Working to create a business improvement district in Cambodia Town

L-R: Richer San, first vice chair and Pasin Chanou, chair of Cambodia Town, Inc. are volunteers that have spent years working to create a property business improvement district for Cambodia Town. (Brittany Murray / Staff Photographer)

Also, in case you did not know:

Richer San (3rd from left) on trip to meet Xok An on July 12, 2007

April 26, 2012
By Greg Mellen Staff Writer
Long Beach Press Telegram

LONG BEACH - Richer San walks to a file cabinet and pulls open a file drawer overstuffed with reports, surveys and studies that represent years spent working to create Cambodia Town in Long Beach and, more important, set up a business improvement district along Anaheim Street.

In July, Cambodia Town Inc., will celebrate its fifth anniversary, but San and his volunteer group are only about halfway through their efforts to get 235 of 470 businesses along the busy commercial corridor to commit to the business improvement district, or BID.

The formation of BIDs and property-based improvement districts, or PBIDs, was the topic of discussion at a Town Hall presented by the 6th Council District Office on Tuesday at McBride Park in the Central Area.

Long Beach Cambodia Town signs recognize ethnic neighborhood

Long Beach Cambodians gather at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Anaheim Street for the unveiling of the first Cambodia Town sign. After the first attempt to unveil the sign failed when the fabric covering the sign didn't move, residents watch as the second attempt is successful with some help from public works employees. (Scott Varley / Staff Photographer)

Long Beach Cambodians gather at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Anaheim Street for the unveiling of the first Cambodia Town sign. One of the Cambodian monks on hand for the blessing pauses to photograph the event as he leave. (Scott Varley / Staff Photographer)

Long Beach Cambodians gather at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Anaheim Street for the unveiling of the first Cambodia Town sign. City Councilman Dee Andrews has a good laugh as he points to the sign after the first attempt to unveil the street sign failed when they pulled on the rope and the sign cover remained. Public works employees removed some tape which allowed the second unveiling attempt to be successful. (Scott Varley / Staff photographer)

07/16/2011
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Long Beach Press Telegram

LONG BEACH — It's a simple sign, but it took almost a decade to get there.

On Saturday, about 100 residents and dignitaries gathered to officially unveil one of two signs that proclaim the Cambodia Town area of Long Beach on the southeast corner at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Anaheim Street.

"This has taken a long time," said Councilman Dee Andrews, in whose 6th District most of Cambodia Town is located. "This is long overdue, long overdue for a little small sign."

Also on hand were leaders in the Cambodian community, from Richer San and Sithea San, the outgoing head of Cambodia Town Inc., to Kimthai Kuoch and Sara Pol-Lim, who head up the Cambodian Association of America and United Cambodian Community, respectively.

Sok An Connection III: Khmer Guardian's Opinion

http://www.box.net/shared/bg8hakim7vm6mftxj2h1

Khmer Guardian: Sok An Connection II - Overseas Khmer

Khmer Guardian: Sok An Connection II - Overseas Khmer
http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/55921244?access_key=key-1f2kluxu25595c0lfmjx

US FDIC order to cease and desist to Golden Coast Bank in Long Beach

In 2008, Peter Long (tirst from left) and Richer San (third from left) traveled to Cambodia to invite Sok An (fourth from left) to participate in the Long Beach New Year parade (Photo: Sok An's office)

Click here to read the entire FDIC order (PDF)

The following 2007 article from the Long Beach Press Telegram described who is involved in the Golden Coast Bank

Golden Coast Bank has community feel

Bank founded by Cambodians to serve residents, small businesses
06/04/2007
By Greg Mellen, Staff writer
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)

Golden Coast Bank staff stand in the building on Long Beach Boulevard. President and Chief Executive Officer William Lu stands at center. (Steven Georges/Press-Telegram)LONG BEACH - The logo is a bit abstract and gives away little: a bird over waves. The name is sufficiently vague: Golden Coast Bank.

But the abstractly decorated and mysteriously named business is unique and distinct. Golden Coast Bank, which celebrates its grand opening on Tuesday, is the first bank in Los Angeles County founded by Cambodians and designed to cater to that community.

