Tuesday, July 14, 2009

CPP Prime minister Hun Sen (L) and SRP MP Mu Sochua (R)

In the early 1980, I came across a book called “The Chocolate War”, written by Robert Comier, Australian High school chose this book to be part of their 11 curriculum, those who read this book would realize the story in The Chocolate War and the lawsuit between MP Mu Sochua and Prime Minister Hun Sen has some resemblance. In The Chocolate War, “The world created by school and The Vigils-the seemingly natural order of things. The Vigils are strong enough to impact that natural order, and a large part of their power grows from the fact that what they say goes. Defying them is to defy something huge and it creates giant waves and disturbs the universe. The goal of The Vigils is to create their own universe that all of the students must follow the rules that they've set. Eventually, The Vigils end up creating a universe so powerful that no one dare defy it”.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the universe here is the world created by the ruling party - Cambodian People Party (CPP) and it public servants. As in The Chocolate War, it power grows from the fact that what they say goes. Defying them is to defy something huge and it creates giant waves and disturbs the universe, until MP Mu Sochua comes along … MP Mu Sochua dares to disturb the universe!

Sound like a scene from an epic20movie, it started when MP Mu Sochua (Sam Rainsy party) announced at the press conference that she is considering legal action in Cambodia’s courts against the Prime Minister of the country. Just the idea would send cool shivering through your spine, the road of no return. Whether the term cheung klang or the fact that Prime minister Hun Sen warned the villagers not to seek help from opposition which make MP Mu Sochua get out of her comfort zone and sue Prime Minister Hun Sen.

MP Mu Sochua disturbs the universe and by doing so wakes up many, the CPP and it public servants now want her blood for disturbs the universe.

Cambodian likes many other Asian nations, “lose face” considered to be the most sacred and one would do anything to protect. The case of MP Mu Sochua vs Prime Minister Hun Sen, is a sensitive matter and it is more or less a fight to save face, at least from the Prime Minister team. Once the story of MP Mu Sochua announced her intention to sue Prime Minister Hun Sen surface in Cambodian Newspaper, as expected the counter attack from Prime Minister Hun Sen legal team, the counter lawsuit. This is the first in Cambodian history. According many observers, the battle between MP Mu Sochua vs Prime Minister Hun Sen ended before it even begin. Many will choose to remember MP Mu Sochua dares to disturb the universe. What follows will be a bonus.

In the book of “The Chocolate war” , the psychological warfare is being employed, Archie (one of the character), “he does not often resort to flat out fighting or physical bullying because cuts and bruises heal too quickly. He wants to punish students in a way that they cannot forget for a long time”. … traumatized the student, the feeling of paranoid, lose hope is far worst then a physical beating”. The recent action by MP Mu Sochua’s lawyer or former lawyer, Kong Sam Onn, who written an apology to Prime Minister Hun Sen and applied to join the ruling Cambodian People's Party, this is just a beginning.

We expect more, like in the book of The Chocolate War, the power of fear what makes every CCP members and the public servant go out their way ensured that Prime Minister Hun Sen remain in control, fear is the reason what make CCP members and the public servants do what Prime Minister Hun Sen says. Even if they have contemplate disturbing the universe they are simply too afraid to. Manipulation and the power of fear what make Cambodian court rejected MP Mu Sochua’s lawsuit. Manipulation and the power of fear what make the parliament vote to strip MP Mu Sochua’s parliament immunity.

We are not a group of activists, we are Sam Rainsy party, an alternative government. 1, 316, 714 Cambodian (21.91% of the total voters) put us there to represent them. We can be fear if we are alone, but together we fear no more.

Political=2 0landscape in Cambodia has changed, CCP government is now recognized as a legitimate government by international body. We, Sam Rainsy Party needs to be flexible and adapt to change, this is where policy makers join hands. We need to appeal to the people of Cambodia, we need to change the mentality of the Cambodian people - let them know that we stand shoulder to shoulder and strive for the best for all Cambodian, not just for those that believe in Sam Rainsy.

International government can do so much, but when it comes to their national interest there is a big question, American would not and will not jeopardize Chevron, Caltex in Cambodia… Australian government has BP just to name a few.

If SRP does it right, it will be like a call for unity. Many Cambodian, like myself grow up during the Khmer Rouge time, to survive one need to act as dumb, deaf or mute and turn our blind eyes to everything we see or hear, leave alone dare to sue the Head of state. More than a decade later we force to walk on the same road, a déjà vu. This is not what we want our young to embrace and grown up with, on the contrary, this vicious cycle must end so our youth can look up high and be proud to be whose they want to be!

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