International community and democratic change

Reproduced.

Reference: "ជម្លោះ​កម្ពុជា​មិន​អាច​ដោះស្រាយ​បានទេ​បើ​បក្ស​​ទាំង​ពីរ​ពឹង​​មហា​អំណាច​រៀងៗ​ខ្លួន"

Editorial by School of Vice

Khmer people and nationalists need to see through this nonsensical ploy about the merit or wisdom of resolving the nation's issues "between and among Khmers". Pol Pot and his colleagues thought they could see to all the country's problems on their own. Sihanouk fell for the same trap in the nineties. Sam Rainsy tried but failed during a brief honeymoon period in which he hoped to persuade the current CPP leadership to put the nation's priorities above petty party politics and personal differences. 

Needless to say, the CPP has been conceived and maintained through foreign interference and meddling in Cambodia's internal affairs, and provided this fact remains as it is, the presumption that 'Khmers and Khmers should work things out between themselves" will offer nothing more concrete than the sanguine sentiment some may attach - in blind faith - to the presumption while the other party will be more than happy to exploit that illusion or ill-conceived sentiment.

It required international pressure and practical assistance on an almost unprecedented scale to finally bring about the PPA and the end to the armed conflict. The foreign power[s] backing and sponsoring the CPP regime knows full well that the country's authentic and most realistic chance for reclaiming its complete real self-determination and sovereignty rests with the sympathy and active support issuing from the world community towards non-ruling movements and contending forces i.e. bona fide nationalists. Yet, there will always be detractors and disingenuous elements who question the integrity or wisdom of either side on the political divide in harnessing such external support whilst the ruling group remains free to engage similair influence and backing to stay in power unchallenged. 

In any case, it is far from clear even if this same ruling regime were to seek such domestic dialogue for the sake of the people and nation i.e. to do so on its own volition that it would be able to, given what are at stake as to its own founding origins and "debts", development into what it is today as well as, but not least, its own legacy of organised corruption and endless catalogue of crimes committed against the nation and its disempowered people in the course of its undemocratic exercise of office in the last forty years or so. 

While all of this underlines the country's political turbulence and realities, the Opposition [or what still remains of it] has few precious options and leverages at disposal except to appeal to the masses for their peaceful following, and to the international community, particularly, the "Free World", for intervention and recognition. In fact, the CNRP's adherence to, and insistence on, non-violence and peaceful assembly [notwithstanding violent crackdowns and reprisals from the ruling regime] speak volumes of the faith and trust it invests in that community, and until this moment, it could be argued that beside discreet diplomatic gestures and occasional voicing of “concern” over “the rule of law”, freedom of political assembly and human rights infringements etc. the world community has been strangely reluctant to openly back the democratic Opposition [and its own word] to the extent its [Opposition’s] otherwise unshaken commitment and adherence to democratic values and principles really deserve. This is all the more baffling considering the country's recent history of violence and armed conflicts; the express determination of the Opposition itself to seek change by peaceful means, as well as the numerous instances of politically motivated persecutions and killings committed against the same Opposition and civil elements at the hand of this brutal regime. 

The danger is that, unless sufficient and sustained pressure is exerted on the regime, this stalemate could well force the country and its people to lose faith in the Opposition's manifest restraint over peaceful means for change and, a descend into that nightmare scenario which the regime has hitherto pointed to as what stands between itself [staying on in power] and the Opposition could well become a reality: the fulfilment of a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

Whereas “democratic change” and “peaceful, non-violence” are accepted by much of the international community as being two sides of the same coin, this model and its pursuit has exacted a heavy price on countless innocent lives and limbs even if the cost as a whole has gone unacknowledged thus far by that community while its ambiguity or lack of principled stance effectively sanctioned those sacrifices and sufferings. Indeed, it is as if this community is prepared to let itself down in opting to project a position of indifference when those very core principles and values dear and sacred to its existence were being trampled underfoot. 

What’s more – and as if to add insult to injury – the victims [the Khmer people at large] are having to face the honour of having the charge of "treason" thrown at them by - of all people - one of the most abhorrent despots and traitorous stooges of foreigners in their nation's history!