Our Voices

Our Voices
Nation Religion King

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Op-Ed by Justin Sok

The political shenanigans that were recently gestured by Prime Minister Hun Sen, has once again proved to be another minefield, which would inevitably lead Cambodia and her people into the labyrinth, a nation that has already had remnants of bones and skulls piled up by the millions and has millions of survivors who have sustained emotional and psychological scars from an unforgettable landscape of tragedy. Perhaps the political chess game that PM Hun Sen has recently orchestrated might be too difficult for the people of Cambodia to comprehend. But in the eyes of the developed world, it is nothing more than a political bouillabaisse.

While Cambodia and her people are in the middle of a sea of social and political perturb, PM Hun Sen appeared with an air of superiority and taciturn self-assurance, made another fatal political strategic error by appointing Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, a Thai national fugitive, as his economic advisor. PM Hun Sen, not only has he conspired to aid someone who had eluded justice, an act constitutes grounds for “accessory after the fact”, but he also had sincerely welcomed Mr. Thaksin with open arms into Cambodia as a sanctuary to nurse his mentally and spiritually wounded from his down fall due to his corruption and ouster by the Royal Kingdom of Thailand Militia police in 2006.

Before the general election of July 2008, I had written my opinion to share with the public about PM Hun Sen that he and his administration were using the dispute over the Preah Vihea Temple with Thailand for his national political campaign platform to deviate public attention from focusing on the general election. I had also taken the liberty to make comments speculating on PM Hun Sen and Mr. Thaksin possibly had cross-fertilizing business dealing and were exploiting the natural resources of Cambodia. At about the same time, there was a group of journalists who had posted questions and demanded for Mr. Thaksin to shed light on these allegations. Mr. Thaksin had shamelessly denied that he had anything to do with the allegations. It is now crystal clear that PM Hun Sen and Mr. Thaksin have come to terms, which they had clandestinely corporate decision-making and are calculating the lion’s share of these interests. It is a “quid pro quo” so to speak.

In his recent political maneuver, it is speculative that PM Hun Sen not only he used the appointment of Mr. Thaksin for his political purpose and to reap his own economic fortune, but to also use this appointment to divert public attention over the monumental issues - the relentless human rights violations, illegal evictions, and the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. These are the internal social and political issues, which have already been brought to the attention of the international community including Washington, and these are the issues that PM Hun Sen has sought to make them disappear forever so that they would not come back to haunt him. The request made by the investigative judges to submit additional former Khmer Rouge leaders to bring them to trial has been making PM Hun Sen dragging on his heels, for instance. Prime Minister Hun Sen has again and again threatened to derail the trial.

Other pressing political issues are the continuing border encroachment by Vietnam and the illegal immigration of Vietnamese citizens that are continuing to influx into Cambodia. These are the national security issues that have been of the utmost political concern for each and every Cambodian living there and abroad. If these political issues are, in fact, threatening our national security, and PM Hun Sen has not been on top of these critical issues, then the Cambodian people have their constitutional rights to hold PM Hun Sen accountable.

I would personally like to take this opportunity to acknowledge with great gratitude that Mr. Sam Rainsy, President of Sam Rainsy Party, and his administration, and our Khmer people who are Cambodians of the same mind, have vehemently taken their stand and have spoken out to defend and protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Also, it is with great honor and deep gratitude to former King Norodom Sihanouk, despite spending time nursing his illnesses, that he has sent a letter to the Royal of Cambodia Government to request further investigation of these matters. Thank you.

Justin C. Sok
11/17/09

*I would also like to take this opportunity to say to each and every Khmer around the globe, “Hello & Chum Reap Sur!”