Open Letter from Pisnoka to Khmer compatriot

Cheychetha II, Sihanouk and Hun Xen

Thursday, August 26, 2010
Opinion by Pisnoka

Dear compatriot:

I want to alert you all that we are on the verge of having no country. The history repeating itself. What I would like to do is to compare the past histories of:

I) Old history Jaychetha II era (1618-1628)
II) New history Sihanouk era (1941-1970)
III) Present and ongoing history of CPP era/Hun Sen era (1979-present).

I. Old history Jaychetha II era (1618-1628):

1.1. What he did good (Defended the Thai attack)
1.2. What he did wrong (he allowed the Vietnamese to live in Cambodia, in the name of family of his queen (It was in his legal right to do so--we did not have constitution--King can do whatever he wanted) consequently we lost Kampuchea Krom. Let’s assume that we are living in year 1623 and the king does the same thing would we allow it to happen? I believe no Cambodian would agree with the king

1.3. Define whose fault it was:

• 1.3.1. The King has all the power there was no check and balance of authority.
• 1.3.2. His lack of vision to see that sex life could influence the political decision; it leaded him to allow our neighbor (Vietnamese) that always want to swallow us expanded their population, then took Kampuchea Krom.

1.4 What could have been the right thing to do: If the country in a democratic system, it would not happen.

II. New history, Sihanouk era (1941-1970) - Sihanouk was crowned to be king by the French colonial. There is not official document that I could located that he opposed the French government turned Kampuchea Krom officially to king Bao Day, but Khmer people did not agree.

2.1. What he did good:

• 2.1.1. Defended the Thai from getting Preah Vihear, The Hague International Court of Justice 1962
• 2.1.2. He allowed audience once a month to hear complain from people and Samach Cheat once a year.
• 2.1.3. In the later age, he promoted Cambodian art, culture and education to some extent.

2.2. What he did wrong:

• 2.2.1. Inexperience, lack of vision due to minimal education (incomplete High School) in Chasseloup-Laubat, allowing the French colonialist to illegally cut Kampuchea Krom to Vietnam--either he returned the favor to the French, or afraid of losing the throne--selfishness.
• 2.2.2. During his younger age, womanizing, busy in sex again. He has no time for country affairs.
• 2.2.3. Suppressed opposition parties, using single party support from congress (Sangkum Reastr Niyum) by elimination opposition parties.
• 2.2.4. He Used the court to accuse, sentence and then execute, example: Khmer Serey (Preap Inn) and other socialist/communist party members.
• 2.2.5. He violated Cambodian constitution:

• 2.2.5.1. Cambodia Neutrality by allowing Vietcong to install bases in Cambodia.
• 2.2.5.2 He did not respect the vote of the congress that deposed him. He got mad, stayed out of the country, divided Cambodia, led Cambodia to war, which in turn led to tragedy as we all knew "Khmer Rouge". Consequently 2 million Khmer died, including almost all my family members (9 out of 13).

• 2.2.6. He was addicted to power, he wanted to be Head of State for life, leading wrong decision --more than 2 terms (8 years Max). He doesn't want to send Cambodian student to get education from free world countries especially USA. He was concerned that when they returned, they will remove him.
• 2.2.7. He repeated Jaychetha II’s mistake by allowing Vietcong installed military bases in Cambodia. Even though Cambodian love Sihanouk very much, they called him Samdach Ov, but they realized that Vietnam will be occupying Cambodia after they won the war especially people in Svay Rieng province. Finally people in Svay Rieng revolted, congress and military agreed with the people, took side with the people. They then, deposed Sihanouk.
• 2.2.8. He never prepare the country to defend against the neighbors--our defense forces at that time was 30,000 soldiers.

2.3. Whose fault was it:

• 2.3.1. Sihanouk carried more than 50% of the fault as mentioned previously.
• 2.3.2. We the Khmer people also are at fault due to our ignorance, we love him too much and allowed him to do things blindly without struggling, SOM SOK REING KLOURN (Few of us including my father applied a French proverb: "Vivons cachés, vivons heureux" [Let’s live in hiding, let’s live happily]) 2.3.3. We have a tendency to have double standards. Same law will apply to someone else but, if it was in their own interest it won't, such as corruption.
• 2.3.4. We did not push for a true democratic system. We are afraid of Sihanouk's police (Mr. Kou Roun)

2.4. What could have been the right thing to do:

• 2.4.1. We should have limited the term of the Head of state/prime minister power to 2 terms or 8 years (same in the US).
• 2.4.2. We should push for a real democratic system.
• 2.4.3. Prepare country for war against our neighbors' encroachment. We needed more defenses. We should not rely on foreign military assistance and technologies. We should develop ourselves especially ammunitions, explosives and guns. A Latin proverb said "Si Vis Passim Para Bellum" If you want peace prepare for war.

