If you must raise your hand - By Kakvey Da

Originally posted on Facebook

Government Defends Ban on US Broadcasts During Election

Supporters of Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party, take part in a rally in Phnom Penh.

Monday, 04 June 2012
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

“We banned all stations that handle VOA and RFA programs.”

A Ministry of Information official confirmed Monday the government had banned broadcasts of Voice of America and Radio Free Asia during the election Sunday.

San Putheary, chief of the audio-visual department at the ministry, told VOA Khmer the ban was to maintain a “quiet atmosphere” (sic!) as Cambodians went to the polls to elect local leaders of commune councils.

“We banned all stations that handle VOA and RFA programs,” he said, adding that the ban had been conducted legally.

Chea Sundaneth, director of the Women’s Media Center, which broadcasts the US-government programming on FM102, said they had received a call from the ministry Thursday night and were told to cease the broadcasts. They also ceased broadcasts of Radio France International and Radio Australia.

Foreign broadcasters shut down for Cambodian elections

04 June 2012
By Bob Dietz/CPJ Asia Program Coordinator
Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ)

How far has democracy advanced in Cambodia?

Not very far.

Activists from three different political parties died during the 15-day campaign period leading up to the elections, in which the ruling Cambodian People's Party won a large majority of seats, according to a report issued by the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (Comfrel). The Phnom Penh Post ran articles on "allegations of intimidation, ghost voting, and electoral-roll sabotage" in the election, and the U.S. government-funded Voice of America (VOA) published a story headlined "Observers: Cambodian Vote Improved but Problems Remain."

Comfrel documented the various irregularities in the election--listing at least 100--but the U.S.-owned Radio Free Asia (RFA) and VOA brought to our attention one specific one: the silencing of the transmission of their broadcasts on five local FM stations on Sunday. The one-day ban also seemed to extend to Radio Australia and Radio France Internationale.

The decision to silence the overseas broadcasters was apparently made by the Ministry of Information and came with no advance warning. The government couldn't silence shortwave signals coming into the country, but the shutdown of the FM signals was the most effective in urban areas, where the FM signals are strongest.

In an email message, RFA told us they were taken by surprise by the shutdown and that they had received no complaints from the government in the run-up to the voting. Authorities did not release a statement about the shutdown of the broadcasters.

RFA called it a giant step backward for the country. That seems about right.

Monk Forced to Stop Advocating for Landless, Released

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAJdwrFnhuw

រដ្ឋាភិបាល ចោរ នៅភ្នំពេញ សព្វថ្ងៃ - Phnom Penh Thief Regime

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3yf8BcbiBQ

ទមិឡវាយបង្ក្រាប ព្រះសង្ឃខ្មែរ - Devil CPP cops beating Cambodian monks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TSINVOaRLM

Cambodia’s Façade Democracy and European Assistance

(Source: Karbaum 2008)

By Markus Karbaum
Originally posted at:  http://cambodia-news.net/2012/05/09/cambodias-facade-democracy-and-european-assistance/

As long as the EU refrains from using negative instruments of democracy promotion and as long as priority is given to the short-term political stability of the regime, any form of democracy promotion in Cambodia appears to be a “smokescreen”, having virtually no positive impact on the country.

Abstract: Although Cambodia adopted a modern democratic constitution in 1993, Prime Minister Hun Sen has consolidated an autocratic regime in which elections are the only way political competition plays out, and even that competition is limited. Freedom of expression, horizontal and vertical control mechanisms, and civil participation have been reduced to almost zero by the Royal Government of Cambodia. Irrespective of the deinstitutionalization of liberal principles, the European Commission and some EU member states still perceive Cambodia as moving toward democratization. In the case of Cambodia, the difficulty of external democracy promotion is compounded by the limited impact of formal state institutions, which are completely undermined by kinship relations, personal networks, clientelism and nepotism. However, one can observe not only non-effective efforts toward European democracy promotion, but also increasing human rights violations due to trade facilitations, namely the EU’s “Everything But Arms” initiative.

