Public is condemning radio and TV commentator Chhim Phal Virun and government spokesperson Phay Siphan when both of them appeared among nonviolent mass demonstration on September 15th, 16th and 17th, 2013. This incident occurred after the first condemnation was happened to a news outlet manager and TV commentator Soy Sopheap who was surrounded by the youth group during his lining up to cast his vote on July 28th, 2013.
Category Archives: Social
CPP CNRP and the King: Meeting of the Announcing
In my guess, CNRP is still obtaining many means to handling political negotiations. If there is no progress on demand for change on NEC, the attendance on the first National Assembly Convention might be shamefully missed the 55 elected members. Intensifying to the existing peaceful mass demonstration, the taking over national assembly by the CNRP alone, or the power share as a hybrid opposition within the winning constituencies/provinces, all are considered effective mechanism for genuine reform and change.
Thomas Hobbs on his book of “The Leviathan” critically narrated the “state of nature”, “divine leadership” and “monarchy” as the type of government operated by the absolute and divine King. Almost 500 years now that his theory has still being embedded in Cambodia and I am keen to comment on it while the King of Cambodia: Preah Bat Norodom Sihamuni invited the top leaders of CPP and CNRP to the meeting to resolve the political deadlock caused by the recent National Election on July 28th, 2013.
Watching TVK’s video clip of shorter than 20 minutes, the meeting is about listening to the King’s letter orally read by him with an unobstructed and unnatural tone. After that, the King handed the letter to both top leaders to invite them for the first session of national assembly. This scene surely pleased Premier Hun Sen but displeased Sam Rainsy, at an incalculable level.
The Fight for People Demand and the Confrontation with the Leviathan
At the present, Cambodia has faced with the dilemma of two groups of people: the change challengers and the fans of the divinity. The election day and the subsequent days after the election roaming up to now, the cohort of youths and mass population have come out to the street to support CNRP without fear and reluctant in their expedition for change. As the matter of fact, the increase of seats of CNRP and the crowd joining with the peaceful mass demonstration manifest the truth of non-stopped challenging. The crowd is the message for civility, liberty and rights.
But for the King who has been regarded as divine by the Cambodian people issued a letter on August 30th to appeal to all Cambodian compatriots to respect the existing mechanism of NEC according to the National Constitution in which analyst posed suspect on the inconsistent letter issued on August 7th that advised both rivals to negotiate and settle down conflict peacefully. Latter on, the King issued letter to support NEC to announce the election result as mandated on its schedule. Subsequently, this face to face meeting is to pre-arrange for the King’s call for the first convention of the National Assembly on September 23rd. as mandated by the NEC mechanism.
This trend is moving reversely to the demand of the CNRP that has continuously called for the not-free and not-fair election conducted by the NEC since before and after the election. CNRP has repeatedly called for the delay of result announcement, but no one care! Now, CNRP is likely speechless as the King will convene the first National Assembly and handed the invitation letter by televising it to his people entire the country. The puzzling question is that why NEC is seen so protective especially by the divine King? Why the demand of CNRP which is representing “change challengers or civility” is not on the eye of the King?
CNRP’s leadership is going to face tough decision making as one is their challenging supporters and another is their respectful divine King. At this crossroad, politics is about “survival” and I hope it is not the “survival of the fittest” described by Darwin. For Premier Hun Sen, he is likely happy with the provision by this power of divinity in the meantime that Sam Rainsy can tell the reporters only that “meeting today is no no, nothing”.
Futurist’s Thought on the Future Monarch of Cambodia
Many observers and writers have said the same tune that the popularity and the important role of the King of Cambodia is on the rim of decline. This inclination is possibly caused by the increase in civility and respectful neutrality of the King especially during the occurring conflicts is not practical. Different from the King Father: Preah Bath Dhammakod, his presence in China is in China; no interacting letters were endorsed in Cambodia. While the King was absent, the substitute(s) can hold to power and authorize decision making vertically.
But this time, observing from letter issued on August 30th, 2013 till now, the respectful neutrality has been gradually in a loophole. As the message of the CNRP has greatly outreached to the bottom line Cambodian people on the bad credibility of the existing NEC and calling for the creation of independent co-investigator; the mediation effort of the King is to push all parties to accept the existing NEC.
What will happen NEXT?
No one know exactly what is happening NEXT because it is the myth of the politics. It is not a divine predestine but a human-oriented opportunity. The calling for mass demonstration by the CNRP on 15-16-17 of September shall be in business as usual. But to keep the flame alive on the prospect of change might be not on motion within the demonstrators. It might be on a set of classroom to instruct them about the exercise of civil rights and liberty. But it is very useful for the component of democracy that people “must be able to freely express themselves and exercise their rights without limit”, and importantly it will advocate for broader concept of “well-informed citizens”.
Mass demonstration resumed legacy blossomed
Dear Cambodian Compatriots;
Today, Cambodia has witnessed the new chapter of its history in nation building process: transforming the culture of violence into the culture nonviolence. I have read this phenomena very long time ago and I am looking forward to seeing its transcendence. Putting aside the prolific speech of Sam Rainsy, president of the CNRP, at his convincing statement at freedom park: “today we are not only witnessing the protest against injustice but we are embracing the new culture of Cambodia: the Culture of Nonviolence”, I am convinced by the peaceful environment of the mass demonstration and the many thousands enthusiastic participants.
