Cambodian Tragedy in Comparative Term

The Strongman shedding crocodile tears? (Photo: AP)

Sunday, November 28, 2010
Opinion by HUN SOY

For the very first time that the entire world and the Cambodian public at large got to witness a Cambodian Prime Minister cried – something they’re rarely used to seeing on screen, given his past combative speeches and authoritarian style. I’ve got to give it to the man. He gave one of the finest theatrical shows I have ever seen - weeping and looking sad as best as he can be. But, NOT when he evicted Khmers from their lands; put Khmer farmers in jail; ordered his men to launch a couple grenades against political opposition march, lining up people to shoot as a result of his 1997 coup d’état. He was not crying when he sent capable men on K5 plan to be killed or limped. NO

Unfortunately when we are talking about our Cambodia, this is not the first tragedy or policy failure and it won’t be the last, either, that we are going to see from this government, going forward. There have been too many policy failures in the past and present leading up to the future. Time will tell if the true believers of the Hun’s regime, and possibly dynasty, will learn something meaningful at the end; for a nation built on shaky foundations where the culture of impunity, corruption and feudalistic behaviour are accepted as the norms at the expenses of the mass - the poor and the very least educated farmers. More land evictions are on the horizon, watch my word, people.

It is truly refreshing, yet not surprising to see Cambodian come out in large numbers to offer money and condolences to the victims and surviving families. In comparative analysis, it makes you wondered, what about other tragedies? Take land eviction as a prime example where entire villages are affected or the beating, killing of democratic activists, union leader, singers etc..? The story of Mr. Soung Sophorn is relatively fresh. Isn’t it a tragedy as well?. He was beaten up pretty badly and unprovoked at best – something could have been easily avoided. The Cambodian polices were better trained to hurt Khmers, protect Youn’s encroached farmer’s lands than to save real Cambodian lives. How sad!

In Cambodia today, actually there are plenty of death bodies walking, ghost standing up, KHMOCH CHHOR – victims of land eviction would be a prime example of such colossal tragedy since the number have run much and much higher, hundred of families at a time. Anyone dare to walk into our almighty Royal Cambodian Embassy in Washington, DC and offer to raise fund to support those victims?

I make donation, but I would never walk through that Embassy doors to give one dime in support of that government’s negligence and irresponsibility. Having lived in the West long enough, I wanted the people to learn, at least, that the government is accountable for their negligence and irresponsible policies, regardless. There are better avenues to do to get money out to the injured victims outside that Embassy in Washington, DC.

Many lives have been forever shattered as they have fallen victim to land seizure, both by Cambodian authorities as well the Vietnamese’s. Many have expressed that they’d preferred to be dead for good rather than continue living in the new state they are facing, because their sufferings are long protracted and painful on a day to day basis.

Will any high profile ministers including the Mayor of the city Phnom Penh be sacked or even has the gut to resign? I doubt it very much. Your government is hoping that you will forget it quickly so they can move on their businesses as usual. There are still too many development projects to move, land to be seized and deals to be signed and sealed. Most important of all, there are just too much tea money to split in the process among themselves, ministers and perhaps trickle down to the rests in this legally well protected pyramid scheme of today’s Hun Dynasty.

My intention of writing this article, not to p#ss off anyone, but to draw attention to the bigger picture and at the end still, it will be up to the Cambodian people residing in Cambodia to choose their leader, government and to vote accordingly. I know that no matter how many articles I wrote, how hard I work to affect the change I long desire, or the amount of hard-earned money I donated, it will probably not going to alter the old habits of Cambodians knowing that our history tends to repeat itself many times over until it reaches an inflection point. We will get there eventually, I hope.