០៤ ធ្នូ ២០២១ / 04 December 2021 – Article and comment in English (*)បើធ្វើសង្គ្រាម កុំច្រឡំសត្រូវបើធ្វើនយោបាយ កុំច្រឡំគូបដិបក្ខគូបដិបក្ខរបស់អ្នកប្រជាធិបតេយ្យខ្មែរ គឺជនផ្តាច់ការ ហ៊ុន សែន មិនមែន សម រង្ស៊ី ឬ កឹម សុខា ទេ។https://asiatimes.com/…/cambodias-sam-rainsy-could-be…/សារព័ត៌មាន Asia Times ចុះថ្ងៃ ០៣ ធ្នូ ២០២១ បានផ្សព្វផ្សាយអត្ថបទមួយមានចំណងជើង ជាភាសាអង់គ្លេស “Cambodia’s Sam Rainsy could be stronger after CNRP split – Cambodia National Rescue Party is disintegrating on factional lines that could see Rainsy’s camp win out over Kem Sokha’s” បកប្រែជាខ្លឹមសារ ៖ “ការបែកបាក់គ្នា ក្នុងជួរគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ ទំនងធ្វើឲ្យក្រុមគាំទ្រ សម រង្ស៊ី ឈ្នះលើក្រុមគាំទ្រ កឹម សុខា”។លោក សម រង្ស៊ី បានសរសេរប្រាប់ Asia Times ទៅវិញ ដូចតទៅ ៖”ចំណងជើងអត្ថបទខាងលើនេះ ខុសស្រឡះ ពីគោលដៅ (objective) របស់ខ្ញុំ និងពីយុទ្ធសាស្រ្ត (strategy) របស់ខ្ញុំ។ គោលដៅ (objective) របស់ខ្ញុំ គឺបញ្ចប់របបផ្តាច់ការ និងគ្រួសារនិយម ហ៊ុន សែន ដោយសន្តិវិធី តាមរយៈការបោះឆ្នោត ដោយសេរី និងយុត្តិធម៌ ពិតប្រាកដ។ ដើម្បីសម្រេចគោលដៅ (objective) ខាងលើនេះ យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ (strategy) របស់ខ្ញុំ គឺបង្រួបបង្រួមកម្លាំងប្រជាធិបតេយ្យទាំងអស់ ហើយជម្រុញឲ្យមានការបោះឆ្នោត ដោយសេរី និងយុត្តិធម៌ ពិតប្រាកដ។ មានតែការបង្រួបបង្រួមកម្លាំងប្រជាធិបតេយ្យទាំងអស់ទេ ដែលអាចនាំមកនូវជ័យជំនះ សម្រាប់ចលនាប្រជាធិបតេយ្យទាំងមូល ដែលមានគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ ជាតំណាង។ ជ័យជំនះរបស់អ្នកប្រជាធិបតេយ្យមួយក្រុម លើអ្នកប្រជាធិបតេយ្យមួយក្រុមទៀត វាគ្មានន័យអ្វីទាល់តែសោះ។ មានតែអ្នកនយោបាយមិនគ្រប់ទឹកទេ ដែលច្រឡំគូបដិបក្ខរបស់ខ្លួន។ គូបដិបក្ខរបស់អ្នកប្រជាធិបតេយ្យខ្មែរទាំងអស់ គឺជនផ្តាច់ការ ហ៊ុន សែន។ម្យ៉ាងវិញទៀត យើងក៏ត្រូវបែងចែកឲ្យដាច់ រវាងគោលដៅ (objective) យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ (strategy) និង យុទ្ធវិធី (tactic)។ ខ្ញុំជឿថាលោក កឹម សុខា និងរូបខ្ញុំ សម រង្ស៊ី នៅតែមានគោលដៅ (objective) និងចង់អនុវត្តយុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ (strategy) ដូចគ្នា ដូចមានចែងខាងលើនេះ។ អ្វីដែលយើងមិនទាន់បានកំណត់ឲ្យច្បាស់ជាមួយគ្នា គឺយុទ្ធវិធី (tactic) ទាក់ទងទៅនឹងគណបក្សតូចៗ ដែលទើបតែបានបង្កើតថ្មី ឬ ចាប់ផ្តើមដំណើរការជាថ្មី ក្រោយពីលោក ហ៊ុន សែន បានប្រកាសរំលាយគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ ក្នុងឆ្នាំ ២០១៧។ឥឡូវនេះ លោក កឹម សុខា និងខ្ញុំ សម រង្ស៊ី មិនអាចជួបនិយាយគ្នាបានទេ ស្តីពីការកំណត់យុទ្ធវិធី (tactic) រួមរបស់យើង ពីព្រោះលោក ហ៊ុន សែន ហាមឃាត់មិនឲ្យលោក កឹម សុខា ចេញក្រៅប្រទេស ហើយ ហាមឃាត់រូបខ្ញុំ សម រង្ស៊ី មិនឲ្យចូលក្នុងប្រទេស។ លោក ហ៊ុន សែន ចង់បំបែកបំបាក់យើងទាំងពីរនាក់ថែមទៀត ដោយគាត់ដឹងពីការលំបាក ក្នុងការកំណត់យុទ្ធវិធី (tactic) រួមណាមួយ បើលោក កឹម សុខា និងខ្ញុំ សម រង្ស៊ី មិនអាចជួបនិយាយគ្នាបានទេ។តែទោះជាយ៉ាងណាក៏ដោយ យុទ្ធវិធី (tactic) នេះ អាចមានទិដ្ឋភាពច្រើនបែបយ៉ាង ហើយអាចមានការប្រែប្រួលគ្រប់ពេលវេលា។ អ្វីដែលសំខាន់ជាងគេបំផុត ហើយដែលមិនមានការប្រែប្រួលឡើយ គឺគោលដៅ (objective) រួម និងយុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ (strategy) រួម។ក្នុងខណៈដែលយើង កំពុងតែខិតខំស្វែងរកយុទ្ធវិធី (tactic) ណាមួយ ដែលមានប្រសិទ្ធភាពជាងគេ ដើម្បីទ្រទ្រង់គោលដៅ (objective) និង យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ (strategy) របស់យើង យើងមិនត្រូវចាញ់បោកលោក ហ៊ុន សែន ហើយមិនត្រូវដើរចូលក្នុងអន្ទាក់របស់គាត់ទេ បើយើងដឹងហើយថា គាត់ប្រើល្បិចគ្រប់បែបយ៉ាង ដើម្បីបំបែកបំបាក់អ្នកប្រជាធិបតេយ្យដូចគ្នា។ លោក ហ៊ុន សែន យល់ខុសហើយ បើគាត់នៅតែសង្ឃឹមថា គាត់នឹងអាចបំបែក សម រង្ស៊ី ពី កឹម សុខា។ យើងទាំងអស់គ្នា ក៏យល់ច្បាស់ថា ឯកភាពរវាង សម រង្ស៊ី និង កឹម សុខា