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Khmer Politics Alternatives Circle

~ Thinking outside the box about Cambodia

Khmer Politics Alternatives Circle

Category Archives: Politics

Abandoning Multilateralism for Shackled Bilateralism

24 Thursday Sep 2020

Posted by KhmerPAC in Event, International, Issue, Politics

≈ Comments Off on Abandoning Multilateralism for Shackled Bilateralism

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

≈ Comments Off on Trilogy that Can Befall the ex-KR Autocracy

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

≈ Comments Off on Dara Sakor, a base or not a base?

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
– 9 November – Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative: UPDATE: ANOTHER U.S.-BUILT FACILITY AT REAM BITES THE DUST
– 10 November 2020 – VOA: Cambodia Demolishes Second U.S.-Built Facility at Ream Naval Base

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

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

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 ​ប្រាប់​ឱ្យ​លោក វ៉ា គឹមហុង ជួប​ពលរដ្ឋ​បាត់​ដី​នៅ​ខេត្ត​ត្បូង​ឃ្មុំ
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 Provincehttps://cambodianess.com/article/vietnam-is-building-permanent-military-structures-along-the-cambodian-border-in-kandal-province

Radio Free Asia
រដ្ឋាភិបាល ប្រគល់​ផែនទី​ថ្មី ខ្នាត ១/២៥ ០០០ ឲ្យ​អាជ្ញាធរ​យក​ទៅ​ប្រើប្រាស់​ជា​ឯកសារ​ព្រំដែន​ផ្លូវ​ការ​ជាមួយ​ប្រទេស​វៀតណាម
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
“ទីតាំង​វៀតណាម​បោះតង់​ជា​កន្លែង​លោក រ៉ុង ឈុន គ្រោង​ទៅ​ពិនិត្យ​កាល​ពី​លោក​នៅ​មាន​សេរីភាព”
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
អាជា្ញធរ​កម្ពុជា​រុញ​ដាក់​គ្នារឿង​របាយការណ៍​ទាហាន​វៀតណាម​សង់​សំណង់​រឹងមាំ​នៅ​ព្រំដែន​ខេត្ត​កណ្តាល
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/

អាជ្ញាធរ​ខេត្ត​កណ្ដាល​ថា វៀតណាម​បន្ត​សង់​សំណង់​រឹង ២ទៀត តាម​តំបន់​ព្រំដែន​មិនទាន់​ឯកភាព​គ្នា
https://www.rfa.org/khmer/news/politics/Vietnam-built-10-more-posts-in-undecided-border-area-09232020165824.html

Stay tuned!

=====
Update:

– RFA, 2 December 2020
អ្នកឃ្លាំមើល​ព្រំដែន​ថា វៀតណាម​មិន​គោរព​សន្យា​ក្នុង​ការ​រុះ​តើ​តង់ ពី​តំបន់​ព្រំដែន

The Sword of Damocles Has Dropped

12 Wednesday Aug 2020

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

≈ Comments Off on The Sword of Damocles Has Dropped

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: លោក​ហ៊ុន សែន​ថា​ សំណុំ​រឿង​លោក​កឹម សុខា​អាច​ពន្យារ​ពេល​ដល់​២០២៤​ ខណៈ​មេធាវី​ជំរុញ​ឲ្យ​ពន្លឿន​សវនាការ
https://khmer.voanews.com/a/hun-sen-says-kem-sokha-trial-can-be-up-to-2024/5575087.html

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៖ ពេល​ខ្លះ បដិវត្តន៍​ពណ៌​កើត​ចេញ​ពី​ផ្ទៃក្នុង​យើង

“សម្តេច​ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ស ខេង បាន​មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ពុធ ទី១១ ខែមីនា នេះ​ថា បដិវត្តន៍​ពណ៌ វា​អាច​កើត​ចេញ​ពី​ផ្ទៃក្នុង​របស់​គណបក្ស​កាន់​អំណាច​ដោយ​មិន​ដឹង​ខ្លួន ឬ​ដោយ​អចេតនា តាមរយៈ​ការ​មិន​យក​ចិត្ត​ទុក​ដាក់​នូវ​សំណូមពរ​និង​កង្វល់​របស់​ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ ហើយ​បង្កើត​ឡើង​នូវ​ភាព​អសកម្ម​នានា​នៅ​តាម​មូលដ្ឋាន​ ហើយ​ប៉ះពាល់​ដល់​សិទ្ធិ​និង​ផល​ប្រយោជន៍​របស់​ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ។

