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An article by Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth published by the Asian Human Rights Commission

Posted on by Posted in Culture, Economics, Education, Politics, Social

FOR PUBLICATION
AHRC-ETC-004-2012
January 17, 2012

An article by Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth published by the Asian Human Rights Commission

CAMBODIA: Toppling cambodian dictators is not impossible if we think smart and act smart

My grandson, 12, a seventh grader, read “The Case for Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror” (2004), a bestseller by a former Soviet prisoner, Natan Sharansky. He passed the book to me, saying I might be interested in reading it.

I had read about Sharansky, 9 years a prisoner in the Soviet gulag; I hadn’t read his book. I immediately opened the book to pages my grandson had bookmarked: Sharansky’s distinction between “free societies” and “fear societies”; Sharansky’s description of believers, dissenters and the millions of “double thinkers” who don’t speak their thoughts because of fear of arrest, imprisonment and physical harm so they speak with their “eyes” but go through the motion of supporting rulers who are interested only in remaining forever in power.

Sharansky contends that elections are not enough to dub a society free – a free press, an independent judiciary, the rule of law must exist before genuine free elections are held. He became controversial as he blasted conservatives for placing “stability” above human rights in international relations, and liberals for failing to distinguish between struggling democracies and authoritarian regimes that overtly trample human rights. Sharansky advocates the universality of freedom and human rights.

As I browsed through the book, a Khmer saying came to my mind: “Tumpaeng snorng russey,” referring to young bamboo shoots that grow to replace aging bamboo trees – the future is in the making.

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Letter (5 November 1906) from the King of Cambodia, H.M. King Sisowath to France

Posted on by Posted in Culture, Education, Politics, Researches, Social

This document is historically and remarkably marvelous for all Koun Khmers to read and conceptualize it. It is a letter by King Sisowath to King Napoleon III to intervene the matter of border encroachment by Siam and Annam. We don’t really understand the whole story that by this letter, French protested the Siam to return back all provinces controlled by Siem to Cambodia. But at least, by the affair of colonialism to delineating its territory and the intellectual crusading for territorial independence of King Sisowath, Cambodia has been maintained its current map and national identity to the world that this greatest kingdom in the past has still remained its heritage and identity….cheer to French and Cambodian nationalist leaders!

King Sisowat letter of 1907

Courtesy of Touch B.

Letter (5 November 1906) from the King of Cambodia, H.M. King Sisowath to France

(Source: International Court to Justice, 1962a, Case Concerning the Temple of Preah Vihear. Pleadings, oral arguments, documents. The Hague)

Yours, Bora Touch
………………………

Unoficial translation

Letter from the King of Cambodia, H.M. Sisowath,
to the French Colonial Governor in Cambodia

Kingdom of Cambodia
No. 205

Office of the King
H.M. Preah Bat Samdech Preah SISOWATH Cham-Chakrapong Hakrireach Barminthor Phuvanay Kraykeofa Soulalay Preah Chao Krong Kampuchea Thippadey, King of Cambodia
To the Governor of the French Republic in Cambodia,
Phnom Penh

Mr. Governor,

At a time when France, our benefactor, is busy with the delimitation of the border of Cambodia with the former Cambodian provinces abducted by Siam, I believe that it is my duty to send you the following observations and reservations, and I am also asking you to please let these be known, at an opportune time, to the delimitation Commission which will start its works and submit them to the Government of the (French) Republic. My delegates within this Commission are also in charge of supporting the same demands in front of the Commission.

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Let collectively pray for those residents of Borei Keila who are forcibly evicted

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Source: Venerable Luon Sovath Blog

Lord Buddha teaches us to sacrifice materials, relatives, personal organs and including personal life in order to safeguard the Dhamma or the rule of laws or righteousness. In Cambodia, the current flow of her society is in reverse to this teaching. Top leaders and their colleagues seem enjoy personal gains, personal materials, personal relatives and personal power more than any other things. Their gains are at the ridge of greed, hatred and delusion. It is at a clear spot of damaging the Dhamma.

Look at the development project, Boeung Kok lake as well as Borei Keila; the residents who have been living here have continuously received unfair treatment and forcibly evicted. The status of their citizenship and the status of their human dignity have been violently perpetrated by the powerful and the riches. Nonetheless, while winners have obtained all the capacities, the losers and the bottom-line Cambodians, have become the victims. They have been victimized unjustly. Dhamma of Lord Buddha has been twisted and manipulated by the winners and the powerful. The state of the weaks and bottom-line people are visibly placed as the guilty.

Let join together to pray for the well-being and safety of those forcibly evicted residents and their young children.

Image of detaining those people in a place which are not consented by them is the grave violation of human rights.

Image of policemen equipped by guns and buttons viciously forced those innocent residents. Image of policemen kicking that small boy is a grave violation of human rights.