គឺជាគ្រោះថ្នាក់ដល់អាយុជីវិតនយោបាយ របស់លោក ហ៊ុន សែន។ គណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ ក៏ជាឧបសគ្គមួយដ៏ធំធេង សម្រាប់គម្រោងផ្ទេរអំណាច ពីលោក ហ៊ុន សែន ទៅកូនគាត់។ លោក ហ៊ុន សែន បានរង់ចាំព័ត៌មានបំប៉ោង ដែលថាមានការបែកបាក់គ្នា ក្នុងជួរគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ ជាមុនសិន ដូចបានលេចឮ ថ្ងៃ ២៨ វិច្ឆិកា ២០២១ នេះ ទើបគាត់ហ៊ានប្រកាសបេក្ខភាពនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីរបស់កូនគាត់ ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត ៤ ថ្ងៃបន្ទាប់ គឺនៅថ្ងៃ ០២ ធ្នូ ២០២១ នេះ។”(*) Article and comment in EnglishAsia Times, 03 December 2021Cambodia’s Sam Rainsy could be stronger after CNRP split – Cambodia National Rescue Party is disintegrating on factional lines that could see Rainsy’s camp win out over Kem Sokha’sBy David Hutthttps://asiatimes.com/…/cambodias-sam-rainsy-could-be…/Dear David,The title of your Dec. 3 article in the Asia Times, “Cambodia’s Sam Rainsy could be stronger after CNRP split – Cambodia National Rescue Party is disintegrating on factional lines that could see Rainsy’s camp win out over Kem Sokha’s,” doesn’t reflect either my goal or my strategy.My goal is to bring about democratic change in Cambodia by bringing a peaceful end to the regime of Hun Sen, a despot who seeks a dynastic succession. To achieve this goal, my strategy is to unite the country’s democratic forces and to push for truly free and fair elections. Only a united democratic opposition can succeed.Among the democratic forces that I want to unite, the current represented by Kem Sokha is one of the most important. There can only be a shared victory. For me there is no sense in trying to “win out” over Kem Sokha, as the title of your article could suggest. There is nothing more stupid than choosing the wrong adversary.Although Kem Sokha can’t express himself freely, I sincerely believe that he continues to share my goal and strategy. The only possible difference between us is tactical and concerns for example the role of small political parties created or reactivated after the dissolution of the CNRP, which Kem Sokha and I created together. To determine the tactics to be used and avoid misunderstandings, Kem Sokha and I need to meet and talk. But we can’t do that under current conditions, because Hun Sen is preventing Kem Sokha from leaving the country, and is stopping me from entering.Hun Sen fears nothing more than unity between democratic forces represented by the CNRP, which shook the regime in the national and local elections of 2013 and 2017. It is to be expected that Hun Sen seeks to divide us and set traps for us. It is up to us to remain vigilant and not fall into them. Our unity rests on our shared aim and shared strategy. Tactics can change, and have many different facets. They can constantly be altered as circumstances change. The “split” between Kem Sokha and Sam Rainsy which some have sought to highlight doesn’t have anything serious or irreversible about it. It’s important to avoid hasty conclusions. Many observers are mistaken in their analysis of the political situation in Cambodia.Best regards,Sam RainsyA strategy is a set of guidelines used to achieve an overall objective, whereas tactics are the specific actions aimed at adhering to those guidelines.