Dr. Markus Karbaum has been studying political science and Southeast Asia since 1999. Since 2008 he has been working as a freelance consultant and lecturer. His research focuses on Cambodia’s autocratic regime as well as political, social and economic developments in mainland Southeast Asia.

https://www.box.com/s/28a9c8f5ec8efb7f3aa2

Sacrava's Political Cartoon - UN Rapporteur

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

CAMBODIA: Khmer Buddhist New Year 2556 is time for Cambodians to spark effective change

Thus, as the Khmer New Year brings each a new soul, I pray Cambodians heighten their Buddhist consciousness and practice of their Lord's teachings in order to change old thoughts and old habits and unleash nonviolent action against oppression.

April 15, 2012
An article by Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth published by the Asian Human Rights Commission

Talking about the need for political change in Cambodia gets "old." I write aplenty in this space and elsewhere on the topic, yet Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian People's Party persists and keeps piling on more reasons why change must occur.

It's obvious a lot has changed in Cambodia, especially the mirage of development and progress seen in images of bustling metropolitan cities with high rises, latest model cars, crowded markets and restaurants, camera-toting tourists. Cambodia is a paradise for foreign investors who compete for her markets and resources. This influx of capital accelerates change, but these are the sort of changes that should be taken only after deliberation and consideration of their potential impact. This broad-based review does not occur in Cambodia today.

The more things change

An oft-quoted proverb of French origin by novelist Alphonse Karr (1808-90), later quoted by George Bernard Shaw and others, says, "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose," or "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Is this paradoxical?

I admit to being chagrined at reading a commentary by an editor of the Bangkok Post who in "Poor Cambodia not looking so 'poor' anymore," (April 6) noted ironically that "billions of dollars in aid money" help make Phnom Penh visibly "clean" and "spotless" a la Singapore, "at least in those areas where (foreign) delegates (to the ASEAN conference) were either visiting or staying," with "perhaps … the highest number of Lexus vehicles per capita" and "only three beggars" observed. "I personally don't believe that the funding (from aid donors) ever reaches those Cambodians in real need in any case," the editor writes, among other things.

Widespread concern among observers about the worrisome widening gap between those is confirmed by a longtime friend, a non-Cambodian professional with decades-long experience working with peoples in developing countries, who shared World Bank data that show the dramatic rise in economic inequality.

Statistically, poverty in Cambodia has been reduced between 1993 and 2007, but one-third of the near 15 million Cambodians still live below the national poverty line of 2,473 riel per day, or US$0.61; the Gini Coefficient moved up from 0.35 in 1994 to 0.40 in 2004 and 0.43 in 2007 (0 being perfect equality and 1 being absolute inequality); within the rural areas where some 80 percent of the people live, rural inequality rose from 0.27 in 1994 to 0.33 in 2004 and climbed again to 0.36 in 2007.

Hun Xen using terrorism as a tool to rule the Khmer People - Op-Ed by Tieng Narith

http://www.box.com/s/gdmjz5e3xudyogkide0k

Seek to effect positive changes

"In Cambodia, ... They fight over how much to take from the poor."

Feb. 22, 2012
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
PACIFIC DAILY NEWS

This column is the last of my bi-weekly postings to the Pacific Daily News. I am moving on to another project. I thank the PDN for having provided me with the opportunity to offer my thoughts in this space since 1999. Those who read my columns have said they always learn something. I consider that the highest praise and will look forward to occasional submissions to the PDN in the future that will elicit, I hope, that same reaction.

To the people of Guam, I thank you for sticking with me as my writing in the last year or so has focused increasingly on Cambodia, the country of my birth. I appreciate what a reader from Guam wrote not long ago, that my writing on Cambodia also provides lessons for others, particularly those who reside in developing nation-states. That's what comparative studies are about.

