Abandoning Multilateralism for Shackled Bilateralism

24 Thursday Sep 2020

Posted by KhmerPAC in Event, International, Issue, Politics

My dear Kacvey,

At the opening of the general debate at the United Nations 75th General Assembly on Tuesday 22 September 2020, the Phnom Penh Post reporter Niem Chheng penned an article: “Hun Sen says developing nations ‘targets of rivalry’”

Your students and you can debate in the online class on various issues which are the subject of the United Nations General Assembly main agenda titled: “The Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism.”

This letter is intended to introduce some ideas into your discussions on the specific case of Cambodia under the regime of the ex-KR weak strongman.

1. Has the weak strongman forgotten that it was the multilateralism of the United Nations that ended the war among Khmer in which the weak strongman was first a warrior with the genocidal Khmer Rouge and then later a puppet of a foreign force?

2. Has he forgotten that he was part the Supreme National Council (SNC) that was a party tot the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements?

3. Has he forgotten that it is through the United Nations multilateralism implemented by United Nations Transit Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) that he has become what he has been since the completion of the elections in May 1993?

4. Why has he now totally abandoned the multilateralism and espoused instead the unconditional bilateralism with China in every aspect of Cambodia economy, politics, military, human rights and international affairs?

5. Where is he going to find the money to reimburse the $30-to-$40 billions of loans that China have so far made to Cambodia, where as his government not only in complete bankruptcy now but also incapable of paying the $250 millions loan to the US?

6. Why has he signed contracts for Dara Sakor and Ream, prostituted Kg Som with Chinese casinos and thugs, and made long-term concessions of lands, forests, and water to Chinese investors, private or state owned enterprises?

7. Are there projects in Cambodia of the same magnitude in 6. above under Western or non-Chinese financiers and investors?

8. Where have those $30-to-$40 billions gone, since 99% of the country still lives in poverty, unemployment and indebtedness to microfinance, while the 1% wears $millions insane luxury watches, owns private jets, and has residences in the US, UK, France, and Cyprus?

9. In the presence of current virus pandemic that originated in Wuhan, the political and trade conflict between the US and China, the closing of hundreds of garments factories, the withdrawal of special tariffs treatment by the European Union, the return of thousands and thousands of migrant workers from neighboring countries, and the complete paralysis of tourism industry, does he realize that all issues shown in this letter are no longer in his hand, no matter how loud and lonely he and his sycophants claim in local forum? Does he understands he can’t solve those problems anymore because they are way beyond his domestic and personal ability and they will be instead handled over his head? He who created his own quagmire that he can’t extract himself out of it: the law of centrifugal force.

10. The weak strongman is no longer the one that he showed himself to be like in the past; instead he’s now sick, isolated from the people he pretends to govern, but oppress instead, self-prisoner in his 4-wall palace protected by a corps of bodyguards, and no more confidence and trust from his peers inside the corrupt people party.

Kacvey, like everything on earth, autocracy also has an end.
Fasten your seat belt tightly!

Trilogy that Can Befall the ex-KR Autocracy

20 Sunday Sep 2020

Posted by KhmerPAC in Event, Governance, Institution, Issue, Politics, Social

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My dear Kacvey,

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “trilogy” as: “a series of three dramas or literary works or sometimes three musical compositions that are closely related and develop a single theme.”

Let use that definition as a model for a series of three dramas for your students to study in Cambodia contemporary politics that befall the weak strongman.

If the play is titled: Trilogy that Can Befall the Ex-KR Autocracy, the three “dramas” are:
1. The Sword of Damocles Has Dropped
2. The Blue Tent That Became a Permanent Wooden Structure or How New Cyclopic Chéy Chétha Drew the Map of the New Kampuchea Krom, and
3. Dara Sakor, a base or not a base?

The weak strongman is no longer in command of the three quagmires that he has built under his feet that stand on corrupt and autocratic power. It’s the European Union, the United States and China that will oversee and decide above his head on the denouement of the three saga. He is expendable and the next leader who will succeed him will have enormous difficulties to deal with his excremental leftover. And if he thinks that his son that, to this age, still holds the pleats of his pants can handle these issues, he must then have a rotten brain.

The weak strongman acting as main thespian is now less than a puppet and more like a one marble-glass-eye-scarecrow in the middle of the emptiness of a rice field.

