Cambodian Buddhist monks and laymen protest in front of the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh, Aug. 11, 2014.
AFP
AFP
Cambodia on Friday defended a group of demonstrators who burned a flag of Vietnam in front of Hanoi’s embassy, saying the act was part of freedom of expression allowed in the country, rebuffing demands from the neighbor that they be punished.
Cambodian Ministry of Interior Spokesman Khieu Sopheak said that the flag burning during a protest by the Khmer Krom ethnic minority would not affect relations between the two countries.
The demonstrators were simply “expressing their opinions in a democratic country,” he told RFA’s Khmer Service.
“Protesters commonly burn flags around the world—it may be unethical, but as long as it is done during a lawful protest, it is acceptable,” he said.
Khieu Sopheak reminded Hanoi that protesters in Vietnam had frequently burned Chinese flags in demonstrations following Beijing’s deployment in May of an oil rig in disputed waters off Vietnam’s coast in the South China Sea.
Protests are extremely rare in Vietnam and are often brutally repressed by the authorities, as dissent is not tolerated in the one-party communist state.
Khieu Sopheak explained that the political systems of Cambodia and Vietnam are “different” and that Hanoi could not expect Phnom Penh to react the same way to protests by its citizens.
“Cambodia is different from Vietnam. Cambodia adheres to a form of liberal democracy with a multi-party system. Cambodia allows freedom of expression under the framework of the law,” he said.
“This incident does not represent or reflect the foreign policy of the Cambodian government and it does not affect Vietnamese-Cambodia relations. [The demonstrators] were simply expressing their opinions in a democratic country.”
Flag incident
On Aug. 12, some 600 Khmer Krom protesters gathered at the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh demanding an apology from Hanoi for a June statement made by an embassy official claiming that Khmer Kampuchea Krom provinces had long been under Vietnam’s control.
The embassy official, Trung Van Thong, had said that Khmer Kampuchea Krom, a region comprising much of present-day southern Vietnam, belonged to Vietnam even before it was officially ceded to it by France in 1949.
At one point during the demonstration, prominent monk and protester Seung Hai burned a Vietnamese flag, which was then stomped and spat upon, according to a report by the Cambodia Daily.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Le Hai Binh said in a statement on Wednesday that the act “ran counter to the fine traditional neighborliness between Vietnam and Cambodia and deliberately offended the feelings of the Vietnamese people,” according to a report by Vietnamese state media.
“Vietnam demands that Cambodia strictly try these extremists in accordance with the law and take effective measures to prevent similar actions from repeating in the future,” Binh said.
Khieu Sopheak on Friday called the protests over Thong’s statement warranted, adding that Vietnam had overreacted to the flag burning incident.
“The demand [of the protesters] was appropriate and [Le Hai Binh’s] comment [appears] to be his own personal point of view,” he told RFA.
“We respect the good relationship between the two friendly countries.”
Political capital
The demand for an apology from Vietnam over Thong’s statement has also been taken up by opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) leader Sam Rainsy.
“If the Vietnamese Embassy does not apologize, the Cambodian people should use their fingerprints to file a petition to oust [Thong] from his post and force him out of Cambodia,” Sam Rainsy said Friday.
Last week, Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed the hope that the CNRP would refrain from whipping up anti-Vietnam sentiment for political gain.
CNRP lawmakers had recently rejoined parliament after breaking a political deadlock with Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) following disputed elections in July last year.
The CNRP has accused Hun Sen of being a "puppet" of neighboring Vietnam. Many Cambodians are wary of Vietnam’s influence over their country’s affairs.
An estimated 1.7 million people, or one in four Cambodians, died in what came to be called the “Killing Fields” after the ultra-Communist Khmer Rouge took power in 1975. The regime was unseated when Vietnam invaded the country four years later.
Vietnam occupied the country for a decade before withdrawing its troops and signing the Paris Peace Agreement to restore sovereignty and stability to Cambodia.
History
France’s Cochinchina colony, which included the former provinces of Kampuchea Krom, was officially ceded to Vietnam in 1949, but had been under Vietnamese control since the mid-17th century.
