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.