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Author Archives: Leadership Skills

Hun Manet, Cambodia’s Western-educated dictator-in-waiting

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OP-ED CAMBODIA OPINION IN ASIA TIME

Hun Manet, Cambodia’s Western-educated dictator-in-waiting

Sawathey Ek

By SAWATHEY EK JANUARY 30, 2019 2:54 PM (UTC+8)

Last week’s declaration by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen calling for the armed forces, led by his son Hun Manet, to “destroy” the already outlawed opposition confirms what many had feared, even as the international community and the United Nations have been generously silent on Hun Sen’s violent words, which have often been translated into lethal action.

It was just a couple of months ago that Hun Sen “promoted” Hun Manet, his eldest son, through a so-called royal decree as chief of the joint staff of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and commander of the army’s infantry headquarters, and reportedly as a possible successor to the premiership.

These threats coupled with Hun Manet’s willingness to comply with his father’s dictatorship raise serious questions about whether Cambodian students ought to be granted special scholarships to study in the West.

Cambodia’s heir apparent is not reluctant to follow the path of his father’s dictatorial leadership, even if it means using the armed forces to lock up and kill critics or political opponents. Despite Manet’s Western qualifications, his decision to sustain Hun Sen’s dictatorship is certain to solidify.

In fact, after the arrest in September 2017 of opposition leader Kem Sokha, whose Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) was dissolved two months later, Manet justified the arrest by claiming that “the law did not target the opposition, but was created to protect the nation.”

If a US Military Academy graduate like Manet, also holder of a doctorate from the University of Bristol in the UK, is willing to be a top figure in his father’s regime, the question is, should the West be a breeding ground for Cambodia’s dictators-in-waiting?

Had the UN condemned Hun Sen’s latest threat, it would have sent a strong message to Manet that the international community will not tolerate the lessons that his father taught Cambodia’s dictator-in-waiting.

Failing that, Cambodia will continue to be subjected to generational dictatorship. The scale of suffering is no different to that of the former regime of Pol Pot.

Hun Manet commands faux armed forces

As Cambodia has transformed from a state of decaying democracy to a totalitarian state, Hun Manet is the product of his father’s regime – legitimized by the UN and the international community.

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In tirade, Hun Sen calls on Cambodian military to ‘destroy’ opponents threatening government

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Op-Ed: Japanese Time AFP-JI, JAN 25, 2019

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen salutes accompanied by his son, Commander of Cambodian Infantry Army Lt. Gern. Hun Manet (right) during an inspection of troops at a ceremony marking the 20th anniversay of the formation of Cambodian Infantry Army in Phnom Penh on Thursday. Hun Sen issued an ominous vow to “destroy” anyone threatening his government, telling soldiers they may kill a few people in order to “save millions.” | AFP-JIJI

PHNOM PENH – Cambodia’s strongman leader Hun Sen on Thursday called on his country’s military to “destroy” opponents if the government comes under threat, in a tirade in which he described himself as the “the one who steers the wheel” of the army.

The 66-year-old premier has in recent weeks turned up the rhetoric against the now-dissolved opposition party, the European Union and other critics of his government.

Since his ruling party swept a July election widely considered a sham, the EU has warned it may withdraw its Everything But Arms scheme, which allows Cambodia’s lucrative garment sector duty-free access to its massive market.

In the wake of the move, Hun Sen, a five-star general despite his position as the country’s civilian leader, has been even more outspoken than usual.

“Some people say Hun Sen is consolidating power … that is very correct,” he said in a speech to soldiers marking the 20th anniversary of the infantry — which is headed by his son, Hun Manet.

Hun Sen urged the army to “destroy … revolutions that attempt to topple the legitimate government,” adding he is “not afraid to issue an order” if faced with threats.

“Better to see the death of four or five people rather than the death of tens of thousands and millions,” he said, referring to the lives lost during the ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge regime, which left a quarter of the population dead.

He also called on the lines of soldiers in front of him to purge their ranks of any troops who oppose the government, saying “they must be destroyed.”

