*In Cambodia, the demonstration really has a hidden agenda of the CNRP leadership. As we've seen so far, they have come from complaining about the election seeking for investigation to correct irregularities as they saw. Today, that objective has become reelection and the call for Hun Sen to step down. *
What was their real agenda? *Ofcourse, it has been the fight to put down CPP and Hun Sen government. Sam Rainsy has been very clear of what he wants to do. He has not shown much of what he wants to do with his country. Unfortunately, he chose to use tactics to tick people to follow him. * *First, he went to the border and stirred the pot. He ended up running to his comfortable home in France. * *Now, he is back. The same old trick has come back. He's telling people how much he's going to give to the elderly like the social security system in America. He wants to demand more money to factory workers such the ones in garment industries. He has been talking about taking land from 99 year contract back to the people. Is it that easy?* *First of all, where can he get the money to give to those elderly? The country lives under borrowed money and aids from other countries. The world bank demands development to give Cambodia a boost to get out of their stone aged economy. Now, CNRP wants to stop it. * *Second, he wants to demand more money for those workers. How can he do it? Let's face it. The government CANNOT tell those private owners what to pay those workers. The only way that they can do is to raise the minimum wage through changing the law. Can they do it? Ofcourse they could. Unfortunately, it CAN pay a price. It may means that Cambodia may be no longer a competetive place to invest. As we saw it earlier, many factories were closed due to the economic downturn. Many others may follow if those factories owners cannot make profits as they wished. There are many other parts of the world where they can do business. That's the nature of an open economic such as the WTO. * *Now let us look at the most disputed land. Everyone can understand what has been done to those people. We are not going to change it. They have been suffering due to the lease of those land. Contracts have been made by a legitimate government of Cambodia. Let us assume that CNRP has won the election for the moment. Sam Rainsy has said it already that he would null those contracts. Does he really know what it means in a legal perspective? Ofcourse he does. Unfortunately, he choose to perceive the Cambodian people because it is a very popular subject. He knows full well that he cannot do it. Yet, he can interject that false notation to arouse people to rise up against Hun Sen for his benefit. Let me give you an example. The most publicized situation is the Bangkok situation. At first, the Korean company had become the store front of the argument. Have you ever heard of that company name so far lately? Ofcourse not. * *By saying all of that, will Sam Rainsy win in near future? The answer is very skeptical. Sam Rainsy seeked so much support from other government to put pressure on current government. He won their support to bring him back to Cambodia without facing criminal trial. Now, he wants more. He had asked other nation like countries of the EU and USA to support him and his tenure to tople Hun Sen. The answer has never came. Actually, those countries have been silent. They simply could not put their hands into Cambodian internal affairs as Sam Rainsy had seeked for. We saw so much voice from a few higher officials of America. We have heard so much from the Cambodian groups who live in those countries. Unfortunately, that's not what Sam Rainsy had seeked for. * *What does it mean to the Cambodian people?* *This is my opinion only. Cambodians must understand the facts and put their sentiment aside to face the reality. They are rising against their own people once again. The history shows very clear how destructive it can be. Cambodians brought their own country to ground zero once. Now, they are seeking the same way by using democracy and freedom to cover their acts. * *My friend, * *Cambodia has come so far to where it is today. The government structure and its environment may not be what people are expecting. Yet, Cambodia today is far better than it had ever been. Cambodia is still trying to catch up with the support of other nations and world organization. * *Today, Cambodia wants to change the course. They want to go against all of their neighboring countries again. That little army is not going to stand against established army of Thailand and Vietnam. It doesn't mean that Cambodia has to accept what those countries say. Diplomatic will work if they choose it to work. Unfortunately, Sam Rainsy and his party use it to arouse his people to fight. That's a sad moment. * *Let us face it. If Sam Rainsy can win over CPP and Hun Sen peacefully, that is the greatest news for