Op-Ed by Ung Bun Ang
Originally posted online
In the current episode of Cambodia politics, there are four potential liars: SRP parliamentarian Mu Sochua, Cambodian foreign affairs secretary of state Ouch Borith, US ambassador to Cambodia Carol Rodley, and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton. They all have reasons to lie.
Mu Sochua may lie as she could not afford to disappoint her supporters who have been hyped up by her rhetoric. Following her meeting with Clinton, Mu Sochua claims the US will, at the end of September, inform the Cambodian government that there will be conditions attached to US aid. Mu Sochua maintains that a high level US delegation led by Melanne Vereer – president Obama’s ambassador at-large for global women's issues – will visit Cambodia to assess human rights conditions. With such details, Mu Sochua is either telling the truth or a good liar.
But the claims prompt Cambodia’s Ouch Borith to brand Mu Sochua a liar. He asserts ambassador Rodley, whom he summoned to the ministry of foreign affairs to clarify what had transpired in the meeting between Hillary Clinton and Mu Sochua in Washington DC, has assured him the US secretary did not respond to any of Mu’s requests. Mu will thus be a liar if Ouch Borith accurately reports the outcome of his meeting with Rodley. He lies, however, if Rodley in fact confirms the parliamentarian’s claims.
There is a good reason for Ouch Borith to lie. Though the Cambodian government may not need the US aid, it could do with a public relations coup. A Mu Sochua run-away success will put a huge dent into the ego of prime minister Hun Sen, who has been mounting pressures on the parliamentarian to back down from their court tussle.
Or, ambassador Rodley could lie to Ouch Borith by not confirming the Mu Sochua claims. The US Administration has moved decisively in recent times to improve its relation with the Cambodia government with more aid and high level visits. US defence secretary and Cambodian defence minister are about to hold face-to-face meetings in Washington DC with undisclosed agenda. US energy giant Chevron has submitted an application to Cambodian authority for exploration rights in Cambodian maritime areas. Confirming Mu’s claims could jeopardise the efforts. Embassy spokesman John Johnson has declined to comment on the claims.
For the same reasons, secretary Clinton could just play lip service and lie to protect the US interest that must dwarf any personal regards she may have for Mu Sochua. She has not so far cared to clarify the matter, keeping all concerned up in the air.
It may be difficult to prove now who is lying as all have conformed to a requirement for a good lie: the meetings are one-to-one behind closed doors, and mum’s the word. But sooner or later, it will become clear who has lied. A major test comes if the US high level delegation actually visits Cambodia as claimed. Or, they may just send a lower level delegation, which is a compromise that makes everyone a liar.
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Quotable Quote:
“Nixon is a shifty-eyed goddam liar...He's one of the few in the history of this country to run for high office talking out of both sides of his mouth at the same time and lying out of both sides.” - Harry S. Truman (1884–1972), U.S. president. Referring to Richard Nixon.
A Lie or An Irony:
Duch, at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal hearing on 27 August 2009:
“… Another influence [on me] was from within the country. I used to have close and distant grandparents who were poor telling me, ‘you are a clever student, when you grow up you will definitely oppress me’. I was determined then that [I] would not let their foresight turn right.”
Duch did more than just oppressing them.
Mu Sochua may lie as she could not afford to disappoint her supporters who have been hyped up by her rhetoric. Following her meeting with Clinton, Mu Sochua claims the US will, at the end of September, inform the Cambodian government that there will be conditions attached to US aid. Mu Sochua maintains that a high level US delegation led by Melanne Vereer – president Obama’s ambassador at-large for global women's issues – will visit Cambodia to assess human rights conditions. With such details, Mu Sochua is either telling the truth or a good liar.
But the claims prompt Cambodia’s Ouch Borith to brand Mu Sochua a liar. He asserts ambassador Rodley, whom he summoned to the ministry of foreign affairs to clarify what had transpired in the meeting between Hillary Clinton and Mu Sochua in Washington DC, has assured him the US secretary did not respond to any of Mu’s requests. Mu will thus be a liar if Ouch Borith accurately reports the outcome of his meeting with Rodley. He lies, however, if Rodley in fact confirms the parliamentarian’s claims.
There is a good reason for Ouch Borith to lie. Though the Cambodian government may not need the US aid, it could do with a public relations coup. A Mu Sochua run-away success will put a huge dent into the ego of prime minister Hun Sen, who has been mounting pressures on the parliamentarian to back down from their court tussle.
Or, ambassador Rodley could lie to Ouch Borith by not confirming the Mu Sochua claims. The US Administration has moved decisively in recent times to improve its relation with the Cambodia government with more aid and high level visits. US defence secretary and Cambodian defence minister are about to hold face-to-face meetings in Washington DC with undisclosed agenda. US energy giant Chevron has submitted an application to Cambodian authority for exploration rights in Cambodian maritime areas. Confirming Mu’s claims could jeopardise the efforts. Embassy spokesman John Johnson has declined to comment on the claims.
For the same reasons, secretary Clinton could just play lip service and lie to protect the US interest that must dwarf any personal regards she may have for Mu Sochua. She has not so far cared to clarify the matter, keeping all concerned up in the air.
It may be difficult to prove now who is lying as all have conformed to a requirement for a good lie: the meetings are one-to-one behind closed doors, and mum’s the word. But sooner or later, it will become clear who has lied. A major test comes if the US high level delegation actually visits Cambodia as claimed. Or, they may just send a lower level delegation, which is a compromise that makes everyone a liar.
-------
Quotable Quote:
“Nixon is a shifty-eyed goddam liar...He's one of the few in the history of this country to run for high office talking out of both sides of his mouth at the same time and lying out of both sides.” - Harry S. Truman (1884–1972), U.S. president. Referring to Richard Nixon.
A Lie or An Irony:
Duch, at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal hearing on 27 August 2009:
“… Another influence [on me] was from within the country. I used to have close and distant grandparents who were poor telling me, ‘you are a clever student, when you grow up you will definitely oppress me’. I was determined then that [I] would not let their foresight turn right.”
Duch did more than just oppressing them.