Last week, my 12-year-old grandson -- the seventh-grader who read "The Case for Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror" and told me I might benefit from reading it -- showed me a slide show he made on events in the United States and in Cambodia. I was impressed by the young boy's comparative analysis skills.

On a photo showing "Occupy" protesters in America claiming, "We are 99%. We will no longer remain silent," my grandson writes, "In America, ... people complain about their problems, and woes." On the next photo showing a Cambodian riot police officer kicking a yellow-robed Buddhist monk whose legs were off the ground and whose robe was flying in the air, my grandson writes, "In Cambodia, ... they try." Photos of police tackling protesters follow.

ជម្រើស​ល្អ​មួយ​របស់​លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្រ្តី - A good alternative for Hun Xen

អង្គារ 21 កុម្ភៈ 2012
ដោយ សរ សោភ័ណ| សារពត៍មានសេរី

ទីបំផុត​ទៅ ដោយ​មិនអាច​ទប់ទល់​ចំពោះ​គំនាប​អន្តរជាតិ និង​ការតស៊ូ​អហឹ​ង្សា​ពី​ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ​បាន របប​យោធា​ផ្តាច់ ការ​ របស់​ភូមា បាន​យល់ព្រម​បិទ​បញ្ចប់​សករាជ​របស់ខ្លួន ដោយ​ប្រគល់​អំណាច​ទៅអោយ រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ស៊ីវិល ។​ រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ថ្មី​ដែល​គាំទ្រ​ពីក្រោយ​ដោយ​ក្រុម​ទាហាន​ដដែល បានធ្វើ​កំណែ​ទំរង់​គួរអោយ ភ្ញាក់ផ្អើល ដោយ​មេដឹកនាំ​គណបក្សប្រឆាំង​លោកស្រី Aung San SuuKyi ត្រូវបាន​ដោះលែង​និង​អនុញ្ញាត អោយ​គណបក្ស NLD ចូលរួម​ក្នុង ការ​បោះឆ្នោត​ដែល​នឹង​ប្រព្រឹត្តទៅ​នៅ​ខែមេសា​ខាងមុខ ។ អ្នកទោស នយោបាយ​ជាង​ពាក់កណ្តាល​ត្រូវបាន​រដ្ឋា ភិ បាល​ដោះលែង ។ ក្រុម​មេដឹកនាំ​ព្រលយ​រួចជាស្រេច ហើយ​ថា លោកស្រី Suu Kyi អាច​នឹង​ផ្តល់​តួនាទី​ក្នុង​រដ្ឋា ភិ បាល នាពេលខាងមុខ បើសិនជា​លោកស្រី​ជាប់ឆ្នោត​។ តំណែង​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រសួង​ការបរទេស ត្រូវគេ​ផ្គូរ​ផ្គង​រួច​ជា មុន​សំរាប់​ម្ចាស់​ពានរង្វាន់​ណូបែល​សន្តិភាព​រូបនេះ ដែលមាន​ទំនាក់ទំនង​ល្អ​និង​ភាពល្បីល្បាញ​លើ​ឆាក​អន្តរជាតិ ។​

