'People power' is the best hope

People Power - Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

October 20, 2010
By A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
PACIFIC DAILY NEWS

It was almost three decades ago, but the events remain as vivid as if they happened yesterday.

One early afternoon I was stretched out in a hammock under a trellis, feet away from the red, yellow and white bougainvillea, in front of my thatched hut where staff in the office of planning and analysis of the Khmer People's National Liberation Front gathered to finalize a document for submission to the commander-in-chief. We waited for my director, the chief of the Bureau of Information, Research, and Documentation (BIRD -- what an interesting acronym!) to supply a piece of information to complete our report.

My Walkman -- state of the art at the time -- was on my chest, two earphones plugged into my ears. I sang along with Simon and Garfunkel's "El Condor Pasa," as the warm breeze from a small muddy pond touched my face: "I'd rather be a hammer than a nail, Yes I would, if I could, I surely would."

The director came, gave what was expected to officers at work, but I remained in my hammock: "Away, I'd rather sail away, like a swan that's here and gone." He handed me a slice of mango, smiled, sat down on a bench, and asked the meaning of the last words of the song I uttered: "A man gets tied up to the ground, he gives the world its saddest sound, its saddest sound."

We spoke. Then, I took off my shirt, pulled out a toy rubber boat, courtesy of governments friendly to the non-communist resistance to use for "transport" in Cambodia's waterways. I floated the boat in the pond, jumped in with my jeans on, paddled to the middle as astonished young officers looked on. That was my R&R! An elder former colonel in the Khmer Republic army, in his krama, swam to join me and the boat -- not that it was his idea of an R&R, but he saw a snake swimming by.

Someone clicked photos of us in the pond. Precious memories!

Five years earlier, in a mountainous area, a young officer and I arrived at a pond of still water, infested with mosquito larvae. My young friend suspected I wanted to cool off in the water and pleaded that I not do so. Never mind. I kicked off my boots, jumped in with my clothes on. My young friend followed, muttering I was asking for trouble. Trouble it was: A rush to the hospital for nine days of treatment for the deadly falciparum malaria. My young friend was fine.

Nearly 30 years later, I still listen to "El Condor Pasa" -- this time, behind my computer screen as I write in hopes of inspiring and incentivizing men and women into action, especially Khmers who want to throw off the yoke of dictatorship.

I hate autocracy at any level that crushes the imagination, creativity and innovation necessary for man to survive. A few years ago, I wrote in this space that great ideas properly transformed into actions could bring down autocracy. I have not changed my mind since: The brain that took man to the moon and back can help Khmers to free themselves from dictatorship.

For several years I promoted foundational ideas for change -- many wanted change, did nothing, but talked the talk. "Trokieark slap s'dauk," or "hip joint lies dead," Khmers say.

I extracted ideas from political science professor emeritus Gene Sharp's writings for my columns -- ideas which activists in different countries found useful, and which some freedom activists turned "actionists" have applied successfully to bring down dictators.

The bottom line is this: Yes, it is possible to "disintegrate" the dictatorship through nonviolent action!

A Khmer saying I quote often goes: "Curved wood makes wheel, straight wood makes spoke, crooked and twisted wood makes firewood." It tells Khmers there's a place for everything and every person. I take off my hat in respect to Khmers who engage in different activities against the dictatorship -- even if I have reservations about the wisdom of some activities.

It seems no aspect is ignored in discussing and writing about Premier Hun Sen's government's policies, which have brought tears and suffering to increasing numbers of citizens -- homeless, landless, farmless and victimized by gross abuses of civil rights -- nor about the world's governments, signatories to the Oct. 23 Paris Peace Accords, who are not ignorant of what goes on in Sen's Cambodia, but do nothing to change the status quo.

But the more we discuss and the more we write, the more things remain the same.

Emotions are high on both sides of the political aisle.

As Khmers discuss, petition and whisper their open secret about resistance and dream of the foreign intervention that I don't think will come -- and tend to blame everyone except themselves for their nation's fate -- I think it's more fruitful to explore the potential strength of "people power." Many seem to be coming to agreement that "people power" is the best hope for Cambodia's survival.

