Swimming with crocodiles

animalseatinganimas

by School of Vice 

Mr Rainsy is beginning to repeat some of the late Sihanouk's mistakes in showing excessive 'conciliatory' gestures towards the CPP and Mr HS, and this posture and softening in tone being part of a person's mellowing process may be regarded as a good thing in private life, but not necessarily in politics or public affairs of stately importance and consequences. 

His persistent pleading for avoiding 'violent confrontation among Khmers' is one such sign of unwitting gesture at this juncture of the country's life and its deep-seated crisis, and where the desire for peace and reconciliation and non-violent change in themselves are not without their justifications and are thus worthy of praise or endorsement, this kind of express sentiment would not or cannot alter his opposite number's ingrained attitude in any sufficient degree to affect fruitful outcomes of the negotiation process. In the contrary, Rainsy should keep such sentiment to himself as it presents his adversaries with further ammunition to be used as a bargaining leverage against him and, helping to harden their stance even more in the process. Indeed they have already killed quite a few innocent people just to drive home in their opponents this dreaded anticipation of what might inevitably happen if and when the latter press them too hard or demand too much of them politically. 

When you are a flock of sheep trying to cross a territory ruled by wolves or a river full of crocodiles the worst thing to do is to plead for compassion and mercy, yet this in effect is the palpable impression that Rainsy has been giving over to the opposite camp and to the rest of the world. Even if the CNRP has a standing army behind it to counteract the threat of violence that HS habitually has to fall back upon, [just as the ill-guided Funcinpec leadership once had] there is no guarantee that this military muscle could be put to use productively, [and I don't necessarily imply sending men to war with the other armed camp] unless the party has a clear set of objectives, and above all the resolve to fight indefinitely to realise those aims and values that alone will ensure lasting justice for millions of ordinary citizens and for the goal of national independence from illegal but covert external interference. 

I feel that the latest time for holding the re-election as demanded by the voters would or should not be later than towards the end of this year, or at the latest, the start of 2015. Any later than that would make Rainsy and Co look extremely foolish and their very credibility in the eyes of their supporters would plummet, particularly, after all the oaths and pledges they have given to them since the July election. Once the opposition MPs will have joined the NA they will have a life of some security and a routine stability that will have in turn shielded them from the injustices and violence 'their country' is still being enveloped in -  a country that is still at war in every sense of that word.

What if the current impasse cannot be resolved? At this stage, it appears the talk of 'consensus' needed to form the NEC and 'progress' made through on-going negotiation does not give us any concrete evidence of the kind of things the cheated electorate are hoping or wanting to see materialised - these terms are largely cosmetic baits that HS had used previously in his talks with Sihanouk and Funcinpec in the past, and thus the rush to join the NA would only represent not real gains and progress made by the opposition, but another fatal blunder and stupendous error of political calculation and judgement at best! 

For how to stick to your gun or principles read Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma and learn of how her single-minded but solid moral strength of will and character is paying long term wholesome dividends for her own country and supporters - not to mention the sympathy she has won for herself and her epic crusade globally.