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Interview: Senior Pentagon Official Visits Cambodia, Talks Phnom Penh Ties, Indo-Pacific Strategy

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Interview: Senior Pentagon Official Visits Cambodia, Talks Phnom Penh Ties, Indo-Pacific Strategy

19 January 2019

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia, Joseph H Felter paid a two-day visit in Cambodia, from January 15-16, 2019 to strengthen military ties between United States and Cambodia. (Ky Mengly/VOA Khmer)
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia, Joseph H Felter paid a two-day visit in Cambodia, from January 15-16, 2019 to strengthen military ties between United States and Cambodia. (Ky Mengly/VOA Khmer)

“Bilateral defense ties have undergone drastic setbacks over the past few years amid Cambodia’s growing closer security ties with China and political tensions surrounding Cambodia’s general elections last year.”PHNOM PENH — 

Listen the entire interviewing translated in Khmer

[Editor’s Note: U.S. Department of Defense Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Southeast Asia Joseph H. Felter visited Cambodia this week to discuss the restoration of military cooperation with Cambodia. Bilateral defense ties have undergone drastic setbacks over the past few years amid Cambodia’s growing closer security ties with China and political tensions surrounding Cambodia’s general elections last year. The senior Pentagon official sat down in Phnom Penh on Wednesday with VOA Khmer to discuss defense ties with Cambodia and the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy aimed at dealing with China’s growing influence in the region.]

VOA: Can you tell us about this trip of yours to Cambodia?

Felter: That was special because this is my first trip to Cambodia in this capacity as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia. It was also the first time we had a senior-level defense talk in quite some time in Cambodia – defense dialogue which took place on Tuesday hosted by Gen. Neang Phat [Ministry of Defense secretary of state].

VOA: Who did you meet on the Cambodian side and what issues did you discuss?

Felter: On Tuesday I met with Gen. Neang Phat. He was hosting with his senior members from his staff from the Ministry of Defense and the Cambodian military. Just today, we visited Ream Naval Base and met with Vice Admiral Ouk Seiha, commander of the base, and his staff.

VOA: Can you tell us what issues you raised with Cambodian officials?

Felter: Gen. Neang Phat is the secretary of state of the Ministry of National Defense. As part of the Defense Policy Dialogue, we discussed a range of issues like regional and international security, multilateral and bilateral cooperation. What I thought to be the most important part of our discussion on Tuesday with the Defense Policy Dialogue was mapping out a way forward to improve and enhance military-to-military cooperation between the United States and Cambodia to identify a way we can improve our defense ties and military cooperation.

VOA: We have seen many joint activities have been canceled due to the political situation in Cambodia. Have you brought this into discussions with Cambodian officials to find ways to restart them?

Felter: Yes, we have restarted on some levels. Encouragingly, Cambodia agreed to restart our POW/MIA [Prisoner of War/Missing in Action] cooperation and we find this very encouraging. Later this month we will have a joint on-field activity where we actually go out and do recovery operations of two missing pilots that we are searching for. So we find this very encouraging. Following this, we will be able to enhance our existing state partnership program. This is the partnership program with the Eisenhower National Guard that we will be sending many subject experts here to help the Cambodian military develop their peace-keeping skills. We know that Cambodia will participate in peace-keeping operations and missions around the world so we look forward to that. And there is a way forward beyond that. We will identify a number of activities that we can do to build on this military-to-military cooperation and enhance defense relationship. But to go down that path, we were clear in our discussion on Tuesday with Gen. Neang Phat that a number of things will have to happen on the Cambodian side that has to take initiative in areas of promoting national reconciliation, opening space for civil society and media. Some specific areas down that path include improving bilateral and multilateral exercises, restarting joint combined exchange training which we did in the past, the naval exercise CARAT (Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training). Angkor Sentinel is another example.

VOA: Your call for release the of Kem Sokha, the opposition leader, is met with a negative response from Cambodian officials. What do you think about that?

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Hun Sen rages as investors flee EU trade threat

Posted on by Posted in Economics, Education, Leadership, Politics

Global clothing brands are pulling orders from Cambodian factories in anticipation the nation will soon lose tariff-free access to European markets


មុននេះបន្តិចក្នុងខែនេះ ទស្សនាវតីសំលៀកបំពាក់Apparel Insiderបោះពុម្ពផ្សាយថា ប្រទេសកម្ពុជានឹងត្រូវបាត់បង់ការបញ្ជាទិញដ៏ធំមហិមាពីព្រោះយឺហោរធំៗអន្តរជាតិបារម្មណ៍ថាកម្ពុជាអាចនឹងបាត់បង់ការអនុគ្រោះពន្ធពិសេសអ៊ីប៊ីអេ។

អត្ថបទបានសរសេរបា្រប់ដោយមិនបញ្ចេញឈ្មោះយីហោរណាមួយជាក់លាក់ថា”ប្រភពរបស់យើងប្រាប់អំពីយីហោរមួយចំនួនបានសម្រេចចិត្តរួចជាស្រេចដើម្បីដកខ្លួនចេញពីការបញ្ជាទិញពីប្រទេសដែលនឹងជួបវិបត្តិ”។ ក្រុមហ៊ុននាំមុខគេធំៗដូចជាអាម៉ានី ហ្កាប និង អេតនិងអិម ផ្គត់ផ្គង់សំលៀកបំពាក់ពីរោងចក្រដែលមានមូលដ្ឋាននៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។

Earlier this month, the industry publication Apparel Insider reported that Cambodia is set to lose “huge swathes” of orders because international brands are fearful that it could lose EBA privileges.

