Culture

now browsing by category

 
Posted by: | Posted on: June 5, 2019

Letter to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore

Dear Mr. Lee;

Just your word to last tribute to the death of your friend, Cambodian incumbent authoritative and illegitimate leaders, both elders and youngs, have come out to denounce you. As I am younger generation, Cambodia is shameful by those irrational leaders who are very defensive, conservative, and radical in protecting foreigner like Vietnam. When they come out to denounce your statement about past invasion of Vietnam into Cambodia’s soil, it is not different from anti-national interests, anti-national constitution, and anti- the will of Cambodian people.

The CPP has been astute in their defending the action of Vietnam’s presence in Cambodia by claiming such action as liberation, not invasion…hence, their claim has resulted of losing support from Cambodian voters until they have decisively turned to use mean of last resort to renew power by using the Supreme Court to dissolve the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) without having credible legal cause. By this gross act against the will of Cambodian people, CPP under Hun Sen leadership has likely changed to the Khmer Rouge leadership style by turning back on their own people or Westerners called “Enemy of the People”. Such heretic and paranoid power thirst, history of atrocity and crime against humanity would be possibly repeated itself.

There are also weirdest reaction from youngsters of those elites of Cambodia. They came out to denounce your statement and praise the Vietnamese. Those youngsters have been really domesticated by their elders to conduct “outward” policy towards foreigner such as Vietnam at the expenses of Cambodia’s interests. Those youngsters are believably groomed by corruption, entitlement and wealth without carrying basic humanity such as social justice, code of ethics, integrity, professionalism, and hard working to leapfrog from the incumbent political behaviour of division and serving foreign’s interests. Sometime, their graduation from Western sphere is just a brand to continually manipulate Cambodian public as their mindset and political behaviour are at the same baseline of their parents.

Sincerely yours,

Sophoan Seng

Lee Kuan Yew mentioned the Vietnam Invasion of Cambodia
Posted by: | Posted on: May 24, 2019

Cambodia’s opposition faces renewed crackdown amid China shift

As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears.

The family said they were told by prison officials that Rorn had a seizure, hit his head and died – but they dispute the story. According to Tita, Rorn had no history of epilepsy and his injuries did not seem consistent with a seizure.

After the funeral, Tita fled the village. He said police had come looking for him at his home on two occasions.

“I am scared but I want to tell the truth and I want justice,” he said.

Cambodia’s opposition faces renewed crackdown amid China shift

Op-Ed: Al Jazeera

With senior leaders jailed or exiled, local and regional supporters of opposition report attacks and harassment.by Andrew Nachemson & Yon Sineat19 May 2019

CNRP leader Kem Sokha greets supporters on the last day of campaigning ahead of local elections in 2017. He was detained a few months later and remains under house arrest [File: Heng Sinith/AP Photo]
CNRP leader Kem Sokha greets supporters on the last day of campaigning ahead of local elections in 2017. He was detained a few months later and remains under house arrest [File: Heng Sinith/AP Photo]

MORE ON CAMBODIA

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Nol Puthearith was a security guard at the headquarters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), and continued to watch over the building in the Cambodian capital even after the main opposition party itself was forcibly dissolved by the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Chinese investment brings casinos to Cambodia (2:34)

Last month, he was attacked by a group of strangers.

“They beat me until I was unconscious,” said Puthearith, who has supported the opposition and acted as a bodyguard for party leaders since the late 1990s. “I have no idea who they are and I can’t identify them.”

A week after the April 13 attack in Phnom Penh, another opposition member named Tith Rorn was taken to a police station in Kampong Cham province for questioning over a crime that had taken place more than a decade ago.

Cambodian court issues arrest warrants for top opposition leaders

While not directly related, the two events are part of what some observers see as a pattern of ongoing abuse and intimidation against political opponents of Hun Sen, exacerbated by a recent threat by the European Union to cancel its preferential Everything But Arms (EBA) trade agreement with Cambodia over its human rights record.