However, utter the phrase "Cambodian bank" and President and Chief Executive Officer William Lu, who is half-Cambodian, is quick to interject.

"It's not just a Cambodian bank," Lu says from behind his desk at the bank's offices at 850 Long Beach Blvd. "It's a community bank with a Cambodian focus."

It's a distinction Lu feels is important to understand for a variety of reasons from the legalities to the business sense of inclusiveness.

"Our goal is to serve the underserved and the unbanked community," said Lu, noting that includes substantial Hispanic and black communities, particularly in the bank's neighborhood.

"We don't want to limit ourselves," said Peter Long, one of the bank's founders.

Bank literature is multilingual and employees speak Khmer, English, Korean, Thai, Chinese and Spanish.

The FDIC-insured Golden Coast is off to a modest but hopeful start. Golden Coast has initial capital of $12 million. Bank officials estimate having almost 100 customers so far with accounts and holdings ranging from $100 to $100,000.

Although the bank officially opened its doors May 7, much of the first three weeks have been spent building infrastructure and scrambling to meet various state and federal requirements. So far, the bank has initiated work on a couple of loans and is trying to finalize paperwork, satisfy auditors and test software.

The Cambodian influences in the bank, however, will be clear. The tellers and several bank officers are Khmer speakers and co-founders Richer San and [Peter] Long are both well-known in the Cambodian business community.

The bank will offer a number of important services to Cambodians, including wire and money transfers.

The idea of a bank catering to Cambodians has been around since the 1980s. But San says he was approached by the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce to seriously explore setting up such a bank in late 2002.

While Asian banks have flourished in the Southland, accounting for more than 25 percent of the banks in Los Angeles County, according to the Los Angeles Business Journal, Cambodians have lagged behind.

When San and Long began the process of trying to raise the $1.2 million needed to capitalize the $12 million to start the bank, they learned why.

As with almost any Cambodian endeavor in Long Beach, there are rival camps.

"It was very difficult to raise the seed money," San said. "It was very hard to convince the community it was legitimate."

Many regulations

San said he understands the reluctance, as many Cambodians have been victimized through the years by fraudulent enterprises and scams, promulgated both from within and outside the community.

However, Long noted that American banking is one of the most highly regulated and scrutinized industries.

"I've heard all the things negative that were said," Long said. "We'll show the positive. A few people can't hide the truth. In the long run people will see."

As an example of the regulation, Long said something as simple as using an image of Angkor Wat on the backs of bank checks require multiple leaves of authorization.

Although Long and San were eventually able to cobble together about 170 shareholders, they say only about 15 to 20 percent are from the Cambodian community and Long Beach.

"My community is not very sophisticated," San said, "but we will continue to educate people. This is very new to our community."

As with most major ventures in the Cambodian community, there is no consensus.

Critics have dismissed the Cambodian connection, saying the bank is Chinese.

Lu is half-Chinese, was a former president of the National Association of Chinese American Bankers and most recently headed up a subsidiary of a Taiwanese bank, but he spent his childhood in Cambodia and still holds Cambodian identification documents.

He left Cambodia in 1961 and was educated in France, where he earned his bachelor's degree in business administration and international marketing from Cal State Los Angeles.

Possible anchor

Long and San say the critics are misguided.

First, they say, Lu has an impeccable 34-year record in banking. Secondly, they said they could find no local Cambodians qualified to run a bank.

Lu said he doesn't worry about the Chinese-Cambodian distinctions and that his job is to look after shareholders' interests regardless of ethnicity.

San and Long say if Cambodians want to have a say in the bank, all they need to do is become shareholders, rather than sniping from the sidelines.

"The shareholders are the boss," San said. "My people haven't stood up."

The bank's business plan calls for it to grow about $25 million per year.

San and Long see the bank making its mark as a lender to small businesses, especially along Anaheim Street.

Grand opening

What: Golden Coast Bank
Where: 850 Long Beach Blvd.
When: Tuesday, 4 to 7 p.m.
Features: Ribbon-cutting, local dignitaries, hors d'oeuvres by Sophy's restaurant, Cambodian music.
Cost: Free
Information: (562) 216-6378

The City Council is considering whether to designate a portion of Anaheim Street as Cambodia Town. If it does, San and Long think the bank could be an engine in revitalizing the area.

The bulk of the city's Cambodian-owned businesses are along or near the Anaheim Street corridor.

"This bank will help development on Anaheim (Street)," San said. "I think this is part of the Cambodia Town vision."

Greg Mellen can be reached at greg.mellen@presstelegram.com or (562) 499-1291.

Big lineup expected for Cambodian parade today [-Parade organizers sneak in Hun Sen's regime officials in the parade]

04/05/2008
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)

LONG BEACH - The final nails are being pounded into floats and the last VIPs are being added to the lineup as the fourth annual Cambodian New Year Parade prepares to set off from the corner of Junipero Avenue and Anaheim Street today.

Parade organizer Richer San predicts the annual celebration, which annually brings thousands of visitors to the Cambodian Town area, will be the largest to date.

As of Friday, the parade had 87 official entrants, the most yet, with a few more stragglers expected.

San said three of six floats were still under construction and nearing completion near Sophy's Restaurant on Anaheim Street.

"I think we all feel great," San said.

This year, there are five grand marshals for the parade. They are 1st District City Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal, 6th District Councilman Dee Andrews and local Cambodians Charles Song, Sweety Chap and Michael Sar.

A new wrinkle this year is participation in the parade by representatives of Cambodia's ministries of tourism and culture and fine arts, plus the Council of Ministries.

Deputy Prime Minister Sok An had been invited, but in in the wake of a torrent of community dissent, his name was withdrawn.

San says that from 2 to 5 p.m. tourism officials will offer workshops at the Mark Twain branch library on tourism business opportunities in Cambodia.

The library will also be open to display some of the more than 1,000 books and items purchased by library officials on a recent trip to Cambodia.

The parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. with an interfaith celebration. The parade route runs along Anaheim Street between Junipero and Warren avenues. After the parade, a celebration with entertainment will be held at MacArthur Park, 1321 E. Anaheim St.

greg.mellen@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1291

Cambodian parade rift to get an airing

Community activist Socheata Has addressing the Long Beach City Council to oppose the presence of Sok An in Long Beach (Photo: Angkor Borey)

Justin Sok's so-called "thick-faced political buffons" who insist on inviting the controversial Sok An (Photo: Sok An's office)

Moderators to meet with both sides in dispute over official's invitation.

03/06/2008
By Greg Mellen, Staff writer
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)

LONG BEACH - Community members on both sides of a controversial decision to invite the deputy prime minister of Cambodia to participate in the annual Cambodian New Year parade will meet today to discuss their differences.

About 30 members of the Cambodian community attended Tuesday's City Council meeting. They presented the council with a petition comprising more than 1,000 signatures opposing a plan to have Cambodian leader Sok An ride in the April 6 parade.

There has been considerable confusion about who issued the invitation and whether it was properly made.

Mayor Bob Foster said at Tuesday's meeting that he never invited anyone to the parade - period.

Although the city provides support for the parade in certain areas, the City Council has no official role in the decisions the parade committee makes.

"It's not our parade," said 6th District Councilman Dee Andrews, in whose district most of the parade is held.

Vice Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal said she was distressed at the emotions the dispute has dredged up.

"People expressed outright fear and trauma," Lowenthal said, adding that the city must do what it can to assuage that.

Melissa Morgan, the city's human dignity officer and Rene Castro from the California Conference of Equality and Justice, will moderate the meeting between parade organizers, who support Sok An's participation, and opponents.

Morgan and Castro said their roles are to facilitate dialogue but it is up to two factions to resolve differences.

"I'd like to see them just listen to each other and find out where we go from here," Morgan said. "They may not come to an agreement but I just hope they hear each other."

"What I hope to achieve by bringing the parties together is the increased understanding," Castro said. "There are no easy solutions."

There is a possibility that the point will be moot. There is considerable speculation that Sok An has decided to forgo the parade.

Parade organizer Richer San said Sok An has not confirmed that he will attend but that the invitation remains.

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, a half-dozen opponents of Sok An's participation spoke to the council.

They cited Cambodia's dismal human rights record, corruption and other problems among their complaints.