ថ្លែង​ក្នុង​ពិធី​អបអរសាទរ​ទិវា​អន្តរជាតិ​នារី សម្តេច ស ខេង បាន​ថ្លែង​ដូច្នេះ​ថា ”ចំណុច​នេះ ខ្ញុំ​ធ្លាប់​បាន​បញ្ជាក់​ច្រើន​ហើយ ថា​ បដិវត្តន៍​ពណ៌ វា​មាន​អ្នក​ដែល​ប៉ុនប៉ង​ដើម្បី​នឹង​ធ្វើ​ការងារ​នេះ ហើយ​ក៏​បាន​ជួប​ប្រទះ​​រួច​មក​ហើយ ក្រោយ​​បោះឆ្នោត​ឆ្នាំ​២០១៣ ប៉ុន្តែ ជួន​ពេល​ខ្លះ បដិវត្តន៍​ពណ៌​នេះ​ វា​កើត​ចេញ​ពី​ផ្ទៃ​ក្នុង​យើង ជួរ​យើង ដោយ​មិន​ដឹង​ខ្លួន ឬ​ដោយ​អចេតនា​តាមរយៈ​ការ​មិន​យក​ចិត្តទុកដាក់ អើ​ពើ នូវ​សំណូម​ពរ សំណើ និង​កង្វល់​របស់​ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ ហើយ​បង្កើត​ឡើង​នូវ​ភាព​អសកម្ម​នានា នៅតាម​មូលដ្ឋាន ហើយ​ប៉ះពាល់​ដល់​សិទ្ធិ​និង​ផល​ប្រយោជន៍​របស់​ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ។”

សម្ដេច​ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី បាន​បន្ត​ដូច្នេះ​ថា “នោះ​ក៏​ជា​មូលហេតុ​នៃ​ការ​កកើត​នៃ​ចលនា​បដិវត្តន៍​ពណ៌​នោះ​ដែរ ដូច្នេះ​ការ​ដែល​យើង​យក​ចិត្ត​ទុកដាក់​ដើម្បី​ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា​នានា​ទាក់ទងនឹង​សិទ្ធិ​ផល​ប្រយោជន៍​របស់​ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ គឺ​ជា​កត្តា​គន្លឹះ​ដ៏​សំខាន់​មួយ​ក្នុង​ការ​រារាំង​ បង្ការ ទប់ស្កាត់ នូវ​ចលនា​បដិវត្តន៍​ពណ៌​នោះ​ឯង។”

នៅក្នុង​ពិធី​នោះ​ដែរ សម្តេច ស ខេង ក៏​បាន​អំពាវនាវ​ដល់​អាជ្ញាធរ​ត្រូវ​គ្រប់គ្រង​ដោះស្រាយ​ជម្លោះ និង​ការទាមទារ​តវ៉ា​នានា ដោយ​សន្តិ​វិធី ឈរ​លើ​គោលការណ៍​ច្បាប់ និង​ត្រូវ​ជៀសវាង​ដាច់​ខាត​នូវ​អំពើ​ហិង្សា​គ្រប់​រូបភាព៕

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.

Trial on 15 January 2020

11 Saturday Jan 2020

Posted by KhmerPAC in Human Rights, Institution, Issue, Justice, Politics, Social

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My dear Kacvey,

You might recall our communication on 23 October 2017 titled “A Plausible Case – 莫须有冤狱”

On the 1st month of the new decade, the ex-KR-turned-autocrat has decided to show the ECCC (that has been trying his comrades-in-arms of the Pol Pot era) that his own justice machinery also works for him. He then instructed his kangaroos to try Oppo Nr.1 on 15 January 2020 on charge of treason. But whereas the ECCC proceeded with massive evidence, the ex-KR-turned-autocrat’s kangaroos will try with trumped charges and fictitious evidence.

The scripted judicial farce has been subject to multiple projections, one of which is that the kangaroos will find Oppo Nr.1 guilty of whatever the prosecution said. Kangaroo court executes its master’s order and has no surprise.