Hun Sen has accused the EU of holding Cambodia hostage and warned that he would renew his crackdown on the opposition if Europe did not relent.

Lee Morgenbesser, author of Behind the Facade: Elections under Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia, said that while the CNRP is officially disbanded, the government still fears its influence because its supporters have been driven underground.

“Hun Sen’s government has eliminated the threat of the CNRP at the national level, but it has much work to do at the local level,” he explained. “The problem for Hun Sen now is identifying who to repress, how to repress them and when to repress them.”

The CNRP’s leader Kem Sokha remains under house arrest after he was detained at the end of 2017 and accused of treason.

The party itself, which came a close second in the 2013 national elections and in the 2017 local polls, was dissolved two years ago on spurious allegations of attempted revolution aided by the United States. The move ensured that Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) secured every one of the 125 seats in the National Assembly in last year’s election.

Although there was a relaxation of political repression after the polls and many political prisoners were released, including 14 members of the CNRP, the attacks on opposition supporters have now resumed.

CNRP member Kong Mas, who supported cancelling the EBA, was arrested for incitement in January.


Tith Rorn, a supporter of Cambodia’s opposition CNRP who was detained over a fight that happened 13 years ago and died in mysterious circumstances in prison three days later [Al Jazeera]

Beatings, assaults

At least three individuals, including Puthearith, have been assaulted in cases the party claims are politically motivated since March.

Rorn, the CNRP coordinator, was arrested on April 15 over a fight with a pro-government activist that took place 13 years ago, well beyond the statute of limitations. He later died in prison.READ MORE

Trick or real? CNRP split over Cambodia move to ease politics ban

After the altercation, Rorn fled to Anlong Veng near the Thai border but came home from time to time. He had been living in the village for about a year when the police came for him.

“On the second day of Khmer New Year at 7:30 in the morning, police came and said they needed to take him for questioning,” his father, Eam Tita, a provincial coordinator for the CNRP in Kampong Cham, told Al Jazeera from an undisclosed location.

“After they took him for questioning, he never came back and three days later police told my neighbour that my son had died.”

As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears.

The family said they were told by prison officials that Rorn had a seizure, hit his head and died – but they dispute the story. According to Tita, Rorn had no history of epilepsy and his injuries did not seem consistent with a seizure.

“There were bruises all over his body like he had been beaten and his neck was broken,” Tita said. The family was unable to get a doctor to do an official autopsy, because doctors in the area were too scared to get involved.

After the funeral, Tita fled the village. He said police had come looking for him at his home on two occasions.

“I am scared but I want to tell the truth and I want justice,” he said.


Popular opposition figure Sin Rozeth takes a selfie with a supporter after being interrogated for more than four hours by a provincial court in Battambang [Andrew Nachemson/Al Jazeera]

Strengthening grip

On May 10, Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a group of MPs from around Southeast Asia, called for an independent investigation into Rorn’s death. In a statement, the group urged the Cambodian government to stop targeting members of the opposition.

“The continued attacks on the opposition shows that the government has no interest in meaningful dialogue, but is only concerned with strengthening its own grip on power,” said Charles Santiago, APHR chairman and a Malaysian MP, said in the statement.

Last week, the US State Department also released a statement expressing concern and calling for an investigation, as well as for the release of Kem Sokha.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur, Rhona Smith, has also expressed worry, noting “few tangible improvements” in the political environment.

“I remain concerned that pressure on former members of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party continue unabated,” she said in a press conference at the end of a fact-finding mission on May 9.

Puthearith, the security guard, fled to Thailand after he was attacked, but he says colleagues informed him that police have come looking for him three times. He fears he might be permanently detained or worse.

“I’m very concerned for my safety, that’s why I fled Cambodia. What happened to me is politically motivated because I didn’t know those people and I also don’t have any conflict with anyone,” Puthearith said.