Some dubbed me a daydreamer. But hasn't it been dreams that made activists and actionists?

Recall Winston Churchill: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.

Recognize source of state's power

"Rise and rise again until lambs become lions." - Robin Hood's father

October 13, 2010
By A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
PACIFIC DAILY NEWS

I had an uncle who liked to tell us kids, "To be interesting, you must be interested."

Years passed, and through college I began to make connections with things that had seemed incomprehensible before. Many of the thoughts I had been exposed to began to make sense.

I ignored my father's teaching for years: "Live with cow, sleep like cow; live with parrot, fly like parrot" -- until I learned about the political socialization process that molds man's behavior and his perceptions.

Learning, growing

Growing up can be not so simple. Some in their 50s and 60s are still struggling to grow up. Others have used life's experiences to chart new courses in life.

One can learn and grow. It can begin in small things.

Possessed, as my elementary school teacher told us, with one kilo of brain, I adopted my uncle's mantra: Learn and know about the world's simplicities and complexities and its many interdependent things and become interesting and relevant. Add your own capacity to analyze and evaluate and you can change yourself and your surroundings.

But you must have a bedrock belief that change is possible.

'Hyena and chicken'

Thanks to the freedoms we in the United States are guaranteed, we have opportunities to publicly disagree; many lands don't allow it. Disagreement is not a problem; being provocatively disagreeable and quarrelsome is.

Last week, I wrote that there is no "people power" -- a term en vogue -- until the people themselves understand -- and believe -- that the power is actually in their hands. I wrote that no power, force or barrier can withstand a people's determined efforts for rights and freedom.

Naturally, I expected anti-theses: A yin comes with a yang, just as day comes after night.

And so, one reader from Phnom Penh e-mailed, "Many thanks to you for having reminded people of their unalienable rights and power." Another reader wrote, "Hyena or chicken can't give birth to lion."

But we deal with humans. We know all human minds can be taught.

Power of the minds

Last June, I wrote about the movie "Invictus," about South Africa's black anti-apartheid activist-turned-president, Nelson Mandela, who condemned the white rugby team when he was in jail, then -- after he was released from prison -- successfully turned the white team into a national team for blacks and whites. The team won South Africa the third Rugby World Cup in 1995.

A recently released movie, "Robin Hood," tells the backstory of Robin Longstride, a veteran of the Third Crusade who traveled to 13th century England's Nottingham, where people suffered corruption, crippling taxation and the abuse of a tyrannical sheriff. Longstride became Robin the Hood, led an uprising against the crown and became the symbol of the people's freedom.

His father also led his people against tyranny when Robin was a boy. His father was executed by the royal sword. Hood's father's motto, inscribed on a hidden stone and on the handle of a sword, reads: "Rise and rise again until lambs become lions."

The words mean don't ever give up fighting for the cause of liberty -- persevere, rise and rise again, until lions are born out of docile lambs and liberty is achieved.

In the history of the Khmers, Khmer "lions" emerged and fought valiantly. As with the builders of Angkor, Khmer ingenuity is not unknown.

Nonviolent action

Political science professor emeritus Gene Sharp, holder of Oxford University's doctor of philosophy in political theory, founded the nonprofit Albert Einstein Institution in Boston in 1983 to promote research, policy studies and education on the strategic uses of nonviolent struggle in the face of dictatorship, war, genocide and oppression.

He wrote "From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation" in 1993, providing "guidelines to assist thought and planning" in liberation movements against dictatorship, based on 40 years of research and writing. It was written at the request of the late exiled Burmese democrat U Tin Maung Win, editor of Khit Pyaing (The New Era Journal). It was supposed to be used by the Burmese.

But many freedom fighters in the world found it useful. The book has been translated into 30 languages.

In Spring 2000, the International Republican Institute tapped retired U.S. Army Col. Robert Helvey, who has past experience in Burma, to conduct a workshop in Budapest, Hungary, on the nature and potential of nonviolent struggle. Some 20 young Serbs attended. Copies of Sharp's best-known book, "The Politics of Nonviolent Action," were distributed.