But that will not stop your students from reflecting and pondering on future consequences of such a shameless theatrical show of Khmer politics. Autocracy is afraid of challenge against its intellectual power that has none and uses raw forces to oppress any idea and thinking that defy its cruelty, antipathy, callousness and inhumanness.

If your students wish to witness the trial of the decade with a sense of social and political justice and fairness, let them arm their knowledge and awareness with three academic spears: The story of Yue Fei, “J’accuse” and Franz Kafka’s “The Trial“.

Let hope the fire in Australia would scare the kangaroos to run away from their court  master.

The Corrupt, The Dirty, The Sanctioned

12 Thursday Dec 2019

Posted by KhmerPAC in Culture, Governance, Human Rights, International, Issue, Justice, Politics, Social

≈ 2 Comments

My dear Kacvey,

Do you recall our communication The Dirty Dozen + Others a year and a half ago? Well, since then a lot of things have happened with corruption getting worst and worst every passing day involving more or less the same persons in the corrupt leadership circle and their family members.

But it is very important for your students to remember, at the outset, what Norodom Sihanouk had said as reported in an article penned by Maurice Eisenbruch in The International Journal of Human Rights titled: “The cloak of impunity in Cambodia I: cultural foundations” in which Sihanouk was quoted as follows: “In today’s Cambodia, the God of Impunity reigns side by side with the King of Corruption.”

Let inventory them so that your students could have a comprehensive information on the extent of the corruption and their authors in the City of Tonlé Buon Mouk.

Human Rights Watch
1. Cambodia’s Dirty Dozen – A Long History of Rights Abuses by Hun Sen’s Generals
2. នាយឧត្តមសេនីយ៍បាតដៃកខ្វក់ ១២ រូប – ប្រវត្តិរំលោភសិទ្ធិមនុស្សដ៏យូរអង្វែងរបស់នាយឧត្តមសេនីយ៍នៃលោក ហ៊ុន សែន
3. Cambodia: Hun Sen and His Abusive Generals
Video Shows Unexplained Wealth of “Dirty Dozen” as Number of Political Prisoners Mounts

Global Witness
1. HOSTILE TAKEOVER – How Cambodia’s ruling family are pulling the strings on the economy and amassing vast personal fortunes with extreme consequences for the population.
2. FROM THE DEATH OF CAMBODIA’S DEMOCRACY? – As Cambodians head to the polls, Global Witness exposes an elusive club of politically exposed tycoons set to profit from the country’s sham election

Reuters
1. Special Report: Khmer Riche – How relatives and allies of Cambodia’s leader amassed wealth overseas
2. Cyprus opposition wants to know how Cambodian elite got passports
3. in-cyprus: Interior Minister to carry out additional probe into Cambodia elite passports
4. Cyprus plans to strip citizenships after uproar over passports
5. Cyprus Mail: Names of those on passports to be revoked made public

U.S. Department of Treasury
1. Treasury Sanctions Corruption and Material Support Networks
2. United States Takes Action Against Corruption and Serious Human Rights Abuse – PRESS STATEMENT by MICHAEL R. POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE
3. American Shipper: US sanctions aim to topple Cambodian timber magnate
4. PRESS RELEASES – Treasury Sanctions Chinese Entity in Cambodia Under Global Magnitsky Authority
5. Presse Releases: Treasury Sanctions Corrupt Actors in Africa and Asia

