Reaction to the qualification of Hun Sen as "a thug" Monday, March 23, 2009 Everyday.com.kh Translated from Khmer by Socheata
A high-ranking Cambodian official reacted strongly on 21 March about Kasit Piromya, the Thai Foreign Affairs minister, calling Hun Sen "a thug" during a parliament debate on the opposition party's motion of no confidence for the Thai government which was held on 20 March. CPP MP Cheam Yeap reacted about this issue to the Deum Ampil newspaper, saying: "What the Thai Foreign Affairs minister raised was his right, but as a minister, he shouldn't use this kind of epithet on the leader of a neighboring country." Cheam Yeab added: "He [Hun Sen] is a thug, it's true and if he was not a thug, they will take all the lands already. Furthermore, the Thai people should thank Samdach PM Hun Sen who is always tolerant and patient with the aggressions led by the Thai black-clad soldiers in the disputed Preah Vihear temple." Cheam yeap added: "In my name as a Cambodian, I am sending this message to the Thai Foreign Affairs minister: the Cambodian PM is a thug to defend the land and the lives of all the people, and even if he loses both his legs, he will still crawl over to bite, he is a real thug, a thug to protect the nation." --------- "There's nobody more blind than a one-eye who claims not being able to see the suffering of the Cambodian people" - KI-Media Request for the opposition to look at the development Monday, March 23, 2009 Everyday.com.kh Translated from Khmer by Socheata "There nobody more blind than a person with [two good] eyes who does not want to see," this is the statement made by Samdach Hun Sen in the morning of 21 March 2009, during the inauguration of a number of works in Pursat province. Hun Sen made this declaration because he wanted the opposition to look at the current development in Cambodia. Hun Sen said: "There nobody more blind than a person with [two good] eyes who does not want to see, this guy [using derogatory Ah Neung] is very blind, and there nobody more deaf than a person with good ears who does not listen, and there is nobody who is sleepier than a person who cannot sleep but pretends to look sleepy either." Hun Sen harshly said: "Isn't it so, you all partial people, please think about this issue, but you have been in the opposition all your life, but the truth of history is still on display." ---------------------- Yim Sovann's reaction to Hun Sen Monday, March 23, 2009 Everyday.com.kh Translated from Khmer by Socheata SRP MP Yim Sovann, the spokesman of the SRP, reacted to Hun Sen's remark by telling the Deum Ampil newspaper over the phone on Saturday, saying: "We, as the opposition party, we support the accomplishments by the government, but we ask to criticize, i.e. to provide constructive criticism only. In the past, there were several powerful government officials who used their power to oppress and violate the rights of the poor people." Yim Sovann added: "Regarding the numerous issues which resulted from injustice, the SRP will not support them and this led to a loss of several millions of dollars due of the illegal use of power to grab the lands belonging to helpless people." Regarding the upcoming 17 May 2009, Yim Sovann sharply criticized the government and he accused the fact that this election is nothing but a wasteful use of state budget, and it is not useful at all since the people at the local levels cannot vote according to their personal will. ---------- Hun Sen is a thug: Kasit Piromya The thug (L) and his name caller (R): Would Hun Sen do the same with his compatriots? (Photo: TNA) Bad choice of words is not really a crime 21-03-2009 Editorial Desk The Nation (Thailand) Thailand's opposition party hit foreign minister Kasit Piromya with everything but the kitchen sink yesterday (March 19) for having gone up on the People Alliance for Democracy (PAD) stage to attack fugitive leader Thaksin Shinawatra and for calling Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen a thug. Their argument is that because of these actions Kasit should never have been chosen to be one of the country's top diplomats because Thailand's international standing and ties with Cambodia were being compromised To be fair, the opposition has a point. After all, Kasit is not an ordinary citizen. He is a retired diplomat whose postings include prominent capitals such as Moscow, Tokyo and Washington. Still, if we deem freedom of speech one of the strong points in our society, we shouldn't be so hard on Kasit. After all, he did not hold any official posts when he went on the PAD stage. Like many of us, Kasit was frustrated with the fact that Hun Sen was spinning the Preah Vihear (temple) fiasco for political gain, all the while overlooking its consequences. The long-time Cambodian leader was issuing an ultimatum to Thailand to pull its troops out of the border area, though he did not spell out the consequences should the country not acquiesce in his demand. Kasit yesterday turned the tables on the then-government of Somchai Wongsawat, suggesting that the administration had been dumbstruck and done nothing after the ultimatum was issued and he had gone on the PAD stage as an individual with every right to attack Hun Sen. Both Thailand's and Cambodia's focus was on the disputed ancient Preah Vihear temple. People on both sides of the border had something to say. Sadly, most of the statements were self-serving, with some cruel and unkind to the point of bad taste. The atmosphere along the ill-defined border became tense. Soldiers who had been eating and drinking together for years suddenly became anxious and at times even exchanged gunfire. It was election time in Cambodia, and as in Thailand, politicians say all sorts of things while campaigning. Hun Sen was no different in that respect. But this is no excuse for Kasit's choice of words. We are not saying bad taste is a crime; we're saying it has consequences. Still, months have gone by, and Kasit is now the country's foreign minister. And while they may be part of the same stage performance, both Hun Sen and Kasit know what has to be done to move on. Surely a veteran statesman, who rose from the Khmer Rouge rank and file to become one of the longest-serving premiers in Southeast Asia, Hun Sen knows that there is no use in crying over spilt milk. But while Kasit and Hun Sen decided to turn the page, it's funny how the opposition - a bunch of people who are so "concerned" about the country's international standing as well as its bilateral ties with neighbouring Cambodia - did not think twice about digging up that incident. The debate on whether Kasit crossed the line with his choice of words will continue for some time to come, though the onus really is on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who gave him the Cabinet position. The opposition came out strong on Thursday (March 19) evening attacking Kasit but they performed poorly when countering him yesterday despite the fact that they may have a solid case against him. Still, we believe that essentially it should be Kasit's performance that defines him. It's a little too early to see if his performance at the foreign ministry has been a success. But so far, his appearance on the PAD stage has not proved to be an obstacle for Thailand's international relations. Most in the international community would prefer to see Thailand move on and get back on track. Kasit also deserves some credit for helping steer the government in the right direction. Besides Kasit and the PAD, the opposition also tried to capitalise on the fact that hundreds of Thai Muslims heading for Mecca had been stranded at Suvarnabhumi Airport when the protesters besieged it. Naturally, the opposition was blaming the PAD and blasting the Democrat Party for not stopping some of its members from lending their names to the alliance's causes. However, we should not lose sight of the fact that it is the Democrat Party being censured, not the PAD. More importantly, if the incident of Muslim pilgrims being stranded tells us anything, it is the resilient nature of Thailand. For a brief moment, the entire kingdom was united in the common belief that there are some things out there that transcend politics. Yes, both the Somchai administration and the PAD could have done more in terms of logistics for those who were headed on the sacred journey. Nevertheless, the two battling forces, as well as the people of this nation, acknowledged the sanctity of the pilgrimage itself. Coming from a Buddhist nation, this is something we should all be proud of. The task at this point in time, it seems, is to look beyond this political mess and place the nation's interest above self-serving agendas of some politicians. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