​ដោយ​រស់នៅ​ឯកោ​ពី​ពិភពលោក​ច្រើន​ទសវត្ស របប​យោធា​ដែល​មិន​ពឹង​ផ្អែកលើ​ជំនួយ​បរទេស ហើយ​ទទួល​បន្ថែម​នូវ​ទណ្ឌកម្ម​ពី​អន្តរជាតិ សំរេច​បោះបង់ចោល​បែបបទ​ដឹកនាំ​ផ្តាច់ការ​របស់ខ្លួន ហើយ ធ្វើ​កំណែ​ទំរង់​នយោបាយ ។ ទ្វារ​ដែល​ធ្លាប់តែ​ខ្ទប់​បិទ ឥឡូវនេះ​ចាប់ផ្តើម​បើកទទួល​ប្រេសិត​ជាន់ខ្ពស់​ប​ស្ចឹ​ម ប្រទេស ។ ជាល​ទ្ឋ​ផល​បឋម អាមេ រិក​សំរេច​ដក​ទណ្ឌកម្ម​មួយ​ចេញ​ដោយ​អនុញ្ញាត​អោយ​មាន​ជំនួយ​ចូល ទៅកាន់​ប្រទេស​នេះ ហើយ​អឺរ៉ុប​ក៏​ចាប់ផ្តើម​ជួយ​ហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ ។ ក្រុម​ប្រទេស​សេរី កោតសរសើរ​និង​លើក ទឹកចិត្ត​អោយ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ភូមា ដើរ​លើ​គន្លង​ប្រជាធិប តេ យ្យ ហើយ​រួមគ្នា​ធ្វើការ​ដើម្បី​ផល​ប្រ​យោ​ជ​ន៏​ជាតិ និង​ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ​ក្រីក្រ ។ មិនយូរ​មិនឆាប់ ប្រទេស​មាន​សេដ្ឋ កិច្ច​ដុនដាប​មួយ​នេះ នឹង​កែប្រែ​មុខមាត់​របស់ ខ្លួន បើសិន​មេដឹកនាំ​មាន​ឆន្ទៈ​នយោបាយ​ពិតប្រាកដ ក្នុង​ការកែ​ទំរង់ ។​

​ខណៈពេលដែល​ភូមា កំពុង​ងាក​ទៅរក​ផ្លូវ​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ នៅ​កម្ពុជា​បែរជា​ជ្រើស​រើសយក​ចរន្ត បញ្ច្រាស់​ទៅវិញ ។ បញ្ច្រាស់​ត្រង់​ថា លោកនាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​គំរាម​ជាច្រើនលើក​ច្រើនសារ​បិទ​ការិយាល័យ សិទ្ឋិ​មនុស្ស​អង្គការសហ ប្រជាជាតិ គាំទ្រ​ដល់​ការបណ្តេញ​ពលរដ្ឋ​ដើម្បី​រឹប​យក​ដីធ្លី ដក​អភ័យ​ឯក​សិទ្ឋិ​សភា ពី​មន្ត្រី​បក្សប្រឆាំង ហើយ​កាន់ តែ​អាក្រក់​ទៅទៀត​គឺ​ប្រើ​តុលាការ​ដើម្បី​ផ្តន្ទាទោស​លោក​សមរង្ស៊ី ។ ទាំង អស់នេះ បង្ហាញ​ច្បាស់​ពី​ជំហាន​កាន់តែ​ឆ្ងាយ​របស់លោក​នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី លើ​គន្លង​ផ្លូវ​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ ។ វា ជា​ជំរើស​ខុសឆ្គង​មួយ​ដែល​លោក​ហ៊ុនសែន ជ្រើសរើស ក្នុងន័យ​បំផ្លាញ​ជីវិត​នយោបាយរ​បស់​លោក​សមរង្ស៊ី និង​រំលាយ​គណបក្សប្រឆាំង ។ ខុស​ត្រង់​ថា អ្វី ដែល​លោក​គិត​ថា​នឹង​អាច​ទទួលជោគជ័យ វា​កំពុង​ក្លាយជា ចំណង​មួយ ដែល​កំពុង​ប្រទាក់​ជើង​លោក ។​

Security Council bid shameful

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

Thursday, 26 January 2012
Tony Guterres
The Phnom Penh Post

Dear Editor,

I read in yesterday’s Phnom Penh Post that Prime Minister Hun Sen is still working hard on winning a seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2013-2014.

The Prime Minister talks about more than 100 countries apparently supporting such a bid.

