Archives
now browsing by author
Cambodia denies deal to allow armed Chinese forces at its naval base
Cambodia denies deal to allow armed Chinese forces at its naval base
ReutersJuly 21, 2019, 5:45 PM PDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – China will be able to place armed forces at a Cambodian naval base under a secret agreement the two nations have reached, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, although Cambodian officials denied such a deal had been struck.
The agreement, reached this spring but not made public, gives China exclusive access to part of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base on the Gulf of Thailand, the Journal reported, citing U.S. and allied officials familiar with the matter.
Such an arrangement would give China an enhanced ability to assert contested territorial claims and economic interests in the South China Sea, challenging U.S. allies in Southeast Asia. Chinese and Cambodian officials denied such an agreement existed, according to the Journal.
Read More …Hun Sen’s Man in Washington (State)
Hun Sen’s Man in Washington (State)
Cambodia’s strongman has found an unlikely American voice.
BY CHARLES DUNST | JULY 16, 2019, 1:47 PM
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia—Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is having trouble making friends in the United States under President Donald Trump.
While past Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama pursued tentative cooperation with Cambodia, the United States—when it is paying attention to Cambodia at all—has grown increasingly frustrated with the Hun Sen government’s authoritarianism and alignment with China. The White House has issued repeated rebukes, even cutting aid to Cambodia. And in May, three U.S. senators—Lindsey Graham, Dick Durbin, and Marco Rubio—introduced a bipartisan bill prescribing financial penalties if Cambodia does not “protect its sovereignty from interference” by China and reverse its crackdown on the political opposition.
Unable to find purchase in Washington, Hun Sen, for domestic political purposes, has turned to an unlikely next best: Washington state.
Doug Ericksen, a Republican who represents Washington state’s 42nd legislative district in the state senate and served previously as one of Trump’s campaign deputies, inearly April registered with the U.S. Justice Department as a foreign agent of the Cambodian government, cementing his status, several years in the making, as Hun Sen’s American defender-in-chief.
As relations between Phnom Penh and Washington began to sour—a rift accelerated by Hun Sen’s imprisonment of opposition leader Kem Sokha in 2017—Ericksen, a run-of-the-mill state-level Republican lawmaker, began turning up more and more in Cambodia and in Cambodian media. During visits to Cambodia beginning in 2016 that predate his formal registration as a lobbyist, he lent his voice to pro-government media outlets, which used his remarks to counter an increasingly unified chorus of Western criticism. The audience in mind is domestic: Cambodians, according to Noan Sereiboth, a blogger who leads the Cambodian youth political discussion group Politikoffee, “want the relation[ship] with the U.S. [to be] closer.” Public opinion polling tells a similar story. Hun Sen wants and perhaps needs to show that he enjoys U.S. support, even as official relations grow poorer.
To that end, as the White House condemns him and the U.S. Senate mulls economic penalties for Cambodia, Hun Sen has turned to word games to help keep up perceptions. Even in the United States, the distinction between Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital, and Washington state, in the Pacific Northwest, is the subject of occasional confusion. In Cambodia, that confusion is augmented by an understandable lack of familiarity with U.S. geography and encouraged by the Cambodian government and media, which refer to Ericksen as a senator, not as a state senator.
Read More …Hun Sen has turned to word games to help keep up perceptions.
មុនស្លាប់ តើលោក លីខ្វាន់យូ បានសរសេរដូចម្ដេចខ្លះអំពីប្រទេសកម្ពុជា?
មុនស្លាប់ តើលោក លីខ្វាន់យូ បានសរសេរដូចម្ដេចខ្លះអំពីប្រទេសកម្ពុជា?
លោកថា៖ «ប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា គឺជាមនុស្សបរាជ័យ។ ប្រទេសត្រូវខ្ទេច វណ្ណៈអ្នកមានការអប់រំរបស់ប្រទេសនេះត្រូវបានកម្ទេច [ហើយ]សេដ្ឋកិច្ចត្រូវបានបំផ្លាញ។ រដ្ឋប្រហារ*របស់លោក ហ៊ុន សែន ធ្វើអោយការចូលជាសមាជិកអាស៊ានរបស់កម្ពុជាត្រូវបានផ្អាក»។ លោក លី ខ្វាន់យូ បានបញ្ចប់ថា៖ «មេដឹកនាំបច្ចុប្បន្នរបស់[កម្ពុជា] គឺជាលទ្ធផលនៃការច្បាំងយ៉ាងជូរចត់ [និង]មួយអស់ដៃ ហើយក្នុងនោះ គូប្រជែងត្រូវបានគេកម្ទេច ឬកាច់ធ្មុង។ [មេដឹកនាំទាំងនេះ] គ្មានក្ដីមេត្តាទេ ហើយសាហាវ គឺគ្មានមនោសញ្ចេតនាជាមនុស្ស។ ប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រព្រៃផ្សៃណាស់សម្រាប់ជនជាតិខ្មែរ»។
October 12, 2018 ជុំ សុខណា ក្រឡេកក្រោយ,រណឫទ្ធិ, ហ៊ុន សែន
Before His Death, What Did Lee Kuan Yew Write about Cambodia?