Committee for Election Rights of Overseas Cambodians or the CEROC thank you very much all seven speakers and facilitator who contributed tremendously to the 30 Years Anniversary of Paris Peace Agreements. Your contributions shall be the knowledge, the compass and relentless struggles for rights, freedom and democracy of the younger generations of Cambodia.
កម្មវិធីរំលឹកខួបគំរប់៣០ឆ្នាំនៃកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងសន្តិភាពទីក្រុងប៉ារីស តើកម្ពុជាដើរដល់របត់ផ្លូវណា? 30 Years Anniversary of Paris Peace Agreements: Where is Cambodia heading to?
Ref: Your official visiting to the Kingdom of Cambodia, June 01, 2021
Objective: Cambodia’s Democracy has been fallen apart
Dear
Mrs. Sherman;
The
CEROC is aware of your official visiting to the Kingdom of Cambodia this June
01, 2021; and this is identified as the most first senior visiting within
President Joe Biden mandate. Once, Mr. President said that “All human beings
should be treated with respect and dignity, and should be able to live without
fear no matter who they are or whom they love”.
Over
half of Cambodian eligible voters were deprived by the extrajudicial Supreme
Court of Cambodia on 16 November 2017 ruled to dissolve the CNRP in a move Charles Santiago,
Chairman of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, called “the final
nail in the coffin for Cambodian democracy”. Then, today many democrats
and youth environmental activists have been jailed, living in hideout, under state’s
rigid surveillance, forced to live in exile, and threatening party deflection. As
the result of running a façade democracy, the National Election Committee (NEC)
in 2018, could trigger voters’ turnout and declared absolute victory for the
CPP controlling all Parliament Seats. Now, the media has been transformed into
the real party’s propaganda, like in many communist states’, to conceal the
power-abuses and violations of the National Constitution and the Paris Peace
Agreements 23 October 1991 by the elites. The wise, the technical, and the
educated, are put under the rug, typically silent, or could not speak up fearful
of reprisal.
We
would like to implore your intuitive prowess to utilize all means to ensure
American value; the priceless human rights and democracy agenda, be the first
in the discussion table before China-US geopolitical rivalry and political
flip-flops of Hun Sen administration.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks during the 26th International Conference on The Future of Asia on May 20. (Photo by Kai Fujii) Nikkei staff writers May 20, 2021 09:30 JST Updated on May 20, 2021 20:28 JST
TOKYO — Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has defended his close relationship with China, pointing to Beijing’s large injections of financial support to his small nation.
China is Cambodia’s key political patron and largest source of development assistance, having helped funnel billions of dollars for infrastructure projects. This has fueled criticism that Phnom Penh has become over-reliant on, and a proxy for, Beijing. But Hun Sen, speaking remotely to Nikkei’s Future of Asia conference on Thursday, called that criticism “unjust.”
“If I don’t rely on China, who will I rely on? If I don’t ask China, who am I to ask?” Hun Sen said to the forum, held in Tokyo and online through Friday.