One of the most important seaports of Kampuchea Krom, once called Prey Nokor, is now known as Ho Chi Minh City—the FINANCIAL
hub of Vietnam and one of the largest cities in Southeast Asia.
hub of Vietnam and one of the largest cities in Southeast Asia.
Since Hanoi took control, the Khmer Krom living in Vietnam—believed to number considerably more than one million and who are ethnically similar to most Cambodians—have increasingly faced social persecution and strict religious controls, according to U.S.-based Human Rights Watch.
On the other side of the border, the Khmer Krom who leave Vietnam for Cambodia remain one of the country’s “most disenfranchised groups,” Human Rights Watch said.
Reported by RFA’s Khmer Service. Translated by Sum Sok Ry. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
ស្ដាប់ ឬ ទាញយកសំឡេង
អ្នកតវ៉ានៅមុខស្ថានទូតវៀតណាមបានដុតទង់ជាតិវៀតណាម នៅរសៀលថ្ងៃទី ១២ សីហា ឆ្នាំ ២០១៤ នៅក្បែរស្ថានទូតវៀតណាម។
Photo: បណ្ដាញព្រះសង្ឃឯករាជ្យ ដើម្បីយុត្តិធម៌សង្គម
មន្ត្រីរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា លើកឡើងថា ការដុតទង់ជាតិក្នុងពេលបាតុកម្មដោយអ្នកតវ៉ា អាចជារឿងអសីលធម៌ ប៉ុន្តែវាក៏មិនមែនជារឿងចម្លែកដែលមិនធ្លាប់កើតឡើងនៅលើពិភពលោកនោះដែរ។
ការអះអាងរបស់មន្ត្រីរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា បែបនេះ ធ្វើឡើងបន្ទាប់ពីក្រសួងការបរទេសវៀតណាម ស្នើឲ្យរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា ចាត់វិធានការច្បាប់ចំពោះបាតុករខ្មែរ ដែលបានធ្វើបាតុកម្ម និងដុតទង់ជាតិវៀតណាម កាលពីពេលថ្មីៗនេះ។
ឆ្លើយតបនឹងការលើកឡើងរបស់រដ្ឋាភិបាលវៀតណាម ដែលស្នើឲ្យរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា ចាត់វិធានការបញ្ឈប់បាតុកម្មរបស់ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរក្រោម និងដុតទង់ជាតិវៀតណាម នោះ អ្នកនាំពាក្យក្រសួងមហាផ្ទៃ លោក ខៀវ សុភ័គ មានប្រសាសន៍នៅថ្ងៃទី១៥ សីហា ថា ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ខុសពីប្រទេសវៀតណាម។ លោកថា កម្ពុជា ជាប្រទេសដែលប្រកាន់របបលទ្ធិប្រជាធិបតេយ្យសេរីពហុបក្ស ដូច្នេះពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជា មានសិទ្ធិសេរីភាពក្នុងការសម្ដែងមតិ ឲ្យតែការសម្ដែងមតិនោះ ធ្វើឡើងដោយស្របច្បាប់ និងអហិង្សា។
លោក ខៀវ សុភ័គ បន្តថា វាធម្មតាទេដែលប្រទេសវៀតណាម អាក់អន់ចិត្តនៅពេលទង់ជាតិរបស់ខ្លួនត្រូវបានដុត។ លោកថា ប្រសិនបើគេដុតទង់ជាតិកម្ពុជា ក៏ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរអន់ចិត្តដូចគ្នាអ៊ីចឹងដែរ។ លោក ខៀវ សុភ័គ ចាត់ទុកការដុតទង់ជាតិរបស់បាតុករ ថាជារឿងអសីលធម៌។ តែទោះជាយ៉ាងណា លោកថា បញ្ហានេះ វាកើតឡើងសឹងជាទូទៅហើយនៅលើពិភពលោក។ លោកថា សូម្បីតែជនជាតិវៀតណាម ក៏បានដុតទង់ជាតិចិន ដែរ នៅពេលពួកគេធ្វើបាតុកម្មប្រឆាំងប្រទេសចិន ពេលមានជម្លោះដែនកោះនៅសមុទ្រចិនខាងត្បូង កាលពីពេលកន្លងទៅនេះ។
