Click to read synopsis

I will always be grateful to Sethisak for so generously attending our public forums —pro bono — in the provinces--the most memorable in Pailin for its adventures!--and gloriously starting the day-long forum with his acapella rendition of the national anthem, raising the roof and putting disbelieving wide smiles on the faces of the teachers, monks, students, district chiefs, village chiefs, provincial governors...

More photos

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Rest in peace, Hurley.

(Photos culled from Facebook)

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This Hun Sen "government" is not legitimate. Leave the Cambodia seat at the UN empty.

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"Those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside."

- President John F. Kennedy, 1961 Inaugural Address

លោកប្រធានាធិបតី អាមេរិច ចន ខេនឌី នៅឆ្នាំ ១៩៦១ បានថ្លែង ថា, «អ្នកល្ងីល្ងើ ស្វែងរក អំណាច តាមរយៈ ការជិះខ្នង សត្វខ្លា បានបញ្ចប់ នៅខាងក្នុង។»

The Price of Betrayal to Democracy: Everyone pays

Opening the Pandora's Box, Return to Pre-Untac, the Current Existential Danger

The Price of Betrayal to Hun Sen: Kem Sokha pays

Do or Die (that is, keep the Faustian Pact and live, or continue with opposition unity and face the consequences)

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FREEDOM !

Free at last. Uon Chhin and Yeang Sothearin. 9 months, one week in prison for being former RFA reporters--yes, really, that is their crime! Justice in the Age of Decho. 21-30 prisoners in a 3.5m x 5m cell, no pillows, no bedding. With only 2 outside breaks totaling 3.5-4 hrs, that is to say, 20 hours per day inside for 9 months, one week. What does the Geneva Convention say about that?!

Indomitable spirit!

With Chhin's wife who cried every day, visited him 2-3 times a week in prison.

With Luke and Craig

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Always a great blessing to catch up with this awesome Brazilian friend, Maira, who became a follower of Jesus later in life, a dramatic conversion to Christianity when she was in her 40s, after having tried everything under the sun. 4 Sept. 2018

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New York Times | 5 August 2018

Colonizers of Cambodia since France. China and Vietnam tearing up Cambodia, a repeat of history.

Bangkok Post

រដ្ឋាភិបាល សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក ប្រកាស ពិចារណា ដាក់ទណ្ឌកម្ម បន្ថែមទៀត លើរបបលោក ហ៊ុន សែន ដើម្បីឆ្លើយតប ទៅនឹង ការរំលោភ ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ និងសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស នៅកម្ពុជា ដោយសារ តែ ការបោះឆ្នោត មិនត្រឹមត្រូវ។

សេតវិមាន ប្រធានាធិតី សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក នៅក្នុងសេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍ ថ្ងៃ ទី២៩ ខែកក្កដានេះ មិន ទទួលស្គាល់ ការបោះឆ្នោត នៅថ្ងៃ ទី២៩ ខែកក្កដា និងសោកស្តាយ ដែលការបោះឆ្នោតនោះ មិន ត្រឹមតែ មិន សេរី, មិន ត្រឹមត្រូវ និងមិន យុត្តិធម៌ ប៉ុណ្ណោះទេ, គឺ វា មិន ឆ្លុះបញ្ចាំង ឆន្ទៈពិតប្រាកដ របស់ ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ ថែមទៀត​ផង។

រដ្ឋាភិបាល អាមេរិក ចាត់ទុក ការបោះឆ្នោត ដែលផាត់ចេញ គណបក្ស ប្រឆាំង ដ៏ធំ ជាងគេ បែបនេះ គឺ ជាការរំលោភ ប្រព័ន្ធ ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ យ៉ាងធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ ដែលមានចែង ក្នុងរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញ កម្ពុជា និងបំផ្លាញ​ សមិទ្ធិផល នៃការលើកស្ទួយ ការផ្សះផ្សារ នយោបាយ និងការអភិវឌ្ឍ សេដ្ឋកិច្ច តាំងពីក្រោយ កិច្ចព្រមព្រៀង សន្តិភាព ទីក្រុងប៉ារីស។ - RFA Khmer

Why pretend anymore?! Take 'em all!

(Background: When Hun Sen dissolved CNRP, he gave Prince Ranariddh all the CNRP seats in Parliament. Then, Prince Ranariddh got into a fatal car accident (his 2nd in a matter of several years) where his wife dead and he is conscious but debilitated.)

"There was no credible opposition party with the opportunity to challenge the Government. In a democracy, no government has the right to choose its opposition."

My translation of Kimseng Men’s 31 July 2018 message in Khmer, a reporter from VOA Khmer Service:

Yesterday, the reporters were shocked when NEC started its broadcast by speaking Vietnamese. I have given a recording of this to my colleagues from both northern and southern Vietnam to listen, but it is unclear to them.

