Tuesday, April 18, 2023

April 17, 1975 and Definition of Living




Pictures taken at the pagoda Pudtamonkol
Remembering the Tragedy of Killing Fields

April 17, 1975 is a day of remembrance of the suffering of all Cambodian people who lost their families, relatives, friends and compatriots during the Pol Pot’s brutal regime. Monks conduct Bangsokol and survivors pay tribute to them at pagoda PudtamonkolWith the severity of the crimes – the crimes of all crimes – many victims will never forget and will never forgive the Khmer Rouge murderers. Cambodia shouldn’t “bury the past” and those perpetrators should be held accountable for their crimes. 

Forty-eight years later, as I look back, I realize that time does not wait for anyone. I often ask myself what is my definition of living (a meaningful life)? Is living my day-to-day experience fit my definition of living? With the educationknowledge, and training I have, I can't close my eye and pretend I am blind; I can't close my mouth and pretend I am dumb; I can’t close my ear and pretend I am deaf against so much injustice, cruelty, and insatiable greed of political leaders. 

Let me share what really trouble me: “My mother along with two brothers and two sisters are dead while many of the Khmer Rouge cadres who ordered and engaged in stabbing children, killing and beating people to death, starving them, and denying them medical help, are living freely under the pseudonym of peace and reconciliation”. Is Karma erroneous? How could this callousness, brutality, cruelty, inhumanity and injustice occur? What happened to the rule of law? What happened to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal? Afterspending US$337 million, 16 years and mired in claims of political interferenceonly three Khmer Rouge leaders had been sentenced. To date, only Khieu Samphan, 92, Chief of State, is serving life sentence brings to account for all the suffering the Khmer Rouge caused, while convicted Khmer Rouge’s No. 2 leader and chief ideologist Nuon Chea died in 2019 at the age of 93, and convicted Prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duchdied in 2020 at age 77 while serving a life sentence.


I realize there simply is no adequate answer. These questions call for a response. My definition of living is to find justice and uncover the truth for the death of my mother, two brothers, and two sisters (even if I have to do this alone). Without justice and truth, there can be no real reconciliation and genuine peace.

Sunday, April 9, 2023

In the Struggle for Preserving Cultural Identity - Words Matter





Pictures Taken at City of Long Beach on March 7, 2023 and March 21, 2023

Sixth District Councilwoman of Long Beach Suely Saro has made, what I feel, is a callous calculated political decision. She with her supporters wish to change “Chol Chanam Thmei (Khmer New Year) to “Sangkranta” in the name of inclusion at the cost of Cambodian exclusion – to align with the celebration of Thai and Laotian communities. To set the record straight, Chol Chnam Thmei” has been the traditional and popular description of the Khmer New Year for many generations while “Sangkranta” is the first day of the Khmer New Year. Keeping the original words “Chol Chnam Thmei” allows us to maintain Cambodian tradition and preserve our unique and authentic culture. Her unilateral decision to adopt the word “Sangkranta”, while well-meaning, does not address the majority of the community voices and the elders’ concerns about loss of cultural identity, has major ramifications for our Khmer community in Long Beach. Besides dividing the community and affecting the younger generation, this change anguish the elders deeply and confuse many.

After living though unimaginable atrocities of the Killing Fields, many Cambodians are still haunted by the deep mental and emotional damage of war. We are also traumatized by sensing that our culture is being blended into a melting pot of inclusiveness and losing its unique identity. This cultural vulnerability has been part of our identity and survivalDr. David Kinzie Professor of Psychiatry, clinician, and researcher at Oregon Health and Science Universityfound that “the treatment of severely traumatized Cambodian refugees is a difficult task. Through an understanding of the patient's culture and the posttraumatic stress disorder, the author recommends several treatment approaches. These include: supportive long-term therapy, case management, reinforcing traditional values, socialization group therapy, and specific medication. Through a sensitive, flexible approach, the Western practitioner can greatly reduce the suffering of these patients” (David Kinzie, J. Therapeutic approaches to traumatized Cambodian refugees. J Trauma Stress 2, 75–91 (1989). 