Opponents also said the invitation violated the parade's own entry rules, which say entrants must be noncontroversial and should not advocate a political candidate.

Each side has met with CCEJ separately.

greg.mellen@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1291

Political Cartoon: La Forêt Enchantée

Click on the toon to zoom in

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

Cambodia Town "power couple" jetsetting all over the world, makes a big splash on King-Father's BMD thanks to Sichan Siv's announcement

The "power couple": Sithea San, chairman of Cambodia Town, and Richer San, her husband, president of the Long Beach-Phnom Penh Sister Cities

Click on the letter to zoom in

Pursuing Dialogue

February 5, 2008
A report by Navy Phim
Originally posted at Navy's Blog

Please post your comments at Navy's Blog by clicking here

Did you sign the petition to block Sok An's appearance in Long Beach New Year Parade yet? If not, please click here to sign it online

According to a press telegram article on December 26, 2007, the delegations that invited Deputy Prime Minister Sok An to participate in the Cambodian New Year parade included Cambodia Town, Sister Cities of Long Beach, the Cambodian Coordinating Council and the Cambodian New Year Parade Committee. I emailed a board member of Cambodia Town for a contact point to express concerns over the invitation and she informed me that the invitation was given by Sister Cities of Long Beach, not Cambodia Town.

I checked the website of Sister Cities, which shows Richer San as Vice-Chair and Cultural Liaison and the Chairperson representing Phnom Penh. He is also on the Advisory Council of Cambodia Town. According to the Cam-CC website, Richer San is the Vice-President and he is also the event co-chair for the Cambodian New Year Parade Committee.

It is unclear who has issued the invitation. At this point, regardless of who is responsible for the invitation, we are interested in talking to the committee that can listen to our concerns and revoke the invitation. We decided to contact the New Year Parade committee since they are responsible for putting the event together. On the Cambodian New Year Parade website, the person who was listed as a contact person is Nancy Prerk, Parade Coordinator.

On January 28th and January 29th, we sent email to Nancy, Richer San and a few other members of the community who may be interested in having a dialogue on the issue.

Below is the email that we sent:

We are writing to ask your reconsideration of Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An’s appearance at this year’s annual Long Beach Cambodian New Year Parade.

For over a decade, Cambodia has been under the administration of Prime Minister Hun Sen, a government that has violated an incalculable multitude of human rights with impunity since 1997, so much so that they have simply ceased to meet with the latest United Nations rights envoy this past December. Cambodia has one of the most corrupt governments in the world today, ranked 162nd out of 180 nations according to Transparency International (180 being most corrupt). This is as far from “perfect” a government as one can get.

We are deeply shocked and appalled that the right hand man of such a government has been invited to parade himself in an event purported to celebrate diversity, community, and personal freedom. How does one celebrate these values by welcoming the very figure that is a perpetrator against them? What community and freedom are our brothers and sisters celebrating in Cambodia , where Mr. Sok An and colleagues rule the people with forced evictions and rampant land grabs, where simple freedom of expression is met with incarceration and death?

In a press release on January 9, 2008, the parade committee stated: “[We] believe in open dialogs and making changes through peaceful means as taught by Dr. Martin Luther King.” We do not believe a parade is an appropriate venue for having such dialog. While Dr. Martin Luther King met with opposition figures to create open dialog and further understanding, we cannot imagine he would have invited members of the Ku Klux Klan to participate in a parade celebrating the African-American community as a means of opening this dialog.

In addition, the invitation appears to be in direct violation of parade entry rules:

1. All entries should have a positive theme which respects diversity, is non-controversial, and does not advocate any political candidate

Sok An’s participation in the parade (in an election year—2008 Cambodian elections) is the very definition of a political and controversial entry, as evidenced by the community response, which has been covered in the press.

Many Cambodians across the nation look forward to coming to Long Beach’s parade. Now many Cambodians all across the nation are deeply disturbed and dismayed by this turn of events. We understand and appreciate your work in bringing the community together. However, we simply ask that you do not tear asunder the very community that you are trying to serve.

We implore your understanding and compassion in this matter and fervently hope you will rescind Mr. Sok An’s unfortunate invitation.