· Those countries should be ashamed of themselves, given this government's actions over the past two years, which include:

• threatening to expel the highest-ranking United Nations official in the country (resident co-ordinator Douglas Broderick);
• threatening to close down the UN Human Rights office in this country;
• requesting the removal of the UN Human Rights country director in Cambodia;
• interfering in the proceedings of the UN-sponsored Khmer Rouge tribunal (the latest example being the saga regarding the appointment of Judge Kasper-Ansermet);
• unlawfully incarcerating a UN employee for six months in a clear case of intimidation against the UN;
• violating the UN convention on the protection of refugees by deporting Uighur and Montagnard asylum-seekers;
• maintaining Cambodia among the most corrupt countries in the world (according to a Transparency International survey);
• maintaining Cambodia as the worst country on the rule-of-law index (as ranked by the World Justice Project);
• continuing a systematic campaign of unlawful evictions, land grabs and human-rights violations; and
• continuing its efforts to shrink the overall democratic space by clamping down on freedom of expression and the political opposition (as per today's Human Rights Watch classification of Cambodia as “not a free country”.

Giving Cambodia a seat on the UN Security Council at this time would translate into the UN endorsing and rewarding the government's "rogue" actions against UN institutions and principles.

The UN and its member states should uphold the values and principles of UN membership. Giving a seat to Cambodia would do the exact opposite.

The media needs to put the facts straight to avoid having such a surreal bid materialise.

Tony Guterres

Phnom Penh

បឹតភ្នែកលក់​ដី - Selling the country with their eyes shut!

Confessions of a Spin Doctor: Shedding illusions as a flak for the Cambodian People's Party [-What you should know about the EVIL Hun Xen regime]

Writing should be like coffee: bold, smooth, and eye-opening.

That's what I try to achieve in my coverage of health and wellness, education and parenting, home and lifestyle, and travel and culture for such clients as Arthritis Today, SELF, Family Circle, Bankrate.com, Indiana Alumni Magazine, and as a regular contributing health writer to Chicago Parent.

I write not only to inform, but to inspire. After reading one of my articles, I want readers to feel they've learned something new about themselves or the world around them.

I invite you to grab a cup o'Joe and read some examples of my articles, explore my writing and editorial services and learn more about me and what I can do for you.

Here's to a great day!

Rita Colorito

--By Rita Colorito for Toward Freedom, November 1999
Originally posted at: http://www.ritacolorito.com/uploads/Confessions_of_a_Spin_Doctor.pdf

Every year foreign political leaders, governments and related principals hire lobbyists, lawyers, and public relations professionals to polish their images in the United States. As of June 30, 1998, 549 such pros, representing 728 foreign entities, were registered with the US Department of Justice. Foreign political consulting is a multi-million-dollar business in Washington. And sometimes, the cash comes from unsavory characters.

In graduate school, I remember reading an article on Edward von Kloberg III, a spin meister who's represented murderous clients like Zaire's Mobutu Sese Seko and Iraq's Saddam Hussein. Despite vowing to avoid such people, two weeks after receiving my Masters in International Affairs, I began work for the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and, indirectly, Hun Sen -- an autocrat accused of human rights abuses and ousting his co-prime minister in a bloody 1997 coup.

In the summer of 1998, the CPP had hired DMG, Inc., a Washington-based strategic communications firm, to represent the party in the US during Cambodia's first ever self-sponsored national elections. David Morey, the firm's president, was a professor of mine at Columbia University. His past clients include Philippine President Corazon Aquino, the Dalai Lama, and South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung.

He explained that the CPP wanted advice on conducting free and fair elections, improving human rights, and establishing an international tribunal for the Khmer Rouge, responsible for the deaths of some two million Cambodians from 1975 to 1979. Thus, I became part of Cambodia's Washington team, which included lawyers James Stearns of Porter, Wright, Morris and Arthur and William Rogers of lobbying powerhouse Arnold & Porter.

Based on Morey's record, I accepted the client's altruistic intentions and thought we could help. You see, representing such clients requires not only fooling others, but yourself. I soon realized, however, autocrats don't want advice about justice. Like claiming we worked for the party's reform wing, saying we were helping to improve human rights simply provided a "feel-good" excuse. Our client clearly wanted to preserve the status quo.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: A Cyclist

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogpsot.com)

Cambodia’s Bumpy Road to Development

CAMBODIA’S BUMPY ROAD TO DEVELOPMENT

BY DONALD JAMESON

KI-Media would like to thank Mr. Donald Jameson for providing us with an early copy of his talk to be given at the University of Ohio on Saturday April 30, 2011.

