Manekseka Sangkum:
So long as the will of the people is not represented politically, there will always be scope and potential for conflict and instability. At present, the agency of sedition and national instability remains the ruling party itself, aided by organised groups operating behind the scene such as the campaign of harassment against Kem Sokha and the Opposition. These subversive groups may have deeper roots and stronger power base [thus, possibly longer life-span] than the present ruling political dynasty itself despite both having been formed by the same hands.
The history of Cambodia in the last 50-60 years alone tell us plenty just how easy it had been for external elements and players to transform a small peaceful nation with no real economic, political or demographic pressures as sources of conflict into a pawn in their scheme, [even made to start afresh at Year Zero!] and presently, a casualty of their hegemony and expansion with all the unpleasant, unsavoury consequences for the country's people to endure.
So long as the will of the people is not represented politically, there will always be scope and potential for conflict and instability. At present, the agency of sedition and national instability remains the ruling party itself, aided by organised groups operating behind the scene such as the campaign of harassment against Kem Sokha and the Opposition. These subversive groups may have deeper roots and stronger power base [thus, possibly longer life-span] than the present ruling political dynasty itself despite both having been formed by the same hands.
The history of Cambodia in the last 50-60 years alone tell us plenty just how easy it had been for external elements and players to transform a small peaceful nation with no real economic, political or demographic pressures as sources of conflict into a pawn in their scheme, [even made to start afresh at Year Zero!] and presently, a casualty of their hegemony and expansion with all the unpleasant, unsavoury consequences for the country's people to endure.
....
Police walk past the remains of a fiery blockade on January 4 on Phnom Penh’s Veng Sreng Boulevard. Yesterday, city governor Pa Socheatvong told police to be ready to again combat “political instability”. Heng Chivoan
Sabres rattled at police meet
ppp Fri, 1 April 2016
Mech Dara
Phnom Penh’s police and judges must be prepared to once again crack down on dissent, Municipal Governor Pa Socheatvong told law enforcement and justice officials in a speech yesterday.
“In a year’s time, the atmosphere will be heating up in Phnom Penh,” Socheatvong said, in reference to the coming commune elections.
Speaking at the municipal police’s annual meeting, the governor praised the authorities’ “successful” response to unrest following the 2013 national elections, whose contested results saw thousands take to the streets to protest. Crackdowns on protests later that year and in 2014 resulted in at least five people being shot dead by armed forces.
“We had to implement legal measures against people who caused political instability. This is the key lesson we need to remember,” Socheatvong said. “If we didn’t . . . we cannot be sure we would have stability today.”
CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann was adamant last night that his party no longer organised demonstrations.
“We want to avoid violence, we want to avoid bloodshed. But other demonstrations occur almost every day in this country – by the workers, by the farmers, by those whose land was illegally grabbed. So don’t blame this on the opposition.
[The ruling party] should look at themselves and what they have done to the country.”.
Future Forum founder and analyst Ou Virak said yesterday’s speech was symptomatic of a government obsessed with dissent, rather than a response to any real threat to stability.
“Today, I don’t see any real movement for that. I don’t think it’s possible,” said Virak. “I think it’s paranoia.”
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