Mr. Hun Sen Is Put On Notice - DISSENT!

By Khmer Democrat, Phnom Penh
Power to the People Series

Interesting, encouraging times! Note to the Cambodian government: REFORM or START PACKING. The complete editorial, with my emphasis:

Mr. Mubarak Is Put On Notice
Editorial, January 26, 2011
The New York Times

We sympathize with the frustration and anger that is drawing tens of thousands of Egyptians into the streets of Cairo and other cities this week, the country’s largest demonstrations in years. Citizens of one of the Arab world’s great nations, they struggle with poverty — 40 percent live on less than $2 a day [Cambodia 40% less than $0.50 day] — rising food prices, unemployment and political repression.

Inspired by Tunisia’s so-called Jasmine Revolution, they are demanding a government that respects its citizens’ voices and is truly committed to improving their lives. Tunisia’s revolution should be a warning to all rulers who cling to power for too long and ignore their people’s demands. President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt clearly hasn’t figured that out.

After huge demonstrations on Tuesday, Egypt outlawed public gatherings on Wednesday — but a large number of protestors defied the order and called again for Mr. Mubarak’s ouster. According to news reports, the protestors came from all social classes and ideologies.

As authoritarian governments often do, the one in Cairo is deluding itself about the causes for the unrest, which had left two protestors and one policeman dead. Officials blamed the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s largest opposition movement, which is formally banned but tolerated. Even if the Brotherhood had a role — the group denies it; the truth seems more complex — it is easy to understand why Egyptians are fed up.

Mr. Mubarak, 82 and in ill health, has been in power for three decades and is believed to be trying to fix it so his son Gamal can succeed him [Fellow Cambodians, sounds familiar?] in elections expected later this year. Government projects that were supposed to benefit the poor only end up enriching the elite. Parliamentary elections in November were widely seen as fraudulent. Security forces, which beat and arrested hundreds of protestors, are widely seen as corrupt.

This is a delicate moment for the United States and Egypt, a crucial partner in Arab-Israeli peace efforts.

Mr. Mubarak may still have a chance to steer his country on a stable path without sacrificing it to extremist elements. That will require ordering security forces to exercise restraint against the protestors and — even more importantly — quickly offering Egyptians a credible, more democratic path forward.

President Obama was right to move beyond his predecessor’s “democracy” agenda built around military intervention and empty rhetoric. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called publicly on Mr. Mubarak to make reforms and not to block peaceful protests. The administration needs to persuade him to accept the legitimacy and urgency behind the protests and begin talking to opposition groups. Egypt [Cambodia] needs change. A peaceful transition would be best for everyone.