The pressure is on
Four US senators want to impose a sanction on Cambodia because of the reckless action of the Strongman and SKP lifting immunity of 3 SRP MPs.
Hopefully Secretary of State Condi Rice will give a strong warning to the Strongman and SKP and start banning the visas for those who voted for the lifting of immunity. These people like to come to the US and send their children to study in the US. They must be accountable for what they did. Therefore ban them from the US including those Cambodian-Americans who're subservient to the Strongman and SKP.
Princess Vicheara, who came to the US for help before, said that Senator Mc Connell was a dictator. She supported the lifting of immunity because the 3 SRP MPs were not there to defend themselves. So it looks like she played naivety not knowing that the NA is just a rubber stamp and that she herself, who used to be outspoken, is now docile like a sheep. She has been tamed by the Strongman. What's the price for siding with the Strongman? To remain as an MP with all the perks. It's very sad to see her fallen into the grip of the Strongman and her nephew SKP. She stops living in reality any more. She just burned the bridges. She has no need for the US any more.
How about SKP who declared that it was impossible for the NA to lift his immunity because the opposition could not master the two thirds vote. So he has nothing to fear about SR's lawsuits against him. What does that mean? Is there justice in Cambodia?
How about the Strongman? He said that whoever dared to challenge and defame him had to be jailed. So who is the dictator?
The pressure is on. Ban these people from entering the US.
Hopefully Secretary of State Condi Rice will give a strong warning to the Strongman and SKP and start banning the visas for those who voted for the lifting of immunity. These people like to come to the US and send their children to study in the US. They must be accountable for what they did. Therefore ban them from the US including those Cambodian-Americans who're subservient to the Strongman and SKP.
Princess Vicheara, who came to the US for help before, said that Senator Mc Connell was a dictator. She supported the lifting of immunity because the 3 SRP MPs were not there to defend themselves. So it looks like she played naivety not knowing that the NA is just a rubber stamp and that she herself, who used to be outspoken, is now docile like a sheep. She has been tamed by the Strongman. What's the price for siding with the Strongman? To remain as an MP with all the perks. It's very sad to see her fallen into the grip of the Strongman and her nephew SKP. She stops living in reality any more. She just burned the bridges. She has no need for the US any more.
How about SKP who declared that it was impossible for the NA to lift his immunity because the opposition could not master the two thirds vote. So he has nothing to fear about SR's lawsuits against him. What does that mean? Is there justice in Cambodia?
How about the Strongman? He said that whoever dared to challenge and defame him had to be jailed. So who is the dictator?
The pressure is on. Ban these people from entering the US.
posted by Proleung at
6:50 PM
2 Comments:
February 3, 2005
The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520
Dear Madam Secretary:
We know you share our grave concern with recent events in Cambodia and their implications for the democratic development of that country. The National Assembly’s reckless actions will have serious repercussions on the U.S.-Cambodia relationship.
The secret vote to strip the parliamentary immunity of three members of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), including opposition leader Sam Rainsy himself, is the latest attempt to sideline and silence the courageous reformers in that country. We understand that Cheam Channy has already been arrested, and that warrants may be issued for Chea Poch and Sam Rainsy. Given Cambodia’s penchant for violence and lawlessness, we fear for their safety – today and into the future.
Particularly disappointing in this unfortunate affair has been the role of National Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh. It appears that he has aligned himself with the more hardline elements of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), including Prime Minister Hun Sen, and his vision for the democratic development of the country apparently includes neither justice nor freedom.
While the U.S. Embassy has forcefully condemned the Assembly vote, the United States must back its words with specific actions. We urge you to immediately review our assistance programs for Cambodia and to encourage other donors and international financial institutions to do the same. We also encourage you to examine the possibility of imposing sanctions on the Cambodian government unless and until the Assembly reverses its recent action.