The manifestation of the historical trauma, the recurring nightmares and the exacerbation of losing our cultural identitycontinue to haunt us, even decades after the dissolution of the Khmer Rouge regime.  After studying specific stressful factors associated with Cambodian refugees and their vulnerability to pathology from a sociological constructivist framework, Cambodian medical sociologist Dr. Leakhena Nou found the Khmer stress process to be a complex phenomenon influenced by various social, cultural, environmental, historical, and political factors that subject the Cambodian people to pathology and adjustment difficulties. This complicated context influences respondents' perceptions of several important stressors (negative life events and daily hassles) that are related to the effects of the Khmer Rouge and resettlement difficulties, including such examples as lack of trust among Cambodians, destruction of Khmer culture and identity, the existence of social injustice and corruption in Cambodian society, feeling socially outcast and without a sense of belonging in the United States, and lacking education and the basic resources for survival (Nou, L. (2006) A qualitative examination of the psychosocial adjustment of Khmer refugees in three Massachusetts communities. Occasional papers, Institute for Asian American Studies. Boston: University of Massachusetts)

 

Forty-four years after the Cambodian mass atrocity, while the people of Cambodia experienced unthinkable trauma, the rest of the world did little to help. It seemed to me like nobody knew and nobody care about Cambodia. Now while the City Council of Long Beach voted unanimously (7-0) in favor of recognition of “Long Beach Sangkranta 2023”, the Vice Mayor and other six City Council Officials were unaware of the harmful feelings of many Cambodia elders. In a public forum at the City of Long Beach on March 7, 2023 and March 21, 2023 more than forty elders made our voices heard – loud and clear – that the deconstruction of the Cambodian National identity since ancient times and resettlement in the U.S. in the mid 1970s has no place in our community. 

 

One centenarian Cambodian lady reminded the Mayor and other the City Council Officials of Long Beach openly and succinctly about the gravity of her deep trauma: “I rather die than losing my culture”. It is clear that this change has struck a chord – Words Matter. Cultural Identity Matter Most to the Cambodian Elders. 

 

Friday, March 31, 2023

Reflecting on the Cambodian Genocide Model Curriculum





Reflecting on The Cambodian Genocide Model Curriculum

 

As a survivor of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, community member of Long Beach, educator and parent, I have a civic obligation to my son and the K-12 students to give a first-hand account of the issues facing the Cambodian Genocide Model Curriculum (administrated by the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) under Assembly Bill AB 167) based on my participation and observation at the engagement sessions and zoom meeting with OCDE.

Engagement Sessions and Meeting with OCDE

On October 18, 2022 and November 15, 2022, I attended the two engagement sessions of the Cambodian Genocide Model Curriculum at Mark Twain Library. I also attended the two engagement sessions held on January 17, 2023 at Whittier Elementary school by Long Beach School District. All the engagement sessions were run by OCDE with the aim to listen and gather all perspectives and voices of community members, educators, and survivors of the Cambodian genocide. During the first two sessions at Mark Twain Library, there were about ten to fifteen Cambodian attendees which include Khmer Parent Association (KPA)’ president as a host and members, elders, parents, community members, and students. To my knowledge, no pre-registration and limited announcement were made to the public. I noticed some attendees were invited by the KPA who support the curriculum without thinking deeply about the ramification of the content and the inclusiveness of the larger Cambodian public with different backgrounds. The presenter didn't explain the Assembly Bill AB 167 in detail with regards to who was behind the bill and what was the intention to adopt this laser focus study on “the Cambodian Genocide” while the Vietnamese community adopt “The Vietnamese American Refugee Experience and the Hmong “Hmong History and Cultural Study”. Her main interest was moving the agenda forward without fully addressing the community voices, questions, and concernsShe was not receptive to my and others’ perspectives about limiting the curriculum on the genocide by stating “she was only a messenger and the Cambodian Genocide model curriculum is better than nothing”. 