When I paid really close attention that I heard them say: “Ask Kalyan which province...”

Theary: "NEC" stands for the National Election Committee. “Kalyan" is a Khmer name.

Australia accused of failing to stand up for democracy as Cambodia descends into dictatorship.

"You don't drink champagne with the dictators." Opposition Leader [Mu Sochua]

For more than three decades Cambodia has been ruled by one man, Prime Minister Hun Sen, who came to power in the country's first democratic elections after the horror years of the Khmer Rouge. Australia played a key role in the peace deal that ended the bloody civil war, but the once bright hopes for democracy have long since faded.

"We were tremendously successful in bringing peace to Cambodia, but we weren't at all successful in bringing democracy and human rights." Former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans

Ahead of this weekend's elections, the Hun Sen regime launched a ruthless crackdown on the political opposition and free press. On Monday, in her first story for Four Corners, reporter Sophie McNeill travels to Cambodia to confront the man whose political opponents have been imprisoned and assassinated in mysterious circumstances.

Sophie McNeil: The world says this is not a democracy...

Hun Sen: No, no, no. No this is not (right).

While steadily cementing their grip on power, Hun Sen and his family and cronies are accused of amassing enormous wealth through a corrupt and nepotistic system.

"There's nothing that happens there that they don't control, and that is corruption in its most egregious form. That's what it's like in Cambodia. It is a Mafia state." Patrick Alley, Director Global Witness

Four Corners has uncovered evidence of how the regime's wealth has been used to buy properties and businesses in Australia, where some of Hun Sen's relatives have established a base for building support, sometimes through threats and intimidation.

"They allow this foreign government to intimidate our people, Australian citizens, and those who come here to study. This is not right." Hong Lim, Victorian MP

Since 2014, Australia has granted the regime $40 million in additional aid, in return for taking some of Australia's unwanted refugees, and the Turnbull Government upgraded ties with Cambodia last year. While the US has begun moves to sanction the regime by freezing assets and blocking visas, international observers accuse the Australian Government of cosying up to Hun Sen.

"I would like to see Australia take a strong stance, (to) come out openly and condemn the Hun Sen regime. They're not doing that." US Congressman [Ted Yoho]

While hopes for democracy have disintegrated, China has moved to dramatically expand its presence and power in the country.

"Cambodia has the coast, Cambodia has minerals, Cambodia has forest, Cambodia has a dictator. You can buy it all." Opposition Leader

As Hun Sen prepares to tighten his grip on power after this weekend's elections, Cambodia's democracy campaigners say they feel abandoned.

"Cambodia look up at the people of Australia. We envy you. You live in a world of democracy, but your Government is disappointing. Very disappointing." Opposition Leader

See Entrapment & Betrayals

And I thought they were public tears of remorse as a knowing, willing accomplice with Hun Sen in bringing us to this state of affairs, a dramatic, perilous downward spiral to pre-UNTAC dark years... ស្មាន ស្រកទឹកភ្នែក ជាសាធារណៈ ជាការសោកស្តាយ និងការសុំទោស ដល់ប្រជាជាតិ ដែលខ្លួន និងឪពុក បានឃុបឃិត ជាមួយ ហ៊ុនសែន ក្នុងការទាញ ប្រទេស ត្រឡប់ ថយក្រោយ ដោយគ្រោះថ្នាក់ យ៉ាងធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ ទៅមុនអ៊ុនតាក់។

"The Spoilt Ballot Party"

There are more spoiled ballots than what the NEC and the CPP have declared. The real figure for these spoiled ballots is not 9% of total ballots but over 20%. Voters who were not happy with the way the election was organized but were forced by the authorities to participate in the poll against their will, just crossed out the names of the 20 parties on the ballot paper to make it null and void. Seeing the surprisingly high number of these voluntarily spoiled ballots, NEC officials and CPP agents manipulated figures and managed to fraudulently change a large number (at least 50%) of these spoiled ballots into pro-CPP ballots. This information was obtained from testimonies by foreign observers such as this one: "It was very notable during the count that the second largest party in Cambodia is the spoiled ballot party. In every polling place there were at least 20 percent. In one of the polling places we looked at it was more like 35 percent spoiled ballots." - Sam Rainsy

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Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules for Life

Jordan Peterson at Aspen Ideas Festival, moderated by NYT reporter/editor

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Do not join the circus this Sunday.

You are not clowns.

BOYCOTT!

ម្រាមដៃ ស្អាត

ការធ្វើពហិការ គឺ ជាសិទ្ធិ ត្រឹមត្រូវ របស់ខ្ញុំ។ ខ្ញុំ ធ្វើ ពហិការ ដោយសារ ខ្ញុំ ជ្រើសរើស គណបក្ស សង្គ្រោះជាតិ | ការបោះឆ្នោត មិនមែន ជាសៀកទេ; យើង មិនមែន ជាត្លុកទេ។

Sunday, 29 July 2018

ពហិការ

BOYCOTT!