“Our sources suggest a number of brands have already decided to begin pulling orders from the beleaguered country,” the article stated without naming any particular brands. Leading global companies such Armani, Gap, and H&M source clothing from Cambodia-based factories.

Op-Ed: Asia Time, By DAVID HUTT, @davidhuttjourno PHNOM PENH, JANUARY 16, 2019 5:07 PM (UTC+8)

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks during a ground breaking ceremony in Phnom Penh on January 14, 2019. Photo: AFP/Ly Lay

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks during a ground breaking ceremony in Phnom Penh on January 14, 2019. Photo: AFP/Ly Lay

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday that a dissolved opposition party will be “dead” if the European Union (EU) moves ahead with plans to withdraw his country from a tariff-reducing trade arrangement.

The threat comes amid reports that international brands are pulling contracts from Cambodia’s crucial garment and footwear sectors in anticipation of the EU possibly ending the country’s tariff-free access to European markets.

Marking his 34th year as Cambodia’s prime minister earlier this week, an anniversary that makes him one of the world’s longest serving non-royal leaders, Hun Sen launched one of his strongest tirades yet against the EU.

“There is no need to embrace [you] because it’s too late, so let it be. If we were to step on the necks [of the opposition party], it would be just like this,” he said in a public speech, referring to the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), the country’s only viable opposition party that was dissolved by the Supreme Court in November 2017.

The CNRP was accused of conspiring with the United States to conduct a “color revolution,” despite almost no evidence provided to support the allegation. The EU has pressed for the party’s reinstatement and the release of its president Kem Sokha, who has been held in pretrial detention since his arrest in September 2017 on treason charges.

“If you want the opposition dead, just cut it,” Hun Sen added, referring to the EU’s threat to withdraw Cambodia from the “Everything But Arms (EBA)” preferential trade scheme in response to his political crackdown.

“If you want the opposition alive, don’t do it and come and hold talks together,” he added, in what amounted to a possibly lethal ultimatum to the EU.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen gestures as he shouts slogans on the last day of the commune election campaign in Phnom Penh on June 2, 2017. Photo: AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy

Hun Sen gestures on the commune election campaign trail, Phnom Penh, June 2, 2017. Photo: AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy

Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), which has been in power since 1979, easily won a general election last July, at which it took all 125 seats in the National Assembly. Many Western nations considered the election illegitimate.

In principle, the EU wants Hun Sen’s government to engage in judicial and political reform, including allowances for the CNRP to return as a legal entity again. The CPP has constantly said the CNRP’s restitution is not on the table, though it has released jailed activists and conducted limited political reforms in recent months.

Some of the 177 CNRP politicians who were banned from politics in November 2017 were offered a reprieve after the government amended the constitution in December.

Those tentative reforms seemed to acknowledge the importance of maintaining access to EBA trade privileges. Cambodia exported roughly US$5.8 billion worth of goods to the EU in 2017 under the scheme.

The majority of those exports came from its vital garment and footwear sector, which accounts for almost 40% of Cambodia’s gross domestic product (GDP).

In 2016, roughly 18% of all European imports under the EBA scheme came from Cambodia, with only Bangladesh selling more. The EU has not yet formally launched the withdrawal process, though it is thought to have begun informal procedures in that direction.

In October, the European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström said that Cambodia had been notified of the EU’s position, adding that “without clear and evident [political] improvements on the ground, this will lead to the suspending of the trade preferences that they currently enjoy.”

17 December 2018, Belgium, Br¸ssel: Cecilia Malmstrˆm, EU Commissioner for Trade, interviewed in her office. Photo: Thierry Monasse/dpa

Cecilia Malmstrom, EU Commissioner for Trade, in a December 17, 2018 interview in Brussels. Photo: AFP via DPA/Thierry Monasse

Once the withdrawal process is started, it could take up to a year before the European Commission actually decides if tariffs will be placed on all Cambodian exports or just certain products. It is unlikely, unless the EU wants to be most punitive, that garment exports will be the first to face duties.

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