At Whittier Elementary schoolI received the announcement of the Cambodian Genocide Model Curriculum engagement session from my son's school (Barton Elementary). There were thirty to forty Cambodian attendees (presenter at Mark Twain Library, KPA members, students, parents, elders, community leaders) who voiced their concerns about the label of the Cambodian Genocide model curriculum neglecting the Cambodian American refugees who have enhanced the social, academic, economic, and cultural scenes of California and across the U.S.. The presenter paid more attention to the audience’ anguishes. He encouraged the audience to share their perspectives, ask questions, speak up and air their discontents. I shared with him that OCDE doesn’t need to re-invent the wheel when we have tons of research on this topic. I took the liberty to show him and the audience about so many studies of the Cambodian Genocide that have been published.  The presenter from Mark Twain Library took a picture of the book “Cambodian Genocide” edited by Paul Bartrop that I brought with me to share with her team. The presenter at Whittier Elementary School said he will take note and pass our concerns to OCDE. 

On February 9, 2023, I participated in zoom meeting with three scholars and OCDE’s coordinators to respond to “our concerns about the framing and title of the Cambodian Genocide Model Curriculum”. To my surprise and to keep the record straight and transparent, Dr. Marika Manos the leading coordinator charged with executing OCDE model curriculum has been pre-warned about the psychological impact to reduce the curriculum of Cambodia’s rich history and mixed legacy to a tragic period of three years, eight months, and twenty days (1975-1979). Medical Sociologist/Professor Leakhena Nou from California State University, Long Beach, wrote: “In my e-mail to Dr. Manos dated June 9, 2022, I noted that this labeling could inadvertently reinforce hegemonic colonized mechanisms and frameworks and exacerbate harmful residual effects of the genocide. As a professor/faculty advisor who works with young Cambodian American students daily, I know they have no desire to identify with this tragic part of their culture’s history. Furthermore, labeling the curriculum as such limits the possibility of a more comprehensive Cambodian historical narrative beyond the legacy of the Khmer Rouge. Labeling theory emphasizes that groups with power have control over and what or who is considered a certain way. Forever shackling Cambodians with the "genocide" label is equivalent to reducing all people of Jewish descent with the “holocaust” label.” Yet OCDE has decided to move ahead with the execution of the objectives ignoring the forewarning and the psychological impact of the Cambodian Genocide model curriculum. I am disturbed with OCDE on how we are devalued despite our sincere effort and desire to protect and preserve our mixed legacy and history of the Cambodian people. It is regrettable that OCDE has used the engagement sessions at Mark Twain Library and Whittier Elementary school as a tool to rubber stamp the project disregarding our voices and genuine concerns.

Issues with the Cambodian Genocide Model Curriculum and Psychological Impact

To begin with, the use of term genocide in Cambodia is controversial and subjected to debateGenocide usually has been carried against a foreign race but the new masters of Cambodia killed their own people. According to Judge Jean-Marc Lavergne (Justice and Reconciliation in Cambodia) and  Former Khmer Rouge Tribunal’s Chief of the Public Affairs Section Helen Jarvis (Cambodian Genocide, The Essential Reference Guide) many of the crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge may not easily be termed genocide in its strict legal sense (UN convention 1948 definition) and singling out the Khmer Rouge regime (Democratic of Kampuchea) ignores the deaths and mass crimes that occurred before (the U.S. secret bombing in Cambodia 1969-1973 authorized by Nixon and Kissinger, credible estimate sets civilian fatalities at more 300,000) and after (the Liberation/Occupation of Vietnam in Cambodia, 1979-1989, had a heavy toll on both sides). Genocide refers here to the crimes of the Khmer Rouge. “The Cambodian Genocide” is used in a ‘all-purpose’sense, in full awareness of the controversies surrounding its legal and temporal constraints. While it is easy to blame the Khmer Rouge for these atrocities of at least 1.7 million deaths (source: Documentation Center of Cambodia), researchers often find it hard to provide exact figures of the number killed due to the bombing of Cambodia by American forces from 1969 - 1973 and the Vietnamese occupation/liberation from 1979-1989. I am curious as why the number of Cambodians who died before and after the Khmer Rouge took power has been less researched?  The important point I am trying to make here is: Cambodia has suffered unimaginable horrors and those horrors should be part of a curriculum but not the defining history of the people and culture. There needs to be a broader approach than just teaching the “Cambodian Genocide” which focus solely on victims and perpetrators duality.

It is important that Cambodian Genocide model curriculum be clearly understood by the community and the young generation. The whole truth about the Cambodian bloodbath sociology should be known. The suffering, killing, and trauma must be explained and completely understood to avoid such horrors to never happen again - "Never Again" (The phrase originated from a 1927 poem by Yitzhak Lamdan which stated "Never again shall Masada fall!"). Therefore it cannot be taught only during the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979) but before 1975 (U.S. bombing in Cambodia) and after 1979 (the Vietnamese liberation/occupation of Cambodia) to give K-12 students the complete and accurate history of the Cambodian Genocide. For example, Some prominent scholars (William Shawcross, author of the book “Sideshow”, Samantha PowerAmerican journalist, diplomat and government official, author of the book “A Problem From Hell”)suggest that the B-52 U.S. bombing polarized and radicalized Cambodian society, contributing to the harsh policies implemented when the Khmer Rouge took power. 

With due respect to Western scholars, I strongly believe they are not familiar with the Cambodian socio/cultural/linguistic/politics and the entrenched history. They lack understanding of the important local nuances and context. They view the history of Cambodia from the comfort of desktop research and/or limited fieldwork mostly to Phnom Penh rather than in the rural area where the majority of the victims live - one-side - neocolonial approach. It is essential to engage and encourage khmer scholarship to tell and write our own story rather than relying on outsiders.

Furthermore, I want to be as honest as I can beOutsiders have limited idea how painful it was because they are not Khmer and they didn’t live under Pol Pot to grasp the full magnitude of the horror and unspeakable suffering. Victims like myself are still traumatized and are afraid of recurring dreams, and nightmares. The Khmer Rouge regime was our worst nightmare that become a living reality. The Pol Pot syndrome continues to haunt me and other survivors dailyDr. David Kinzie of Oregon Health and Science University labeled Cambodians’ PTSD as “a wound that will never heal.”  I argue that emotions are perceived differently by Cambodians and outsiders by the meaning of the Cambodian Genocide model curriculum. In the process of translation both linguistically and conceptually, the meaning assigned to emotion and trauma are lost in the contest. For example, the Cambodian Genocide Model curriculum translated in Khmer is degrading វគ្គជំនួបកម្មវិធីសិក្សាគំរូនៃអំពើប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍កម្ពុជា – curriculum centered on tragedy, violence, anger, and hatred.  It portrays Cambodian race as brutal, ruthless, and barbarian. The Khmer nuance here cannot be understood by an outsider. The label “The Cambodian Genocide Model Curriculum” is not only harmful to my son and the young generation but also hurtful to the larger Cambodian public.

In conclusion, I write this reflection because I don’t want my son and the young generation study only about one painful side of history and ancestry. I don't wish to see the Killing Fields story continues to dominate the narrative of Cambodia’s past grandeur and historical mixed legacy. Moreover, Cambodia hasn't gotten to the heart of the genocide because the Extraordinary Chamber in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) has failed to deliver full accountability and real justice to the victims after 17 years, spending $337 million, political interference from former Khmer Rouge Commander with only 3 judgments. The rise and the fall of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in the context of wartime political turmoil (U.S.bombing, China full support to the Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese liberation/occupation) need to be fully exposed and how this violent regime instigated the Killing Fields. The pursuit of truth and justice for more than 1.7 million victims continues today despite the government and the international community want to bury it. As any survivors of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, I don't want to be victims twice, once in the Khmer Rouge and now once again. FinallyI advocate to have a new stand-alone bill for “The Cambodian History of the People and Culture” similar to Laotian History and Cultural Studies AB 1393.


Citations:

Assembly Bill AB 167

https://ocde.us/EducationalServices/CurriculumInstructionandAcademicEnrichment/History/Pages/Model-Curriculum-Project.aspx

Senate Bill SB 895 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB895&fbclid=IwAR0UD5G3so1rs6c4wNZCM_IqP9thhNooAHmLn6Di2NyPhDRHmgDTWBw98Co

Assembly Bill AB 1393 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1393


Keo, S. (2011) Out of the Dark: Into the Garden of Hope, Library of Congress.

 

Lavergne, Jean-Marc (2012). Justice And Reconciliation in Cambodia, book chapter of Cambodia: Progress and Challenges since 1991, ISEAS Publication.