Cambodia. Is it really going to happen? CPP and Hun Sen have already put their secret road map in their pocket. It is just a matter of time that they will reveal it a little at a time. That secret road map can be seen in their silent act that we've seen so far. Many CNRP supporters think that the government is weaken. Perhaps, that is a notion. * *What I believe in Cambodia for a better future of the people is an honest negotiation. All parties must enter with no condition with the spirit of rebuilding the nation TOGETHER. That's what the international community wants it to happen. That's not what we've seen. * *CNRP rise against the government today is wrong for Cambodia. Sam Rainsy and his party survive by the fund from the outside world. Otherwise, they would be in a dump. * *I've said openly about Sam Rainsy. This man is not a good leader for Cambodia. Actually, he is a divider. That's not what Cambodians need. * On Wednesday, December 25, 2013 3:50:30 PM UTC-8, sophan wrote: > Reflection of Political Leadership of Cambodia from Past to Present > Posted on December 24, > 2013<http://www.sophanseng.info/2013/12/reflection-of-political-leadership-of-cambodia-from-past-to-present/> > by Sophoan <http://www.sophanseng.info/author/sophoan/> > > *Pre Angkor and Post Angkor Political Leadership* > > At school, Cambodian children have learnt about many Khmer heroic Kings > during the pre Angkorean period. For instance, King Jayavarman II, after > escaping from the abdication of Java or Sailendra Kingdom, he made a long > march across Cambodia to calling for a people power to fight against > Sailendra occupation, and to proclaim back sovereignty of his Kingdom. It > is said that he was raised and grown up in Sailendra but he eventually > declared independence at Mahendra mountain (Phnom Kulen) to free from > Sailendra. He began strengthening his Kingdom by building Mahendraparavata > capital city with the installation of a sacred Linga of the Nation named > “Devaraja”. From this period of 802 as inscribed in the stone, Cambodia > enjoyed prosperity and candid strength in the region. > > For post Angkorean period, Cambodia was seen as very fragile and dividing. > According to palm leaves records, more than 700 years, Khmer Kings and > leaders turned to fight against each other by asking Thai and Vietnam to > back their cause. > > However, this behavior was halted during the reign of King Ang Duong who > projected his political leadership differently. He was raised and grown up > in Thailand, his ascending to throne was expected in the same previous > Kings. But the King secretly contacted France who was initially not > interesting in this region at all. The history tells that the King failed > at the first time because his messenger was killed by Thai authority. > However, his second attempt was successful and French arrival was signed to > be the protectorate of Cambodia. French fought with Siam and helped discard > the power of Siam ever existed in Cambodia. > > However, French arrival was not dislocated the power line between Vietnam > and Cambodia. Under the French’s policy of Indo-China, Vietnam enjoyed most > domination over Cambodia and Lao. This embedded legacy has affected on > Cambodian political leadership until nowadays. > > *Current Cambodian Political Leadership in Reflecting Post Angkorean Era* > [image: PMD > 1]<http://khmeryouth.cambodianview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/PMD-1.jpg> > > From my whole life, I have observed that Cambodian politics has played > hard line approaches. This time, when the authority has allowed peaceful > mass demonstration to march freely for few days and the participants > visibly increasing, they come up with this idea “Coup” or an attempt to > overthrow the government which is explicitly threatening. By definition, > the peaceful mass demonstration could not be called an attempt to coup > (detat) at all. > > I observe the hard-line politics has been used in Cambodia since the > election in 1993. Often,[image: > 1234983_1389874377910181_726599538_n]<http://khmeryouth.cambodianview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/1234983_1389874377910181_726599538_n.jpg>it > > is not dangerous if Cambodian politicians are contendering with one > another, but for Cambodia, some of her leaders have always been seen so > subservient to the third party (outsider). The crisis of 1993 election > happened because of an attempt to separate Eastern zone plus the bloody > coup detate in 1997 which was visibly involved as our Premier televised in > soldier uniform from Vietnam plus the pressuring to sign additional border > treaty in 2005 in which many activists were jailed. These three examples > exhibit clearly on the leadership of powerful third hand. From time to > time, any Cambodian activists who are outspoken about the Koh Tral island > or Eastern border line, they will be ended by