Radio Free Asia
1. How Did Cambodia’s First Family Afford Their Long Island Home?
2. $5 MILLION APARTMENT A LAUNCHPAD TO LONDON HIGH SOCIETY FOR NIECE OF HUN SEN
3. Foreign Homes of Cambodia’s Top Officials and Family Reflect Tenuous Grip at Home
4. CAMBODIA ENERGY CHIEFS TIED TO U.S. PROPERTY WORTH $5 MILLION
5. OVERSEAS PROPERTY OF CAMBODIA’S ELITE
6. អចលនទ្រព្យ​នៅ​ក្រៅ​ប្រទេស​របស់​ក្រុម​អភិជន​ខ្មែរ
7. មុខមាត់បុគ្គលដែលជួយអ្នកមានអំណាចខ្មែរឲ្យលួចលុយជាតិ
8. The ‘Respectable’ Faces that Help Cambodia’s Elite Loot the Country
9. In London, Cambodian elites tread in the Kremlin’s footsteps.
10. Cypriot Passport Bought by Shadowy Ally of Cambodian Interior Minister
11a. គ្រួសារនាយឧត្ដមសេនីយ៍ខ្មែរកំពូលម្នាក់ជាប់ពាក់ព័ន្ធនឹងឧក្រិដ្ឋកម្មបោកបន្លំប្រាក់ ១០០លានដុល្លារនៅប្រទេសអូស្ត្រាលី
11b. Top Cambodian General’s Family Tied to $100 Million Australian Fraud
12. Cambodian PM Hun Sen’s Niece Buys Cypriot Villas For €2.5 Million

Transparency International
1. Corruption and Cambodia’s – Governance System – The Need for Reform – National Integrity System Assessment 2014
2. For 2018, Transparency International ranked Cambodia the 161st out of 180 countries worldwide.
3. For 2019, Transparency International ranked Cambodia the 162nd out of 183 countries worldwide.

SEA GLOBE
Cambodia once again ranked Southeast Asia’s most corrupt country

The Cambodia Daily
តើក្រុមគ្រួសារត្រកូលហ៊ុន និងបក្សពួករបស់លោកមានទុនរកស៊ី ម្នាក់ៗចំនួនប៉ុន្មានដែរ?

This file will be updated with new developments as they happen in the future, bearing in mind what Ovid once said: “All things can corrupt when minds are prone to evil” to which George Bernard Shaw added: “Power does not corrupt men; fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power.”

Post scriptum: Maurice Eisenbruch’s “The cloak of impunity in Cambodia II: justice“

It’s 9 November 2019!

09 Saturday Nov 2019

Posted by KhmerPAC in Event, History, Politics, Social

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My dear Kacvey,

Are your students celebrating the 66th Anniversary of Khmer Independence at home or with the people who want Cambodia to be independent from the yoke of the ex-Khmer Rouge who transformed himself into a vulgar dictator in the same mold as his once-mentor, Pol Pot?

Oh, sorry for the interruption, just received a message from swallow Phkaï Mphéy that reads as follows: “Chheu Smaa getting further bogged down in its stubbornness has solicited Cha Cha assistance not to allow the exiled from landing in Bangkok. Chheu Smaa admits that to let the exiled be in Thailand is the prelude to its political end. Cha Cha seems to understand that if the exiled appeared at the borders, Chheu Smaa could not control its rogue elements and this would force Cha Cha to respond accordingly. Bloodbath would be inevitable at the border. Therefore Cha Cha gambled big by rescuing Chheu Smaa that will forever owe a big debt to Cha Cha until its death. Chheu Smaa is really afraid of letting the exiled landed in Pochentong. Cheeu Smaa doesn’t want the exiled to arrive in the City of Tonle Buon Mouk because it’s always been haunted by the image and aura of million of Khmer greeting the exiled in 2013 and the funerals procession of Mr. Kem Ley in July 2016. Chheu Smaa doesn’t want the exiled to be in Bangkok because from there the exiled could gather a massive column of followers to the border. In sum, Chheu Smaa doesn’t want the exiled to come to Cambodia at all: the stake is too high for Chheu Smaa if the exiled is in Cambodia or nearby Cambodia. Chheu Smaa’s concept of win-win turns out to be shamefully loose-loose. Therefore, Chheu Smaa has decided to kowtow to Cha Cha to save its feathers the same way it did to Vietnam 42 years ago in Kg Cham. Chheu Smaa prefers to do its best to maintain the status quo of its power and will see what emerges in the future. The connection between Chheu Smaa and the real people is totally severed and Chheu Smaa knows it and he also knows that it can never be restored. Chheu Smaa, from its nest in Old Man Khmau fortress is trying very hard not to fall into the 4 quicksands that bubble in his backyard. Chheu Smaa is flapping its wings stronger and stronger against the quicksands magnetism that attracts harder and harder every passing day. For now, Cha Cha has sent Chheu Smaa a lifeline, but like any lifeline, it is a temporary measure. End of message”

Hope your students will greet and join the Khmer without arms including their grandfathers and grandmothers, parents, brothers and sisters, cousins, uncles and aunts, nephews and nieces, neighbors, friends an acquaintances in their awakening on 9 November 2019. Together, on that auspicious day, they plan the seed of CHANGE and will look after it patiently, vigilantly and bravely until Chheu Smaa succumbs under the weight of the people’s will and thirst for democracy, freedom, and INDEPENDENCE.