លោកថា រដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា សោកស្ដាយចំពោះអ្វីដែលបានកើតឡើងកន្លងមក ប៉ុន្តែលោកជឿជាក់ថា វាមិនធ្វើឲ្យប៉ះពាល់ដល់ទំនាក់ទំនងល្អរវាងកម្ពុជា និងវៀតណាម ឡើយ ព្រោះលោកថា រឿងនេះមិនមែនជាគោលនយោបាយរបស់រដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា ឡើយ។ យ៉ាងណាក៏ដោយចុះ លោកថា ប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រនៅតែជាប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រ គេមិនអាចលុបបំបាត់វាបាននោះទេ៖ «នេះមិនមែនជាគោលការណ៍ ឬគោលនយោបាយការបរទេសរបស់រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា ទេ។ ខ្ញុំជឿថា មិនប៉ះពាល់ (ទំនាក់ទំនងល្អកម្ពុជាវៀតណាម) ទេ ព្រោះថា អ្នកអស់ហ្នឹងវាជាមតិមួយក្នុងប្រទេសប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ ប៉ុន្តែមិនមែនជាគោលការណ៍របស់រដ្ឋាភិបាលនៃព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា អ្វីដែលជាគោលការណ៍រដ្ឋាភិបាល យើងគោរពគោលការណ៍ ប្រកាន់ខ្ជាប់នូវទំនាក់ទំនងល្អក្នុងប្រទេសជាមិត្ត មិនឆ្លុះបញ្ចាំងអំពីគោលនយោបាយរបស់រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាល»។
លោក ខៀវ សុភ័គ បន្តថា ទោះជាយ៉ាងណាក៏ដោយ បាតុកម្មរបស់ខ្មែរក្រោម និងបណ្ដាញយុវជនប្រឆាំងវៀតណាម នៅកម្ពុជា នេះ រដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា អាចគ្រប់គ្រងស្ថានការណ៍បាន។
នៅថ្ងៃទី១៥ សីហា នេះដែរ សហគមន៍ខ្មែរកម្ពុជាក្រោម ចេញសេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍មួយ ដើម្បីថ្លែងអំណរគុណដល់អ្នកចូលរួម និងអ្នកជួយឧបត្ថម្ភក្នុងពេលបាតុកម្មកន្លងមក។ សហគមន៍ខ្មែរកម្ពុជាក្រោម ក៏រិះគន់រដ្ឋាភិបាលវៀតណាម ដែលសហគមន៍ចោទថា ម្តងហើយម្តងទៀតជំរុញឲ្យរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា ចាត់វិធានការបង្ក្រាបបាតុករអហិង្សានៅមុខស្ថានទូតវៀតណាម។ ពួកគេចាត់ទុកសកម្មភាពរបស់រដ្ឋាភិបាលវៀតណាម នេះ ថាជាការជ្រៀតជ្រែកចូលកិច្ចការផ្ទៃក្នុងរបស់កម្ពុជា និងជាការរំលោភទៅលើគោលការណ៍របស់អាស៊ាន មិនអាចប្រកែកបាន។ ពួកគេថា រដ្ឋាភិបាលកុម្មុយនីស្តវៀតណាម គ្មានសិទ្ធិ និងឥទ្ធិពលអីមកបង្គាប់បញ្ជាកម្ពុជា ដែលជាប្រទេសប្រកាន់យករបបនយោបាយប្រជាធិបតេយ្យសេរី តាមតែអំពើចិត្តនោះទេ។
ទោះជាយ៉ាងណា ពួកគេថា វាជាបាតុកម្មអហិង្សាដោយឈរលើស្មារតីគោរពមិត្តភាពជាមួយប្រទេសជិតខាងល្អ មិនបង្កឲ្យមានការប្រកាន់ពូជសាសន៍ ឬអរិភាពជាមួយប្រទេសវៀតណាម ឡើយ ហើយថា ពួកគេនឹងមិនទទួលខុសត្រូវចំពោះក្រុមទាំងឡាយណា ដែលធ្វើសកម្មភាពមិនឋិតនៅក្នុងការរៀបចំរបស់ពួកគេឡើយ។
សេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍សហគមន៍ខ្មែរកម្ពុជាក្រោមដដែល ក៏បញ្ជាក់ដែរថា ក្រុមដឹកនាំបាតុកម្មប្រឆាំងការបំភ្លៃប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្ររបស់វៀតណាម នឹងផ្អាកធ្វើបាតុកម្ម ដើម្បីរង់ចាំលទ្ធផលធ្វើការរបស់ក្រសួងការបរទេសកម្ពុជា ជាមួយរដ្ឋាភិបាលវៀតណាម ទៅតាមញត្តិស្នើសុំរបស់បាតុករ រហូតដល់ដំណាច់ខែសីហា នេះ។ ពួកគេបញ្ជាក់ថា បើសិនជាវៀតណាម មិនសុំទោសពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរជាសាធារណៈទេនោះ នោះពួកគេនឹងបន្តធ្វើបាតុកម្មរហូតដល់មានដំណោះស្រាយ៕
22 comments:
In the past, the government spokesmen always defend Vietnam. This is the first time they defend Cambodian people against Vietnam. I'm not a fan of the Cambodian government, but I give them credit where credit is due.
