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Letter to the Editor of Phnom Penh Post about the Return of H.E.Sam Rainsy
The Return of Sam Rainsy and the Unresolved Challenges
Dear Editor;
The futurists, the pragmatists and the traditionalists are now engaged in the state of strategic debate about today’s return to Cambodia of HE Sam Rainsy, after receiving a letter of pardon from the King of Cambodia.
The Futurists
This pardon is not something new as this same type of thing has happened before in Cambodian politics.
The pressure from the international community, especially the special resolution debated in the congressional’s subcommittees and the omnipresent rallies of overseas Cambodians worldwide served as more than just a spectacle for the Cambodian People’s Party in relation to their decision to request this pardon.
The term of “national reconciliation” has been used abstractly as political propaganda. However, the ruling party is stunted by the growing support, on a daily basis, of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).
The Pragmatists
The argument for this side is about the realistic situation happening in Cambodia right now. The unification of Sam Rainsy Party and Human Rights Party to form the CNRP is a very constructive model in the perception of Khmer unity and national reconstruction. Publicly, many NGOs in Cambodia have gradually pledged to vote for the CNRP. These movements don’t include those businessmen and individual Cambodians, especially the youth, who are cheerfully expressing support.
For the opposition party who has survived through the generous financial support from Cambodians overseas, this is the most crucial time to raise funds from those diaporas.
Pragmatists see the returning of Sam Rainsy as very positive for the party because it is sure to boost its popularity. While Sam Rainsy has been known for his historical courage, clean record and integrity in Cambodian politics, HE Kem Sokha who is deputy of CNRP has been known for his formidable public-speaking skills and his sharp political instincts.
The return to Cambodia of Sam Rainsy from self-exile, while avoiding a lengthy jail term, raises major concerns about his safety and access to full political freedom. Taking Philippine’s Leader Benigno Aquino as the example after returning to his home country from exile in the US, we don’t want to see this incident happen in Cambodia. More than this, HE Sam Rainsy must be able to exercise his full political career in Cambodia by including him in the voting list and candidate rolls.
The support of the intellectuals, youth and urban citizens for the CNRP can be countered with those rural Cambodians who support the ruling party. CNRP has difficulty in garnering support in those remote areas, while the media that reaches them are visibly dominated by the ruling party.
Buddhist Rain Retreat and the Election Day
First dark night of Asadh lunar calendar month is the day of Entrance of Spiritual Rain Retreat of all Buddhists. The departure conveys the Sangha Day of Buddhism in which this July 23, 2013, the Sangha will unionize to stay in one place together for the period of 3 months. Lord Buddha allowed these 3 months hibernation in the purposes to: refraining from traveling to long distance as roads are so muddy, participating in a vow of one place together, and strictly learn and practice the Dhamma.
The Sangha in general refers to Bhikkhu monks, Bhikkhuni monks, Upasaka lay men and Upasika lay women. But the strict Retreat Vow has been traditionally fully practiced by Bhikkhu monks and Samanera novices nowadays.
Cambodian Buddhists countrywide will make great merits during this important Vasa Retreat Entrance while the whole country is omnipresently visible of election campaign. As the message must be passed, the non-violence, tolerance and loving-kindness of the Buddha’s teaching, must be endorsed by all campaigners and political activists. They must go to cast their vote on the July 28, 2013 simultaneously without infusing fear, or being feared, and cast the ballot with personal strong will and conscience.
At the present, there are about 4000 monasteries residing by more than 60,000 Buddhist monks. If the rival parties are smart enough to draw votes from those monks who go to the polling station, they can sum up to their seats. And Cambodia is known as Buddhist country with the Buddhist population of more than 96%; if the political parties use their Buddhist context on campaigning, they might win the heart of the major voters to increase their seats as well as to celebrate the election at the end.
Happy Asadh Bochea Day for all Cambodians!