Smith: ‘I remain concerned that pressure on former members of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party continue unabated’ [Heng Sinith/AP Photo]

‘Seek refugee status, not a problem’

Read More …
Posted by: | Posted on: May 1, 2019

Toby Leung’s Charity Work Improves Lives of Child Sex Trafficking Victims

យោងតាមអត្ថបទនេះ ការជួញដូរមនុស្សនិងការលក់ក្មេងស្រីទៅបំរើពេស្យាចារគឺមានស្អេកស្អៈនៅប្រទេសខ្មែរ។ ក្នុងរបាយការណ៌នេះ ក្នុងមួយឆ្នាំអង្គការAIMរំដោះក្មេងបាន១៦០០នាក់ អាយុរវាង៨ទៅ១៨ឆ្នាំ។ មានក្មេងស្រីអាយុ១៤ឆ្នាំត្រូវបានជួយសង្គ្រោះ តែជាអកុសលមុនការសង្គ្រោះ២២ថ្ងៃ ក្មេងស្រីម្នាក់នេះត្រូវបានគេរំលោភផ្លូវភេទដោយមនុស្ស១៨៩នាក់។ ដែលគួរអោយរន្ធត់បំផុតគឺព្រោះតែភាពក្រីក្រ កូនស្រីអាយុ២ឆ្នាំក៏ត្រូវបានម្តាយលក់ទៅអោយមេបនដែរ។ រឿងនេះ ធ្វើអោយយើងនឹកដល់លោករ៉ាត់ រត្នមុនី ដែលគ្រាន់តែថៃបកអោយទូរទស្សន៌រុស្សុីថតរឿងការលក់កូនស្រីធ្វើពេស្យាចារ ត្រូវបានតុលាការដាក់ឃុំឃាំងបន្សល់ទុកអោយភរិយានិងកូនតូចរស់នៅកណ្តោចកណ្តែង។ នេះជាបទរំលោភសិទ្ធិមនុស្សធ្ងន់ធ្ងរដោយតុលាការអសមត្ថភាពមួយនេះ។ រដ្ឋាភិបាលហាក់ដូចជាជំនាញខាងមិនទទួលស្គាល់សេចក្តីពិតដើម្បីដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាពិត ដោយប្រើប្រាស់តុលាការដើម្បីការពារមុខមាត់ខាងក្រៅក្នុងន័យប្រជាភិថុតិប្រជាពលរដ្ឋខ្លួនឯង។ សូមតុលាការពិចារណាដោះលែងលោករ៉ាត់ រត្នមុនីជាបន្ទាន់ដើម្បីទទួលស្គាល់ការពិតនៃជំងឺសង្គមមួយនេះនិងរួមគ្នាដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាដោយសុទ្ធិចិត្តទាំងអស់គ្នា។

Toby Leung’s Charity Work Improves Lives of Child Sex Trafficking Victims

By hailey on May 1, 2019 in NEWS Op-Ed: Jayne Star

Toby Leung’s Charity Work Improves Lives of Child Sex Trafficking Victims
Cambodian young prostitution outraged 1
Cambodian young prostitution outraged 2

Cambodian young prostitution outraged 3

Cambodian young prostitution outraged 4

Cambodian young prostitution outraged 5

At the end of April,Toby Leung (梁靖琪) and a group of successful businesswomen in Hong Kong set off to Cambodia as volunteers to support the Agape International Missions (AIM). The charitable organization hopes to help child sex trafficking victims by creating safe housing and teaching survival skills. Toby hopes to rebuild the girls’ confidence and give them a new chance in life.

Last November, Toby first spoke about her visit to Cambodia to help child sex trafficking victims. Her accounts that girls as young as two years old were sold into prostitution by their own parents shocked many, but also raised awareness in how people can help.

“The plane ride from Hong Kong is only two hours, but it’s a completely different world [in Cambodia]. The rescued girls are all very pure and innocent; a little toy can make them really happy. It is hard to believe that they had experienced such trauma. Due to poverty, some two year-old girls are sold into prostitution, losing their childhood innocence at such a young age,” Toby said.

The 36-year-old actress is a big supporter of AIM because they rescue approximately 1,600 young girls from the ages of 8 to 18 every year. Aside from Toby, many other successful women joined the mission, including a member of the Hong Kong Bar Association, a jewelry brand owner, and an event planner.