Stay home.

Use the day to fast and pray

Joining fellow Cambodians in giving Hun Sen and his cronies the "clean finger". Watch the video on Facebook, my message in both Khmer and English.

Washington Post or Truth2Power Media

Click to watch 2-min video clip on Facebook, part 3 of 3, a more succinct summary.

ប្រកាស ជាផ្លូវការ នូវការធ្វើ ពហិការ របស់ខ្ញុំ នៃការបោះឆ្នោត លេលា​ ដែលបានកំណត់ សម្រាប់ ថ្ងៃទី២៩ ខែកក្កដា ឆ្នាំ២០១៨។

Officially announcing my boycott of the idiotic election set for 29 July 2018, in particular appealing to Christians not only to stay home but take this time to pray for a change in regime from dictatorship to genuine democracy.

ហើយ សូម ​ចងចាំ ថា «ឧបសគ្គ ជាឪកាស លាក់លៀម។» - សេង ធារី

And remember: "Challenges/obstacles when viewed creatively are only opportunities in disguise." - Theary C. Seng

សូម ចែករំលែក វីដេអូ ឃ្លីបនេះ | Please SHARE

ផ្ទាល់ពី ភ្នំពេញ | LIVE from Phnom Penh

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អស់លោក, លោកស្រី ដែលរិះគន់ខ្ញុំ ដោយនិយាយ ថា ខ្ញុំ «មិន និយាយខ្មែរ ច្បាស់», ខ្ញុំ សូម សួរបញ្ជាក់ ថា៖ ខ្ញុំ និយាយខ្មែរ មិនច្បាស់ ឬ ខ្ញុំ និយាយខ្មែរ មានតុង (accent)?

អ្នកទេ ដែលខុស, មិន និយាយខ្មែរ ច្បាស់, ក្នុងការយល់ដឹង អំពី ភាពខុសប្លែកគ្នា នេះ។ ផ្ទុយទៅវិញ, ខ្ញុំ និយាយខ្មែរ យ៉ាងច្បាស់ ដូចពេល យើង អានពាក្យ នីមួយៗ, មិន លេបពាក្យ។

ជាការពិត, ខ្ញុំ សូម អរគុណអ្នក ដែលបាន ចំណាយ ពេលវេលា ដើម្បី កែតម្រូវខ្ញុំ; ខ្ញុំ មានជំនឿ លើការរិះគន់ ស្ថាបនា។ (វា គ្រាន់តែ ថា អ្នក មិន បាននិយាយ ត្រឹមត្រូវ លើចំណុចនេះ ;) ។)

សម្រាប់ ការរិះគន់ ផ្សេងទៀត, ខ្ញុំ សុំទោស ហើយ, ព្រោះ ខ្ញុំ យល់តិចណាស់ ភាសាព្រៃ។ ប្រសិនបើ លោកអ្នក ចង់ឱ្យ ខ្ញុំ យល់, សូម ប្រើភាសាខ្មែរ។

សូម ​ព្រះ ​ប្រទាន​ពរ ​លោកអ្នក--ទាំង អ្នក រិះគន់ ស្ថាបនា, ទាំង អ្នក រិះគន់ «ផ្សេងទៀត» ;) ។

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Click to watch video clip on Facebook, part 1 of 3

Click to watch this video clip on Facebook, part 2 of 3

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Previous videos

A video clip after Bel Air launching party, in remembrance of 30 March 2018, about Good Friday and the story of that first Easter Sunday

Saturday, 31 March 2018

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(click to watch short video clip on Facebook)

ខួបគំរប់ ១៤ឆ្នាំ សពលោក ជា វិជ្ជា៖ សុភមង្គល ​ដ៏​ពិត​ប្រាកដ និងសារគាំទ្រ ចលនា សង្រ្គោះជាតិ

In remembrance of Chea Vichea: Message of support for Cambodian National Rescue Movement (CNRM) and the Beatitudes, part of the famous Sermon on the Mount (ព្រះ‌បន្ទូល ​បង្រៀន នៅលើ​​ភ្នំ) so beloved by Mahatma Gandhi (លោក គន្ធី) that he carried the New Testament Bible everywhere with him.

