Rights Commission

Last August, my column in this space examined the future of Cambodia's youth and education. Immediately after it appeared, an American friend e-mailed to ask if I was perhaps too pessimistic.

Cambodia has the youngest population among the 10 members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations. Two out of 3 Cambodians are under 25 years of age, and more than 30 percent of the country's 14 million people are between the ages of 10 and 24 years. With such a young and vibrant population and an enviable rate of economic growth for the past 10 years, what about the future does not beckon brightly?

Last July, the United Nations Development Programme released results of a survey of Cambodian youth. Ninety-five percent of young Khmers are proud to be Cambodian nationals. They said the country is headed in the right direction.

Double-edged sword

But, statistics are a double-edged sword.

Signatories of Paris peace accords cannot change Cambodia, Cambodians can

Here is the test for Cambodians: Can they be masters of themselves or, put another way by some disdainful commentators, can Cambodians rid themselves of their "dependency syndrome"?

Contributors: Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth


An article by Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth published by the Asian Human Rights Commission

We live in interesting times – times of great challenges, opportunities, and of creativity and hopeful changes.

This year, the 20th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords falls on October 23. Some people celebrate and commemorate its achievement. Others reflect on its meaning. Some others still, want the Accords to do something for them.

The Final Act of the Accords, signed by 18 governments (Australia, Brunei, Cambodia – the four warring Cambodian factions – Canada, China, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam), with the participation of officials of Zimbabwe and Yugoslavia representing the non-aligned movement and of the UN Secretary-General and his special representative, sought to "restore peace" and endow "a system of liberal democracy" to Cambodia.

It was no small achievement that the Accords were signed.

It was miraculous that the four Khmer warring factions, whose members harbored mistrust and hatred for one another in a traditional culture that memorializes offenses not just for "muoy ayouk" (one's life or a generation) but for "muoy cheat" (covering seven generations of "chi tuot," "chi luot," "chi leah," "chi ta," "ov pouk," "kaun," "chao"), came to the table to conclude the Accords.

Yet, maybe they had no other choice but to accept the inevitable if they were to remain relevant.

"If you are born as Khmer and if you do not dare act as Khmer, then what is your citizenship?" - Op-Ed by Uon Sim

http://www.box.net/shared/1n1cjcbuq2ky362o23ig

"Overseas Khmer Traitors & Hun Sen's Puppies": Khmer Guardian

Khmer Guardian - Overseas Traitor Dogs
http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/58066758?access_key=key-28rpszxb6sezvd1iu1zc