If the weak strongman has become cockier with Khmer in domestic issues, it is – like a prisoner in his own palatial jail decorated with insane luxury watches and protected by thousands of bodyguards against his own intestinal enemies in the corrupt people party – that the gold bars on the cell windows that keep the bodyguards active for his cause until such a time that a storm blows that scarecrow away from its pole. Even a Mi 171E helicopter won’t be able to lift him on time to an unknown safe heaven.

Like in all Greek trilogy, the end is never a happy one.

Dara Sakor, a base or not a base?

15 Tuesday Sep 2020

Posted by KhmerPAC in Event, Governance, International, Issue, Politics

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My dear Kacvey,

Let start this letter with 3 archival records that you certainly have remembered to refresh our memory:
1) Report by Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS): Harbored Ambitions, and
2) Report by Human Rights Watch (HRW): Cambodia’s Dirty Dozen – A Long History of Rights Abuses by Hun Sen’s Generals
3) Report by Asia Society Policy Institute: Weaponizing the Belt and Road Initiative

Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued severe sanctions against some protagonists as indicated in 1), 2) and 3) above. The sanctions are contained in a department press release titled: Treasury Sanctions Chinese Entity in Cambodia Under Global Magnitsky Authority.

Let reproduce the full text of the press release for easing reading:

“WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated one Chinese state-owned entity, Union Development Group Co., Ltd. (UDG), for seizure and demolition of local Cambodians’ land for the construction of the Dara Sakor development project. OFAC designated this People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-owned entity pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption, and their supporters. UDG conducted some of these activities through Kun Kim (Kim), a senior Cambodian general previously designated by OFAC on December 9, 2019 pursuant to E.O. 13818, for his involvement in corruption.“After falsely registering as a Cambodian-owned entity in order to receive land for the Dara Sakor development project, UDG reverted to its true ownership and continued to operate without repercussions,” said Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “The United States is committed to using the full range of its authorities to target these practices wherever they occur.”“In addition, the land provided to UDG extends into Botum Sakor National Park, a protected natural area that can only be handed over by royal decree. In order to receive the land, UDG registered itself as a Cambodian-owned company, headed by a Cambodian national, but nevertheless within three years of receiving the land, UDG switched back to being a Chinese-owned and operated company without repercussion.

“MALIGN CHINESE INVESTMENT IN CAMBODIA

“The PRC has used UDG’s projects in Cambodia to advance ambitions to project power globally. UDG-funded activities have forced Cambodians from their land and devastated the environment, hurting the livelihoods of local communities, all under the guise of converting Cambodia into a regional logistics hub and tourist destination. As is too often the case with Beijing’s One Belt One Road initiative, these activities have disproportionately benefited the PRC, at the expense of the Cambodian people.

“Of additional concern are media reports that the Cambodian government spokesperson, Phay Siphan, said that Dara Sakor could be converted to host military assets. A permanent PRC military presence in Cambodia could threaten regional stability and undermine the prospects for the peaceful settlement of disputes, the promotion of maritime safety and security, and the freedom of navigation and overflight.

“Today’s action builds upon recent steps taken by the United States to demonstrate our support for a free and open Indo-Pacific, and the sovereignty of the Cambodian people. The United States is actively taking steps to deter the PRC’s exploitative investments and to stand with our partners and allies in Southeast Asia.

“UNION DEVELOPMENT GROUP

“UDG is a PRC state-owned entity acting for or on behalf of a PRC official that, on May 9, 2008, was granted a 99-year lease with the Cambodian government for 36,000 hectares (approximately 90,000 acres) of land in the Koh Kong province of Cambodia. Following the approved lease, UDG began to develop the $3.8 billion Dara Sakor project, ostensibly to be used as a tourism development. The size of the development is in violation of Cambodian law, which limits land concessions to 10,000 hectares.

“Additionally, UDG, through Kim, used Cambodian military forces to intimidate local villagers and to clear out land necessary for UDG to build the Dara Sakor project. Kim was instrumental in the UDG development and reaped significant financial benefit from his relationships with UDG. Specifically, with the assistance of Cambodian military forces provided through Kim, UDG prevented local villagers from planting rice paddy fields on the disputed land and was also accused of burning down the houses of villagers with whom it had conflicts, and of using private security and Cambodian military forces to control the movements of local villagers. Both the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Cambodia’s Council of Ministers asked UDG to stop using Cambodian military forces to take land from the Cambodian people. Cambodia’s Council of Ministers issued a directive ordering UDG to stop destroying villagers’ property; however, UDG ignored the directive and continued the destruction.