‌ ព្រះយេស៊ូ ​ទត​ឃើញ ​មហា‌ជន​ទាំង​នេះ, ព្រះ‌អង្គ​ យាង​ឡើង​ទៅ​លើ​ភ្នំ, រួច​ព្រះ‌អង្គ​ គង់​នៅ​ទី​នោះ។ សិស្ស នាំ​គ្នា​ ចូល​មក ​គាល់​ព្រះ‌អង្គ; ព្រះ‌អង្គ​ ក៏​មាន ​ព្រះ‌បន្ទូល ​បង្រៀន​គេ​ ថា៖

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Facebook, June 2018

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សៀវភៅ សុភាសិត នៃជនជាតិ ជ្វីហ្វ (ពីព្រះគម្ពីរ របស់ពួកគេ, តូរ៉ា) | The Book of Proverbs of the Jews from their bible, the Torah

ដែលជា គម្ពីរ សញ្ញាចាស់ នៃព្រះគម្ពីរ គ្រីស្ទាន (គ្រីបរិសុទ្ធ) | which is the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.

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We need morality to beat this hurricane of anger

Jonathan Sacks, The Daily Telegraph (1 July 2016):

The Prime Minister resigns. There are calls for the Leader of the Opposition to likewise. A petition for a second referendum gathers millions of votes. There is talk of the United Kingdom splitting apart. The Tory succession campaign turns nasty.

This is not politics as usual. I can recall nothing like it in my lifetime. But the hurricane blowing through Britain is not unique to us. In one form or another it is hitting every western democracy including the United States. There is a widespread feeling that politicians have been failing us. The real question is: what kind of leadership do we need to steer us through the storm?

What we are witnessing throughout the West is a new politics of anger. There is anger at the spread of unemployment, leaving whole regions and generations bereft of hope. There is anger at the failure of successive governments to control immigration and to integrate some of the new arrivals.

There is anger at the financiers who brought the global economy to the brink of disaster and yet continued to reward themselves as if nothing had happened. There is anger at CEOs using public corporations for private benefit. There is anger that while a few have benefited disproportionately from the global economy, most people have seen their standards of living stay static or decline.

There is anger at the perceived impotence of governments to control the spread of extremism and terror. There is a widespread feeling that the world in the twenty-first century is running out of control. This has led in France, Greece, Austria, Hungary and Poland, to a resurgence of the Far Right. Elsewhere there is an emerging alliance of the Far Left and radical political Islam. These are dangerous forces, the Far Right seeking a return to a golden age that never was, the Far Left in pursuit of a utopia that will never be. They are both enemies of freedom.

Meanwhile figures have emerged like Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn in Britain, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders in the United States who are essentially anti-political politicians, populists whose appeal is that they channel widespread anger at the existing elites. Anti-political politicians raise expectations that cannot be met. When reality bites, the anger becomes deeper and darker.

The problems facing the West are real and serious, the results of the massive dislocations of the global economy, the information age, instantaneous worldwide communication and the outsourcing of production and services to low-wage economies. What makes them so intractable is the fact that they are global and long-term, while our best political institutions are national and focused on the immediate future.

The European Union and the United Nations have lamentably failed to lift horizons from the here-and-now of national self-interest to long-term global responsibility. W. B. Yeats’ vision has come to pass. The centre no longer holds. Things fall apart. Anarchy is loosed upon the world.

But there is something deeper behind the dysfunctional politics of the contemporary West. For the past half century we have been living through one of the great unstated social experiments of all time. We have tried to construct a world without identity and morality. Instead we left it to two systems to deal with the problems of our collective life: the market economy and the liberal democratic state.

Morality has been outsourced to the market. The market gives us choices, and morality has been reduced to a set of choices in which right or wrong have no meaning beyond the satisfaction or frustration of desire. We find it increasingly hard to understand why there might be things we want to do and can afford to do, that we should not do because they are dishonourable or disloyal or demeaning: in a word, unethical. Too many people in positions of public trust have come to the conclusion that if you can get away with it, you would be a fool not to do it. That is how elites betray the public they were supposed to serve. When that happens, trust collapses and a civilization begins to decay and die.

Meanwhile the liberal democratic state abolished national identity in favour of multiculturalism. The effect was to turn society from a home into a hotel. In a hotel you pay the price, get a room, and are free to do what you like so long as you do not disturb the other guests. But a hotel is not a home. It doesn’t generate identity, loyalty or a sense of belonging. Multiculturalism was supposed to make Europe more tolerant. Its effect has been precisely the opposite, leading to segregation, not integration.

The market economy and the liberal democratic state are two of the West’s greatest achievements, but without a strong sense of identity and morality, they will fail. To turn crisis into opportunity, we must recover the central insight of our great religious and civic traditions, that society is woven out shared ideals. Confident in our identity, we can welcome and integrate new waves of immigration. Strong in our moral sense, we can build businesses that strengthen communities.

The choice is stark. Fail, and we will have the politics of anger and decline. Succeed and Britain may yet again become an example to the world.

The Second Coming

William Butler Yeats

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;

Surely the Second Coming is at hand.

The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out

When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi

Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert

A shape with lion body and the head of a man,

A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,

Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it

Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.

The darkness drops again; but now I know

That twenty centuries of stony sleep

Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,

And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,

Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

***

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