I give a lot of credit to Khiev Sopheak, for standing up to protect his none violent democracy protesters. This is what khmer people around the world wanted to hear from their leaders in the government. I hope to hear, Hun Sen, king of the king of Cambodia telling Hanoi ambassadors to pack and prepare to leave Cambodia if they don't step up and explain what they said about Cambodian Krom history.
Turboman
Vietnam did not authorize those demonstrations against China nor sanctioned any flag burning.
Cambodian government did authorize those demonstrations. Any act of burning Vietnamese flag during those sanctioned demonstrations would be illegal and wrong.
Why is it so hard to deal with the Khmer. I say, just fly the batons onto their heads until they understand. Save time.
This is why most foreign investors don't want to invest in Cambodia. They prefer to invest in Vietnam. Only the dirty, low value, shady business would come to Cambodia to exploit the Cambodian workers. Why, because they can bribe the police to use the batons on the Cambodian workers.
-Drgunzet-
You're still Psychosis DrugroinZ!... I though Hanoi + Cpp already locked your lunatic-Ass in the cage long ago....!
Freedom of expression is allowed in Nambodia because it's the DEMOCRACY society not Authoritarianism like Yuon-eats dogs from Hanoi.
Bravo,Kiev Sopheak you're expressing your rights as a Cambodian public servant.Cambodia is neutrality Yieknam has no controls of our nation.Let stand together and demand Hanoi to apology for distorts our history, Hanoi succeeded in stolen the land and Hanoi wants to destroy our history as well.please don't let it succeeds this time.
Why is so hard to deal with Ah hard head YUON drunkzet families. Who is create the problem for Khmer everything .Look It's more than Millions are illegal in Khmer now and I hope CPP going to kick all of that soon. YUON is good for burn factory as the world see it and killed some of their factory worker and come out and said like nothing happen.You can't hide it doesn't what you said drunkzet. your dirty trick is there.
យួនវាបញ្ជា ឱ្យ ហ៊ុន សែន ដាំតែអុងខ្មែរទាំងកណ្តាលថ្ងៃត្រង់ តែ ហ៊ុន សែន មិនព្រមធ្វើ ព្រោះដូចជាពិបាកលាក់នឹងភ្នែកពិភពលោក បានជាមិនហ៊ានផ្គាប់ចិត្តចៅហ្វាយនោះ ឥឡូវចៅហ្វាយបែបខឹង ហើយមើលទៅ សុំចាំមើលទៅដើម្បីកុំឱ្យចៅហ្វាយខឹង លួងចិត្ត ច្បាស់ជាមានអីមិនខានទេ មិនស្រួលអស់ដីទៀតហើយ
Dear compatriots,
This is at least a good first step that a member of the Yuon's puppet government said something right and defied the Yuon's demand to punish Khmer protestors.