“UDG is designated for being a person acting for or on behalf of a current or former government official, who is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets, the expropriation of private assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the extraction of natural resources, or bribery.

“SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the entity above, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by it, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from any such person.

“GLOBAL MAGNITSKY

Building upon the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, the President signed E.O. 13818 on December 20, 2017, in which the President found that the prevalence of human rights abuse and corruption that have their source, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, had reached such scope and gravity that it threatens the stability of international political and economic systems. Human rights abuse and corruption undermine the values that form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies; have devastating impacts on individuals; weaken democratic institutions; degrade the rule of law; perpetuate violent conflicts; facilitate the activities of dangerous persons; and undermine economic markets. The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those who commit serious human rights abuse or engage in corruption, as well as to protect the financial system of the United States from abuse by these same persons.”

Could this U.S. sanction be the second Sword of Damocles after the one gifted by the European Union to the weak strongman? There is reason not to suggest otherwise: the weak strongman has not been seen in public for quite some time. What is he pondering in the darkness of the four walls of his palace ornated with so many insane luxury watches and protected by thousands of bodyguards … from his own enemies inside?

=====
Update with articles of interests:
– 23 September 2020 – Global Reporting Center: Rough Seas: Malaysia, Cambodia & Thailand
– 28 September 2020 – The World: Opening the door to Chinese investment comes with risks for Southeast Asian nations
– 2 October 2020 – Reuters: Cambodia demolished U.S.-built facility on naval base: researchers
– 2 October 2020 – Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative: CHANGES UNDERWAY AT CAMBODIA’S REAM NAVAL BASE
– 4 October 2020 – South China Morning Post: Cambodia caught in the middle of US-China clash over South China Sea military bases
– 4 October 2020 – Nikkei Asian Review: Cambodia naval base set to undergo China-led expansion
– 17 October 2020 – South China Morning Post: As China calls, is writing on wall for US-Cambodia military ties?
– 21 October 2020 – The Diplomat: Cambodia, China and the Dara Sakor Problem

The Blue Tent That Became a Permanent Wooden Structure or How New Cyclopic Chéy Chétha Drew the Map of the New Kampuchea Krom

28 Friday Aug 2020

Posted by KhmerPAC in Event, History, International, Issue, Politics

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My dear Kacvey,

This letter is intended to be a compilation of news for your students to be aware of the situation on Srok Khmer’s territorial dis-integrity that the ex-KR weak strong man has manipulated to serve his own personal interests and for him to pay the debt that he had contacted on 7 January 1979 for his sustenance in the grip of corrupt and autocratic power.

The letter will be updated as news come in.

Radio Free Asia
លោក ហ៊ុន សែន ប្រាប់ឱ្យលោក វ៉ា គឹមហុង ជួបពលរដ្ឋបាត់ដីនៅខេត្តត្បូងឃ្មុំ
https://www.rfa.org/khmer/news/politics/Hun-Sen-orders-Border-Committee-Chairman-Mr-Var-Kim-Hong-to-visit-people-living-a-long-border-in-Tbong-Kmum-province-08252020225836.html

Voice of America
អាជ្ញាធរខេត្តកណ្តាលថា យោធាវៀតណាមសង់ជម្រករឹងមាំថ្មីនៅព្រំដែន
https://khmer.voanews.com/a/kandal-provincial-police-reports-vietnamese-military-building-new-firm-shelter-on-border/5560193.html

Cambodianess
Vietnam Is Building Permanent Military Structures along the Cambodian Border in Kandal Province https://cambodianess.com/article/vietnam-is-building-permanent-military-structures-along-the-cambodian-border-in-kandal-province

Radio Free Asia
រដ្ឋាភិបាល ប្រគល់ផែនទីថ្មី ខ្នាត ១/២៥ ០០០ ឲ្យអាជ្ញាធរយកទៅប្រើប្រាស់ជាឯកសារព្រំដែនផ្លូវការជាមួយប្រទេសវៀតណាម
https://www.rfa.org/khmer/news/politics/Government-provides-new-topographic-maps-to-35-public-institutions-for-official-use-08272020145739.html

Phnom Penh Post
VN ‘violates’ border with concrete shelter
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/vn-violates-border-concrete-shelter

Vietnam+
Vietnam-Cambodia border topographic maps to be sent to UN
https://en.vietnamplus.vn/vietnamcambodia-border-topographic-maps-to-be-sent-to-un/182009.vnp