Among the possible sanctions we urge you to examine is a visa ban on members of parliament who voted to strip their colleagues’ immunity. Such a ban is consistent with the goals of the President’s Proclamation dated January 12, 2004, which establishes a policy of denying entry into the United States to corrupt public officials. We look forward to discussing with you which sanctions might be appropriate in response to the vote.
Finally, we ask that the State Department pay particular attention to the safety and welfare of other champions of democracy in Cambodia, particularly Cambodian Center for Human Right director Kem Sokha. We are concerned that CPP may increase its harassment of Sokha’s provincial forums, which serve as an important catalyst to spread democracy throughout Cambodia.
Thank you very much for your consideration of our views.
Sincerely,
/S/ /S/
MITCH McCONNELL BILL FRIST
UNITED STATES SENATOR UNITED STATES SENATOR
/S/ /S/
JOHN McCAIN PATRICK LEAHY
UNITED STATES SENATOR UNITED STATES SENATOR
/S/
NORM COLEMAN
UNITED STATES SENATOR
By
Anonymous, at 7:06 PM
Ousted politician: Cambodia needs America's help to be freeCHRISTINE PHELAN, Sun Staff
Sunday, February 13, 2005 - LOWELL Just how invested are Cambodian-Americans in government affairs back home?
If turnout at yesterday's rally for Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy is any indicator, a significant portion of Greater Lowell's population of Southeast Asians are both politically invested and aware. Some might even be qualified as junkies.
Channy has been arrested and detained in a Cambodian military prison. Rainsy said he and Poch face a similar fate if they return home, without first receiving a promise from the government to drop charges and litigation he says are unfounded.
"I have a deep faith in the universality of freedom, and its transformative powers," he told the crowd, many of whom snapped pictures during his two-hour speech, regularly breaking into applause. "I may be jobless, may be homeless, but I am not helpless."
Rainsy's appearance was part of a hastily arranged tour that took him from Washington, D.C., to Lowell to raise awareness of the current political fracas that sparked his abrupt departure 10 days ago. Rainsy and his entourage met with State Department officials as well as U.S. senators John McCain, R-Ariz., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., Norm Coleman, R-Minn., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. and Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. Those senators sought assistance from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to officially levy visa bans on members of the Cambodian parliament, freeze assistance programs to the country, and consider tariffs on the $5 billion in garments Cambodia sells to U.S. companies each year.
Rainsy's trip was also a plea to President Bush to follow through on his State of the Union pledge to support freedom fighters and democracy's spread around the globe.
"The U.S. is going to be taken seriously," Rainsy said. "(Bush's) commitment to help freedom fighters will translate into deeds."
Mardi Seng, a former campaign manager for Rainsy, who survived childhood imprisonment in a Cambodian death camp, is among those paying close attention to politics in Phnom Penh. Though an American citizen now living comfortably in Sudbury with his family, he is compelled to devote his energy to the promotion of democracy in his homeland.
"Many people, especially in my family, they say, 'Why do you get involved? Why do you put your life in danger?'" Seng said. "My grandma, she says, 'You cannot put the whole world on your shoulders.' But my response (is always), 'Why doesn't somebody come and help?' Instead of criticizing, make the load a little easier. If you see somebody with a heavy load, why not help them with it?"
Others at the rally cast a leery eye toward the political system they once fled, remaining aware of goings-on while remaining unaffiliated with a particular party.
To Choeun Ven, a loan consultant living in Lowell for the two decades after surviving a Khmer Rouge death camp, Rainsy's plea for American support of democracy overseas is a concern. While he's unsure how to propel reform of Cambodian politics, he said he feels that no matter what, the U.S. government must become involved.
"I wish someday soon, the U.S. will take a look at Cambodia and move them from bad luck to good luck," said Ven, 36. "This is the perfect place: I have education, work, good living, freedom of choice, freedom of speech. I wish in the future that my country will be like the United States. I hope (Rainsy) will try to bring Cambodians up, help Cambodia be one of the good countries."
Christine Phelan's e-mail address is cphelan@lowellsun.com .
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