=====
Update:
My dear Kacvey,
Swallow Phkaï Mphéy has returned from Poipet where the police and military on both sides of the frontier sensed that somebody had stood them up. They were, however, excused by the population for just trying to do their job without knowing what sort of job it was about.
Meanwhile, Cha Cha seemed not too happy as the exiled was more ore less welcomed in Kuala Lumpur instead. On top of that, he has been officially invited by a parliamentarian from Penang and daughter of Mr. Anwar Ibrahim, to a meeting at the Parliament building of Malaysia on Tuesday 12 November 2019. When it wakes up from the so-so ceremony of Independence, would Chheu Smaa be trying to convince Dr. M to change his mind or to instruct its envoy in Kuala Lumpur to play imbecile like the one in Jakarta? Other swallow will update us accordingly. But it’s safe to say that Chheu Smaa has so far been outsmarted by voodoo props set up in Old Man Khmau, Poipet and Pochentong.

Three Days To Go

06 Wednesday Nov 2019

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

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My dear Kacvey,

After receiving a signal from Chheu Smaa, Phkaï Mphéy flew strait to the roof of Albert Sarrault Museum. They met and perched on a horn overlooking a garuda on the other side of the street.

Phkaï Mphéy: So, Cha Cha has just thrown you a lifeline, ha!
Chheu Smaa: I have no choice. They are carrying their plan through.
Phkaï Mphéy: Why did you suspect that?
Chheu Smaa: I misread his intention. And I tried to catch up, but it was too late.
Phkaï Mphéy: So you decided to deploy tanks, missiles, machine guns and all that shit to impress.
Chheu Smaa: It didn’t work to the level I expected.
Phkaï Mphéy: You knew from your guerrilla life experience that military force without population participation is pure BS. And then you played the civil aviation, the posters, the embassy in Jakarta, the statements by some of those idiots around you.
Chheu Smaa: It was a turmoil and then so many meetings outside the country. And the EU/EBA dateline …
Phkaï Mphéy: What did they whisper in the back door of Nonthaburi building?
Chheu Smaa: They know what’s going on, but they didn’t seem to be behind me all the way, except the usual two.
Phkaï Mphéy: Not a good sign for you in the long run.
Chheu Smaa: We’ll see, but for now there won’t be split screens on 9 November: Independence Monument on the left and Poipet on the right.
Phkaï Mphéy: Cha Cha sent you a life line. You now owe him a big one.
Chheu Smaa: I guess!
Phkaï Mphéy: Cha Cha must hate to see you on trial for masterminding bloodbath at his border; that’s why he said “he probably won’t get in”
Chheu Smaa: Got to call Cha Cha’s ambassador when I’ll get back.
Phkaï Mphéy: What are you going to do with “him” from now on? He also scored a big one against you: he did what he promised to his supporters, until Cha Cha stopped him. He shook you up badly to a point that Cha Cha threw you a life support 3 days before the promised date.
Chheu Smaa: I’m out of steam right now and hope I can recover a little bit once the Independence Day parade and the Om Touk are over. The well of ideas is totally dry.
Phkaï Mphéy: Didn’t Cha Cha send you a secret message inside his “he probably won’t get in”?
Chheu Smaa: What do you mean?
Phkaï Mphéy: Did you read the Bangkok Post Editorial?
Chheu Smaa: That also seems to be the whispers in Nonthaburi.
Phkaï Mphéy: Are you going to think about that now?
Chheu Smaa: Let me breathe for a few days and we’ll talk again after 9/11.

Then, the two swallows parted and flew off: Phkaï Mphéy towards Poipet for an on-the-spot update after releasing few droppings here and there, Chheu Smaa heading South.

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