Read the meaning of the word "Yuon" here.
Cambodia has been ruled for nearly 25 years by Hun Sen. His biggest rival is Sam Rainsy, who, in his struggle for power, has made use of widespread racism toward the Vietnamese.
"We must free our country from the hands of this leadership," opposition leader Sam Rainsy harangued during a speech in the United States. "The leadership is destroying our country, murdering it bit by bit. They are giving the 'yuon' the chance to kill Cambodia." In Cambodia's Khmer language, 'yuon' was a derogatory term for the Vietnamese.
Rainsy repeatedly makes use of national resentments toward Vietnam and the ethnic Vietnamese minority in the country to raise his political profile. About five percent of Cambodians are of Vietnamese extraction.
Opposition figure Rainsy plays the racism card
Karl-Heinz Golzio, a historian who has written an extensive history of Cambodia, is watching this development with concern.
He criticizes Hun Sen for corruption and nepotism, but also Rainsy for exploiting the country's widespread xenophobia toward Vietnam and the Vietnamese.
"In Cambodian politics, it seems as though you only have a choice between corruption and pogrom," Golzio said in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
Historical hatred
The prejudices against Vietnamese are rooted in history, he explains. For hundreds of years the two countries have shared a common history full of wars, immigration and invasion. Most of the time, Cambodia got the shorter end of the stick.
A touchy issue is also Prime Minister Hun Sen. The former member of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia's radical communists who brutally murdered between 1.7 and 2.2 million of their countrymen, fled to Vietnam to escape the wrath of his own party cohorts.
Hun Sen is seen by many as a minion of Vietnamese interests in Cambodia
When Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1978 to put an end to the Khmer Rouge regime, it installed Hun Sen, first as deputy prime minister and foreign minister, and then later, in 1985, appointed him prime minister.
"Cambodians frequently ignore the fact," Golzio explains, "that the Vietnamese toppled a terror regime and, in doing so, allowed life in Cambodia to more or less return to normal."
But that hasn't stopped Rainsy and his Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) from spewing invective against the yuon, whom he notes, have been in Cambodia for 400 years. "They are good for nothing. And the current leadership is a lackey of the yuon, who can still do whatever they want," Rainsy has said.
Corruption and nepotism
There is no denying the fact that Vietnam, from time to time, has seriously overstepped boundaries and exerted undue influence on Cambodia. "This has to do with corruption in the Cambodian government, which has been known to bow to the wishes of a Vietnamese company or look into a complaint from Hanoi," says Hans-Georg Jonek, from Germany's Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
Vietnamese 'rubber barons' are blamed for land grabs
Hun Sen has also been half-hearted about land grabs against locals in favor of "rubber barons" from Vietnam, according to a report by the NGO Global Witness.
"Racism is a problem that encompasses not only the CNRP, but also other political parties as well. It goes much deeper than any political party. The government and all political actors need to get away from any sort of hate speech. Racism is an ongoing problem which could burst out into larger violence," warns Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch in Asia.
In defense of Rainsy, however, Robertson at least considers the opposition figure to be honest and sincere. "He is a person who for the last two decades has sacrificed a great deal personally for Cambodia," says the HRW director. He has managed to jump into the thick of politics without becoming one of Hun Sen's minions.
Rainsy himself says that he has "nothing against Vietnam or the Vietnamese, but rather against the Cambodian and Vietnamese governments and their current policies."
Jonek, from the Naumann Foundation says Rainsy enjoys a great deal of respect in ASEAN, which is why his organization trains members of its women's league, youth group and provincial office staff. "But," he stressed, "there is no direct financial support of the party and no direct support in the election campaign."
http://www.dw.de/cambodias-opposition-leader-plays-racist-card/a-17477112
18 comments:
all khmers cpp have to accept what is right of the long times history between khmer? and yuon who was immigration yuon or khmer,where yuon come from ? where were khmer before yuon come to resettlement in south east asia ? how big cambodian land it was ?Yuon took almost all our land,just a little bit left and cpp very stupid that lead by hun sen,chea sim and hang samrin all of these are chke yuon I don't how they are stupid politic ? why they want to put our country under control by vietnam ? this question why khmer don't like yuon hanoi ? because this kind of people they never keep cambodian have a independent.peace,freedom since they come to resettlement in indochina,they use a lot tactic make a war year to year from century to century,took cambodian land piece by piece never stop and kidnap young cambodian boys every year to teach them about political of communist regime and sent them back to fight with cambodian freedom and make them hate their own nation,only one cambodian guy he's really good when he didn't follow up by Hanoi,all of those no brain at all like Devil Hun Sen and followers.This is a real story why don't like yuon ,we're not racist we want to live in a peace of mind,freedom,independent,in the history we never invade any neighbors country,thank foreign readers.
