Hun Sen Targets Diaspora Markets
“…Why
Cambodia is bothered too much by its diaspora market? … The diaspora is a tiny
market for votes, a relatively small market for financing the opposition, and a
sunset market. I'm unsighted as to why the fight over that market is so serious
by CPP.”
Centre for Policy Studies Director Chan Sophal,
10 October 2016, Campro [professional network]
“If
Sam Rainsy came to be with me, it would be better than me being alone. But if
he does not decide to come back, we can still run the party without him.”
CNRP Acting president Kem Sokha, 12 October
2016, The Phnom Penh Post
“So
please, your majesty with your soul resting in peace, use your power to lift up
Khmer politicians to unite the nation again and find reconciliation for all
Khmers to be happy.”
CNRP Acting president Kem Sokha, 17 October
2016, The Cambodia Daily
Economist Chan Sophal asks the very pertinent question. Hun Sen
for the last few years has sent his eldest son into what Chan Sophal calls
diaspora “market”. He says he refers to
it as market because there is a competition.
Anyway, Chan Sophal is perplexed by the logic of Hun Sen’s venture
into the markets. He argues the markets, which have so far largely funded Hun
Sen’s opponents in Cambodia, are a dying breed; they will disappear within
10-20 years by natural causes. He says, compared with the CPP’s financial
muscles, the diaspora political contributions to CNRP are pittances. Thus, he
contends there is no need to compete in these “sunset” markets. They do not
even vote.
Nevertheless, Chan Sophal may misread Hun Sen’s diaspora policy.
While he is thinking of competitive markets where fairness rules, autocrat Hun
Sen eyes a monopoly. Chan Sophal may not know Hun Sen is a control freak who
wants all monopolistic power both in politics and the markets.
Inside Cambodia, Hun Sen’s strong-arm tactics have paid off;
they have instilled fear in the people, especially among his opponents and
critics. Only brave loudmouths are those who justify, or find excuses for,
whatever Hun Sen can come up with. In their mind, the silent majority is simply
stupid, ready to swallow anything.
Amid the subdued is a timid CNRP. Hun Sen’s intimidation makes
their head spin. Scores of their MPs and senators are in exile or jail, or on
their way there. The deputy president has been holed up in their headquarters,
longing for a return from exile of the president who maintains he has higher
priorities. They beg the king for pardons eventhough they insist they have done
nothing wrong or illegal, only to be rejected by Hun Sen, who overshadows the
king. The deputy president is so despondent he prays for late Sihanouk’s help.
Now that he has the domestic market in his pocket, Hun Sen turns
his focus onto the diaspora for a complete monopoly in Cambodian politics.
Autocratic Hun Sen may be too impatient to tolerate the Chan Sophal sunset markets.
Autocrats usually want everything yesterday.
There are, however, some splinters Hun Sen must remove from his
skin. First, the threat and fear he has so successfully instilled in the local
psyche may not be effective in the diaspora communities. Any violence that
openly works in Cambodia may not be so easily executed and covered up where
impunity is not an option. Second, while the domestic media largely dance to
Hun Sen’s tunes, the rest of the world does not. Hun Sen must shut down these
international media to prevent uncovering any unsavoury information he claims
to be falsified.
However, a glimpse of hope is that if the diaspora communities
are seen as markets, where money is usually exchanged for goods and services,
Hun Sen still has an option of buying the monopoly with his monies.
The question is then whether the diaspora communities will sell
out their soul. Will you?
Ung
Bun Ang
20x16
By The Way
«គណៈកម្មការនៅជំហរដដែល
ព្រោះថានេះជាទីវត្តអារាមដែលយើងត្រូវធ្វើបុណ្យ ហើយព្រះចៅអធិការក៏បានឯកភាពហើយ។
អ៊ីចឹងយើងបានប្រកាសហើយ នេះជាជំហរគណៈកម្មការ។
គណៈកម្មការជូនដំណឹងទៅសាលាក្រុង មិនមែនសុំការអនុញ្ញាតពីសាលាក្រុងទេ
ប៉ុន្តែសាលាក្រុងបែរជាចេញលិខិតបដិសេធ។ និយាយរួមគឺនៅតែវត្តចាស់ ដដែល
យើងជូនដំណឹងដោយសារព្រះចៅអធិការលោកអនុញ្ញាត»។
សមាជិកគណៈកម្មការបុណ្យ លោក សៅ
កុសល ថ្ងៃទី ៧ ខែ តុលា ឆ្នាំ២០១៦ វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី
If the timid CNRP ever needed lessons in overcoming the CPP
threats, the experience of the committee organising the 100-day commemoration
for Kem Ley might offer some clue. The committee understands Hun Sen’s thinking
far better than the CNRP does. When Hun Sen refuses permission for them to hold
the commemoration at Wat Chas, the committee makes it so blunt to him that his objection
will not stop them from proceeding. Then Hun Sen backs down.
Why does the committee decide to defy Hun Sen? They must know
Kem Ley commands so much respect from so many people that it will be extremely
difficult for Hun Sen to go against the people’s power. They are right.
Why does Hun Sen back down? Definitely not for the love of, or
respect for, Kem Ley. He must be fearful of the people’s power that Kem Ley
still commands. His armed forces would not have enough time and bullets to
shoot them all. He is also right to back down in this instance. Nevertheless,
he must be now working to silence the committee members one-by-one later,
either through jail or assassination. His adversaries seem to be ready, anyhow.
Still, the CNRP leadership may appreciate the audacity of the
organising committee only after first acquiring some backbone.
Nota
Bene - It is regrettable I may be duped into using in the last Pseng- Pseng
edition the photo of the Cambodia’s strong couple standing with troops reviewed
by Vietnam prime minister. I assumed the photo was legit after it had been
floated in the cyber space for a few years and the CPP had not bothered to
shoot it down, or search and jail the photo doctor.
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