jailing, life threatening or > fleeing the country to avoid criminal sentencing. I listened RFA Forum this > Dec.22 (watch clip below) and had chance to listen to our Premier’s speech > on his logic on giving up the claiming back of Koh Tral very brokenhearted. > *[image: Acusing of Coup Detat] > <http://khmeryouth.cambodianview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Acusing-of-Coup-Detat.jpg>* > > *As we are Cambodians and we are working to protect Cambodia land and to > protect our Constitution, why we condemn our own people who are sharing our > common emotion and mentality? Why our top leader has always taken side with > foreigner? Is it showing foreign influence is very strong in our system, or > our leadership is very weak and xenophobic, or the political mechanism is > not in our hand? If the last sort is exhibited truth, the learned, the > scholars, and the young patriotic entities who are working within that > system, cannot change anything to better off in leading this country > independently.* > > To what I am speechless now is, while the CPP has perceived that part of > their losing seats in the election, it is probably caused their unravel > secret relationship with VN, but it seems like this party has ignored this > part and they are going to visit VN, by the invitation of Vietnamese > leader, during this very tense circumstance in Cambodia. I don’t see this > coming event is really helpful for Cambodia and the CPP at all. Observers > and opposition politicians have asked themselves that why the preceptor > (ឧបជ្ឍា) from VN is likely very important during this very sensitive > political contesting? And as a sovereign and independent state and may be > very civilized like VN, is it more beneficial to sign memorandum with a > government in which their own citizens are still contesting about election > irregularity? I think VN should not back one party at all during this > unresolved election conflict. Further more, from this type of policy of our > neighboring country especially VN that Cambodia has transformed itself into > a nation of self-victimization or what else I can say?[image: PMD Trip To > VN]<http://khmeryouth.cambodianview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/PMD-Trip-To-VN.jpg> > > From the reaction of Premier towards the demonstration (he rejected the > demand of the peaceful mass demonstration, watch clip below) including this > letter accusing the demonstration as an attempt of coup detat, including > the trip of Premier and his team to VN this coming Thursday, December 26, > 2013, encouraged us to hold a belief of “hard line political leadership of > Cambodia”. > > What next…? > > The peaceful mass demonstration has been occurred in Cambodia since the > campaign in June, the election day in July and this post election. This > ongoing daily basic rally has surely established a new culture of Cambodia > of : non-violence principle, political participation, grassroots democracy, > fearless and capable citizens etc. > > *Many people have compared the demonstration in Cambodia to that of in > Thailand. Of course, the two demonstrations are very different from each > other. In Thailand, the cause leading to the mass demonstration is a > historical conflict between two government parties. But in Cambodia, the > cause leading to mass demonstration come from the election which is found > unfair, unfree and fraudulence. National Election of Cambodia (NEC) has > rigged the election and produced false result, according to joint statement > of 20 NGOs. It said 20% of the eligible ballots were stolen. NEC itself has > been built dependently on the powerful CPP party. The procedures of the > election have been seen in vast disfranchisement and bias. Until the last > minute of the election result declaration, the NEC was seen under pressure > of military and policemen deployed by the government. So it is candid to > assume that the people who come to the street to demonstrate against the > election have shared the same emotion: the perception of cheating by the > NEC and this electoral committee has plundered their will. All Cambodian > people cannot accept this act of cheating.* > > Cambodia might be able to model other Asian countries about non-violence > protest and peaceful mass demonstration. CNRP has strongly committed to > non-violence and peaceful mean. And this new emerge of political agenda > should be credited to all Cambodian people. And if we think about organized > groups, the credit must offer to all stakeholders especially CNRP, CPP, > NGOs and Khmer community diaspora worldwide. > > By Sophoan > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=c64_fkZ4UbM > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IXr0HqGbF8I > -- -- 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. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. 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