Nou, L. (2015). Elusive retributive justice in post-Khmer Rouge Cambodia: Challenges of using ECCC Victim Information Forms to analyze survivors’ experiences. TORTURE Journal. 25(2), 61-84. Nou, L. (2013). Beyond silent suffering and trauma half a world away: Participation of Cambodian diaspora genocide survivors in the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of CambodiaJournal of Asia Pacific World4(1), 56–79.

 


 

 



 








Thursday, April 15, 2021

A personal reflection on April 14, 2021

Today I am turning 65 which is equal to 780 months, 3380 weeks, 23,725 days, and 560,400 hours. Time is going too fast as I age. I find it difficult to deal with the changes aging brings. I also realize that time is a thief of my cherished life - never to be reclaimed and recaptured.  The hard truth is there is less time for me to practice vipassana, less time for to dream, less time for me to think, less time for me to learn, less time for me to grow, less time for me to start over, less time for me to plant seeds (I teach) and watch them blossom, less time for me to cultivate goodness (serve others), less time for me to enjoy the company of my dearest family, friends, and strangers, and finally less time for me to live. 

I constantly chase after efficiency and productivity for fear of misusing my time well. Moreover, I often based my life on what I achieved in an hour, day, week, month, or year instead of enjoying the present moment. Perhaps, it is better for me to stop watching the clock of life by attending to what really matters most to me and be mindfully content with who I am in the moment - unfolding right now in front of me.

Friday, July 10, 2020

ការរំឭកវីរៈភាព លោកបណ្ឌិត កែម ឡី ចំណាប់អារម្មណ៍របស់ខ្ញុំ



រូបថតនេះថតនៅថ្ងៃដង្ហែសព លោកបណ្ឌិត កែម ឡី ពីភ្នំពេញ ទៅគេហដ្ឋាន ខេត្តតាកែវ
ថៃ្ងទី ២៤ ខែកក្កដា ឆ្នាំ២០១៦

