Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)
Showing posts with label Sihanouk's claim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sihanouk's claim. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Brotherhood
Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
I was wondering…
KI-Media Note: Opinions expressed belong solely to the author, and do not represent the views of other Members or KI-Media.
Open Letter to King-Ta Norodom Sihanouk
Sent by S.T. (name and email address withheld by request)
From Battambang
Respected King-Ta,
It was in great dismay that I read and watch your declaration stating that the CPP party is the younger sibling of the Sangkum Reastr Niyum (SRN) party that you formed prior to 1970. In your declaration, you also stated that the CPP is continuing the legacy of the SRN.
As a matter of fact, several local and international news media have reported that, under the current CPP government led by our illustrious Samdach Strongman Hun Sen, land-grabbing and forced evictions of the poor are the norm rather than the exception. Since you stated that the CPP continued the SRN legacy, I was wondering if land-grabbing and forced evictions were also the norm under the SRN regime? My grandfather (Buddha bless his soul), who used to live in Battambang, used to tell us the story about the Samlot uprising in the 60s, under the SRN regime. The local people in Samlot became angry when their lands were taken away (grabbed?) by government officials. Recent news media also reported that the people of Samlot still suffer greatly from land-grabbing under the CPP administration. Dear King-Ta, I suppose then that what you declared is really the truth: the legacy of land-grabbing and forced eviction is still being perpetuated under the CPP regime.
While nobody wants to admit it openly in Phnom Penh, it is a well known secret that the current CPP regime of our Samdach Strongman Hun Sen depends largely on foreign donations and aid. Lately, news media reported that the National Assembly had pushed South Korea to help build a friendship bridge in Cambodia, it goes without saying that a large number of other infrastructures in Cambodia are built with aid and loans from China, Japan, and many other countries. Dear King-Ta, I was wondering if this tradition of begging for foreign aid is also a legacy of the SRN regime? Truth be told, even now, we still talk about “Pet Russie” (Russian Hospital), “Pet Chen” (Chinese Hospital), “Phlov Mao Tse Tung” (Chaiman Mao Road). Why are we referring these structures to the Chinese and Russian if they were built by Cambodians? Could it be that they were donations from Communist China and the Soviet Union to the SRN? I apologize if I don’t know Cambodia’s history too well, being a new generation of Cambodians, I have to rely on the sparse factual history passed down through our illustrious leaders, such as you.
Dear King-Ta, I was also wondering if the extra-judicial killings under the CPP regime are also the legacy of the SRN? When I see the picture of the murder of Sam Vichea, the FTU president, in the middle of the street, I could not help but remember what my father told us about the public executions under the SRN regime. He told us that some of the people shots asked for a cigarette puff before they were summarily shot and the filming of their executions was later shown in all theaters in the nation. As you can see, as such, public execution is still perpetuated under the illustrious leadership of Samdach Strongman Hun Sen, and, in almost all the cases, the killers are never found.
Dear King-Ta, I was also wondering if the corruption that currently exists under the magnificent leadership of our Samdach Strrongman Hun Sen is also a legacy of the SRN? While my parents do not tell us much about the corruption under the SRN, it could be that they do not have the chance to tell us the whole truth yet. As you mentioned that the CPP continues the SRN legacy, I was wondering if my parents had to pay bribes every morning to their teachers as I used to do from elementary to high school? In fact, my parents do not want to talk too much about the SRN, they only have their eyes focused on our Samdach Strongman Hun Sen, the “intelligent” leader of Cambodia. Every time I asked them about the SRN, they kept telling me that it was a different life, but now, after listening to your clarification, I am assured that they lied to me all this time: life under the SRN and life under the CPP is one and the same, legacy and everything else included, is it not?
Dear King-Ta, I was wondering if the travesty of justice under the illustrious leadership of our 3 Samdachs is also the legacy of the SRN? Recently, I couldn’t help but follow the lawsuits cases between our Samdach Strongman Hun Sen against Neak Srey Mu Sochua. Even for a country bumpkin like me, it is quite obvious that Neak Srey Mu Sochua has no chance whatsoever to win her case, and in fact her case was even thrown out while Samdach Strongman’s case was allowed to go on. Returning back to all those people who were publicly shot under the SRN, I seem to remember that you indicated they were traitors of our nation, and they were sentenced to death by our military court system. Comparing the legacy of our current court system to that of the SRN, I couldn’t help but wondering if these men who were sentenced to execution under the SRN then-faced the same court decision as Neak Srey Mu Sochua, after all, you said it yourself that the CPP continues the SRN legacy, did you not?
Dear King-Ta, I hope that my open letter will not offend you. Based on my limited knowledge of our history and your recent declaration, I couldn’t help but wondering about the issues above. I know that your supporters will send me heaps of insults for daring to ask the questions above, but, if you were to live my life in my shoes, you would be wondering the same questions as well. I hope, Dear King-Ta, that you will help clarify my questions above.
