ONE ISSUE TO A NATION'S SALVATION

I can stated this with confidence that the majority of Cambodians in the West do understand the precarious states of Cambodia. Is the country is heading on the right direction? The answers are mostly NO. Many have tried hard, including myself, to come up with a sound idea, or common issue in order to arouse the Cambodian publics. It is encouraging to see an article written by Mr. KSaron, The Big Picture, or recent conference organized by the Khmer MchasSrok.

My observation, correct me if I am off base here, there are just too much divisiveness among us so-called the intelectuals, including the elite fews, scholars and the likes. There are plenty of ideas and strategies out there in an attempt to re-start a road map to saving the country from being gobble up by Vietnam. With a ratio of population 1 to 10, and the way Vietnam is having its way on the international arena and inside Cambodia, there is a good chance that it will happen somewhere down the road, perhaps in twenty odds years or so. That will be late in my retirement years. Frankly speaking, I am not counting on my children to follow my footsteps in defending Cambodia's interest. They could not have care less, and that would be exactly what Vietnam has visioned all along, just buying times until the old ones died. Some are starting that process already, less headache for Hanoi. The odds of winning this time is rather slim. Our very best chance was right after UNTAC, but our King and Son Ltd. have sold the country out.

If we are going to save Cambodia, here is a roadmap that can be most effective and it is imperative that our elders, the highly educated fews, respected ones, should come together as a single force.

A FORMATION OF A COALITION OF LOBBIES FOR THE FOLLOWING ISSUE:

THE RIGHTS TO VOTE AS A CAMBODIAN ABROAD RIGHT HERE IN WASHINGTON,DC.

If the United States government is serious about protecting democracy in Cambodia, they will offer to include in their annual aid budget to Cambodia for the implementation of technical precedures which will allow Cambodians abroad to vote. You might be surprised of their respond should all of us speak as a single voice. THE POWER OF LOBBY GROUP, the fourth branch of the American government. We are American and we are Cambodian.

On the previous attempt by Sam Rainsy, the Cambodian government refused citing lack of money and technical know-how as well as human resources. Let's work on that to be clear, our government needs helps here, big times. Maybe, United States, or Isreal, Canada, even Turkey can offer to help lend their expertises. On the money front, my family and I would donate a tiny $1000 to the Cambodian government to help funding this new initiative. It is not a whole lot, but it will help and I will try to do more fund raising to come up with additional cash. I am as we move along, more people would not be hesitate to pitch in $20, $50, $100 or $1000 for the cause of a nation. A Foundation would be setting up just for that, for assisting our Cambodian government in funding its own people for the rights to vote. Our government is poor, we know.

Now in Cambodia, we have opposition groups that are ready to push the bill to the floor any time we are ready. Let the Cambodian people inside the country and outside listen to any new excuses of its own government.

Let's all of us who live here abroad as democrats, regardless of whatever side we are on, pledge to ourselves to respect each other differences and to work solely to make this happen for the sake of Cambodia. I am sure we can do that. To come together to lobby our very own government here in the USA for our alienable rights. This is winning issue for Cambodia, and if you don't see that than Cambodian has a very slim chance of making it out as more settlers are flooding in from all directions. They can vote, and we can't because this issue is just not important enough. American women had to fights for decades their rights to vote, so did the blacks, gays and lesbians. Why not us? Ladies and gentlemen, it is not so much about us but it is all about Cambodia, Will it survives or will it become another painful history like Kampuchea Krom.

We have enormous political clouds here, but need to come together. When you have your ballot, vote for whomever you wish, no question ask. It would change the political landscape of the country. It is my belief that for our country to survive against the onslaught of the occupiers, only democracy and our vigorous political participation here abroad along with our brothers inside the land, can lead Cambodia to its final salvation. But, it is a minority opinion so far..

Dual-Nationality at Risk

PM criticizes candidates with Dual nationalities

“How can Cambodian people trust them? ‘When we had a problem, they left Cambodia,’ he said, reported Xinhua.

The [the candidates] should dare to leave their other citizenship, if they don’t, how can the Cambodian public believe them? They live and do business in Cambodia, but they take money to pay tax in France.’ The premier added, reported Rasmey kampuchea.

Hun Sen warned that the long-awaited anti-corruption law would present such people with difficulties, as under the law all assets and properties both in Cambodian and abroad must be declared.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy of the Sam Rainsy Party an Prince Norodom Ranariddh of the Norodom Ranariddh Party both hold Cambodia and French citizenships, noted archives.

Source: Development Weekly, December 3-9, 2007


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As you are well aware of recent assaults by Prime Minister Hun Sen on the issue of dual-nationality. The printed portion of the publication above has given us a clear understanding to what the Prime Minister think and will probably act should the CPP can single-handedly pass a law banning anyone abroad from participating in Cambodian politics. It might come down to one day we have to choose between giving up our American/Canadian passports in order to keep a piece of land or properties in Cambodia or vise versa.

Our Priminister has no problem or whatsoever when it comes to the idea of taking away the rights of his own people and especially those Khmers living ashore. As a leader in a democratic nation, supposedly, his remarks shows a profound lack of judgement and a basic understanding of democratic values of any democratic society in the rest of the free world. His blatent comment shown a total disregard for the on-going efforts and financial contribution of Khmers abroad to the re-development of social, economic and political well-beings of Cambodia today. The Prime Minister should remember that all Cambodian living abroad were victims of war and of long enduring years of Vietnamese occupation. Of course, The Prime Ministe, himself, has once fled the country to Vietnam as a former Khmer Rouge cadre.

While our Prime Minister is denoucing Cambodians for having a dual-citizenship, he forgot to mention that there are millions Vietnamese settlers whom he has given full-citizenship and accesses to voting boothes in the past and of course in this coming Elections 2008. Are those people are not having two citizenships of their own? Not to remind Mr. Prime Minister that some of his associates, at the top levels have changed their names, identities, passports ect.. to look and sound a bit more Cambodian like. Of course, he could tell us that they have given up their foreign passports to be Cambodians. Your guess just as good as mine.

It would be ill-advised for our Prime Minister to continue denying Cambodians abroad their natural rights , ignoring the realities of today changing world where Cambodian population are wide spread across the globe in large number. These Cambodians living ashore are resourceful and intellectually capable. They should be looked upon as our country's collective strengths -useful resources in which any leader can find significantly advantageous to rebuilding a more inclusive and yet stable democratic society. Cambodia belongs to all Cambodians, at home and abroad, the Prime Minister should do the right things to be the prime minister of all people not just his supporters and especially those who illigally settling on our lakes and border towns.