It has become an established pattern in Cambodia. When things don’t go Prime Minister Hun Sen’s way, swift, brute force is applied and arrest warrants are issued in order to silence his critics and political enemies. This has been happening a lot lately, to no one’s real surprise. The status of democracy and human rights in Cambodia has gone from bad to worse under the one-party rule of the prime minister’s Cambodian People’s Party – which might be better called the one-man rule of Hun Sen.
The arrests late last year of Kem Sokha, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, and Yeng Virak, director of the Community Legal Education Centre, were met with waves of protests in human rights and civil society communities.
Strongman Hun Sen has struck again. And this time around, he is determined to break the backbone of Cambodia’s burgeoning civil society movement.
The activists have been charged in connection with hand-written comments criticising Hun Sen on a banner displayed to protest a recent boundary treaty agreed to between Cambodia and Vietnam. The prime minister is known not to like any criticism of him in the area of foreign policy – especially in regards to the particularly sensitive issue of Cambodian-Vietnamese relations. He is a proud man when it comes to diplomacy because of his long reign as Cambodia’s foreign minister.
Hun Sen’s relationship with Vietnam is still a mysterious matter to most Cambodian citizens.
It should not have been surprising that any dealing with Vietnam, particularly matters related to border demarcation, would evoke strict public scrutiny.
It should not have been surprising that any dealing with Vietnam, particularly matters related to border demarcation, would evoke strict public scrutiny.
After the UN-sanctioned election of 1993, Cambodia enjoyed the semblance of a democratic society, with elected officials and freedom of expression. Of course, they have been very corrupted and media have been intimidated and critical journalists have been killed.
Cambodians know for a fact that Vietnam vigorously propped him and his government up after the invasion of their country at the end of 1978. Vietnamese advisers and spies filled up the various ministries and directed policies. They were removed after the settlement of the Cambodian conflict. But Hun Sen has never been open about the nature or the details of his relations with Vietnam. That’s why there are lingering suspicions that he has not done the right thing, especially in regard to the latest border treaty with Vietnam.
Instead of striking out at his critics, he could have explained his actions in a civilised way. After all, Cambodia is not a rogue state liked Burma or North Korea. Or at least not yet, although Cambodia sadly may be descending to that level.
Cambodia is lucky to have escaped condemnation from the international community, and, especially, from Asean. Within Asean, Cambodia’s record has been the most dismal after Burma’s. Last year, there was a string of defamation suits and arrests brought by the government against its critics and political rivals. Recently, opposition party leader Sam Rainsy was sentenced to 18 months in prison in absentia on charges of defaming Hun Sen and Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the president of the National Assembly.
It is extremely sad that Hun Sen is following the path of Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister Robert Mugabe in silencing everyone. International donors need to put more pressure on the Cambodian government as some of their aid has been plundered and used to strengthen the government. Investors should also take into consideration the overall state of governance inside Cambodia when deciding on whether to invest there.
Hun Sen could have become one of the most outstanding leaders in Southeast Asia in modern times, given his experience in helping revive the fortunes of war-torn Cambodia. The country has a vibrant economy now. For good or for worse, he has paved the way for his country’s development and acceptance in the international community for the past decade.
But he could have been a lot better leader, who is more tolerant, more open and allowed pluralism to prosper. Instead, he is going down the path towards self-destruction.
4 comments:
This is mad. The next person the Yuon CPP will be arresting next is the Father-King, I reckon!!!
Yes, after Hun Sen has arrested all the nationalists, he will bring Srey youn to his bed witout critics.
You know hun sen SAID HE IS A MAN SO HE CAN'T ACCEPT CRITICS. YET I THINK HE is not a man for to BE A MAN, HE MUST ACCEPT CRITICS REASONABLY, AND ONLY ANIMAL THAT CAN'T ACCEPT THE CRITICS FOR ANIMALS DON'T KNOW HOW TO CRITICS.
i hate Akbatcheat HUN SEN
The Strong Man of Cambodia tested and continuing testing the water with the United Nation and the U.S. Its has been 8 years since the mass murder of the grenade attacked killing innocent peaceful protestors in front of the National Assembly and until now, no one even the U.N and the United States had done anything about this. Why are we afraid of this strong man? This is a BIG question that everyone asks. My opinion, the UN is useless. Even if Hun Sen kill its member(s) they couldn't do anything about it. The only hope is the U.S., but I think that if it acts upon either politically or forcefully, this will opening up the wounds of Southeast Asia syndrome that no one especially the American people wants to see; and Billion of dollars will plunge. Last, if nothing benefits the nation's interest, it will not be done.
So, this is why Cambodia suffers and continues to suffer until a miracle happen. I think it will someday like Sharon.
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