When US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Cambodia in late 2010 she told senior government leaders there “this does not look like the country I have been reading about in the press”. Most casual visitors to Phnom Penh would likely react similarly. They would see a vibrant society, with traffic-clogged streets, a proliferation of stylish restaurants and boutiques and numerous buildings under construction, many of them high rise apartments or office blocks, and including upscale satellite towns with names like “The Grand Phnom Penh International City”. Outside Phnom Penh, the visitor would observe large-scale development of infrastructure, including new roads and bridges, with work underway on many additional projects. If they ventured further afield the visitors would see land being cleared for plantations to grow rubber, palm oil, coffee and other tropical products as well as new industrial sites springing up along main transportation arteries. In short, they would find a country clearly on the move economically.

Having prepared for the trip by reading recent media coverage of Cambodia, much of it carrying headlines such as “The Beleaguered Cambodians”, “Cambodia’s Curse” and “Country for Sale” our visitor would probably, like Mrs. Clinton, be a bit confused, Much media coverage would have described Cambodia as a country plagued by rampant corruption benefiting a wealthy ruling oligarchy and their crony capitalist friends while a large segment of the population lives in abject poverty. It would have reported widespread human rights abuses, including confiscation of land from smallholder owners for investment projects, often without adequate compensation and sometimes resulting in forced evictions by the police or military forces. Beyond this the media would have described a culture of impunity that protects the rich and powerful while victimizing the poor and powerless. Also highlighted would have been the strict limits on freedom of expression and assembly as well as frequent intimidation of politicians, journalists, labor leaders, human rights advocates and other critics of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).

Cambodia: In Desperate Need of Leadership Changes

Three of the incapable rulers of modern Cambodia (Photo: AP)

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Op-ed by Heng Heng

Down the Ho Chi Minh Trail and Bangkok Highway. Is history repeating itself?

The threat of Cambodia being sold out piece by piece and eventually in its entirety could not be more obvious as more land concessions so-called investment into the country by Vietnam. In the old days, a nation sent its troops to conquer, occupied and annex others. As for Cambodia, it has become rather simple and easy for Vietnam to just throwing cash, lots of cash given the size of its much better-run economy vis-a-vis Cambodia's - a nation survived mostly on international donations. While advanced nations built their economic policies around strong middle classes, Cambodia has built itself for the last few decades over a policy of self-destruction with 3 basic principles in place: 1. Keep majority Khmer in starvation mode so they can only think of their day-to-day bread and butter; 2. Making sure that Khmers continue to live in constant fear through intimidation tactics even if it meant killing shall that be necessary; 3. Keep Khmers in today's highly intoxicating world of materialism, sex, drug, alcohol and care free, out of thinking and out of politics. It has succeed in a Grandios scale so far, life is better than during the Khmer rouge, regardless one looks at it. The Khmer rouge always remind people of their fearful past to discourage change or reform even when they know that the institution of the country itself is highly corrupted, but as long as it doesn't affect one personally, who care? Cambodia never truly has a chance to appreciate real freedom, respect of human rights or how democracy works in advancing people's economic opportunities through good governances and peaceful transition of power.

Cambodia has been ruled and reigned by very incapable individuals, at least during my life time. Real educated Khmers and real patriots have never been supported or given much opportunity to serve their nation and it has long been the curse of all. Corrupted ones will prosper, nation's sellers and/or killers will live longer than most and in a rather peculiar way - a comfortable one by far. Some of them have been implicated in the Khmer rouge's past while others have the privilege to now running the country as we speak and they are doing their best to destroy it all. But, majority Khmer people continue to accept that as a new reality in life as they see it is still by far better than the Khmer rouge some 30 odd years ago. It is true in some way, and so whatever argument one makes there is always seem to be a reasonable excuse to not advancing beyond that past trauma. As a result, Khmer will continue to accept some forms of political abuse, giving up freedom and liberties.