ដោយ៖ ជុំ សុខណា
ភ្នំពេញ៖ លោក លី ខ្វាន់យូ(Lee Kuan Yew) គឺជាបិតាស្ថាបនិកប្រទេសសាំងកាពួរ (ឬសិង្ហបុរី) ដែលបានប្រវេប្រវាកសាងប្រទេសនៅតំបន់អាស៊ីអាគ្នេយ៍មួយនេះ ពីប្រទេសតតិយលោក រហូតមកក្លាយជាប្រទេសអ្នកមាន។ លោកធ្វើជានាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីសាំងកាពួរពីឆ្នាំ១៩៥៩ ដល់ឆ្នាំ១៩៩០ ហើយលោកទទួលមរណភាពនៅឆ្នាំ២០១៥។
លោក លី ខ្វាន់យូ ត្រូវបានគេស្គាល់ថា ជាមេដឹកនាំដែលផ្ដាច់ការ តែប្រកបដោយទស្សនវិស័យភ្លឺស្វាង។ ការដឹកនាំប្រទេសរបស់គាត់ គឺកត់សម្គាល់ដោយពង្រឹងវិន័យរបស់ប្រជាជនសាំងកាពួរម្នាក់ៗ។ ចំណុចនេះហើយ ដែលធ្វើអោយប្រទេសបស្ចឹមលោក ដែលគោរពសិទ្ធិបុគ្គលនោះ តែងតែចោទប្រកាន់លោក លី ខ្វាន់យូ ថាបានរំលោភលើសិទ្ធិឯកជនរបស់ពលរដ្ឋខ្លួន ដែលនេះក៏ជាប្រធានបទសួរដេញដោលមួយដែរ នៅពេលដែលលោកត្រូវបានអញ្ជើញអោយថ្លែងទៅកាន់សភារួមរបស់សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិកនៅខែតុលា ឆ្នាំ១៩៨៥។
ប៉ុន្តែទោះជាយ៉ាងណាក៏ដោយ ក្រោយពីបានមើលឃើញភាពជោគជ័យនៃការកសាងរដ្ឋសាំងកាពួរ ពិភពលោកបានផ្ដល់តម្លៃយ៉ាងខ្លាំងចំពោះទស្សនៈរបស់លោក។ ក្នុងនោះរួមមានការរៀបចំវេទិកាជាច្រើន ដែលអញ្ជើញលោកធ្វើជាវាគ្មិន ទោះបីជាលោកមានវ័យជរាណាស់ទៅហើយក៏ដោយ។ មនុស្សនៅតែចាប់អារម្មណ៍ចង់ស្ដាប់គំនិតរបស់លោកក្នុងការដឹកនាំប្រទេសនានា ដែលរាប់តាំងពីអ្នកសួរចង់អោយលោកផ្ដល់យោបល់ពីរបៀបដឹកនាំប្រទេសឥណ្ឌា រហូតដល់វៀតណាម។
មុនលោកស្លាប់ លោកក៏បាននិពន្ធសៀវភៅមួយក្បាលដែលបោះពុម្ពនៅឆ្នាំ២០០០ និងមានចំណងជើងថា៖ «ពីប្រទេសតតិយលោក មកកាន់ប្រទេសបឋមលោក(From Third World To First)»។ នៅក្នុងសៀវភៅដែលមានកម្រាស់ ៧២៩ទំព័រនេះ ក៏មាននិយាយអំពីប្រទេសកម្ពុជាប្រហែល ៤ទំព័រដែរ។ នេះអាចប្រហែលមកពីប្រទេសកម្ពុជាមិនសូវសំខាន់ ឬក៏លោក លី ខ្វាន់យូ ផ្ទាល់មានទំនាក់ទំនងតិចតួចជាមួយកម្ពុជា។
នៅក្នុងការនិយាយអំពីប្រទេសកម្ពុជានេះ លោក លី ខ្វាន់យូ បាននិយាយទៅដល់ឥស្សរជននយោបាយសំខាន់ៗចំនួន ៣រូប គឺសម្ដេច សីហនុ ទ្រង់ រណឫទ្ធិ និងលោក ហ៊ុន សែន។
ចំពោះសម្ដេច សីហនុ លោក លី ខ្វាន់យូ បានប្រើពាក្យបរិយាយយ៉ាងដូច្នេះថា៖ «[សម្តេច] សីហនុ គឺជាមនុស្សមានប្រជាប្រិយក្រៃលែង ឆ្លៀវឆ្លាតខ្លាំង និងពោរពេញដោយថាមភាព និងការរីករាយជាមួយជីវិត។ គាត់មានលក្ខណៈ និងបែបបទជាសុភាពបុរសបារាំងដែលមានការអប់រំ ក្នុងនោះរួមទាំងអាកប្បកិរិយា និងឫកពារ ហើយគាត់និយាយភាសាអង់គ្លេសស្ទីលបារាំង»។
សម្ដេចព្រះ នរោត្តម សីហនុ អតីតព្រះមហាក្សត្រខ្មែរ។
លោក លី ខ្វាន់យូ បានពិពណ៌នាអំពីទ្រង់បន្ថែមថា៖ «ព្រះអង្គម្ចាស់អង្គនេះឆេវឆាវ(mercurial) ប្រតិកម្មរហ័សទៅកាន់ពាក្យរិះគន់។ គាត់តែងតែឆ្លើយតបនឹងអត្ថបទសារព័ត៌មានទាំងឡាយណា ដែលមានលក្ខណៈរិះគន់។ នយោបាយ សម្រាប់គាត់គឺសារព័ត៌មាន និងការលេចមុខជាសាធារណៈ»។
Read More …Cambodia’s PM Hun Sen Dismisses Calls For Resignation, Vows to ‘Wage War’ on Opposition
Cambodia’s PM Hun Sen Dismisses Calls For Resignation, Vows to ‘Wage War’ on Opposition
Op-Ed: RFA, 2019-05-30
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen delivers a speech during the 25th International Conference on The Future Of Asia in Tokyo, May 30, 2019.