There have also been suggestions that Cambodia intends to host Chinese military assets at bases on its soil. Hun Sen reiterated previous denials that there were plans to do so at a naval base where the Chinese government is helping to expand facilities.
He pointed to Cambodia’s constitution, which prohibits foreign military bases within the country. He added that any country was welcome to send ships to Cambodia, a sentiment he echoed regarding development aid.
“We do not close the door to anyone in accepting assistance for building the country,” he said.
Hun Sen remained defiant about European Union trade sanctions imposed on the country last August.
Brussels partially suspended preferential access to the EU bloc for 20% of Cambodia’s exports, over what it called systemic human rights violations. The move was a blow for the country’s $10 billion garment manufacturing sector, which relies on the European market.
Among the EU concerns was the forced dissolution of Cambodia’s main opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party, which came close to winning a national election in 2013. Since the party’s dissolution in 2017, its leader has been charged with treason and senior members have fled abroad to avoid jail. More than 100 supporters have been hauled before courts in mass trials.
Hun Sen said the EU assessment “did not conform with reality” and claimed the existence of more than 20 small political parties was proof that Cambodia remained democratic. In almost the same breath, however, he noted some opponents must be “rehabilitated” in order to participate in politics.
He was dismissive of the impact of the EU’s preference withdrawal, saying it had been eclipsed by the “huge” economic fallout of the pandemic. Cambodia would not seek to overturn the decision, he added.
“We continue to export 20% of our goods to Europe by paying tariffs to them,” he said.
“But we cannot accept that our country cannot implement its own laws. An independent sovereign state has to implement its laws.”
With Cambodia battling an aggressive coronavirus outbreak, he also touched on the need to make COVID-19 vaccines easily available and eliminate restrictions on the movement of medical goods and services across borders.
“Asia needs to attach high priority and utmost importance to ensuring that the COVID-19 vaccines and medications are global public goods, which will be supplied and distributed upon humanitarian cause to every country, particularly the vulnerable ones,” he said.
Cambodia, which recorded fewer than 500 cases and no virus-linked deaths in 2020, is grappling with its worst coronavirus outbreak since the pandemic began, recording more than 20,000 infections since February. Its health authorities are rushing to roll out a vaccine campaign and have delivered at least one shot to more than 2 million citizens.
While the country received some AstraZeneca stocks via the United Nations-backed COVAX program, the bulk of its vaccine supplies are from China, something Hun Sen emphasized.
“Without assistance from China,” he said, “maybe we will not have vaccines for our people.”
Reporting by Shaun Turton.
Read on for a full run-down of the first day’s speeches and discussions.
If you’re a head of state in a democratic country, it generally isn’t a good idea to wear your best watches in public. Bill Clinton, for example, famously wore a Timex during his time in office, but since leaving the White House has been spotted with the likes of Jaeger LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet and A. Lange & Söhne on his wrist. Similarly Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was in hot water recently over an image that appeared to have him wearing a white gold Rolex Daytona (though it turned out not to be true). The bottom line is that if you’re a leader who’s meant to represent the people who voted you into office, it isn’t a great look to be flaunting luxury goods that your electorate could never begin to afford. But this hasn’t stopped the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen from putting his watches on full public display, a point that the leader of a political opposition party is now capitalising on in the election.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen spotted wearing what appears to be a Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300G. Image: superwatchman.com
Political opposition leader Sam Rainsy has started a campaign to raise money for impoverished Cambodians by selling raffle tickets to win his Casio that is worth the grand total of $5. Each raffle ticket will cost $5 and Rainsy anticipates selling more than 10,000 tickets in the three weeks that the competition will run.
Sam Rainsy wearing a Swatch. Image: wikimedia.org
This clever fundraising exercise is a political manoeuvre designed to point the spotlight directly on the watch collection of Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled the country since 1985. Despite the average per capita GDP in Cambodia being just $1,500 a year, Hun Sen owns a collection of watches estimated to be worth several million dollars, including pieces from Patek Philippe and Richard Mille.
Wearing a Patek Philippe 6002 Sky Moon Tourbillon. Image: Insane Luxury
“If people want to buy my watch, they can buy a $5 raffle ticket, and if they are lucky, they will be awarded with the watch. People can buy more than one ticket if they like,” said opposition leader Sam Rainsy.
It is probably unlikely that this campaign be enough to see Hun Sen sell his collection of beautiful watches, but it does go to show that a nice watch isn’t always a good thing, particularly of you work in politics.
