Should Cambodia Town in Long Beach be politically all inclusive and accept Sok An's visit?

The Cambodia Town in Long Beach Should be a Neutral Place for All Khmer

Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Op-Ed by Jayakhmer
Posted at http://www.modernprogressivekhmer.blogspot.com

Energy has been wasted on an issue that should be a non-issue. I have listened to both sides of the arguments about whether or not Deputy Prime Minister Sok An should be invited to be part of the Khmer Town New Year celebration.

Let me first acknowledge that from an outsider’s perspective, I may be looking at the forest while community members in Long Beach look at the tree. I am looking at a broader picture as a Khmer Community while some in Long Beach look at individuals.

I understand that we, Khmer, are political creatures. This kind of events it is expected that there will be people who are trying to score unnecessary political points. That would be a wrong thing to do on both sides.

Cambodia Town should be a neutral place for all Khmer. It means that all Khmer dignitaries should be welcomed because the town is a place where members of the community belong to diverse political groups. This means Cambodia Town should welcome not only the government members but also any political leader from any political parties.

Not all CPP members are corrupted. If we want change, we need to develop a dialogue between all political parties especially those who are in power. This does not mean you have to compromise on your principle. It simply means you are willing to engage in order to find common ground on issues that benefit Khmer people as a community and as a nation.

Without knowing all the sensitive issues in Long Beach, my first impression of the spat is that the community is narrow minded and short sighted.

Why couldn’t Cambodia Town be a place where political inclusiveness is promoted?

Why couldn’t Long Beach be a beacon of democracy where diverse members of the community are encouraged in vibrant debates that promote positive principles and policies that benefit member of the community here and benefit Khmer in Cambodia?

If Long Beach is indicative of a typical Cambodian Community, we are in bigger trouble than we thought. This tells me that the foreigners are not the predicament of Cambodia’s unity and its progress. It is our divisiveness that continues to weaken us as a community and as a nation.

If we, Khmer, cannot find a common ground to resolve our issues in a civilized and effective manner, we are the worse enemy to ourselves.

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.

Parade Controversy 2008

December 31, 2007
Op-Ed by Navy Phem
A Writer's Journey - Blogging Reflection

Please post your comments on the author's blog by clicking the link below:
http://navyphim.com/blog/?p=144

There is yet another controversy surrounding the Cambodian New Year parade in Long Beach. In 2005, it was because the chosen date happened to be April 17, which marked the 30th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge victory. People who opposed the date protested, held candle vigils and attended the city council meetings to request a date change. Even though, I did not protest the chosen date, I attended the meeting to listen to the opposition and tried to understand their views. The discussions that took place during the conflict were heated and many things could have been handled differently. The community was divided on the issue but the people who opposed the date organized themselves and made their point known. In the end, it was resolved and the community was able to come together to celebrate New Year and made the parade a success.

This year, the controversy is surrounding the invitation that was given to Sok An, a corrupted official in the Hun Sen government, to attend the parade by a delegation from Long Beach visiting Phnom Penh recently. The delegation included representatives from Cambodia Town Inc., Long Beach Sister Cities, the Cambodian Coordinating Council and the Cambodia New Year Parade.

The article can be read on the Press Telegram Website.

It was also posted in KI-Media and you can also read the comment on it.

I first read about it here and it is also being discussed.

Some years ago, after I was over my initial shock that there are Cambodian-Americans who supported the Hun Sen government, I tried to understand why. One of the answers is that it was a lesser evil than the Khmer Rouge regime, but evil is evil whether something else is more evil than it. I also noticed that some of the supporters have relatives in Cambodia who are government officials or rich individuals who greatly benefit from a government that exploits the poor. There are also those who values power and wealth at all cost whether it was obtained through corruption or exploitation. They are opportunists who will turn a blind eye to the suffering of others as long as they benefit. They support high-ranking officials in Cambodia and brag about staying at five-star hotel and how they know people with big mansion who are driven around Cambodia in limousine with bodyguards surrounding them at all times. It never occurred to them that those individuals are the destroyers of Cambodia and many of us do not admire who they know and what they do in Cambodia when we see them as blood-sucking leech.

As for the present conflict in Long Beach, it is providing the Cambodian community an opportunity to voice their opinions and inform our so-called community leaders who they represent. As individuals, if they support the Hun Sen government and want to kowtow or kneel down in front of Hun Sen and their cronies, they have the right to do it. They should do it in the privacy of their own house or when they are visiting Cambodia. In term of inviting them to the parade, this should be a community decision. These representatives should have taken the time to understand the people they represent and know how many of us would appreciate (or not appreciate) seeing members of Hun Sen government at our event. The community leaders may know someone personally and think the person is an inspirational figure, but the greater community may not and in those instance, they should also refrain from forcing these so-called inspirational figure on us.

The invitation has been given but with the petitions being circulated, we will know too how many of us do not want Sok An to be at our event. After seeing the result of the petition, I hope these leaders will amend their actions and listen to the people they represent.

I would be surprised if there is a higher number of people who would condone having Sok An at the parade. We’ll find out. For those who oppose, please sign the petition.

Political Cartoon: Le Coq An's Parade 2008

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

Petitioners say “Not the Cambodian deputy prime minister!”

Who Will Attend 2008'S Cambodian New Year Parade?

Thu. December 27
Theo Douglas
The District Weekly (Long Beach, California, USA)

Petitioners say “Not the Cambodian deputy prime minister!”

The 2008 Cambodian New Year Parade isn’t until some time in April–so far off that folks in the Mayor’s office say they haven’t even set a date. But already tensions are mounting over plans by Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sok An to attend the parade.

According to Greg Mellen in this morning’s Press-Telegram, some people in Long Beach’s Cambodian community oppose the current Cambodian government for its human rights violations, corruption and other “misdeeds.”

They’ve launched a petition to protest Sok An’s appearance–copies of which will be printed in the Jan. 31 edition of the Angkor Borei News, its editor Anthony Ly told Mellen.

Ly also said the petition has more than 20 signatures to date–and he called Sok An “the most corrupt man in [Prime Minister] Hun Sen’s government.”

So now the question becomes: who invited him?

Former councilman Evan Anderson Braude was part of a Long Beach delegation which visited Phnom Penh, the country’s capital, earlier this month–and extended what Braude characterized to Mellen as “a general invitation to anyone who wanted to attend.”

“There was no specific invitation to a specific person,” Braude is quoted as saying. But Sok An accepted.

And if the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister decides he wants to actually be in the parade, Mellen reports that he’ll be “provided with a car to ride in, and banners identifying him.”

No matter where you stand on the issue, it should make the three months leading up to the parade exceedingly interesting.

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)