By praising 07 January, Ranariddh is trampling on the memory of Funcinpec's resistance fighters in the 80s and 90s

នរោត្តម-រាណាលឹត​ចាត់ទុកក្រុមអ្នកតស៊ូ ហ្វុនស៊ីនប៉ិច បណ្តេញយួនអំឡុងឆ្នាំ៨០ជាពួកក្បត់ជាតិ?

Re: Silencing Cambodia's Honest Brokers

Dear C,

As a Cambodian American I would like to thank Elizabeth Becker for reporting this problem to the world to hear. This is another method for the Cambodian government to silence the voice of the people. It is so unfortunate that this new law on civil society is proposed during this time, when the world is in an economic crisis. It is probably not by coincidence that the Cambodian government chooses this moment in time to try to pass this law because they know the world is now too busy with their own problems than to worry about Cambodia, a small country of no significance to them.

As an observer from afar I feel that Cambodia has missed many opportunities to right the ship after the election of 1993. I was fortunate to be in Cambodia in February 1992 to witness the arrival of UNTAC in Cambodia. That was the moment I felt Cambodia had a chance to rebuild the country the right way by adopting the model of the Western world such as the respect for human rights, social and equal justice for all, and the concept of democracy. My younger brother, Hann So, took his personal time off from his work to build the Khmer Institute for Democracy (KID) with Julio Jeldres in Cambodia. I was a constant contributor to the bilingual journal Khmer Conscience that my brother created. We introduced the concept of democracy and tried to teach the Cambodian people who had been oppressed all their lives under the communist rules that it was alright to speak up, to participate in rebuilding the country, and not be afraid to vote for whomever they wanted. This may seem banal for people who live in a free country, but for Cambodians who had been oppressed and taught to follow the communist party line, this freedom was all new to them. We were very enthusiastic for the future of Cambodia.

I thought that after Ranariddh won the election he would bring in the right people to help him rebuild Cambodia. I was so disappointed when many of the people he brought in to work in his government started to behave like hungry animals. They sold everything in sight and put the level of corruptions in the Hun Sen government prior to the election to shame. The corruptions were widespread and became the norm. Now it's a culture that is almost impossible to get rid off. It's becoming a cancer in the Cambodian society.

"Is Samdech Krom Preah clear about himself yet?" - Op-Ed by Lei Muor

Click on the article in Khmer to zoom in

Krom Preah eyeing a diplomatic position?

Beauty and the "useless" beast?

02 December 2010
By Tim Ravy
Free Press Magazine Online
Translated from Khmer by Soch
Click here to read the article in Khmer

A reliable source indicated that Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh, who wants to get back into politics to lead the Nationalist Party [formerly known as the Norodom Ranariddh Party] as requested by this party leaders and its members, is now eyeing for a diplomatic position at the UN or in Washington DC, USA. The source claimed that the prince does not want to remain as the useless supreme advisor to the king because he used to be famous, and he is now looking to pursue foreign relationships by becoming a diplomat instead.

After living over 2 years in quietness, following his pardon from the king as requested by Hun Xen, Prince Ranariddh, who used to announce on many occasions that he will never return back to politics, has now changed his mind – to the surprise of everyone – to return back to lead the Nationalist Party in order to compete in the upcoming commune election, as well as the general election for the future mandate. The Nationalist Party, which is now led by Chhim Siek Leng, plans to hold a congress to rename the party to Norodom Ranariddh Party again as a first step to pave the way for Ranariddh’s leadership. This time, the prince said loudly that he will work with Hun Xen whom he praised as an intelligent leader.

Political observers in Cambodia said that the return of the prince to politics can only be done because Hun Xen gave the green light for him to do so, and that this is no other than a theatrical show to entertain Cambodians. These observers claimed that the number of votes the prince and his party will obtain will not be much larger than what he got in the past because faithful party members have left to join the rank of the CPP, the SRP or the HRP and they will continue to do so in the future. They wonder whether this is the prince’s strategy to return to his petty power that is in fact granted to him by Hun Xen? Nobody believes that the prince will return back to politics to save the nation, but that he is only doing this for his personal gain.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: A Ghost

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Chivit Neak Noyobay - "Politician Life": By Anonymous

Click on the picture to zoom in

Note: To see the politician pointed by the number, please refer to their pictures in the bottom

Sacrava Political Cartoon: My Destiny

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Hun Sen: Even without Ranariddh, the election can still take place

Thursday, March 6, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Prime minister Hun Sen considered that the presence of Prince Ranariddh during the 2008 election as not important. In a speech given during the distribution of diplomas to students on Wednesday, Hun Sen did not directly mention the prince name when he said: “Without you, the election can still take place, there is no problem. Your party can still enter the election and nobody will prevent it. The absence of that person from Cambodia is acceptable, there is no need to wait for this single person.” Muth Chantha, NRP spokesman, called Hun Sen’s declaration an election dominance posture. He said that this is a violation of democracy that guarantees free and fair election. He indicated that the prince’s court case was pursued only because he wants justice, however, when Hun Sen raised the prince’s court case issue which is still in legal process, this is tantamount to a threat on the court, and it will force the court not to dare use its rights to act independently.

On Cease-Fire Anniversary, Hun Sen Blasts 'Recorder' [-Is Hun Sen refering to Ranariddh?]

Ranariddh and Hun Sen during better time

Negotiation between Hun Sen and then-Prince Norodom Sihanouk in France

By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
03 December 2007

In an apparent slight to his former political rival, Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday at least one party to cease-fire talks 20 years ago was nothing but a “recorder” who wanted to elevate himself to status of prime minister.

Following the talks in December 1987, Cambodia began to democratize, which lead after violence and posturing to a co-premiership between Hun Sen and Prince Norodom Ranariddh. This led to a coup d’etat, in 1997, through which Hun Sen and the Cambodian People’s Party seized political control.

Prince Ranariddh is the head of his own political party as national elections approach.

Koul Panha, director of the monitor group Comfrel, said Monday Hun Sen may have been referring to Prince Ranariddh, but such references would not affect the prince’s political popularity.

During the 1987 peace talks, between Hun Sen and then king Norodom Sihanouk, “someone was just a recorder at the place, and he wants to boost his rank up to Hun Sen's rank, replacing the duties of the Father,” Hun Sen said.

The talks helped lead to the eventual signing of the Paris Peace Accords, on Oct. 23, 1991, but not because of the “someone,” Hun Sen said of his unnamed opponent. “Don’t boast of yourself as the Father.”