III. Present and ongoing history of CPP era/Hun Sen era (1979-present).

It looks exactly like the past two previous era histories combined--he was installed by the Vietnamese:
3.1. What he did good, not much: he claimed that CPP/Hun Sen removed Khmer Rouge? In reality, the Vietnamese forces invaded Cambodia then, installed the CPP. And they are still occupying our country under Cambodian uniform and name. He also claimed he's defending Preah Vihear? He should push the UN to resolve all Cambodian border problems with all three countries instead of bilateral talks. The 991 Paris peace conference on Cambodia also gave Cambodia the rights to live in peace within its border and they guarantee it. With international help, we would have more secure border and more democracy.

3.2. What he did bad:

• 3.2.1. He repeated Jaychetha II and Sihanouk mistakes, he allowed illegal Vietnamese settlers to come and live in Cambodia, take our land, occupy our country. It will lead to the loss of the whole Country and we see no ending in sight in the name of friendship, cooperation, and agro-industrialization:

• 3.2.1.1. Hun Sen gave land to Vietnamese military company 3 provinces as part of mini Indochina development zone, many thousands of square-km? (Stung Treng, Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri), that will allow many millions of Vietnamese come in legally at will.
• 3.2.1.2. In addition, he gave Concession (120,000 HA) to the Vietnamese and allow them to live in Cambodia one family per HA. Let’s do some math, if each family have 5 children, plus father and mother, then each family have 7 people. Let’s assume the management team is 20% more. Then, the Vietnamese population coming to Cambodia is = 120,000 x 7 x 1.2 = 1,008,000 people. This population is already equivalent to a country. We will lose our Cambodia totally. So, why Cambodia Congress, Senate, and the King allowed this to happen? Singapore have an area of 581 square-km (before expansion), so 120,000HA = 1,200km2 equal to twice the size of Singapore. And he also doled out many, many, more concessions to Vietnamese detaining Cambodian citizenship. As we all know, with a few hundred dollars, they can easily buy the Cambodian citizen.

• 3.2.2. He is corrupted for himself, for his family and for his supporters.
• 3.2.3. He's addicted to power, repeating Sihanouk style. He wants to be in power forever:

• 3.2.3.1. He uses the court to suppress opposition parties (Sihanouk style).
• 3.2.3.2. He used military coup d'état.
• 3.2.3.3. He used money to buy vote, threatening and cheating tactics to manipulate in registration list and voting process to get majority vote for his party, such as giving out Cambodian citizen card to Vietnamese who can hardly speak any Khmer, and he created difficulties for real Cambodians, preventing them from getting the ID card, so they could not vote.

• 3.2.4. He violated the National Constitution:

• 3.2.4.1. Hun Sen used congress and the King to back up his National Constitution violations (He threatened to eliminate the king completely and replace by a President, if the king opposes) in order to legalize the new treaties of 1982, 1985 against the constitution that said "Map 1/100,000 scale of 1933-1950 recognized by UN in 1936-1968 is legal map" and give 99 years land concession to Vietnamese military companies. If the people revolt again him, then it will be the same consequence as Sihanouk's story in 1970.

3.3. Whose fault was it:

• 3.3.1. CPP party and Hun Sen are at fault almost 90%. Congress and Senate control by CPP allowed Hun Sen to commit all treasonous activities. They should vote him out of power, which means the party did not do what it promised to the nation to upheld the constitution, guarantee the sovereignty of the country.
• 3.3.2. FUNCINPEC party with Ranariddh's inexperience carried 5% fault, he did not prepare for coup d'état.
• 3.3.3. We the Cambodian people also at fault, especially the educated in all parties, including CPP members, who did not find the way to put our personal ambition and interest away, or be united to overthrow this present leadership.
• 3.3.4. The King himself did not respect the constitution Article 8: The king is the guarantor of Cambodia integrity, sovereignty, freedom of the people.

3.4. What should have been the right thing to do?:

• 3.4.1. We don't want to solve the problem that will create animosity among the leaders in power and the rest of the population in the country; it will lead to division weakness of the country.
• 3.4.2. We want that the king executes his constitutional right to solve the problem. What has he done?

• 3.4.2.1. Chapter I, Article 2: map 1/100,000 is legal map. It needs verification, what has he done?
• 3.4.2.2. Article 8: The king is the guarantor of Cambodia integrity, sovereignty, freedom of the people. What has he done?

• 3.4.3. Samach Cheat that we could hold. The Constitution Chapter 14 (Samach Cheat) Article 147 said: It Should have Samach that Cambodian could raise questions and demand for answer problems from the leader in power to resolve. We want the Cambodian outside and inside the country to use their constitutional right--their voice power, the news media power to change Hun Sen from doing these treason activities. At the same time to save his face, which will prevent civil war. (This is very difficult--he is addicted to power, worst than cocaine or opium )
• 3.4.4. We want to send Khmer's opinion from around the world to Hun Sen to stop destroying Cambodia, and start doing the right thing and for the King to stop being inactive.
• 3.4.5. We do not want history in these eras to repeat itself again. There will be no Cambodia left any more or rather, Cambodia will be a country where Cambodians are a minority.

The CPP supporters hold the answer in their hands.

Pisnoka