Nancy Prerk replied to the email informing us that she was only the coordinator for the event and does not make decision concerning the issue. She said she would forward our email to the committee who make the decision. In the meantime, she invited us to attend the meeting on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008.

At this meeting, we stood up to make points based on the email that was already sent. We raised the issue of the human rights violations by the Cambodian government and their officials and the violation of the parade entry rule when the invitation was issued. The first point was sidestepped and the second was met with blatant denial. It is frustrating to say the least, when your opposition denies what is in front of them. The debate became heated and voices were raised. At first, we were too shocked to respond to the [equivocation] of what is common knowledge concerning the Cambodian government and their policy of abusing human rights. Richer San quickly adjourned the meeting and shut the door on the dialogue, but we continued to make our points as people filed out of the meeting and a few more responses were thrown at us before they exit the building in haste.

We were told that we should not use words like corruptions and violation of human rights unless we have proof of it. We included the statistic that was given by Transparency International (180 being most corrupt), which ranked Cambodia 162nd out of 180. Who is Transparency International? It is the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption, brings people together in a powerful worldwide coalition to end the devastating impact of corruption on men, women and children around the world.

Global Witness has plenty of articles on the issue of corruptions in Cambodia: http://www.globalwitness.org/index.php

As for human right violations, refusing to meet with the human rights envoy is an act that reveals much about the administration of the Cambodian government and the lack of value placed on standards set by the international community on human rights issues.

In this article, the title “For Cambodians, fear is a way of life” speaks volume on the situation of human rights in Cambodia:

CAMBODIA: University lecturer is allegedly dismissed for writing a book that is critical of government
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1933/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1958/

CAMBODIA: Government’s alleged attack on three labor union activists
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1845/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1902/

CAMBODIA: A journalist convicted for exposing alleged corruption of the deputy prime minister
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1982/

This article discusses the unfair trial and police brutality of forced confession through torture: http://blogs.amnesty.org/blogs/write4rights/2006/10/31/1162303620000.html

What I have listed are just a few examples of injustices that is committed under the current government where Sok An is the Deputy Prime Minister, including one where the Deputy Prime Minister himself was directly named and involved. The current administration in Cambodia has continued to violate key human rights issues that make democracy function, especially free press.

The violation of the entry rule was also met with denial by the parade committee. We were able to furnish the entry form after a bout of heated exchange.

1. All entries should have a positive theme which respects diversity, is non-controversial, and does not advocate any political candidate

We emphasize that a figure of a corrupt government that violate human rights is controversial and since this is an election year in Cambodia, there is political implication in inviting him to a parade in a Cambodian community overseas. It may look as though Cambodians overseas support the government of Cambodia and all its injustices. Our position that Sok An is a controversial figure fell on deaf ears with demand for proofs.

I am aware that members of the Cambodian government have always been included in the parade. However, there is a big difference between inviting a member of the Cambodian government from different ministries versus inviting and parading the second man in power who is directly involved with making and effecting policy. For the last three parades, when a member of the Cambodian government come by in their float, my thoughts become sober as I think of the people in Cambodia and the oppression they live under. In last year’s parade, as one of the float was passing by with a member of the CPP government on it, people around me asked each other “Isn’t that the former president of UCC who embezzled money, ruined the organization’s credibility and ran off to Cambodia to become a minister?” I cannot verify this information, but if there is truth in it, I wonder why the committee saw it fitting to include him. Are we that lacking in inspirational figures to parade in our New Year celebration that we would include someone like that?

After the brief exchange we had with the parade committee, we received an invitation by the CAM-CC board to attend a close-door meeting with a request for us to bring only four people to their meeting. We do not believe this is the right venue for discussion. A town hall meeting that is open to the public is needed because we are not the only ones who want to express our feeling on the issue.

I sent an email to the board explaining this point and asked for clarification of the ambiguity surrounding the origins of the invitation. These are the questions I posted to the board:

1. What organization and/or person issued the invitation?
2. If it is Sister Cities of Long Beach, who within that organization issued the invitation and what is the requirement and procedure for approval?
3. Was there a discussion within the Board of Cam-CC and the New Year Parade committee before the invitation was issued?