អំពើឃាតកម្មឈាមត្រជាក់ដែលបានសម្លាប់លោកបណ្ឌិត កែម ឡី អ្នកវិភាគនយោបាយសង្គមដ៍លិចធ្លោ មានប្រជាប្រិយភាព និងមានសេចក្តីក្លាហានគ្មានពីរក្នុង ការរិៈគន់គណៈបក្សកាន់អំណាច កណ្តាលថ្ងៃចែស កាលពីថ្ងៃទី ១០ ខែ កក្កដា ឆ្នាំ២០១៦ កន្លងទៅវាពិតជាធើ្វអោយខ្ញុំ និងប្រជាពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជាជាច្រើន ដែលមកពីគ្រប់ស្រទាប់វណ្ណៈ ព្រមទាំងសហគមន៍អន្តរជាតិ តក់ស្លត់ ក្តុកក្តួល និងឈឺចាប់ជាខ្លាំង  នៅក្នុងថ្ងៃនៃខួបគំរប់៤ឆ្នាំលើឃាតកម្មលើលោកបណ្ឌិត កែម ឡី បានធើ្វ អោយខ្ញុំអត់ទ្រាំមពុំបាន មានតែការរំឭកដឹងគុណដល់វីរៈភាព និង ការបញេ្ចញចំណាប់អារម្មណ៍ ដើម្បីឆ្លុះបញ្ចាំពីភាពបរាជយ័ ម្តងហើយម្តងទៀតចំពោះស្ថាបន័ដែល យើងបានជឿទុក្ខចិត្តបំផុតក្នុងការការពារប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ។ 
តើជីវិតវាពិតជាខ្លីណាស់មែនទេ សម្រាប់អ្នក ដែលហ៊ានធើ្វការរិៈគន់មេដឹកនាំរបបបច្ចុប្បន្ននេះ ? វាហាក់ដូចជាប្រទេសកម្ពុជា បានក្លាយជាប្រទេសមួយដែលពលរដ្ឋ មិនអាចបញេ្ចញមតិបានដោយបើកចំហដើម្បីទទួល បាននូវភាព យុតិ្តធម៌ ដូចជាករណី បក្សពួកនិយម ការកាត់ បំផ្លាញព្រៃឈើ ការបាត់បង់ដីធ្លី ការចូលរួមពី អរន្តជាតិក្នុងការទប់ស្តាត់ការកាត់បំផ្លាញព្រៃឈើខុសច្បាប់ ការបាត់បង់ទឹកដីតាមព្រំដែន និងការកើនឡើងនៃទ្រព្យសម្បត្តិរបស់មន្ត្រី មួយចំនួនជាដើម។ ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាមិនបានគោរពតាមឧត្តមគតិ របស់ប្រទេសខ្លួនទេ នៅពេលដែលអំណាចជ្រុលនិយមគ្រប់គ្រងលើនិតិរដ្ឋ។ ភ្ជាប់ជាមួយករណីឃាតកម្មនេៈ និងកង្វៈខាតនៃការសើបអង្កេតដែលមានភាព លំអៀង ព្រមទាំងការរំលោភសិទ្ធិមនុស្សដ៍ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ និងជាប្រពន្ធ័ (EU) ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋបានបាត់បង់ជំនឿរបស់ពួកគេទៅលើស្ថាបន័ច្បាប់ស្ទើរតែទាំងស្រុង។
ខណៈពេលដែលពលរដ្ឋក្នុងប្រទេសកុំពុងតែ កាន់ទុក្ខចំពោះការបាត់បង់អ្នករិៈគន់នយោបាយដ៏លិចធ្លោមួយរូបនេះម្តងហើយម្តងទៀត មេដឹកនាំនយោបាយក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា បានបរាជយ័ក្នុងការស្វែយល់ពីជម្រៅនៃការអាក់អន់ចិត្តរបស់ពលរដ្ឋចំពោះប្រពន្ធ័មួយនេៈ ដែលជាកន្លែងប្រមូលផ្តុំដោយបុគ្គលមួយចំនួន ដែលតែងតែទទួលបានភាពថ្កុំថ្កើន និងតែងតែគិចវេះពីប្រពន្ធ័យុត្តិធម៌ ។ អ្នកដឹកនាំបច្ចុប្បន្នបានបរាជយ័ដោយមើលមិនឃើញ នូវអ្វីដែល ពលរដ្ឋបានមើលឃើញ ហើយកម្ពុជា ជាប្រទេសដែល ពលរដ្ឋក្រីក្រត្រូវឆ្លងកាត់វិបត្តិរស់នៅដ៍វិបាកមួយនេះ។ អ្នកដឹកនាំបានបរាជយ័ក្នុងការយល់ពីអារម្មណ៍របស់ពលរដ្ឋខ្លួន រដ្ឋាភិបាលមិនបានដឹងពីផលវិបាក របស់ពលរដ្ឋក្នុងរកសុីចិញ្ចឹមជីវិត និងការភយ័ខ្លាចពីការបាត់បង់ដីធ្លីរបស់ពួកគាត់ នោះទេ។ រដ្ឋាភិបាលបានបរាជយ័ក្នុងការធើ្វនូវអ្វីដែលពលរដ្ឋភាគច្រើនចង់អោយរដ្ឋាភិបាលធើ្វ ចំពោះពួកគាត់ គឺពលរដ្ឋចង់អោយអ្នកដឹកនាំ បម្រើពលរដ្ឋដោយការផ្តល់ភាពយុត្តិធម៌ និងផ្តល់ឱកាសស្មើភាពគ្នាសម្រាប់ពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជា ទាំងអស់។ ជាចុងក្រោយរដ្ឋាភិបាលបានបរាជយ័ក្នុងការយកចិត្តទុក្ខដាក់តាមការព្រានប្រដៅជាមូលដ្ឋានរបស់ព្រះពុទ្ធដែលបានទូន្មានថា «កុំធើ្វទុក្ខដល់អ្នកដ៏ទៃ បើអ្នកមិនចង់មានទុក្ខ » ( Udana-Vargas 5:18)
ទោះបីមន្រ្តីជាន់ខ្ពស់របស់រដ្ឋាភិបាលបានថ្កោលទោសចំពោះការសម្លាប់ដ៏ឃោរឃៅនេះក្តី ក៏នូវមានការបដិសេធចំពោះការអះអាងថា នេះមិនមែនជាករណី ផ្នែកនយោបាយដើម្បីបំបិត សំលេងគណៈបក្សប្រឆាំង និងធើ្វអោយមានការភយ័ខ្លាច។ សហគមន៍ជាតិ និងអរន្តជាតិភាគច្រើនបានបាត់បង់ជំនឿចិត្តទៅលើអាជ្ញាធរក្នុងការសើបអង្កេតដើម្បីស្វែងរកអ្នកទទួលខុសត្រូវលើឃាតកម្មនេះ ។
ករណីឃាតកម្មនេះត្រូវបានគេបង្ហាញអោយដឹងថា អឿត អាង ហៅ ជួប សម្លាប់ ដែលជាឃាតកររស់នៅក្នុងជីវភាពក្រីក្រ ដូច្នេះវាពិបាកណាស់ដែលអោយគេជឿថា គាត់មានលទ្ធភាព មានលុយ ចំនួន ៣០០០ ដុល្លា ដើម្បីអោយនរណាម្នាក់ខ្ចី។ លើសពីនេះទៅទៀត បណ្ឌិត កែម ឡី មិនដែលប្រាប់បំណុលនេះទៅប្រពន្ធលោកទេ ។ នេះហើយជាករណីនាំអោយយើងមានការសង្សយ័លើការអះអាងរបស់ ជួប សម្លាប់ ។ ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជាភាគច្រើនក៏ដូចជា សហគមន៍អរន្តជាតិ ជាច្រើនទៀតជឿថា ករណីធើ្វឃាត បណ្ឌិត កែម ឡី គឺជាហេតុផល នយោបាយ និងបានស្នើអោយធើ្វ ការសើបអង្កេតអោយពេញលេញ ដោយឯករាជ្យ  និងតម្លាភាពស្របទៅតាមបទដ្ឋានអរន្តជាតិ។
នៅពេលណាដែលគ្មានយុត្តិធម៌ពិតប្រាកដ ក៏គ្មាន សន្តិភាពពិតប្រាកដដែរ។ អ្នកដែលកាន់អំណាចត្រូវតែបញ្ឃប់ការប្រើអំពើហឹង្សា ការបំភិតបំភយ័ និងការគៀបសង្កត់មកលើពលរដ្ឋដើម្បីអោយពលរដ្ឋមានជំនឿទុក្ខចិត្តលើអ្នកកាន់អំណាច។ ទំនាក់ទំនងរវាលរដ្ឋ និងពលរដ្ឋដែលកើតឡើងចេញពីការបង្ខិតបង្ខំ ការគៀបសង្កត់ និងការត្រួតត្រាមិនអាចផ្តល់នូវសន្តិភាព និងស្ថេរភាពយូរអង្វែងនោះឡើយ។
សព្វថ្ងៃនេះប្រទេសកម្ពុជាកុំពុងស្រែក ដង្ហោយហៅរកយុត្តិធម៌ និងសិទ្ធិក្នុងការបញ្ចេញ មតិដោយសេរី។ ចំណាប់ អារម្មណ៍នេះធើ្វឡើងដើម្បីរំឮកដឹងគុណដល់វិញ្ញាណខណ័ លោកបណ្ឌិត កែម ឡី និងវិរៈជន ក្លាហានជាច្រើនទៀត ដូចជា មេដឹកនាំសហជីប លោក ជា វិជ្ជា (២០០៤) និងសកម្មជន បរិស្ថាន លោក ឈុត វុទ្ធី (២០១២) សូមអោយវិញ្ញាខណ័ វិរៈជនទាំងអស់បានទៅកាន់សុកតិភព ហើយខ្ញុំក៏សូមលើកដៃពួងសួង ដល់ព្រលឹងវិរៈជនខ្មែរទាំងអស់ដែលបានលាចាកលោកទៅ សូមដួងប្រលឹងវីរៈជនទាំងអស់ ជួយលប់បំបាត់ វប្បធម៌ និទណ្ឌភាព ដែលជាកំអែលចាស់ពីរបបប្រលយ័ពូសាសន៍ ខ្មែរក្រហម និងកុំពុងតែរីករាលដាលដល់សព្វថ្ងៃ អោយរលាយសាបសូន្យ ជារៀង រហូតតទៅ ៕

