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Political Paradigm of Pragmatism from Khmer Youth part 16
This part 16, the author Sophan Seng describes the political leadership pragmatism by reflecting Western meaning and Cambodia political culture affected by Buddhism.
Political pragmatism means policy, platform, or political actions that are realistic and practical. It stems from combining all factors in order to select the best one.
For Cambodia, political culture of pragmatism should follow the 10 factors taught by the Buddha. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing ; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor ; nor upon what is in a scripture ; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another’s seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, “The monk is our teacher.” Kalamas, when you yourselves know: “These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,” enter on and abide in them.’ – Kalama Sutta
Leaders must design the future by using past lessons to observe the present movement. Cambodia has already experienced sweet and bitter for all leaders to achieve their future framework.
Cambodia’s Enigma by John Tully
ប្រាងប្រាសាទខ្មែរនិងរបបវាលពិឃាដ ទឹកទន្លេស័ក្តិសិទ្ធនិងព្រៃឈេីដេីរលុយមិនរួច អតីតកាលដែលពោរពេញទៅដោយភាពមហស្ចារ្យនិងភាពអម៉ាស….ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាគឺដែនដីនៃទឡ្ហីកម្ម។ សហស្សវត្សន៍កន្លងផុតទៅ ទីនេះគឺជាមហាអាណាចក្ររីកចំរេីនខ្ពស់ត្រដែតប្រកបដោយអំណាច ស្ថាបនាទីធ្លាប្រាសាទដ៏ធំស្កឹមស្កៃ។ សព្វថ្ងៃនេះ មួយពាន់ឆ្នាំកន្លងមក ត្រូវបានបំផ្លិចបំផ្លាញដោយជំលោះនិងសង្គ្រាមមហាវិនាសកម្ម ប្រទេសខ្មែរកំពុងតស៑ូក្រាញននៀលដេីម្បីប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ ហេីយស្ថិតក្នុងតំបន់ទាបបំផុតនៃចរន្តសេដ្ឋកិច្ចពិភពលោក។ កម្ពុជានៅជាប្រស្នាសំងាត់គួរអោយចាប់អារម្មណ៍សំរាប់ពិភពខាងក្រៅ។ ជាមួយនឹងទំព័រប្រវត្តិសាស្រ្តគួរអោយរន្ធត់នៃសង្គ្រាម ភាពអត់ឃ្លាន និងអំពេីឈ្លានពានបរទេសដែលបានគំរាមទៅរកមរណៈភាព ភាពបន្តដង្ហេីមរស់របស់កម្ពជាគឺជាសក្ខីភាពរបស់មនុស្សជាតិក្នុងការប្រឹងរស់អោយខាងតែបាន។ ដោយចន ធូលី ៚ បកប្រែដោយសេង សុភ័ណ
Temples and killing fields, mighty rivers and impenetrable forests, a past filled with glory and decline…Cambodia is a land of contrasts. A millennium ago it was an empire at the height of its power, building the vast temple complexes of Angkor. Now, a thousand years later, ravaged by conflict and a genocidal civil war, Cambodia finds itself struggling with democracy, and on the lowest end of the global spectrum of economic wealth.
Cambodia remains an intriguing enigma to the outside world. With a depressing record of war, famine and invasion that have all threatened to destroy it, Cambodia’s survival is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
By John Tully (2005) in his book “A Short History of Cambodia: from Empire to Survival”.
Hing Thirith who is government official but selected by the CNRP
Eventually, those nine members are expected to show their neutrality, high working ethics and capacity to drive new NEC to gain trust from Cambodian people, the political parties, and to push for genuine democratic achievement. Their crusading tasks are not yet criticized as their realism into this nation building has not yet departed. But we are eagerly looking forwards to seeing their performance after the parliament promulgated ratification.
We are surprised to see CNRP has selected diverse candidates for their own quota of four members of new National Election Committee creation. Among those, they are from NGO, from political party activist, from government official, and from women wing.
Mr. Rong Chhun is well known for his hard working to protect Cambodia interests in many occasions such as from additional border treaty between Cambodia and Vietnam, his hard working to advocate for decent wage for teachers and garment workers. His advocacy and constructive criticism towards the government officials who have abused their own power has been so outstanding.
Mr. Kuoy Bunroeun is known for his leadership as representative in Kampong Cham province and gave up his post to opening way for his president, Sam Rainsy, to pursue his political career after Cambodia court convicted him and banned him from law-maker candidacy as well as voting right because of his triumph to protect Cambodia land border.
Mrs. Te Monyrong is only woman among those nine members picked up by CNRP.
Thus, Mr. Hing Thirith is an officer of the incumbent government with the post as a prosecutor for the supreme court of Cambodia.
In contrast to the CPP that has chosen two former members of past NEC, a law-maker, and a senior officer of the Interior Ministry, the CNRP has diversified its ability to step beyond boundary by choosing members who are from civil society, feminism, and incumbent government official. Pragmatically, this party has likely pursued the policy of inclusiveness, no clinging to assign enmity among Khmer people, and be in pragmatic leadership of nonviolence and culture of dialogue.
For Hing Thirith in particular, he was once removed from the post by his own working ethics to preside over many cases in the court. Radio Free Asia English language reported in 2004 that Hing Thirith ruled over four different cases led to be attempted of removal. Among those cases was a conviction Thirith ruled out over Hun Sen’s nephew Nim Sophea for involvement in a shooting that left at least two people dead.
Political Paradigm of Pragmatism by Khmer youth part 15
For Aristotle, he keenly grouped three types of leaders as following: