Peter Long and Richer San: We welcome all participants who believe in our objectives [-All others just shut up?]

The delegation which invited Sok An to the Cambodia Town New Year Parade (Photo: Council of Ministers, Cambodia)

Press Release – January 10, 2008

Peter Long
President - Cam-CC President

Richer San
Chair - Cambodian New Year Parade

Objectives of the Cambodian New Year Parade

LONG BEACH, CA - The New Year Parade committee maintains a strict policy of non-discrimination regarding participation in the parade. The parade's main objectives are to promote Cambodian culture, harmony among diverse local communities, area businesses and neighborhoods, and particularly Cambodia Town USA. Political slogans and election campaigns are strictly prohibited.

In reference to the democratically-elected and internationally recognized Cambodian government, we follow the official policy as defined by the U.S. Department of State. We believe past parades made positive impressions on participating Cambodian officials: they observed the joy and pride of the Long Beach Cambodian-Americans and the personal freedoms enjoyed by all citizens under the United States law.

Official Cambodian delegations participating in past parades and celebrations have included: H.E. Than Pok (Former-Secretary of State of Ministry of Education), H.E. Vora Kanthoul (Secretary of State of Ministry of Foreign Affairs), H.E. Sin Neung (Former-Parliament Member), H.E. Song Chhang (Former-Senator and current Advisor to the Royal Government), H.E. Sereywath Ek (Ambassador to USA), and H.E. Dr. Widhya Chem (Former-Ambassador to UN and current Ambassador to Germany). Also participated from the economic and nongovernmental sectors, Mr. Sokha Kem (Former-Director of NGO Center for Human Rights), and Representatives from Cambodian Rice Miller Association and Small and Medium Size Enterprises.

While we acknowledge the current Cambodian government is not perfect, we follow the example demonstrated by Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, promoting constructive dialogue and advocating change through peaceful means.

Regardless of the Cambodian government’s political party affiliation, we will continue to invite official Cambodian delegations to participate in the parade. We promote freedom, democracy, and free trade activity in Cambodia by presenting the best of the American value system in action.

We welcome all participants who believe in our objectives. We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on race, color, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion or political affiliation. We also prohibit discrimination based on any other factor prohibited by federal, state or local law.

Cambodian's planned visit draws protest

Photo of those who went to meet Sok An (Photo published by Angkor Borei News)

Richer San and Sithea San, his wife. Richer San claims that he will provide a car for the corrupt Sok An to parade in the Cambodia Town's 2008 Cambodian New Year parade.

Deputy prime minister plans to appear in New Year Parade in Long Beach.

12/26/2007
By Greg Mellen, Staff writer
Long Beach Press Telegram (Long Beach, California, USA)

LONG BEACH - A planned appearance by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An at next year's Cambodian New Year Parade in Long Beach has stirred controversy and is threatening to open old wounds in the Cambodian community.

In his home country, Sok An is the right-hand man of Prime Minister Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian People's Party. Earlier this month, he accepted an invitation to attend next year's New Year celebration from a delegation from Long Beach visiting Phnom Penh. The contingent included representatives of several ethnic and civic groups including Cambodia Town Inc., Long Beach Sister Cities, the Cambodian Coordinating Council and the Cambodia New Year Parade.

News of Sok An's planned attendance has brought emotional response from members of the Cambodian community in Long Beach who oppose the Hun Sen government.

In an effort to stop the visit, a petition has been launched protesting the deputy prime minister's appearance.

Anthony Ly, editor of the Angkor Borei News, which will print copies of the petition in its Dec. 31 editions, says he hopes to meet with Mayor Bob Foster in January to present the signatures.

There was confusion about whether Foster formally invited Sok An to attend the parade.

Evan Braude, an attorney and former Long Beach city councilman who was part of the delegation, said that wasn't the case.

Braude said he had been asked by Foster to extend greetings in general to groups the delegation met. Foster had planned to go on the trip, but had to bow out because of an eye infection.

"There was no specific invitation to a specific person," Braude said. "It was just a general invitation to anyone who wanted to attend. That's the main thrust."

Braude added that formal invitations to visiting heads of state and their representatives are handled by the federal government, and the visit by the Long Beach delegation wasn't even an official city visit.

However, Richer San, a Long Beach delegate, confirmed that an invitation was made, formal or not, and Sok An accepted.

He added that if Sok An decides to join the parade, he will be provided with a car to ride in and banners identifying him.

Braude noted that in past years other political figures have been part of the parade, including Pok Than, a former minister of education in Cambodia with ties to Long Beach.

Opponents say bringing someone of Sok An's stature, however, ups the ante.

Ly, who said he already has 20 to 30 signatures, called Sok An "the most corrupt man in Hun Sen's government."

He added that local residents oppose the deputy prime minister's involvement because of the Cambodian government's long history of human rights violations, corruption and a laundry list of other misdeeds.