May Buddha blesses King-Ta, Queen-Yeay and King-Uncle with long life. May you all live several hundreds years long.
Respectfully yours,
S.T. from Battambang
PS: I am not Lonnolian! I was not even born when Lon Nol came to power.
As a matter of fact, several local and international news media have reported that, under the current CPP government led by our illustrious Samdach Strongman Hun Sen, land-grabbing and forced evictions of the poor are the norm rather than the exception. Since you stated that the CPP continued the SRN legacy, I was wondering if land-grabbing and forced evictions were also the norm under the SRN regime? My grandfather (Buddha bless his soul), who used to live in Battambang, used to tell us the story about the Samlot uprising in the 60s, under the SRN regime. The local people in Samlot became angry when their lands were taken away (grabbed?) by government officials. Recent news media also reported that the people of Samlot still suffer greatly from land-grabbing under the CPP administration. Dear King-Ta, I suppose then that what you declared is really the truth: the legacy of land-grabbing and forced eviction is still being perpetuated under the CPP regime.
While nobody wants to admit it openly in Phnom Penh, it is a well known secret that the current CPP regime of our Samdach Strongman Hun Sen depends largely on foreign donations and aid. Lately, news media reported that the National Assembly had pushed South Korea to help build a friendship bridge in Cambodia, it goes without saying that a large number of other infrastructures in Cambodia are built with aid and loans from China, Japan, and many other countries. Dear King-Ta, I was wondering if this tradition of begging for foreign aid is also a legacy of the SRN regime? Truth be told, even now, we still talk about “Pet Russie” (Russian Hospital), “Pet Chen” (Chinese Hospital), “Phlov Mao Tse Tung” (Chaiman Mao Road). Why are we referring these structures to the Chinese and Russian if they were built by Cambodians? Could it be that they were donations from Communist China and the Soviet Union to the SRN? I apologize if I don’t know Cambodia’s history too well, being a new generation of Cambodians, I have to rely on the sparse factual history passed down through our illustrious leaders, such as you.
Dear King-Ta, I was also wondering if the extra-judicial killings under the CPP regime are also the legacy of the SRN? When I see the picture of the murder of Sam Vichea, the FTU president, in the middle of the street, I could not help but remember what my father told us about the public executions under the SRN regime. He told us that some of the people shots asked for a cigarette puff before they were summarily shot and the filming of their executions was later shown in all theaters in the nation. As you can see, as such, public execution is still perpetuated under the illustrious leadership of Samdach Strongman Hun Sen, and, in almost all the cases, the killers are never found.
Dear King-Ta, I was also wondering if the corruption that currently exists under the magnificent leadership of our Samdach Strrongman Hun Sen is also a legacy of the SRN? While my parents do not tell us much about the corruption under the SRN, it could be that they do not have the chance to tell us the whole truth yet. As you mentioned that the CPP continues the SRN legacy, I was wondering if my parents had to pay bribes every morning to their teachers as I used to do from elementary to high school? In fact, my parents do not want to talk too much about the SRN, they only have their eyes focused on our Samdach Strongman Hun Sen, the “intelligent” leader of Cambodia. Every time I asked them about the SRN, they kept telling me that it was a different life, but now, after listening to your clarification, I am assured that they lied to me all this time: life under the SRN and life under the CPP is one and the same, legacy and everything else included, is it not?
Dear King-Ta, I was wondering if the travesty of justice under the illustrious leadership of our 3 Samdachs is also the legacy of the SRN? Recently, I couldn’t help but follow the lawsuits cases between our Samdach Strongman Hun Sen against Neak Srey Mu Sochua. Even for a country bumpkin like me, it is quite obvious that Neak Srey Mu Sochua has no chance whatsoever to win her case, and in fact her case was even thrown out while Samdach Strongman’s case was allowed to go on. Returning back to all those people who were publicly shot under the SRN, I seem to remember that you indicated they were traitors of our nation, and they were sentenced to death by our military court system. Comparing the legacy of our current court system to that of the SRN, I couldn’t help but wondering if these men who were sentenced to execution under the SRN then-faced the same court decision as Neak Srey Mu Sochua, after all, you said it yourself that the CPP continues the SRN legacy, did you not?
Dear King-Ta, I hope that my open letter will not offend you. Based on my limited knowledge of our history and your recent declaration, I couldn’t help but wondering about the issues above. I know that your supporters will send me heaps of insults for daring to ask the questions above, but, if you were to live my life in my shoes, you would be wondering the same questions as well. I hope, Dear King-Ta, that you will help clarify my questions above.
May Buddha blesses King-Ta, Queen-Yeay and King-Uncle with long life. May you all live several hundreds years long.
Respectfully yours,
S.T. from Battambang
PS: I am not Lonnolian! I was not even born when Lon Nol came to power.
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