Radio Free Asia
Cambodia Distributes New Map of Border With Vietnam Despite Claims it Cedes Land to Hanoi
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/border-08272020172606.html

Cambodia Daily
ប្រមុខការពារជាតិ ថាបញ្ហាព្រំដែន ត្រូវបានក្រុមប្រឆាំងយកធ្វើជាអាជីវកម្មនយោបាយ
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/2020/08/28/16/45/49628/

Radio Free Asia
“ទីតាំងវៀតណាមបោះតង់ជាកន្លែងលោក រ៉ុង ឈុន គ្រោងទៅពិនិត្យកាលពីលោកនៅមានសេរីភាព”
https://www.rfa.org/khmer/news/politics/RongChhun-wished-to-witness-hundred-tents-set-up-by-Vietnamese-08272020121539.html

Phnom Penh Post
Minister lashes out at critics of VN border map
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/minister-lashes-out-critics-vn-border-map

Cambodia Daily
លោក វ៉ា គឹមហុងថា ត្រូវរឹងចាំរបាយការណ៍ពីអាជ្ញាធរមូលដ្ឋានខេត្តត្បូងឃ្មុំ មុននឹងចុះទៅពិនិត្យបញ្ហាបង្គោលព្រំដែន
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/2020/08/28/16/44/49629/

Radio France Internationale
លោកបណ្ឌិតសុខ ទូច៖ បើនិយាយមិនស្តាប់គ្នា កម្ពុជាអាចសង់ប៉ុស្តិ៍មួយដែរនៅទល់មុខនឹងប៉ុស្តិ៍របស់ទាហានវៀតណាម
https://www.rfi.fr/km/%E1%9E%80%E1%9E%98%E1%9F%92%E1%9E%96%E1%9E%BB%E1%9E%87%E1%9E%B6/20200828-%E1%9E%80%E1%9E%98%E1%9F%92%E1%9E%96%E1%9E%BB%E1%9E%87%E1%9E%B6-%E1%9E%9C%E1%9F%80%E1%9E%8F%E1%9E%8E%E1%9E%B6%E1%9E%98-%E1%9E%9F%E1%9E%84%E1%9F%92%E1%9E%82%E1%9E%98-%E1%9E%96%E1%9F%92%E1%9E%9A%E1%9F%86%E1%9E%8A%E1%9F%82%E1%9E%93

Voice of America
អាជា្ញធរកម្ពុជារុញដាក់គ្នារឿងរបាយការណ៍ទាហានវៀតណាមសង់សំណង់រឹងមាំនៅព្រំដែនខេត្តកណ្តាល
https://khmer.voanews.com/a/cambodian-authorities-have-no-answer-to-vietnamese-construction-in-controversial-border-area/5561615.html?

Cambodia Daily
គណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ ដែលនៅតែឈ្មោះផ្ញើលិខិតចំហជូន លោក ហ៊ុន សែន ឲ្យចាត់ការយោធាយួនចូលឈ្លានពានបូរណភាពទឹកដីកម្ពុជា
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/2020/08/29/17/56/49650/
ប្រធានរាជបណ្ឌិតសភាកម្ពុជាថា ជម្រើសចុងក្រោយ កម្ពុជានឹងសង់សំណង់រឹង តទល់ជាមួយវៀតណាមតែម្តង
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/2020/08/29/17/56/49651/
យុវជននាំគ្នាធ្វើយុទ្ធនាការលើបណ្តាញសង្គមឲ្យមានការដោះលែង លោក រ៉ុង ឈុន
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/2020/08/29/17/56/49652/

អាជ្ញាធរខេត្តកណ្ដាលថា វៀតណាមបន្តសង់សំណង់រឹង ២ទៀត តាមតំបន់ព្រំដែនមិនទាន់ឯកភាពគ្នា
https://www.rfa.org/khmer/news/politics/Vietnam-built-10-more-posts-in-undecided-border-area-09232020165824.html

Stay tuned!

The Sword of Damocles Has Dropped

12 Wednesday Aug 2020

Posted by KhmerPAC in Event, Human Rights, International, Issue, Politics, Social

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My dear Kacvey,

On this very Wednesday 12 August 2020, history will record a major decision that the European Commission has taken on trade with Cambodia, as per this Press Release, pending the issuance of the full text of the decision.