As an example, Ly pointed to a recent visit by United Nations human rights envoy Yash Ghai. After Ghai's contentious 10-day fact-finding mission, the BBC reported the envoy said, "Cambodia's government was not committed to human rights, and power had been too centralised (sic) around `one individual,"' referring to Hun Sen.

The BBC reported that Hun Sen responded by calling Ghai "deranged."

San says Ly was an opponent of the New Year Parade since its inception. While he supported Ly's right to hold a different opinion, he said Cambodian Americans need to put homeland politics aside.

Although he sought to remain somewhat neutral and removed from the controversy, Cambodian activist Paline Soth said many residents see Sok An as representing an oppressive regime and will see his appearance as extending the reach and influence into Long Beach.

"They believe they fled the country to leave an oppressive government and be independent and be subject to the law and order of Long Beach," Soth said.

About his own feelings, Soth says he believes it is OK for Cambodians to attend the parade as private citizens, but adds, "I would be critical of anyone using the parade for their own agenda."

Braude, who hopes to diffuse any tension, said, "We're not here to play politics, right or wrong."

However, homeland politics and old hurts and alliances still simmer just below the surface in Long Beach's Cambodian community.

This was never more evident than in 2005, when Cambodians divided sharply and bitterly over the inaugural New Year Parade. Initially scheduled for April 17, the date Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge rose to power and unleashed the Killing Fields reign of terror that left about 1.7 million Cambodians dead, the parade issue gashed the community along old party lines.

Although Hun Sen and his Cambodian People's Party have been democratically elected in recent years, since the coup he led in 1997, the prime minister is still a lightning rod of dissent stateside.

Soth is among those who fear that an appearance by Hun Sen's top aide could be disastrous.

"There's a silent majority out there watching," Soth said, "and at the snap of a finger, this is an issue that could ignite them."

Please sign the petition to block Sok An's official appearance at the opening ceremony of Cambodia Town

Please send your signed petition to:

Angkor Borei News
2034 E. Lincoln Ave.
Suite 214
Anaheim, CA 92806 (USA)

For additional information please email:
angkorboreinews1@yahoo.com
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Click here for PDF version of the petition

Citizen Petition

Subject: Appearance of Mr. Sok An, Cambodia Current Government Deputy Prime Minister at the Opening Ceremony of Cambodia Town

We, the undersigned citizen of the City Long Beach, are proud and honored that the Honorable Mayor and City Council granted the local Cambodian voters with the honorific Cambodia Town on July 3, 2007, which is resulted from the spirit of the hardworking taxpayers and law abiding citizens especially those of Cambodia origin.

Cambodia is under the current Prime Minister Mr. Hun Sen and on the list of human rights violation since 1997. Clearly Professor Ghai recent 10 day visit in the occasion of World Human Rights Day in Cambodia reported Cambodia's judiciary has failed to provide justice, leaving the population in fear of going to court and threatening the rule of law.

Relatively Mr. Sok An, the boss of the Cambodia Council of Ministers, has stalled the donors recommended anti corruption law with good governance, poverty reduction, human trafficking laws and until recently the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia www.eccc.gov.kh from the parliamentary approval. In addition the rampant land grab mostly done by the powerful officials, forced eviction, and dynastic corruption which highlighted in the UK Global Witness report at www.globalwitness.org involved Mr. Sok An extensively.

However during same period of Professor Ghai stay in Phnom Penh, on December 8-9, 2007 local press featured Mr. Evan Braude, former City Councilman heading a self appointed group so called “Cambodia Town Delegation”, had personally borne and presented an invitation letter in behalf of the current Mayor of Long Beach and citizens to implore Mr. Sok An presence at the ribbon cutting opening ceremony of the Cambodia Town scheduled for next April 2008 coincided with Cambodian New Year Parade. This is an outrage and a totally self deprecated in US human rights policy against Cambodia oppressive regime.

Because of the stated reasons we, the undersigned, call our City Council attention to address the so called “Cambodia Town Delegation” deceptive agendas in the name of all Long Beach Cambodian Americans interest. In fact, the evidence from its 2005 moral immaturity and insensitivity of the killing fields’ memory has not only embarrassed us all and is still a profound concern in such group self propelled conduct.

We, the undersigned, can’t conscientiously condone and accept the collusion spearheaded by the so called “Cambodia Town Delegation” to bring the abusive regime agent into our city honorific event. Thus we collectively submit our signatures in protest of Mr. Sok An appearance. Also, we are formally asking the City to consider the following in its regular City Council meeting:

1. the democratic process and hold public hearings
2. need no dictator agent appearance at our City event indefinitely to avoid more embarrassments taken place
3. “Cambodia Town Delegation” must stop insulting us with its hidden agendas again

We respectively submit and trust you will do your utmost to stop such embarrassing action from taken place.

Sincerely,

(Your Signature)
(Your Name)
(Your Address)