Those demonstrators have played good role model of well-informed citizens and well-disciplined political activists to other Cambodians countrywide. The security armed force has also demonstrated their understanding on how to perform duties properly and appropriately. Both demonstrators and policemen have demonstrated maturity and they are on the verge of “well-informed citizenship and well-disciplined political professional”.
For the preconception of the civil rights and liberty, those who have restrained from all types of abuses such as physical abuses, financial abuses, sexual abuses, verbal abuses and psychological abuses, are considered REAL ACTIVISTS of CHANGE; they are the CATALYSTS for CHANGE. Violence is the change resistant. Violence is stemmed by greed, hatred and delusion. Nonviolence is blossomed by giving or sharing, compassion and wisdom.
In the past, Lord Buddha built democracy by the march for Freedom and Enlightenment. To succeed this goal, He implemented the nonviolence method diligently, intellectually and effectively. Every time, He addressed the audience of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathy, and equanimity. The core stanza of his teaching is “No Other Happiness is Greater than Peace, Nibbana is the Greatest Bliss”.
We must believe strongly on the effectiveness of this message: the message of PEACE. The mantra of PEACE and the mission of spreading PEACE have carried more weigh in bringing benefits to human beings. It doesn’t only help to disperse FEAR but also to increase CONFIDENCE and TRUST. Cambodian people especially YOUTHS have embraced this mantra since the DAWN of election campaign, and we should not allow the DUSK of this embracing mindset diminish from this beloved wonderful land.
With Love and Peace,
Sophoan
Political Analysis: State and Society, Power Kills
I would like to call for those participants in the upcoming demonstration to chant this mantra together “Natthi Santi Param Sukham, Nibbanam Paramam Sukham នត្ថិ សន្តិ បរំ សុខំ និព្វានំ បរមំ សុខំ”.
This is the stanza of nonviolence and tolerance!
As I am contemplating on the “Political Leadership”, this analysis will elaborate on new paradigm shift of Cambodia’s political challenges and the reflection of its leadership. The two premises will be discussed here: State and Society and the “Power Kills” perspective.
State and Society
30 years have been swiftly passed, Cambodian politicians are gradually influenced by the Cambodian people especially the young energetic and innovative youth. The 30% of Cambodian population is the “youth bulk” which is considered the never-dry force of society. Politicians from both parties must listen to the demand of the youth. They must not miss the important episode of youth movement to chapter new page of history in this country.
While the CNRP has been clearly confirming its goal on setting public mass demonstration, the ruling party is likely running around the bush. The goal is to demand for an independent body of a commission to investigate the Election Irregularities. However, the rhetoric is still dichotomous between the CNRP and the CPP. As the set date of demonstration is looming, the rhetoric is somehow out of context. CNRP has firmly stood on its principle of civility and the mass power of non-violence. The need for the reform as well as the independent body of the National Election Committee (NEC) is their impetus. To reach that independent solution, CNRP has called for the participation of civil society and the United Nations to co-host this investigation. But the CPP has seen the Cambodian National Constitution has allowed only NEC to task this election and the participation from other groups including the United Nations is a infringement to the National Constitution.
Nonetheless, the CPP has been seen as taking for grant from the Royal Message dated on August 30th, 2013 that it is paralleling with its former argument. Recently, the Royal Message has been criticized on its originality and authenticity.
Hence, the argument made by the CNRP has absorbed more intellectual and liberal approaches:
1. The public demonstration is guaranteed by the National Constitution. Cambodian nationals of both sex can exercise their freedom on things they have seen irregular or injustice. Their freedom of expression including the freedom of assembly and demonstration must not be deprived by any mean or restriction.
2. The democracy has been built by the concept of State and Society in which these two components are inseparable. State roughly means Elected Government from a free and fair electoral mechanism and it is distributing authority and power through servant leadership as the people are considered their master. Society legally means civilians who are actively engaging in monitoring as well as questioning the wrongdoing of the state. The important ingredient of a successful democracy is the competent participation of the civil society. I can say that Cambodian civil society has not only discouraged from the government, this important country pillar has been neglected by the government in helping to solve the national disputes.
At the moment, the Cambodian politicians must develop their political maturity by implementing rightly the provision of the National Constitution, the Principle of Democracy and the Demand of the Youths.
Power Kills
When I was enrolling “Political Leadership” for my Master’s Degree in Political Science at the University of Hawaii, I was struck by the term “Power Kills” coined by R. J. Rummel for his book “Democracy as a Method of Nonviolence”. Further to this descriptive and qualitative research of this long life masterpiece, he observed that authoritative, dictatorship, or totalitarian regimes have been gradually defeated by the growing up of democracy. Some of his examples are Idi Amin of Uganda, Augusto Pinochet of Chile, Muammar al-Qaddafi of Libya, or Park Chung Hee of South Korea.
He endorsed the nonviolence which has been successfully conducted by previous leaders such as Ghandi or Luther King. Of course, this nonviolence approach is not new, Lord Buddha utilized it effectively during his period to counter with those dictators and greedy powerful entities.
I would like to call for those participants in the upcoming demonstration to chant this mantra together “Natthi Santi Param Sukham, Nibbanam Paramam Sukham នត្ថិ សន្តិ បរំ សុខំ និព្វានំ បរមំ សុខំ”.
This is the stanza of nonviolence and tolerance!
By Sophoan
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