The Press Release reads:
“Cambodia loses duty-free access to the EU market over human rights concerns

“As of today, 12 August, some of Cambodia’s typical export products such as garments, footwear and travel goods are subject to the European Union’s customs duties. The EU’s decision to partially withdraw Cambodia’s duty-free quota-free access to the EU market is now effective. The preferential treatment enjoyed by Cambodia under “Everything But Arms” (EBA) – the EU’s trade arrangement for Least Developed Countries – is now temporarily lifted due to serious and systematic concerns related to human rights ascertained in the country. The EU enforces this measure while staying open to engage with Cambodia on the necessary reforms.

“Commissioner for Trade Phil Hogan said: “We have provided Cambodia with trade opportunities that let the country develop an export-oriented industry and gave jobs to thousands of Cambodians. We stand by their side also now in the difficult circumstances caused by the pandemic. Nonetheless, our continued support does not diminish the urgent need for Cambodia to respect human rights and labour rights. I stand ready to continue our engagement and to restore fully free access to the EU market for products from Cambodia provided we see substantial improvement in that respect.”

“The withdrawal of preferential access to the EU market concerns approximately 20% of Cambodia’s exports to the EU. Cambodia may still export those products to the EU but they will be subject to general tariffs applicable to any other member of the World Trade Organization. The remaining 80% of Cambodia’s exports continue to enjoy preferential (duty-free, quota-free) access to the EU market.

“The Commission, together with the European External Action Service (EEAS), will continue its enhanced engagement with Cambodia. The EU will keep on monitoring the situation in the country, with a particular focus on current restrictions in the areas of freedom of expression and civil and political rights, as well as land disputes and labour rights in the context of the ongoing reforms.

“The EU is aware of the significant impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Cambodia’s economy and employment and stands ready to support the country in its fight against the coronavirus crisis and towards economic recovery. This, however, does not waive the urgent need to ensure respect for human rights and labour rights in Cambodia.

“Since February 2020, when the EU’s decision on partial withdrawal was taken, the Cambodian Government could at any time have taken the necessary steps to fulfill the conditions allowing the European Union to fully restore EBA preferential access to the EU market. This remains the case.

“The Cambodian authorities should take action to restore political freedoms in the country, to re-establish the necessary conditions for a credible, democratic opposition and to initiate a process of national reconciliation through genuine and inclusive dialogue. The Commission and the EEAS have outlined the necessary actions to the Cambodian authorities on numerous occasions, as well as in the Commission’s Delegated Regulation. Actions include the reinstatement of the political rights of opposition members and the repeal or revision of laws, such as the Law on Political Parties and the Law on Non-Governmental Organisations. If the government of Cambodia shows significant progress, particularly on civil and political rights, the Commission may review its decision and reinstate tariff preferences under the “Everything But Arms” arrangement, in line with the provisions of the EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences.

“Background

“The “Everything But Arms” (EBA) arrangement is part of the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP). The GSP allows vulnerable developing countries to benefit from lower duties or duty-free exports to the EU, and hence stimulate their economic growth. It is a one-way arrangement: it does not require reciprocity vis-a-vis EU exports. Through the EBA arrangement, the EU grants duty-free and quota-free access to its market for all products – except arms and ammunition – from Least Developed Countries (as defined by the United Nations). Under the GSP Regulation, tariff preferences may be suspended in the case of “serious and systematic violation of principles” laid down in the international human rights and labour rights conventions listed in an annex to the GSP Regulation.

“Based on serious concerns about the deterioration of political, human, land and labour rights in Cambodia, in February 2019, the Commission opened a procedure for a withdrawal of the EBA preferences granted to Cambodia. On 12 November 2019, the Commission submitted to Cambodia a report demonstrating serious and systematic violations of key principles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) linked to political participation, freedom of expression and freedom of association in Cambodia. At the same time, despite remaining serious concerns, the report underlined tangible progress in solving land disputes in the sugar sector and with respect to labour rights. Following a period for comments, on 12 February 2020, the Commission adopted a Delegated Regulation on a temporary and partial withdrawal of tariff preferences granted to Cambodia under the EBA. The Regulation entered into force on 25 April 2020 and takes effect as of 12 August 2020.”

The Sword of Damocles has finally dropped on the weak strongman universally known as the former Khmer Rouge that becomes the most corrupt autocrat the world has ever known.

To paraphrase Andrei A. Gromyko, we will soon know how the weak strongman would “end up under a Sword of Damocles on a tightrope over the abyss.”

