School of Vice: The young woman in the video clip below has touched on something quite fundamental [in spite of her wonderful sense of humour and extraordinary wit]; something many have probably been thinking about: the Opposition's use of polite slogans and passive approach in dealing with tyranny in general.
Adopting 'non-violent' methods in protest against authoritarianism and brutal dictatorship is not to be confused with showing excessive submissiveness, and or weaknesses in terms of applying the kind of vocabularies, slogans, banners, preconditions for holding talks and negotiations etc. For instance, changing the slogan from "Hun Sen euw: jos cheing tov!" to "Hun Sen: Jos cheing pleam!!" will send out a radically more direct, assertive, and in my view, effective message to the protesters themselves and also to the world outside watching and studying the Cambodian situation.
The recent meeting between the two main parties or the next one scheduled to take place should not have gone and go ahead without the Opposition demanding minimum pre-conditions to be met first, such as the lifting of the recent blanket ban on public gathering, the disruptions and intimidation aimed at CNRP meetings and movements or visits of Opposition leaders at public venues like markets and local town centres etc. regardless whether these places are bastions of Opposition support or of the ruling CPP regime. In brief, if these blatantly childish and anti-democratic restrictions [including the use of lethal force to silence and terrorise workers and unarmed protesters] are not enough to convince the democratic camp of the regime's scant regard for democratic principles and the liberal spirit [never mind humanity!] what hope or faith do and should anyone pin on any negotiation with the other camp in terms of sought tangible measures or fruitful outcomes?
Whilst the masses are wholehearted and poised in their conviction and resolve for change, the Opposition leadership's ingrained docility and lack of pragmatism or realistic policies and decisiveness in time of acute and momentous historical storm and upheaval maybe viewed as its own Achilles heel, and thus this detestable regime's greatest weapon yet. Not to mention the insult done to the great sacrifice of those brave innocents and by-standers whose shed blood still remains fresh in the memory and upon the street of Veng Streng and at numerous locations throughout this tragic land.
Adopting 'non-violent' methods in protest against authoritarianism and brutal dictatorship is not to be confused with showing excessive submissiveness, and or weaknesses in terms of applying the kind of vocabularies, slogans, banners, preconditions for holding talks and negotiations etc. For instance, changing the slogan from "Hun Sen euw: jos cheing tov!" to "Hun Sen: Jos cheing pleam!!" will send out a radically more direct, assertive, and in my view, effective message to the protesters themselves and also to the world outside watching and studying the Cambodian situation.
The recent meeting between the two main parties or the next one scheduled to take place should not have gone and go ahead without the Opposition demanding minimum pre-conditions to be met first, such as the lifting of the recent blanket ban on public gathering, the disruptions and intimidation aimed at CNRP meetings and movements or visits of Opposition leaders at public venues like markets and local town centres etc. regardless whether these places are bastions of Opposition support or of the ruling CPP regime. In brief, if these blatantly childish and anti-democratic restrictions [including the use of lethal force to silence and terrorise workers and unarmed protesters] are not enough to convince the democratic camp of the regime's scant regard for democratic principles and the liberal spirit [never mind humanity!] what hope or faith do and should anyone pin on any negotiation with the other camp in terms of sought tangible measures or fruitful outcomes?
Whilst the masses are wholehearted and poised in their conviction and resolve for change, the Opposition leadership's ingrained docility and lack of pragmatism or realistic policies and decisiveness in time of acute and momentous historical storm and upheaval maybe viewed as its own Achilles heel, and thus this detestable regime's greatest weapon yet. Not to mention the insult done to the great sacrifice of those brave innocents and by-standers whose shed blood still remains fresh in the memory and upon the street of Veng Streng and at numerous locations throughout this tragic land.
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