By Greg Mellen, Staff writer
Long Beach Press Telegram
LONG BEACH — On Thursday night while visiting the Southland, U.S. Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli gave a somewhat upbeat assessment of the state of politics in Cambodia.
On Sunday, about 40 local Cambodian business leaders, social and civic activists heard a much darker analysis from Washington-based economist and historian Dr. Naranhkiri Tith.
The title of Tith's speech, "Frozen In Time: Cambodia has Lost the Ownership of its Destiny," pretty much described the tenor of Tith's message.
The 73-year-old activist, who has been a vocal critic of the Hun Sen regime, was invited to speak in Long Beach by a group of local activists. And he didn't hold back.
Tith, an adjunct instructor at Johns Hopkins University and
former representative of the International Monetary Fund in Cambodia, took Mussomeli to task for his description of Cambodia.
"Cambodia is what I call a failed state," Tith said. "That's why the speech by the ambassador was not quite honest."
Tith then went on to describe a laundry list of catastrophes in his country. These included:
Systemic corruption at all levels of government;
Uncontrolled Vietnamese immigration;
Abject poverty and a massive income gap;
Systematic destruction of the environment from deforestation causing diminished rice harvests and hunger in the countryside;
Human trafficking, and selling of women and children into prostitution;
A growing AIDS epidemic;
Abuse of civil and human rights;
A weak justice system and absence of an independent judiciary;
And a poor education system leading to a subpar work force lacking technical training.
"I have never seen a place like Cambodia," Tith said. "So much corruption. So much indignity."
Local activist Tippana Tith, no relation, who helped organize the event, said one of the hopes of the conference was to bring together Cambodians from disparate groups and organize to promote change in Cambodia.
"This is just a beginning," Tippana Tith said. "We're trying to find a hub for leadership (in the U.S.)."
In his presentation, Naranhkiri Tith traced Cambodia's history from its glory years between the fourth and 15th centuries to its current state in which Tith says it is in danger of being colonized by Vietnam.
The meeting took a political turn when Tith began touting human rights activist Kem Sokha as the country's best hope of ending its downward trend and beginning to rebound.
That stance may have alienated supporters of the existing government and the main opposition parties.
Naranhkiri Tith urged Long Beach Cambodians to unite and do what they can to press U.S. officials to insist on change.
"This is the biggest Cambodian community in the U.S.," Naranhkiri Tith said. "You should do more. Don't leave Dianne Feinstein alone."
Greg Mellen can be reached at (562) 499-1291.
On Sunday, about 40 local Cambodian business leaders, social and civic activists heard a much darker analysis from Washington-based economist and historian Dr. Naranhkiri Tith.
The title of Tith's speech, "Frozen In Time: Cambodia has Lost the Ownership of its Destiny," pretty much described the tenor of Tith's message.
The 73-year-old activist, who has been a vocal critic of the Hun Sen regime, was invited to speak in Long Beach by a group of local activists. And he didn't hold back.
Tith, an adjunct instructor at Johns Hopkins University and
former representative of the International Monetary Fund in Cambodia, took Mussomeli to task for his description of Cambodia.
"Cambodia is what I call a failed state," Tith said. "That's why the speech by the ambassador was not quite honest."
Tith then went on to describe a laundry list of catastrophes in his country. These included:
Systemic corruption at all levels of government;
Uncontrolled Vietnamese immigration;
Abject poverty and a massive income gap;
Systematic destruction of the environment from deforestation causing diminished rice harvests and hunger in the countryside;
Human trafficking, and selling of women and children into prostitution;
A growing AIDS epidemic;
Abuse of civil and human rights;
A weak justice system and absence of an independent judiciary;
And a poor education system leading to a subpar work force lacking technical training.
"I have never seen a place like Cambodia," Tith said. "So much corruption. So much indignity."
Local activist Tippana Tith, no relation, who helped organize the event, said one of the hopes of the conference was to bring together Cambodians from disparate groups and organize to promote change in Cambodia.
"This is just a beginning," Tippana Tith said. "We're trying to find a hub for leadership (in the U.S.)."
In his presentation, Naranhkiri Tith traced Cambodia's history from its glory years between the fourth and 15th centuries to its current state in which Tith says it is in danger of being colonized by Vietnam.
The meeting took a political turn when Tith began touting human rights activist Kem Sokha as the country's best hope of ending its downward trend and beginning to rebound.
That stance may have alienated supporters of the existing government and the main opposition parties.
Naranhkiri Tith urged Long Beach Cambodians to unite and do what they can to press U.S. officials to insist on change.
"This is the biggest Cambodian community in the U.S.," Naranhkiri Tith said. "You should do more. Don't leave Dianne Feinstein alone."
Greg Mellen can be reached at (562) 499-1291.
3 comments:
Well well listen to who's talking?
Long Beach watch for your pocket book here comes the Chosen Internationalist-Economist Sermon... Watch him not otherway around.
73 year of living and hadn't done a damn thing for Cambodia while in prime.Selfish and egotiscal Kampuchun a la Saigon moi...
If an old man is as old as he is and living his last breath, hoping to see someone can rescue and change Cambodia for the good. I do have alot of respect for this old man. IF he doesn't care or give a damm about Cambodia, why bother to wast time talking? Every words he mentions here are true and it's a reality in Cambodia. Some of us know this is happening, but choose to be blinded by our ignorance or fear to seek better justice for Cambodia and it's people. Cambodia has entered a Dark Age, and we're still in it.
If hadn't Hun Sen come to resuce us from the hand of Khmer Rouge, then today we probably wouldn't be here, Where was American back then? Where is France who colonizied us for half a century, but left us hanging, How come they didn't rescue us from Khmer Rouge? Who would come to save your family and mine from becoming the next Khmer Rouge's victims, if Hun Sen didn't run to Vietname for invasion and put a stop on Genocide by Khmer Rouge? Can't blame Hun Sen for the power he has now and those who stand behind him in backing him up to keep him in power. Blam it to the Old King who made Cambodia lost everyting.
King installed Khmer Rouge and Help fuel the Khmer Rouge into power. Their plan is to completely wipe out all Khmer Population from the face of the planet that my friend would include you, your family, me and my families. Hun Sen just came in time. I honestly hate and don't like how Hun Sen abrused his power, but at the same time. I thank him for liberate me and my family from entering Pol Pot's slaughter house.
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