=====
Update:

VOA, 8 September 2020: លោកហ៊ុន សែនថា សំណុំរឿងលោកកឹម សុខាអាចពន្យារពេលដល់២០២៤ ខណៈមេធាវីជំរុញឲ្យពន្លឿនសវនាការ
https://khmer.voanews.com/a/hun-sen-says-kem-sokha-trial-can-be-up-to-2024/5575087.html

“No People, Invisible, Silent”

20 Friday Mar 2020

Posted by KhmerPAC in Culture, Event, International, Issue, Social

≈ Comments Off on “No People, Invisible, Silent”

My dear Kacvey,

Just wish you and your students a lot of mental courage and clarity during the fight against the current trying time caused by the corona virus that originated in Wuhan (武汉病毒) in December 2019. The virus is now scientifically labeled as Corona Virus Disease-19 (Covid-19) (冠状病毒疾病2019) and the pandemic has spread almost throughout the world, with numerous countries and cities being either on lock down or confinement or shelter-in-place. Furthermore, Covid-19 cannot be written with Chinese characters, as the language is pictographic; there are no Chinese characters to write the equivalent of the 5 letters of the alphabet “C-O-V-I-D”. The Chinese can pronounce “Covid-19” but use “冠状病毒疾病2019” (guān zhuàng bìng dú jí bìng) in writing.

While politicians, scientists, and historians are working to find cause of the disease and solutions to cure the affected or contaminated people and society, we all feel that this looks like humanity is fighting a “no people, invisible, silent” war (无人无形无声的战). We must also ponder on one fundamental question that will certainly be raised generations after generations and throughout future history: Why the Wuhan virus succeeds to break the back of the entire world without a war “with soldiers, visible and noisy?”

Wash your hands.
Avoid crowds.
Social distancing, and
Pull out the books from the shelves while the music is on!
Double or triple contacts with family and friends,
And be ready for the CHANGE that will ineluctably occur in Cambodia, a CHANGE that will be revolutionized by the unexpected and unintended convergence of many international and national consequences from Covid-19.

The weak strongman is getting weaker by the day, his 2 foreign backers to whom he alienated the entire Cambodia run out of safety floats to be thrown to him. He should know, being a chess player.

Be well and take good care of yourself.

Intestinal Color Revolution?

11 Wednesday Mar 2020

Posted by KhmerPAC in Culture, Governance, Institution, Issue, Politics, Social

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My dear Kacvey,

The article published by cambonomist.com could not be hidden from your students’ mind and intellect, nor ignored. As a saying goes: “Where there is smoke, there is fire”, and if the statement is made in plain public eyes and ears without fear of retribution, the author of the statement must be privy to “something”, he who is nothing less than the first deputy prime minister and the minister of interior affairs.

Thank you, cambonomist.com for your reporting.

For our library, this is the article in Khmer: សម្តេច ស ខេង៖ ពេលខ្លះ បដិវត្តន៍ពណ៌កើតចេញពីផ្ទៃក្នុងយើង

“សម្តេចឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ស ខេង បានមានប្រសាសន៍នៅថ្ងៃពុធ ទី១១ ខែមីនា នេះថា បដិវត្តន៍ពណ៌ វាអាចកើតចេញពីផ្ទៃក្នុងរបស់គណបក្សកាន់អំណាចដោយមិនដឹងខ្លួន ឬដោយអចេតនា តាមរយៈការមិនយកចិត្តទុកដាក់នូវសំណូមពរនិងកង្វល់របស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ ហើយបង្កើតឡើងនូវភាពអសកម្មនានានៅតាមមូលដ្ឋាន ហើយប៉ះពាល់ដល់សិទ្ធិនិងផលប្រយោជន៍របស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ។

ថ្លែងក្នុងពិធីអបអរសាទរទិវាអន្តរជាតិនារី សម្តេច ស ខេង បានថ្លែងដូច្នេះថា ”ចំណុចនេះ ខ្ញុំធ្លាប់បានបញ្ជាក់ច្រើនហើយ ថា បដិវត្តន៍ពណ៌ វាមានអ្នកដែលប៉ុនប៉ងដើម្បីនឹងធ្វើការងារនេះ ហើយក៏បានជួបប្រទះរួចមកហើយ ក្រោយបោះឆ្នោតឆ្នាំ២០១៣ ប៉ុន្តែ ជួនពេលខ្លះ បដិវត្តន៍ពណ៌នេះ វាកើតចេញពីផ្ទៃក្នុងយើង ជួរយើង ដោយមិនដឹងខ្លួន ឬដោយអចេតនាតាមរយៈការមិនយកចិត្តទុកដាក់ អើពើ នូវសំណូមពរ សំណើ និងកង្វល់របស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ ហើយបង្កើតឡើងនូវភាពអសកម្មនានា នៅតាមមូលដ្ឋាន ហើយប៉ះពាល់ដល់សិទ្ធិនិងផលប្រយោជន៍របស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ។”