Sophoan
កុមារភាពរបស់ខ្ញុំនិងក្តីនឹករលឹក
Photo courtesy: Facebook
អាវក្មួយប្រុសរហែកត្រង់ក្លែកដូចអាវខ្ញុំកាលពី២០ឆ្នាំមុនដែរ កាលណោះខ្ញុំក្រណាស់ ខ្ញុំមានអាវមួយឈុតគត់សំរាប់ប្រើទាំងទៅសាលារៀន ទាំងទៅធ្វើពលកម្មនៅសាលារៀន ទាំងទៅចូលរួមបុណ្យទាន ទាំងទៅទទួលឥស្សរជនធំៗតាមបញ្ជារបស់សាលា និងទាំងការត្រៀមខ្លួនពេលណាដឹងថាអ្នកពីឆ្ងាយមកលែងផ្ទះ។ តែពេលខ្ញុំនៅផ្ទុះជាធម្មតា ធ្វើការនៅផ្ទះ ទៅស្រែ និងទៅឃ្វាលគោ ខ្ញុំប្រើខោខ្លីដោយព្រលែងខ្លួនទទេ។ តែពេលខ្ញុំមុជទឹក ខ្ញុំគ្រវែងខោខ្លីនៅលើគោក រួចលោតចូលទៅក្នុងបឹង ត្រពាំង និងស្ទឹង។
តែកុមារក្លាហានម្នាក់នេះ អាចមានសំណាងជាងខ្ញុំ ព្រោះគេមានស្បែកជើងពាក់ ទោះបីពូកែឡើងដើមឈើដូចខ្ញុំដែរ តែខ្ញុំមិនដែលស្គាល់ថាភ្នំពេញបែរមុខទៅណាទេ។ ខ្ញុំជាក្មេងកំព្រា រស់នៅតំបន់ស្រុកស្រែដាច់ស្រយាល លឺសូរតែសំលេងទីទុយខ្លែងស្រាក ហើយជានិច្ចជាកាលរំខានដោយសំលេងគ្រាប់កាំភ្លើងឆ្មាំងគ្នាឥតស្រាកស្រាន្ត។
អតីតកាលកន្លងទៅលឿនដូចផ្លេកបន្ទរ តែក្តីចងចាំនិងបទពិសោធន៍មិនដែលជ្រុះបាត់ម្តង ណាឡើយ។ ទោះបីទៅដល់ទីណា រស់នៅទីណា ឃើញការរីកចំរើនរបស់ប្រទេសគេយ៉ាង មហិមាដ៏ដោយ ក៏ក្តីនឹករលឹកភូមិកំណើត ជាពិសេសបទពិសោធន៍វ័យកុមារភាព នៅតែដិតដាមជាប់ដូចជាស្រមោលអន្ទោលតាមប្រាណអញ្ចឹង។
ខ្ញុំសូមបួងសួងអោយកុមារម្នាក់នេះ បានសំរេចគ្រប់បំណងនៃឆន្ទៈរបស់គេ ជាពិសេសការ ខិតខំរៀនសូត្រនិងការចូលរួមដឹងលឺបញ្ហាប្រទេសជាតិ-មាតុភូមិ។
H.E. Sam Rainsy Kneeled Down to Kiss His Cambodian Motherland
H.E.Sam Rainsy is kneeling down to kiss his motherland (land, soil and earth). Of course, Cambodia land is belonging to every Cambodian. But his gesture in love and homesick by such kneeling down, kissing the ground and in tears dropping down in the moment tells every Cambodian that “the bone and blood of our ancestors have become this land for all Cambodians to live till today”.
All Cambodians must love this land, take care this land and sacrifice for this land at any margin of life cost.
I could not stop my tears and I must wipe them out several times…I think you all experience the same.
If we are honest and ready to sacrifice for our beloved land, our name and our cause will be immortal. More than that, the expression of H.E.Sam Rainsy is a sign of winning at all struggles.
Lord Buddha pointed to the land as his witness when Mara (devils) tried to claim back his seat of Enlightenment. Finally, Mara was defeated and Buddha fulfilled his Attainment.
Photo Courtesy: Facebook
Photo courtesy: Facebook