Realizing the impact their efforts leave, female volunteers usually return to Cambodia for multiple missions. One of the volunteers recounted a story where a 14-year-old girl was sold, and was eventually rescued. Unfortunately, during the 22 days of waiting for help, 198 people raped her. This story always brings tears to her eyes. Another volunteer shared the story of an 8-year-old survivor who was eventually adopted in the United States and later started her own business as an adult. She now joins these types of missions to help other unfortunate young girls.

Read More …
Posted by: | Posted on: April 28, 2019

Did Socrates corrupt the mindset of Athens youths?

Quotes of Socrates=សុភាសិតពីលោកសូក្រាត

An unexamined life is not worth living.
ជីវិតដែលមិនបានពិនិត្យដិតដល់គឺរស់ទាំងគ្មានតំលៃ

True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing.
ចំណេះដឹកពិតប្រាកដមាននៅក្នុងការដឹងគឺអ្នកមិនដឹងអ្វីទាំងអស់។

To find yourself, think for yourself.
ចង់រកខ្លួនឯងអោយឃើញ គិតខ្លួនឯង

When the debate is over, slander becomes the tool of the loser.
ពេលការដេញដោលបានបញ្ចប់ ការជេរប្រមាទនឹងក្លាយទៅជាឧប្បករណ៌សម្រាប់អ្នកចាញ់។

Beware the barrenness of a busy life.
ចូរប្រុងប្រយ័ត្នពីភាពឥតន័យពីជីវិតរវល់ជាប់ជានិច្ច។

Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.
ការអប់រំគឺជាដើមចមនៃអណ្តាតភ្លើង មិនមែនជាការដាក់បំពេញទៅក្នុងប្រឆេះទេ។

By all means marry: if you get a good wife, you’ll become happy; if you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher.
និយាយគ្រប់បញ្ហានៃអាពាហ៌ពិពាហ៌៖ ប្រសិនបើអ្នករកបានភរិយាល្អ អ្នកនឹងមានសុភមង្គល តែបើអ្នករកបានភរិយាអាក្រក់ អ្នកនឹងក្លាយទៅជាអ្នកទស្សនៈវិជ្ជា។

There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.
មានអំពើល្អតែមួយគត់គឺវិជ្ជា និងអំពើអាក្រក់តែមួយគត់គឺអវិជ្ជា។

I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
ខ្ញុំមិនអាចបង្រៀននរណាម្នាក់បានទេ ខ្ញុំអាចគ្រាន់តែធ្វើអោយពួកគេគិតប៉ុណ្ណោះ។

តាមពិតសិស្សរបស់សូក្រាតគឺប្លាតូបានបកស្រាយយ៉ាងច្បាស់អំពីការចោទប្រកាន់នោះ ហើយការចោទប្រកាន់ដែលពោរពេញទៅដោយលោភៈដូចជាពួកSophistsក្រុមអ្នកនយោបាយពុករលួយច្រណែន ដោយទោសៈគឺការខឹងទៅលើពាក្យសូមទោសApologyរបស់សូក្រាតនៅចំពោះមុខតុលាការ ដែលប្រការនេះមិនមែនជាការទទួលកំហុសថាពង្វក់យុវជនអោយប្រព្រឹត្តអំពើពុករលួយទេតែជាការការពារខ្លួនself-defenceប៉ុណ្ណោះ និងមោហៈគឺការវង្វេងពីការពិតរបស់តុលាការជាពិសេសគណៈវិនិច្ឆ័យJuryដែលត្រវបានគ្របដណ្តប់ដោយអវិជ្ជាគឺជំនឿលើអាទិទេពក្រិចសម័យនោះយូរយារមកណាស់មកហើយ ផ្ទុយពីសូក្រាតដែលរមែងប្រកាន់ខ្ជាប់លើសច្ចធម៍Truthប៉ុណ្ណោះ។

Plato’s Apology of Socrates: 10 Key points