សម្ដេចឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី បានបន្តដូច្នេះថា “នោះក៏ជាមូលហេតុនៃការកកើតនៃចលនាបដិវត្តន៍ពណ៌នោះដែរ ដូច្នេះការដែលយើងយកចិត្តទុកដាក់ដើម្បីដោះស្រាយបញ្ហានានាទាក់ទងនឹងសិទ្ធិផលប្រយោជន៍របស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ គឺជាកត្តាគន្លឹះដ៏សំខាន់មួយក្នុងការរារាំង បង្ការ ទប់ស្កាត់ នូវចលនាបដិវត្តន៍ពណ៌នោះឯង។”

នៅក្នុងពិធីនោះដែរ សម្តេច ស ខេង ក៏បានអំពាវនាវដល់អាជ្ញាធរត្រូវគ្រប់គ្រងដោះស្រាយជម្លោះ និងការទាមទារតវ៉ានានា ដោយសន្តិវិធី ឈរលើគោលការណ៍ច្បាប់ និងត្រូវជៀសវាងដាច់ខាតនូវអំពើហិង្សាគ្រប់រូបភាព៕

As the Russian revolutionary, Vladimir Lenin, once, said: “It is impossible to predict the time and progress of revolution. It is governed by its own more or less mysterious laws.”

Meanwhile, an article signed by Luke Hunt and published by UCA News under the title: “Coronavirus an excuse for Cambodia’s poverty plight” should not be disregarded either; it looks like an inventory of disastrous failures that the weak strongman has recently encountered, and if such failings and missteps occurred in another country, be it socialist, communist or liberal democracy, that type of weak strongman must have already been ushered out of the door of power, by vote or by force.

He who thinks that he owns the country is he who has blind ambition and greed and is is ignorant of the natural fact that he doesn’t own the heart and mind of the people who are not his sycophants or kangaroos. Everything on earth has a time limit.

“Another Wuhan could emerge as the coronavirus travels the world. Are politicians, including Trump, prepared?”

10 Tuesday Mar 2020

Posted by KhmerPAC in Culture, Issue, Social

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My dear Kacvey,

Here is an opinion piece penned by Professor Tom Plate and published by the South China Morning Post dated 10 March 2020. We keep the article in our library for your students especially those who are keen in learning and thinking the impossible because “it requires to think outside the box” The tile of the article is: “Another Wuhan could emerge as the coronavirus travels the world. Are politicians, including Trump, prepared?”

For easy reference the full text is re-produced herewith:

“How bad will the global coronavirus epidemic get? The clichéd answer is: only the future will tell. But the problem is that the future is not only with us now but – to scramble the possibilities – it actually influences the past.

“Astrophysicist and author John Gribbin, whose challenging new book Six Impossible Things helps mere mortals like me accept the crazed conceptualising of God-like physicists, makes just this point. The implications may be profound.

“Deep in the subatomic underworld of spectacularly tiny particles and waves is a measurable physical behaviour – especially wave behaviour – that, to me at least, is weird. It turns out that some waves carry their negative energy back into the past while some push it forward into the future.

“In effect, this happens with no intermediary blocking the way (such as what we call the “present”). Gribbin explains: “The idea is that part of the quantum wave really can travel backwards through time … in stark disagreement with our intuition that causes always precede the events that they cause.”

“But where does the wave “travelling in reverse” come from? There is only one answer: the future. If so, then the future continually influences the past in the minutest degree of reality.

“Think of time as a bustling two-way street. If the future influences the past, then we have been looking at the world upside down – or, rather, past to future. But reality is not this simple, which is why it is often nearly impossible to accept.

“So we note, as does Gribbin, this exchange from Alice’s immortal adventures in Wonderland: “Alice laughed. ‘There’s no use trying,’ she said. ‘One can’t believe impossible things.’ ‘I daresay you haven’t had much practice,’ said the Queen. ‘When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast’.