These young Serbs later led the Otpor (Resistance) movement's nonviolent struggle that brought down Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic.

Sharp's Concepts

Political power is derived from the "subjects of the state." The state uses specific institutions (police, courts, regulatory bodies) to extract subjects' obedience, based on sanctions (jail, fines) and rewards (titles, wealth, fame).

Since any power structure is based on the subjects' obedience to the orders of the ruler(s), if subjects do not obey, then leaders have no power. If subjects recognize they are the source of the state's power, they can refuse to obey and their leader(s) will be left without power.

So says Sharp. And so say many who have understood and acted on his theses.

Khmers can learn from that, like the young Serbs did.

A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.

Hun Sen warns against the use of the “People Power”; Sam Rainsy: "Only the dictators are afraid of People Power"

Hun Sen warns against the use of the “People Power”

13 April 2008
By Lim Piseth Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media

On Sunday morning, the government leader warned all politicians against the use of the “People Power” or the use of any measure to topple his government illegally.

Prime minister Hun Sen declared that he will use all means possible to fight back against any attempt to use the People Power to hold demonstrations along public streets to topple him.

Hun Sen said: “You cannot topple me with the votes, you cannot take me out, and now you cannot topple me, therefore, you are only left with a shortcut path, i.e. the People Power. What I am saying is almost right: the People Power as was done in Ukraine and Georgia. In Cambodia, don’t do it, it’s better if you don’t do it. The People Power is used through the election already, it’s done, it shouldn’t be brought to the street. If you have the right to demonstrate against the government, don’t you think those who support the government also have their right?”

Hun Sen made this declaration during a distribution of gifts to the families of handicap people at a handicap center in Kien Svay district, Kandal province, on 13 April.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy reacted to Hun Sen’s warning by saying: “Only the dictators are afraid of People Power, the democrats who are popular and who are supported by the people, we do not fear People Power. It’s a stark contrast between people demanding democracy in a number of former communist countries which was ruled by authoritarian regimes, and these regimes were toppled by demonstrations led by the people. These demonstrations came from the will of the people, they are called democracy revolutions, they are peaceful revolutions, that’s why they are called People power. However, if the dictator hires evil people to come and kill, to hassle the innocent people, that would be a trick perpetrated by this dictator, it wouldn’t be the People Power anymore.”

Kem Sokha, HRP president, said that Hun Sen seems to be perpetrating bad deeds, that is why he is concerned about the People Power.

Kem Sokha said: “I think that he may be too scared, and he is concerned about himself. In reality, now, we have an opportunity with the election already. The people can change their leaders through the election. Therefore, we don’t want to use violence, we must avoid confronting each other with violence. Therefore, I am requesting that, the most important is to avoid this problem, it should not take place. Regardless of the country, when those in power hold power for too long, the election is not free and fair, it can reach this stage.”

Hun Sen’s warning takes place after opposition leader Sam Rainsy announced that the SRP will hold a second anti-inflation demonstration after the New Year, even if the authority does not allow it.

Hun Sen always issued warnings about suppressing any attempt to use People Power to topple him.

Hun Sen warns against using People Power

Friday, March 14, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Prime minister Hun Sen sternly warned some political parties that want to use People Power to topple a legal government following the upcoming July election. In a speech given on Thursday, during the yearly conference organized by the Ministry of Interior, Hun Sen warned against the use of the People Power as was the case in Georgia, Ukraine, Indonesia or The Philippines, he said that such situation will not occur in Cambodia. Hun Sen said that the People Power is scheduled on 27 July, and after that, there will be no more People Power. Hun Sen said that: “Don’t bring over 2,000 people to represent 7 million voters, it can’t be.” Hun Sen confirmed again about the transfer of power to the wining party if the CPP loses the election. He said: “if the CPP loses, I will immediately declare the recognition of the election results, and I will call the winning party to quickly form the government.”