Editorial by Khmerization
Originally posted at http://khmerization.blogspot.com
Fellow bloggers might ask why I kept quiet for the last few days. It is true that I have not been very active in my writings lately. This is not because I tried to lie low after the threat of litigation from an “attorney” purported to represent a Cambodian foreign minister, but because of time constraints. I might have received a punch but I can assure you that I haven’t been knocked out, just yet. And when time permits, I will always be back again. You can be assured of that.
And on top of this, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to fellow bloggers who sent emails of concerns and supports to express their solidarity. I’m touched by their offer of supports.
I must say that the event in the last few days have made an interesting reading, if not weird. The news that an “attorney” of a foreign minister has threatened to launch a litigation suit against at least two Cambodian bloggers has caused a stir and generated heated debates among the majority of the readers. It certainly gives debaters something to discuss.
Strange things do happen in Cambodia, though. Often we see rival politicians campaigning for voters to vote for themselves. Peculiarly, PM Hun Sen appealed to voters to vote for the opposition, sarcastically of course. But his appeal, which was intended to garner more supports, might backfire. With voters losing confidence in his oppressive 29 years of rule, his appeal can be wrongly viewed by voters that PM Hun Sen has run out of ideas to court them. And after 29 years of living under this oppressive rule, the voters might think that it is now time for a change, for the better, not for the worst.
The more weird news has come out of the ex-King Sihanouk’s writings. While launching a never-ending and scathing attacks on his nemesis, the republican critics, his latest writings seemed to be very weird indeed. His bitterness and an insatiable urge for revenge towards these people has led to a desire to be a zombie in his next life so he can escape from such people. Strange? Why would anyone want to be a zombie? Should one want to be reborn as an enlightened Buddha if one wants to beat one’s opponents-Preah Pchanh Mear? It is peculiar, isn’t it?
A more pressing and worried news has been Thailand’s flip-flopping on the issues of Preah Vihear. While Thailand has expressed on numerous occasions that it will not block the listing of Preah Vihear on World Heritage List, Thailand has flip-flopped on this issue on numerous occasions already. As of late, it’s been reported that Sok An, Cambodia’s Deputy PM, has agreed to list only the temple, leaving the surrounding disputed areas out of the listing. A more pressing concerns over this listing is that new maps will be drawn.
Cambodia’s only treaty with Thailand was concluded in 1907. Any border negotiations should be based on the maps used in that treaty. To draw new maps for the listing of Preah Vihear would allow Thailand to make claims to all territories recently encroached by Thailand. And I for one, would vehemently oppose this idea.
Another news worth mentioning is the newly-declared stance of the two biggest Cambodian unions- the Free Trade Union of Chea Mony and the Independent Teachers Union of Rong Chhun. While declaring themselves neutral, after years of affiliations with the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, they have put themselves under the microscope that has led to suspicions and accusations that they’ve sold themselves to the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). It is very suspicious of course for these two unions to declare themselves neutral in such a critical time during the election. The reports in the Khmer-language press that they have defected to the CPP has reinforced the suspicions from the oppositions that they may have been indeed sold out to the CPP. If the claims are true, it is a sad news indeed for the workers of Cambodia. But the bottom line is, whether there are defections or not is insignificant, because the election results have already been pre-determined by the CPP-controlled National Election Committee- that the winner would be the CPP. So the election would be fruitless, if not meaningless.
And on top of this, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to fellow bloggers who sent emails of concerns and supports to express their solidarity. I’m touched by their offer of supports.
I must say that the event in the last few days have made an interesting reading, if not weird. The news that an “attorney” of a foreign minister has threatened to launch a litigation suit against at least two Cambodian bloggers has caused a stir and generated heated debates among the majority of the readers. It certainly gives debaters something to discuss.
Strange things do happen in Cambodia, though. Often we see rival politicians campaigning for voters to vote for themselves. Peculiarly, PM Hun Sen appealed to voters to vote for the opposition, sarcastically of course. But his appeal, which was intended to garner more supports, might backfire. With voters losing confidence in his oppressive 29 years of rule, his appeal can be wrongly viewed by voters that PM Hun Sen has run out of ideas to court them. And after 29 years of living under this oppressive rule, the voters might think that it is now time for a change, for the better, not for the worst.
The more weird news has come out of the ex-King Sihanouk’s writings. While launching a never-ending and scathing attacks on his nemesis, the republican critics, his latest writings seemed to be very weird indeed. His bitterness and an insatiable urge for revenge towards these people has led to a desire to be a zombie in his next life so he can escape from such people. Strange? Why would anyone want to be a zombie? Should one want to be reborn as an enlightened Buddha if one wants to beat one’s opponents-Preah Pchanh Mear? It is peculiar, isn’t it?
A more pressing and worried news has been Thailand’s flip-flopping on the issues of Preah Vihear. While Thailand has expressed on numerous occasions that it will not block the listing of Preah Vihear on World Heritage List, Thailand has flip-flopped on this issue on numerous occasions already. As of late, it’s been reported that Sok An, Cambodia’s Deputy PM, has agreed to list only the temple, leaving the surrounding disputed areas out of the listing. A more pressing concerns over this listing is that new maps will be drawn.
Cambodia’s only treaty with Thailand was concluded in 1907. Any border negotiations should be based on the maps used in that treaty. To draw new maps for the listing of Preah Vihear would allow Thailand to make claims to all territories recently encroached by Thailand. And I for one, would vehemently oppose this idea.
Another news worth mentioning is the newly-declared stance of the two biggest Cambodian unions- the Free Trade Union of Chea Mony and the Independent Teachers Union of Rong Chhun. While declaring themselves neutral, after years of affiliations with the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, they have put themselves under the microscope that has led to suspicions and accusations that they’ve sold themselves to the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). It is very suspicious of course for these two unions to declare themselves neutral in such a critical time during the election. The reports in the Khmer-language press that they have defected to the CPP has reinforced the suspicions from the oppositions that they may have been indeed sold out to the CPP. If the claims are true, it is a sad news indeed for the workers of Cambodia. But the bottom line is, whether there are defections or not is insignificant, because the election results have already been pre-determined by the CPP-controlled National Election Committee- that the winner would be the CPP. So the election would be fruitless, if not meaningless.