However, had the government punished the protestors as requested by Vietnam, the result would have been disastrous for Hun Sen because it would clearly prove that this Hun Sen is absolutely a Yuon's puppet, and a massive demonstration might follow afterwards.
We should look forward to seeing other areas that Hun Sen must do to improve his image such as taking back the Khmer soul Angkor Wat, rescinding the 99 years land concession to Vietnam, stopping the mass influx of the Vietnamese into Cambodia, strictly enforcing the immigration law, implementing the 1991 Paris Peace Accord and canceling all the bilateral treaties with Vietnam, including the 2005 supplemental treaty, reviewing the “triangle areas”, allowing Khmer people to check and verify the border posts with Vietnam, clearing the Vietnamese out of our lakes and rivers, which have been stained by the Vietnamese’s sperms (Teuk Ktiss Yuon), urines, excrement, and trashes, etc…
Finally, it is time for Hun Sen to awake and free himself from this evil Yuon’s grip. The Vietnamization of Cambodia by Vietnam has been strengthened and deepened greatly already. Time is not on Cambodia side. Khmer people must hardened their mind and prepare to sacrifice their lives when the “moment” to save Cambodia comes.
Bun Thoeun
Drgunzet you step on Khmer foot than you turn back and said Khmer is hard to deal with . What Kind the spicy is that? Did you read Bun Thoeun comment.Drgunzet want killed all Khmer go ahead You get all kind of gun because your poppet didn't do it.You mad now . You can kill them all YUON Drgunzet.
It must been very difficult for General Khieu Sopheak & CPP to make this statements. They did what they suppose to do because they represented Cambodian not Vietnamese. I am proud to see this small first step. Cambodia had lost already 70 % of her territories to Vietnam, Thailand, Laos. We must fight to preserved a small patch of lands left on Earth for our future generations to come. It is not too late to start defending our homeland against our expansion neighbors. We had almost 15 millions peoples that is a lot of Khmers that these neighbors can't exterminate. Here are some of my suggestions, just my personal opinions:
1. CNRP, CPP, others must be united as one voice against foreign dominations and in fluence. We can agree to disagree on some domestic ideas. We can try our best to find a common grounds.
2. Reform our most important institutions such as in order priority list: Armed Forces in a neutral & adequate equipped defensive military (remove all Vietnamese sympathizers, agents), Judicial branch, executive branch, legislative branch.
3. Enforce our immigration laws to the fullest in humane ways. Give Vietnamese & others who can prove that had lived in Cambodia more than 5 years to become full Cambodian citizenship. Have them serve our armed forces and observed their loyalties to Cambodia. Have them pay taxes, contribute to nation building. AFTER ALL ILLEGALS HAD BEEN DEALT WITH CLOSE OUR BORDERS TO ILLEGAL WITH A DEDICATE WELL TRAIN, WELL-EQUIPPED BORDER GUARDS.
4. Educated our populations to live in peace with other different ethnics. Educated Cambodian to be able to compete with ASEAN. Ask for helps if we have too.
5. Recinde all illegal business deals that damages our country economics and security. Make these companies rewrite a new contracts.
6. Request that Vietnam, Thailand, Laos follow international laws governed land and sea territories. Get UN, ICJ, ICC and others nations that respected rules of laws to help us to put pressure on these neighbors to respect our borders. Hire the best international lawyers, experts to take a look at CPP/Vietnam border treaties 1985, 1993, 2005, 2008 if there any violations of Cambodia territories. This we MUST DO.