ពូ សុវចនា
ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ

This reflection was read by Mr. Chun Chanboth (RFA) on 7/7/2020 to commemorate Dr. Kem Ley four year anniversary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejciQ34ci94&feature=youtu.be

A Moment of Reflection and Tribute to Dr. Kem Ley’s Unshaken Legacy

The cold-blooded murder in broad daylight of Dr. Kem Ley, a prominent, popular and peerless socio-political commentator for his daring criticism of the ruling Cambodian People Party (CPP), on 10 July 2016 broke my heart and the hearts of many Cambodians from all walks of life as well as those from the international community. On this four-year anniversary of his death, I cannot help to seize this important moment to pay tribute to his unshaken legacy and reflect again on the continued and repeated failure of our most trusted institutions to protect our own people.
Must life be short for those who dare to critique the current regime? It seems Cambodia has become a country where people cannot talk openly about equal justice, nepotism, corruption, deforestation, land grabbing, international involvement in illegal logging, the loss of border territory, and the accumulated wealth of elected officials. Cambodia does not adhere to the ideals of its constitution when extreme power overrides the rule of law. With these assassinations and lack of impartial investigations and “serious and systematic” violations of human rights (EU), the people have lost faith in their cherished institutions.
While the country continues to mourn the loss of another prominent political critic, repeatedly the political leaders in Cambodia have failed to understand the depth of the people’s resentment toward a system where well-connected individuals get richer and evade justice. They have failed to see what people see – a country where the less fortunate are going through an existential crisis. They have failed to feel what people feel - the labor of finding food and the fear of holding onto their lands. They have failed to do what the majority of the people want them to do which is to serve the people by delivering justice and equal opportunity for ALL Cambodians. Lastly, they have failed to heed one of the fundamental teachings of Buddha - “Hurt not others in ways that they themselves would find hurtful” (Udana-Varga 5:18).
Even though top government officials condemn the savage killing and reject the claim that this is another political act to silence the opposition and spread fear, the national and international communities at large have no confidence in the investigating authorities to find those responsible.
It has been revealed that Oeuth Ang also known as Choub Salab (meaning Meet Kill), the assassin, lived in desperate poverty, so it defies belief that he could lend $3000 to anyone.  Furthermore, the fact that Dr. Kem Ley never mentioned this loan to his wife leads us to doubt its veracity as well. Most Cambodians as well as the international communities believe that Dr. Kem Ley’s assassination was politically motivated and the chain of command of the killing should be fully, independently, and transparently investigated in line with international standards.
There will never be real peace without real justice. Those in power must stop using violence, intimidation, and oppression to force the populace into quite obedience. A relationship between the state and its people that emanates from coercion, repression, and domination won’t produce enduring peace and nor long-term stability.
Today and more than ever Cambodia cries for justice and the right to free speech. This reflection is made for the soul of Dr. Kem Ley and other brave and outspoken heroes of the kingdom, including union leader Chea Vichea (2004), environmental activist Mr. Chut Vuthy (2012) – May you all rest in peace and I join both of my hands over my head to pray for their spirits to help us end the culture of impunity- left over by the brutal Khmer Rouge regime and still alive and well in Cambodia today. 

Note: This is a revised piece that was posted in the Phnom Penh Post in 2016 https://www.phnompenhpost.com/opinion/another-cambodian-voice-gets-silenced





Friday, April 17, 2020

17 April 1975


Burial Site Po Tonle (Kandal Province) where 35,027 victims were killed and buried in 55 mass graves

Reflecting on the Khmer Rouge's seizure of power on 17 April 1975, it is clear the impact of this regime transcended the blood-soaked fields throughout Cambodia's verdant land. Forty five years had passed since the ordeal in my homeland, but I still feel it - the deep grief and psychological scars. Many victims/survivors are still living with the ghost behind us for whom truth remains hidden and justice is still beyond reach. To this day, if I am not mistaken, no other Khmer Rouge (beside Kaing Guek Eav known as Duch), living or deceased has expressed responsibility or remorse for the unspeakable cruelty that led to the tragic deaths of close to 2.2 million men, women, and children.