AFP
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday brushed aside calls by members of the Cambodian diaspora in Japan to resign, pledging instead to “wage war” against his country’s banned opposition party and vowing to “destroy” its acting president, Sam Rainsy.
During the third day of his May 28-31 visit to Tokyo to attend the 25th session of the Future of Asia conference, Hun Sen told regional leaders during a speech that he has no plans to step down or to back off former members of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which Cambodia’s Supreme Court dissolved in November 2017 for its alleged role in a plot to topple the government.
“I am declaring today that we will continue to implement legal measures against those who are being charged [with crimes],” Hun Sen said, referring to members of the CNRP leadership in exile, including Sam Rainsy, who fled the country in 2016 to avoid what he says are politically motivated convictions, and has worked to gather support for the party abroad.
“Meanwhile, I am waging war against a person [Sam Rainsy] who has claimed to have established a movement in Japan, Thailand and Cambodia to stage a war against me,” he added, calling the CNRP chief “a dog that I need to destroy.”
As long as the CNRP “continues to wage a war against me, I will continue to fight them,” Hun Sen vowed.
The 2017 Supreme Court ruling banning the CNRP paved the way for Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) to steamroll a general election in July last year widely seen as unfree and unfair, amid a wider crackdown on the opposition, NGOs and the independent media.
In addition to ongoing political restrictions on former CNRP officials, authorities have summoned dozens of former CNRP members in Battambang and Kampong Thom provinces for questioning in recent weeks for allegedly violating the Supreme Court decision after they were seen in public eating noodles together or had expressed support in social media posts for the party’s leaders.
Anti-Hun Sen protests
On Thursday, more than 30 members of Japan’s Cambodian diaspora held a protest outside of Hun Sen’s hotel in Tokyo, carrying banners demanding that he step down, and urging China to stop supporting his rule.
They also gathered outside of the home of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and in front of the National Diet of Japan, or parliament, shouting “Hun Sen must go” and likening him to Pol Pot, under whose 1975-79 Khmer Rouge regime an estimated 3 million Cambodians are believed to have died.
Several protesters told RFA’s Khmer Service that they had left Cambodia to find work in Japan because they lacked opportunities back home, including Nep Bora, who said she envies Japanese citizens because “their government is taking care of them.”
“Hun Sen has been in power for about 40 years, but we don’t even have enough water and electricity,” she said of Southeast Asia’s longest ruling strongman.
Others highlighted governance issues under Hun Sen’s watch that include forest destruction, land disputes, rampant corruption, and widespread poverty.
In response to Hun Sen’s comments on Thursday, Sam Rainsy told RFA that the CNRP has no intention of starting a war against the prime minister, who he labeled a “gangster” that resorts to “abusive language.”
“We don’t regard Cambodians as enemies,” he said.
“Hun Sen is waging a war against Cambodians … I am appealing to Cambodians to oppose this dictator to prevent him from destroying our nation.”
Political analyst Lao Mong Hay warned that the war of words between Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy is affecting Cambodia’s international reputation.
He also suggested that Hun Sen’s threats are part of a bid to dissuade Sam Rainsy from returning to Cambodia, as he has vowed to do this year so that he can lead the opposition to victory over the ruling party.
Members of the Cambodian diaspora in Japan display a banner used in a protest against Hun Sen in Tokyo, May 30, 2019. Credit: RFA listenersUS relations
While in Japan, Hun Sen expressed gratitude to his hosts for contributing to Cambodia’s development through financing and infrastructure, as well as investment by the Japanese private sector, and called for additional assistance from Tokyo going forward.
Read More …