Let's be straight forward, khmer people have many good reasons to be racist toward the Vietnamese. Millions of khmer have been killed by the Vietnamese since the existence of the Vietnamese that continue to the presence day and well into the future. Khmer people are the victims, not the Vietnamese. Giving the fact that there are far more Vietnamese than the Cambodian population, more khmer people are being killed everyday by the Vietnamese than khmer killing Vietnamese.
The bigger racist is not in the language but the action! Don't forget, khmer krom people are also khmer and they are living in fear, abused, and killed by the Vietnamese everyday.
I am 100 % agree that we khmers are not and have never been racists instead Khmers were well known to be very hospitable and amiable. Many Chinese and Vietnamese know that very well. Khmers like peaceful lives and are not competitive in nature compare to Chinese who are very business wise, competitive, highly ambitious . Same Vietnamese are very ambitious, competitive and very sneaky. Vietnam Hanoi greed to expand its territory is endless dragging Cambodia to year zero ....until now with Hun Sen regime make Hanoi dream getting closer and closer to come true. However, we, Khmers, are now more unite than ever. Together we are stronger. The good prevail the bad.
Again, any idiot who is an expert in the Khmer language. These idiots claims Sam Rainsy and oppositions are racist yet they fail to understand a simple word.
This is why Rainsy was never allowed to meet any American President. Nobody in the right mind will want to associate with Rainsy.
I give the Khmer a common sense advise, "Do not support any opposition leader unless the person met an American President." Or you are wasting your time.
-Drgunzet-
Raincy the stupid clown how you guy believed ple pler weakness gay like rainsy. Mike
Hun Sen the stupid dog how you guy believed ple pler weakness blinded like Hun Sen.Mike
It's regrettable that some ignorant foreigners pretend to be experts on Khmer language. They can't even speak and understand Khmer, so how can they claim that the word "Yuon" is derogatory and racist!
It's outrageous because people like Ou Virak have misled them to believe that the word "Yuon" is racist. It's not, it's been used in Thailand, Laos, Burma etc. as a neutral term to call the Vietnamese. Why didn't ignorant foreigners condemn the Thais, the Laotians and the Burmese too?
Hun Sen the stupid Viet dog how you guy believed ple pler weakness blinded like Hun Sen.Ov ah Mice
it is acceptable for the common khmer person to use the word YOUN since we have been using it since time began BUT Mr rainsy is somewhat different because he aspires to become a leader/prime minister of a country therefore he needs to learn to oblige and abide by the rule of the international community and press-- that is to be more sensitive and careful of his words...the word nigger was considered normal among american white when referring to black people but it has since changed to be considered racist and people who want to be elected or hold a high position in a company or govt office, have since learned to watch their mouth and never utter that word in public; mind you some of them still use such word when referring to blacks but they only do it in private and among trusted friends...they could lose more than just money if getting caught using such word out loud and in public.
just as siam people want to be known as thais, laotian want to be called ''lav and not leav '' as khmer used to call them... so do the youn as viets.....i am sure all of us would not like it if we actually were to hear what the thais really call us in a public arena , word which they are using right now behind our back.... sometimes it helps to understand others better if we step into their shoes.
Irrational abusive unstable mind like you Ah Drgetshit talks like a Down syndrome llittle's child,and yet braggin' about smart and learning ability up to speed of light.who is in the right mind believe the words that come out of your freakin's mouth!? Wanna be like you will never mounts to any thing!!!!!
Well, won't be like your freakin's kteuy Sihanmoni! Ah Mike, Sihanmomi,your king wants your butt because your king and you were stupid in the same category as a the loser in a century!
NO RACISM HERE! IT IS THE TRUTH AND THE ONLY TRUTH. IF U BLIND THEN U DON'T SEE IT, LIKE AH HUN XEN.