“The great advantage of diving into neurotic but utterly science-based quantum physics is that it requires you to think outside the box. Physicists, notably in quantum theory, conceptualise aspects of the physical world, often with the help of thought experiments, that are hard to see or measure but are essential to understanding physical existence. The hitch is they often wind up taking us so far away from a comfortable “common sense” (or dogmatic) world view.

“In “real” life, for example, we think of time as moving in military formation, from past to present to future. But let us now assume there is no substantial now, because the very moment we observe or do something, it becomes the past; and, what’s more, that somehow or other the future affects the past in unexpected ways. Now let’s apply this idea to the coronavirus epidemic.

“You may have noticed that US President Donald Trump and our scientists sometimes seem not to agree on rather basic aspects of the coronavirus epidemic. As you know, Covid-19 simmers globally without the slightest humanitarian instinct and in a fiercely non-partisan way (there is no Republican, Democratic or Communist immunity from infection). And, for all anyone knows, the epidemic might not resolve itself quickly enough or, possibly, ever go away entirely. The future-soaked past is still revealing itself day by future day.

“For the relatively brief time that the US has existed as a nation, its pragmatic penchant for problem-solving has helped it survive and prosper. But as the philosophical pragmatist John Dewey once famously noted, “Acceptance of dogmatic rules as bases of conduct in education, morals and social matters, lessens the impetus to find out about the conditions which are involved in forming intelligent plans.”

“Basic science cannot be beaten for that purpose. In the case of the coronavirus, we should add impossible thinking, if in fact the future does “influence the past. Wuhan is an ongoing part of the past, but out there in the unseen future, feeding into new pasts, are very possibly other kinds of Wuhans.

“We don’t know where they are, but we had better find them quickly. If you believe that globalisation will remain a big factor, as it has been up to now, a measure of “Wuhanisation” in many other places has to be assumed.

“We cannot close down the world the way the Chinese creditably closed down the metropolis of Wuhan. We still have no idea how much more trouble is out there. You might suspect, as I do, that the epidemic is historic and the belief that everything will be OK and work itself out is beyond optimism – maybe really nuts.

“So this is the huge next new thing – but it is for the scientists, not the political leaders, to take over. The latter just don’t get it. It’s too hard for them. They will build their aircraft carriers and nuclear missiles, mindlessly, when it would be far smarter to pursue enhanced international security and peace.

“The future has just now told us what is in the future: specks of little things that are coming in from the future to change the past that we thought we had more or less tamed. Our best bet is to keep thinking impossible things and figure that the future may be trying to change very many things.”

Tom Plate is Loyola Marymount University’s Distinguished Scholar of Asian and Pacific Affairs and the Pacific Century Institute’s vice-president

“The Whole Earth Is Our Hospital”

08 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by KhmerPAC in Event, International, Issue, Social

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My dear Kacvey,

Hope your students and you take all the “common sense” precautionary measures against the spreading of the Wuhan virus (武汉病毒) wherever and whenever all of you are, be it in the classroom, library, meetings, home, markets, social events etc … albeit the fact that the weak strongman has a different view on it. He may believe that Wuhan virus carries a passport when arriving in Cambodia, at any port of entry like Kg Som with regards to Westerdam, it has to be stamped by him personally. Let leave him alone to his crazy, irresponsible and half blind fantasy, but your students and you must go on and live your life outside the sphere of corruption and craziness of a quack doctor.

The propagation of Wuhan virus worldwide reminds us of a passage (Part IV) in “East Coker”, a poem by T.S. Elliot as follows:

“The wounded surgeon plies the peel
That questions the distempered part;
Beneath the bleeding hands we feel
The sharp compassion of the healer’s art
Resolving the enigma of the forever chart.

“Our only health is the disease
If we obey the dying nurse
Whose constant care is not to please
But to remind of our, and Adam’s curse,
And that, to be restored, our sickness must grow worse.

“The whole earth is our hospital
Endowed by the ruined millionaire,
Wherein, if we do well, we shall
Die of the absolute paternal care
That will not leave us, but prevents us everywhere.

“The chill ascends from feet to knees,
The fever sings in mental wires,
If to be warned, then I must freeze
And quake in frigid purgatorial fires
Of which the flame is rose, and the smoke is briars.

“The dripping blood our only drink,
The bloody flesh our only food:
In spite of which we like to think
That we are sound, substantial flesh and blood –
Again, in spite of that, we call this Friday good.”

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