Open Letter to U.S. President Barack Obama
18 November 2012, Phnom Penh
Dear President Obama:
Thank
you for winning the re-election—for both the sakes of Americans and the
peoples of the world—and proving once again the tenacity and strength
of American democracy.
And welcome to Cambodia! During
your two-day visit in my birthplace as the first sitting U.S.
president, it is imperative that you raise these matters with Prime
Minister Hun Sen:
I
cannot understand the difficulty of the dilemma facing you in
attempting to balance the strategic interests by curbing the influence
of China and human rights issues which is a sea of violations that run
deep here.
I cannot understand the dilemma in this regard: it’s a false dilemma. The U.S. national interests in Cambodia are human rights and political pluralism. They cannot be any other. I
am fully aware of how naïve I sound to some analysts who paint the
world in broad strokes and in the process, erase pivotal unique traits
of Cambodia. But if you are to
take into consideration the unique historical development of Cambodia
vis-à-vis superpower politics, it is to U.S. strategic interests in the
medium and long-term to side with human rights and democracy. Especially now, in light of globalization and information communication technology. If
history is any teacher, the U.S. must not repeat its disastrous
policies of the Cold War years by turning once again Southeast Asia into
a political theatre. As you know, the Cambodians bore the ultimate price in the Khmer Rouge genocide.
Your
visit can write a more admirable American narrative in Cambodia for the
present and the future by making human rights and democracy the
unwavering flagship of your strategy.
2. Public Apology for U.S. Illegal Bombings of Cambodia which Created the Conditions for the Khmer Rouge Genocide
Not
only should you not repeat the failed U.S. geopolitics of the Cold War
here in Cambodia, but you have the unique, grand opportunity to right
the wrongs by publicly acknowledging the illegal U.S. bombings which
took the lives of half a million Cambodians and created the conditions
for the Khmer Rouge genocide. The Cambodian victims demand a public apology. If
you have the moral courage to make this public acknowledgement, it will
do more good for us victims than any high-priced hybrid court will ever
be able to accomplish in terms of offering reconciliation and a sense
of justice.
3. Push for ECCC Cases 003/4 as the firm condition for UN withdrawal
The
Extraordinary Chambers (ECCC) is an irredeemable political sham,
embedding impunity with international stamp of approval and legitimacy
the longer it goes on. The insidious political interference into Cases 003 and 004 is but one illustration. The new co-investigating judge American Mark Harmon has yet to do much on these cases.
The
US must unequivocally support the basic principle of judicial
independence and threaten to withdraw if Cases 003 and 004 do not move
forward. This strong US
stance—threat backed by action—will set the tone for the rest of the
international community and will put the government of Hun Sen on notice
of the US seriousness in combating impunity and pursuing justice and
reconciliation, not only for the Cambodian people, but the Americans as
well.
In
sum, the Cambodian people, like the rest of the world, look to you for
political leadership but more importantly moral leadership, which in
this age of ICT and globalization, does translate into political
capital.
CIVICUS: Center for Cambodian Civic Education is a partner of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights’ Speak Truth To Power project. And
as you have often quoted and believe in this truth of Robert F.
Kennedy, so now may you be reminded when you meet with Prime Minister
Hun Sen of how we the Cambodians deeply yearn to have you stand with us
in tearing down the “walls of oppression and resistance”:
Each
time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of
others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple
of hope, and those ripples build a current which can sweep down the
mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
With my highest regards,
Theary C. Seng
Founding president, CIVICUS: Center for Cambodian Civic Education
Founding president, Association of Khmer Rouge Victims in Cambodia
Founding president, CIVICUS: Center for Cambodian Civic Education
Founding president, Association of Khmer Rouge Victims in Cambodia
7 comments:
this lady needs treatments
really she has a personal problems,
don't mind her, she is just a worm digger.
at least she got attention
One step at the time!
Don't screw up!
Too many issues in Cambodia right now under the corrupted CPP thieves led by Vietnamese puppet Hun Sen and his Vietnamese bosses in Hanoi.
Theary Seng,will be remembered in history as, a significant intellectual treasure for Cambodia.An ordinary survivor of the Killing Field and turn herself into A field Marshal in the battle for freedom,justice and democracy.
Thank you so much for your dedication and hard work for our people and nation.You are the hope of our children.
Our motherland need you.
The wheel of democracy is an unstoppable force.
True Khmer
She was right I agree with her on almost all points, American should apology to Cambodian victim; American killed Cambodian more than 500, 000 and destroyed the whole infrastructure, property even though wildlife such as Kou Prey disappeared.
Before China step in, American totally ignore Cambodian, now Cambodian found oil then American step in to support dictatorship by providing the scholarship to his three sons and almost 20 years quiet with human abuse in Cambodia; American support Hun Sen corrupt crony by providing their companies access to American market cause land grab from poor in order to build their farms and factories. American sent military aid to corrupted Cambodian government in order to supress Cambodian who dare to voice against the regime like we see during ASEAN meeting.
Obama top security advisor said Obama talk “tense” to Hun Sen on human right but who know they might talk about oil instead because no journalist allowed inside the room. Obama should warn Hun Sen that if Hun Sen still abuse Cambodian American will ban on all export that have corrupted Hun Sen cronies involved.
American should pay $50, 000 x 7000, 000 Cambodian victims (1970-1975), China should pay $50, 000 x 1.7 million Cambodian dead (1975-1979), and Vietnamese should pay $50, 000 x 100, 000 Cambodian dead (1979-1985).
អាមេរិកកំទិចស្រុកខ្មែរ
ខ្មែរក្រហមសម្លាប់ខ្មែរដោយសារអាមេរិក
សួរថា អាមេរិកនៅល្អទៀតឬ?
ភូមា ជំពាក់បំណុលជប៉ុន ឥឡូវជប៉ុនលប់ចោល
បួនពាន់លានដុល្លា
ខ្មែរជំពាក់អាមេរិកទាំងដើមទាំងការប្រម៉ាន៥០០លាន
មកទាបំណុល៌តឈប់ឈរ ទាំងអាមេរិកបាននាំសង្គ្រាមមកបំភ្លាញស្រុកខ្មែរទៀតតើវាសមទេ
បើកុំមានអាមេរិកក៏គ្មានខ្មែរក្រហមដែរបើផគ្មានខ្មែរក្រហមខ្មែរគ៏មិនវិនាសដែរ។
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