The brave King took a lot of risk when he pardoned Rainsy to come back to Cambodia. Did you praise him? No. When the King decided for good of Cambodia, the Government must move on with Mr. Hun Sen as the Prime Minister, you folks labeled him as gay, stupid and all kind of names. You even called his mother as a whore engaging in nasty deviant sexual acts with multiple men.
I think you folks are sick and disgusting. You deserve the batons from the police.
-Drgunzet-
The Cambodians believe the word ‘Youn’ has been used for hundred of years while other believe it is pejorative term for calling Vietnamese. Many of us here, including me, love to blame the messengers, the media, and the politicians who often polarize, politicize, and even add fuel to the flame in order to make the word more despicable. If we asked people in Vietnam what is ‘Youn’, I’m sure they don’t know what that mean. The same with the word ‘Barang’, white people who do not live in Cambodia would not know what that means. I don’t believe that Prime Minister Hun Sen wants to abolish the word ‘Youn’ from Cambodian society. I think he needs to use the word Youn as a political tool and ammunition to confront the opposition. The Prime Minster has too much blood on his hands to determine right from wrong. It seems, for him to kill people on the street, is necessary, but using the word ‘Youn’ is unacceptable.
The word itself is not harmful. It depends on circumstances on how, when, where and to whom the word is being used. For example, the word ‘Nigger’ is considered to be racist, but often from time to time I hear many African Americans greet one another using the word ‘Nigger’, “what’s up Nigger.” The black comedians such as Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle in their career are often using the word ‘Nigger’ to make the audience laugh. However, when Michael Richards who is white, used the word “Nigger” on stage was considered be derogatory and racist remark and not amused.
The word redneck is a derogatory slang term used in reference to poor, uneducated white farmers. The boys’ round here sung by Blake Shelton is a great hit which is all about rednecks and no one really cares to consider the song to be despicable and derogatory. It’s my favorate song. Don’t get me wrong. I love the song. However, If I call any white folks in Khmer440 blogger a bunch of rednecks, I would facing a swift angry response.
“Red red red red red red red red redneck
Yea the boys 'round here
Drinking that ice cold beer
Talkin' 'bout girls, talkin' 'bout trucks
Runnin' them red dirt roads out, kicking up dust
The boys 'round here
Sending up a prayer to the man upstairs
Backwoods legit, don't take no shit
Chew tobacco, chew tobacco, chew tobacco, spit”
During the Vietnam War, the song Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen has emphasized to go to kill a yellow man. No one in Asian countries was complaining about this great hit song and it is still popular today in American music.
“Got in a little hometown jam
So they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land
To go and kill the yellow man”
The American Football team, the Washington Redskins, has a name that is considered to be immoral among the Native Americans, but more than 70% of Americans do not want the name changed. President Obama said that if it is hurting someone’s feelings than the name should be changed. I kind of agree with the President by giving a challenge question those Americans who are in favor of no change of the name ‘Redskins’. If the name is the Rednecks instead of the Redskins, would most Americans accept it? On the other hand, I don’t believe that the name Washington Redskins has any intention to look down on American Indians. I don’t believe that removing the name Redskins and the word ‘Youn’ would make any difference, especially hearing from the politicians, even president Obama and the Prime Minister Hun Sen agree, to start a mini cultural revolution. They have to order to destroy and to burn all dictionaries, books, magazines, novels, and not to mention souvenir items such as T-shirts, sweet shirts, sweet pans, beer mugs, shot glasses, and a like. So the words and the name itself in harmless, but the intention behind the use of those words can be interpreted as harmful depending on the circumstances. Therefore, we are often making moral choices under the immoral circumstance or should that be the other way around.
7:17 pm
Your barks are as usual irrelevant and hence ignored !!!
Cut the bullshit, Viet call Khmer, Ka-Mein. It mean " savage, primative, or barbarian ". Viet are more discriminating and much more racist than Khmer. They just don't show it like Khmer does. Like theieves, they always hide and conceal their guilt. I work with Viet far long enough to know their attitude and characters. Don't ever trust them.
I bet that a century from now, Cambodians still going to use the word 'Youn'. So, kiss my ass and learn to live it or to get use to it. It's a life. Get on board!
Those white trash reporters only wanted to get pay for their stories.
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