The Hun Sen government must step down in order for Cambodia to avoid war and territory losses on its western and eastern borders

27 April 2011

THE HUN SEN GOVERNMENT MUST STEP DOWN IN ORDER FOR CAMBODIA TO AVOID WAR AND TERRITORY LOSSES ON ITS WESTERN AND EASTERN BORDERS

Cambodia is facing the danger of war because of the aggression from Thailand associated with the incapability of the Hun Sen government to peacefully resolve a border conflict.

For Cambodia, the only appropriate and effective means of containing a foreign aggression is to call for the implementation of the 1991 Paris Agreements on Cambodia. These Agreements guarantee Cambodia’s territorial integrity and oblige their signatories, i.e. practically the whole international community, to help defend Cambodia when there is an aggression from a neighboring country as is the case now.

But why does the Hun Sen government refuse to call for the implementation of the Paris Agreements as required by the situation and suggested by the Sam Rainsy Party?

The cause for this serious shortcoming/mistake is related to the fact that the Hun Sen government only defends our western border by confronting Thailand but it is not willing to defend our eastern border because it doesn’t want or doesn’t dare to confront Vietnam. On the contrary, the Hun Sen government has continuously allowed Vietnam to move the borderline inside Cambodia causing our country to lose an increasing portion of its territory.

Because an effective implementation of the Paris Agreements would oblige both Thailand and Vietnam to put an end to their aggression on Cambodia, the Hun Sen government doesn’t dare to invoke the Paris Agreements given the opposition from Vietnam. Even though Vietnam has recently annexed large chunks of Cambodian territories, the Hun Sen government doesn’t dare to make any protest but always continues to try to please Vietnam.

The fact that the Hun Sen government is subservient to Vietnam is the major obstacle for the implementation of the Paris Agreements, which is the reason why Cambodia has been losing territories on both its western and eastern borders while facing the danger of a war with Thailand at the same time.

Nowadays, war is out of date as a means to resolve a border conflict. To legitimately defend its territory Cambodia should only use peaceful means by going through legal, political and diplomatic channels.

Recently, Cambodia has achieved a big victory when Vietnamese authorities withdrew from Cambodian territory in the vicinity of border posts # 184, 185 and 186 in Svay Rieng province’s Chantrea district. This unprecedented event of a Vietnamese withdrawal from Cambodia took place a few days after I had pulled out the illegally planted border post # 185 in October 2009. Subsequently, the Vietnamese authorities came to pull out themselves the nearby and also illegally planted border posts # 184 and 186 and took them back to Vietnam. Their reaction was apparently due to their embarrassment after I had exposed their attempt to unfairly move the borderline to the detriment of Cambodia. This Cambodian victory in the defense of our territorial integrity was achieved without a drop of blood being shed and without a penny of our national budget being spent.

The Khmer people must push the Hun Sen government to resort to similar non-violent and non-costly means to defend Cambodia’s territory both on our western and eastern borders. Such means can be broadly and effectively deployed only with the implementation of the Paris Agreements. But if the Hun Sen government cannot follow that reasonable path, it must step down so that Cambodia may avoid war and territory losses with both Thailand and Vietnam.

Besides, we must not allow the Hun Sen government to use the conflict with Thailand in the west as a political ploy to divert the attention and the anger of the Khmer people from the aggression by Vietnam in the east. Similarly, we are aware that the Hun Sen government is also trying to use the conflict with Thailand to divert the attention and the anger of the Khmer people from its systemic corruption when it associates itself with dubious foreign companies to grab lands from the Khmer people and to plunder our national riches.

Sam Rainsy

Elected Member of Parliament

Open Letter to PM Hun Xen from Orphan Child

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