I believe this type of decision should be transparent as it affects everyone in the community. I am awaiting the response from the committee(s).

I encourage anyone who has question concerning the invitation and the committee’s decision to email them directly. Their email can be found on their website under contact.

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.

Political Cartoon: Xmer-Town, Long Bitch

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

Cambodia Town Delegation, a Serpent of Multiple Head

Right: The power couple taking part in the visit to Sok An (Photo: Office of the Council of Ministers, Cambodia)
The delegation listening carefully to Sok An (Photo: Office of the Council of Ministers, Cambodia)
Sok An with the visiting delegation (Photo: Office of the Council of Ministers, Cambodia)

The power couble Richer and Sithea San

January 6, 2008
Op-Ed by Kok Sap
Originally posted on NeoKhmer and various other bulletin boards

In reference to 12/26/2007 article by Greg Mellen - Long Beach Press Telegram, 'Cambodian's planned visit draws protest Deputy prime minister plans to appear in New Year Parade in Long Beach.'

To an outsider eyes, there appears the so called Cambodia Town Delegation is shared umbilical cord of the same personalities with Cambodia Town Inc., Long Beach Sister Cities, the Cambodian Coordinating Council and the Cambodia New Year Parade and Cambodia Chamber Commerce. The CPP lackeys aka Delegates are short changing all Long Beach residents. This is much in collusion on the Delegation credibility.

No question both, Richer and Sothea San, are educated, but they still need to learn more of social morality and responsibility. It was rather amused that Mr. Richer San says Mr. Anthony Ly was an opponent of the New Year Parade since its inception (2005). While he supported Mr. Ly's right to hold a different opinion, he said Cambodian Americans need to put homeland politics aside. This is politically incorrect, and what is he saying to himself?

In 2005, the Cambodian Americans across the region were livid with the group insult. Then young Sans insensitivity and arrogance insisted on scheduling the New Year Parade on the Cambodia tragic day, April 17 1975. This date is a remembrance day for victim family. Since then most Cambodians mourn the loss of millions of life in private homes and some in the community gathering on such date. This was the root for not only Mr. Ly but others who opposed Mr. San group in staging New Year Parade on such day.

Also people remember the very same Mr. Sok An who has stalled the Khmer Rouge Trial for so many years already. The world and Cambodians are still concerned but it seemed unimportant to the Sans and co-conspirators. This much ignorance in the Delegation part to continue to offend the majority sensitivity. By far, the Delegation is a serpent of multiple head with self elevation campaign at the expenses of the uninformed Khmers in Long Beach.

No recollection, Mr. San is too arbitrarily in painting his opponent, (Diep) Anthony Ly, as an anti New Year Parade in 2005. Mr. Ly has been known for decades to Cambodians as a publisher one of the oldest Khmer Newspapers, Angkor Borei, in the region. Also Mr. Ly is a known critic of oppressive regimes from past and present. That alone puts Mr. San in a difficult position to face other survivors. To note Mr. San did not say Mr. Ly was a survivor and victim of the April 17, 1975 tragedy.

So in a new scheme took place last month in Phnom Penh, Mrs. San made herself Chairperson of the Cambodia Town Delegation to personably invite the oppressive regime agent, Sok An, to insult people in Long Beach once again. Both Sans never learned but again assume all Cambodians in Long Beach are in agreement with their personal's caveat. This time is a much bigger mistake to assume people will receive Cambodia dictator agent Sok An, with gongs and drums. The rumor says Sok An is actually a Viet Cong agent in disguise. Nevertheless all remain to be seen at the City Council and Mayor future convening.

Mrs. San and the self serving Delegation are treading on the imminent self implosion. The public needs an open explanation from the Cambodia Town Delegation. At this stage, the opposition is in momentum to not necessary challenge the opportunistic Mrs. San Delegation personalities, but to the thrust of current Cambodia oppressive regime leadership. People wonder who are actually behind the Communist People Party conspiracy to insult Cambodians in Long Beach city. It seems ludicrous in this, which San claims "aside from homeland politics." Seemingly it is time for Cambodians to catch the multiple head snake once for all.

Political Cartoon: Le Coq An's Parade 2008

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

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."