7. Learn to live in peace with our neighbors.
Finally, the Hun Sen government grows some spines! Yes!!! I support Khieu Sopheak for speaking up against the Vietnamese bad boys of Hanoi. It is about time after over 30 years in power. There is nothing illegal about protesting in Cambodia. However, it is the damn Viets who still do not understand the laws of Cambodia. These illegal Vietnamese immigrants still continue to sneak into Cambodia day and night. So it is Vietnam instead that needs to do its job in disciplining its Vietnamese criminals. Didn't the Chinese teach the Vietnamese anything about respecting the rules and laws after 1000+ years of learning the Chinese core values? Du ma Viet criminals who do not respect the rules and laws of the world. Have the Viets send a representative to China to offer an apology for killing the Chinese, destroying the Chinese owned factories, and burning the Chinese flags yet? The Viets have to do that because that is required by the Confucius tradition.
Yes Khmer should be stand up what is right for Khmer But it's the big problem because Like YUON Drgunzet will not like Khieu Sopheak at all and Yuon will used any mean to sack him. Please watch out .
Where It 's Ah Drunkzet
It's Cambodia right? It isn't In YUON Drunkzet. You was to smart come to help right? by send millions of your families illegally to live in Cambodia and said you came to help what kind of help this is? your help to take care Beng ton Le Sap , Ang Kor wat, phnom boko and millions of hectare of land and how many Kilometer along the border hat you take and your said Khmer is hard to deal with. what kind of human you're . It's look like everything in khmer is belong to Drunkzet families .it may be DrunkZet want to kill all khmer like his brother hitler kill all jewish that why he keep bark like that.
[ Any act of burning Vietnamese flag during those sanctioned demonstrations would be illegal and wrong.] from -Drgunzet-
SAYS WHO ? at least they [ CPP ] did allow for such freedom of speech--1 credit for the regime ... many countries burnt US flag in any demonstration or protest against the US foreign policies... you don't see americans go cry to their mommy or daddy like the youns.
JENDHA,
We want you to know we love you, but we love our personal information more.
Eah and every information details are traceable, and could fall into the wrong hands.
Hence we are asking you to reconsider your new requirement.
Thank you
Love,
Your Faithful Fan
Youn government closed eyes on demonstration against china until the demonstration ran out of control and burned the chinese run factories and killed chinese.
17 August 2014 10:00 am
Your know brother that is not only Jendha decision That is LY diep who behind that because most of the reader are jump on Ly Diep and he want to find it out and we didn't know what for? If he know who we're here than he can't do anything but if he send to Phay siphan than it may problem because someday we might go back to Cambodia .It's better to stay away .
Most of Ly Diep’s articles are to break Khmer UNITY.
Jendhamuni does not read Khmer, so she has no idea what Ly Diep’s articles mean.
It is a shame to have her as the KI’s admin.
By now we should know that Ly Diep is not working for the benefit of the Khmer people.
He attacks every Khmer nationalistic cause.
11:15 am
Dear Brother,
Now we know.
We sincerely thank YOU.
More information will be
very much appreciated.
jendha didn't read khmer but she delete some of comment It mean she know what going on But she ignore that because Ly Diep is a full member of KI since Ki split from theary seng and Ly diep also behind that that make Jendha trust him from that time Diep have a spot to trash cnrp and his mission to destroy Cnrp . All of his writhing cnrp was wrong But Hun sen have more wrong but Ly diep never write write anything
and come out and said don't use his hand. Jendha now all of that.
If KI does not reverse its stupid recent decision, KI will go to hell soon.
If that happens, people feel sad for the KI's founder who made KI famous and kept his identity secret until his death.
People are not going to read Ly Diep's mental comments.
17 August 2014 12:44 pm
Jendha does not read Khmer, but she has Ly Diep as her eyes and ears.
Ms.JENDHAMUNI,
It seems that most of your regular posters request you to reconsider your demand of their personal information.
These are Khmer nationalists. They often voice their opinions against Hun Sen. Hun Sen and Hanoi even have their paid snitches on your site.
Khmer nationalists need protection, the least thing you could do is to provide them not to reveal their personal information.
Thank you
KI OldTimer
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