> It is a great privilege for me to write something about how the day of > January 7 simply reflects the thought of a Cambodian. Of course, January 7 > is still an ongoing controversial day. Some people see it as the day of > foreign occupation over Cambodian sovereignty, but others see this day as > their second life when Vietnamese troops toppled the Khmer Rouge regime. >
Both views are right. It is to celebrate the invasion, which saves many lives from being terminated by their own people in their own country. Vietnamese invaded Cambodia for whatever reason/s is a different matter. However, it is very important to understand that KhmerRouge already killed millions of their own in their own country. They continued to do it until the invasion. It's very sad to see that bad act like foreign invasion to stop it. It is very sad. > However, to celebrate this day is not significantly representing Cambodians > as the whole nation. It is only celebrated by the Cambodian People's Party, > which has been in power since the day of January 7, 1979. > Cambodians should celebrate. They don't celebrate the invasion. They simply celebrate the new born again. They lived as living deads for four long years. They were brutilized by their own people. They were about to be terminated from living. Why shouldn't they celebrate it? > In the past, the celebration of January 7 was likely to honour the victory > over the Khmer Rouge regime and aimed to condemn, to ban the Khmer Rouge and > make it impossible for them to control the country again, and, legally, to > sentence them to death in absentia. > They still honor it that way again. They still are happy to see the stop of that genocide. They still think about how close they came to dying. > But in this year, the theme of the celebration after its 30 years in power, > according to the news, is that the CPP will focus on increasing the > awareness of sovereignty protection, economic development and leading > Cambodia to enjoy a further level of advancement. > Remember! Many CPP came back to Cambodia with the Vietnamese force to invade Cambodia. Remember1 The same force of invasion stopped the killing of the Cambodian people. Why do you think that they should not be prouod of themseves? My friend, It is the leadership of CPP, bad or good, that lead Cambodia to where it is today. It is the CPP members who have been leading the country to make it happen for bad or for good. The people of Cambodia know what has been happening. That's why they are not rising to protest. That's why many of them are still voting for CPP. You can disagree with it. Yet, these are facts. CPP today is as stong as it has ever been. Oppositions like Sam Rainsy are going on the waste side because they know that oppositions are nothing but division of their own country. Whether you like it or not, it is the facts. > Hence, the January 7 day has significantly belonged to the CPP. It has not > been generally accepted by the Cambodian people. Whatever theme each > celebration expects to achieve, those themes still belong to the CPP, and it > is truly reminding Cambodian people of the brutality, the foreign invasion > and the nonstop division among Cambodian nationals. > Ofcourse, it's very signicant to CPP. They were a part of that invasion. They were a part of the act to stop the Khmer Rouge regime. You said:"It has not been generally accepted by the Cambodian people." . Can you tell us why opposition continue to weaken from the support of the people? Can you tell us why more and more of the people are voting for CPP? My friend, We really don't know your agenda here. BRUTALITY was committed by the Cambodians over their own people in their own country. FOREIGN INVASION put a stop to that. CPP have all of their rights to gather Cambodians behind them. They do the same like Sam Rainsy and some other opposition have been doing. The difference is that CPP is winning. On the other hands, Oppositions like Sam Rainsy have been dividing the country. They want their own way. They don't want to help changing the country to better their nation. They only fight to gain of their own. That's why they call themselves opposition. > I understand that the CPP holds this day as very important for their > internal bond and achievement of pride, particularly the victory during each > national election. This day might not work any longer to recall the > brutality of the Khmer Rouge because by doing so, it might not be smart to > pursue national unity, long-sighted leadership, national reconciliation and > an advance of Cambodia to further achievement in the age of globalisation. > My friend, CPP has ever been proud as they are today. They have won the last election on a land slide. They achieve better now under the best and fair election rated by the international monitors. Opposition like yourself has been pushed out not just by CPP. They have been pushed by the people of Cambodia through their ballot boxes. Can you tell what happened to the oppositon who supposedly to be their national best? > Sophan Seng > PhD student in political science > University of Hawaii at Manoa > What is wrong with your PhD scholar? Is it leading you to continue dividing the country like Sam Rainsy? You are not trying to unifying Cambodia today according to your view. You are opposing CPP just because you don't like them. My friend, you need to look beyond your own need. Look at a broader base. CPP is a party of the Cambodian people. They are not Vitnamese. Many people have been accusing them of working to benefit Vietnamese. They have not convinced the Cambodian people that. The majority of the Cambodian people still vote for CPP. They know that their lives are better under CPP regime. They know that oppositions are nothing but division. That's why you see it btter and better all the time. That's why you see opposition are disappearing from Cambodian political arena. Get your PhD up to date. > -- > "What they must have are: inner mastery; a central, compelling purpose > rooted in moral values; a capacity to persuade; skills in working within the > system; a fast start; a strong, effective team; and a passion that inspires > others to keep the flame alive." - David Gergen, Eyewitness to Power > Actually they do. What is wrong with that? It is wrong only when you disagree with it. Many Cambodians do not oppose their national leadership. Don't tell me that they all as a nation are scared. Cambodian people can rise to defend their national interest as they had done in the past if they really know it. They are not now. On the hother hand, many loud mouths have been coming from overseas, not the Cambodian people. Sam Rainsy gets more support from overseas more than the people who actually cast their votes in Cambodia. > "I start with the promise that the function of leadership is to produce more > leaders, not more followers" - Ralph Nader > Cambodia is where it is today is the product of CPP leadership whether you like it or not. Cambodians know it. That's why they voted with their heart in the last election. Why aren't they angry at CPP if the CPP really sold Cambodia to Vietnamese? Why din't they vote for Sam Rainsy or other opposition if CPP is a bad product for Cambodia? > Sophan P. Seng > Ph.D student in political science My friend, Your PhD scholar doesn't look far enough into the road to democracy in Cambodia. Your PhD scholar only looks at what you like or dislike. The Cambodian people know full well what they voted for. They took charge of their own country without letting outsiders persuade them to divide their country any longer. They would have risen to fight for their own nation already if they know that their government has sold their country to Vitnam. It is just a rhetoric of the opposition parties, mainly from the Sam Rainsy party. You need to look back at your PhD scholar to see a wider range within the Cambodian political arena. You need to put a side your partisan mind. > Graduate Assistant (GA) > University of Hawaii at Manoa Does this university have the same view as yours? > Email:[email protected] <email%[email protected]>http://www.sophanseng.info/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. 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