Friday, June 3, 2011
Op-Ed by Tymonthy Chhim
Originally posted at: http://timothychhim.blogspot.com/2011/06/little-leak-little-lie.html
KI-Media Note: We understand that Mr. Timothy Chhim was a candidate for the HRP during the 2008 legislative election.
Pictures and comments on the left are from KI-Media blogspot.com.
A secret phone talk between Samdech Hun Sen and Kem Sokha on July 25, 2007 has brought storms of criticisms from all sides.
The leak had caused Kem Sokha to become the instant spin doctor for his HRP trying to explain why he had to speak to Premier Hun Sen regarding their strategy to weaken SRP, etc…(click here to read the transcript).
In Cambodian politics, lies can be called maneuvers. When a politician lies and get caught he may get away with it, if he/she can charm his/her way out of such a deception. After all, many voters may have a short memory.
Kem Sokha’s reasons why he needed to talk to Samdech Decho Hun Sen are ridiculous and unreasonable for many of us, but those who are on his side including his yes-men/women will find ways and means to justify Kem Sokha’s actions.
One may question why many other party’s leaders were not given the same opportunity (or didn’t need) to talk with the premier to get his green light. However, Kem Sokha believes it is OK to have some candid conversations with different party leaders; after all Samdech is a Khmer, too (!).
It pays to know someone on the top, doesn’t it?
Some HRP’s members might suggest HRP’s Disciplinary Committee to take some actions against Kem Sokha, except they knew too little how HRP operates. The “democratic processes” inside this party exist only on paper. What Kem Sokha wants, Kem Sokha gets it. Nepotism does exist.
Many HRP’s founders and key members have left because they had lost confidence in Kem Sokha and his organization. Others, who got smarter, have completely stopped supporting HRP. Nevertheless, other fanatic members will continue to believe in his “maneuvers” hoping some days they will reap personal and political benefits together. Those who knew about the talk (between Samdech and Kha) or other secrets and believed they were misled have already made their decision to jump ship.
It is believed that after this first little leak and little lie; many HRP members will have to reconsider their support. Members who believe that Kem Sokha directly or indirectly deals with Samdech Decho, will probably have to join CPP openly rather than working with its proxy.
SRP on the other hand will reap some immediate benefits from the leak. Many SRP’s leaders have questioned Kem Sokha’s motive and sincerity well ahead of the inception date of HRP.
The relationship between SRP and Kem Sokha turned bitter when SRP boycotted all Kem Sokha’s CCHR public forums in the early part of 2006 claiming that Kem Sokha had repeatedly attacked SRP in the open.
Recently, Kem Sokha stated that the difference between him and Sam Rainsy was like oil to water. If that is the case, what can we say about his relationship with Samdech?
Kem Sokha’s attitude toward SRP seems to be consistent. His conversation with Premier Hun Sen further reveals his true intention: to split SRP.
His primary target was not the CPP but the oppositions. Cambodian professional politicians who live on politics know very well that most members of the CPP are completely loyal to their leaders at all levels. There is little chance any CPP member will jump ship to be with a HRP; therefore, it is obvious that the creation of HRP has only helped weaken SRP as well as other oppositions.
Meanwhile, some Khmer overseas are still vulnerable to the belief that many members of the ruling party as well as the other oppositions will switch to support HRP because Kem Sokha’s HRP is “the best and the last choice Cambodians have.”
However, such a theory was just a propaganda aiming to find monetary support from naïve Cambodians abroad. It is unquestionable that the overseas Khmers love Cambodia and its people that is why some shrewd politicians manage to use the pain and suffering of poor Cambodians to squeeze our heart, soul and bank account.
More and more Cambodians in Cambodia now are much better off than they were and yet HRP have not been able to raise enough funds to support its operation. What are they trying to tell us?
Regardless of what Kem Sokha says or swears, the private discussion between him and Hun Sen helps enlighten Cambodian people that both HRP and CPP do have at least one common goal and the same opponent: the Sam Rainsy Party.
With this in mind Cambodians can put an end to their long waiting dream—a unity among the Non-CPP. At the end the CPP and its affiliates will be the winner(s).
A little leak, a little lie and it is little too late for the UNITY.
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Posted By Khmer Democrat to KI Media at 6/04/2011 05:42:00 AM
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