Phnom Penh - Violent crackdown on small group peaceful protesters & journalists

[Sheryl]

Late last night and into the early hours of this morning, an estimated 200 police and 200 "thugs" (persons in civilian dress armed with sticks and slingshots who appeared to be under police protection) attacked about 20 anti-eviction protesters at Phnom Penh's Wat Phnom.

At least 6 persons injured by slingshots, batons, and "electric prods" (?tasers?).

At least 3 journalists (foreign and local) were shocked with electric prods and hoit with marbles from slingshots when they tried to cover the event; a camera belonging to a reporter from the English language Phnom Penh Post was smashed. Human rights observers also shocked with prods.

Details here http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/thugs-police-attack-protesters-and-journalists

[hanno]

One wonders where Cambodia is heading. Maybe time for me to look for a job elsewhere.....

[Sheryl]

Only time will tell.There is a building momentum for change, which is positive, but there is entrenched resistance from the ruling party which means it will be a bumpy road.

But I think it is manageable to work there, at leats for the forseeable future.

[Sheryl]

Protesters are back at Wat Phnom site, more in number than before the crackdown. One man accused of having been part of the crack down is being "held" by a circle of protesters.

[Sheryl]

UN HR office finally took the man -- evidently an undercover police officer who took part in last night's crackdown -- away from the irate mob to safety.

Meanwhile more suspected undercover police have been surrounded by the mob and forced to flee the park.

Unspecified number of monks arrived in park to protest last night's violence, more reportedly coming. Meanwhile hundreds of police in riot gear nearby, very tense.

Parts of the city blocked off with razor wire, it's almost like lock down mode.

[Sheryl]

Heavy rain just hit, calming things at least for now.

[phuketrichard]

change is coming but how many Cambodians have really thought it thru what type of change would occur if the CNRP party had won?

[Sheryl]

Many Cambodians believe they did win, that's the whole issue.

[phuketrichard]

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/cambodian-opposition-boycotts-parliament-vote-20339228

with all this an He in power it reminds me of what Mao said,

"The power of the state comes out of the barrel of a gun"

[scobie redux]

Those supporting Rainsy the Runaway Rain Man and his CNRP need to understand the innate and rather vicious xenophobic and racist tinge that prevails pretty much all their thinking.

[Sheryl]

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/protesters-back-scene-attacks describes the incident and return of the (mostly female) protesters the following day to confront their attackers.

@illied Noted: Boeung Kak ladies cracked Cambodian counterterrorism agent without resorting to water-boarding or enhanced interrogation techniques.

[phuketrichard]

one of my friends was Tassed and also hit with a marble in the back.

says it was not a nice experience.

[Sheryl]

Statement by the Overseas Press Club of Cambodia

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwziXfJgPhIDb3hQWFA2OWYtVk0/edit?pli=1

[scobie redux]

one of my friends was Tassed and also hit with a marble in the back.

says it was not a nice experience.

It's amazing how many Cambodian friends were tazered or hit by the police. It's rather like the story that if everyone who claims to have been at the first sex pistols concert, it would have had an audience of 2 million people.

As far asi know the Cambodian police are not issued with tazers.

[phuketrichard]

sorry it was eletric cattle prod

watch the video and tell me what he ( undercover ) is doing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP4b2M3GOzA&feature=player_embedded

my friend is an America journalist and he is the one that worte the article for the Cambodian press group

[hanno]

They looked more like electric cattle prods. Bad enough!

[Sheryl]

What is really astounding is that all that was done to "deal" with a small handful of (mostly female) people quietly meditating.

Suggests a level of panic on the part of the govt that is in itself a problem. Hope they calm down and don't do anything else really rash.

[hanno]

What is really astounding is that all that was done to "deal" with a small handful of (mostly female) people quietly meditating.

Suggests a level of panic on the part of the govt that is in itself a problem. Hope they calm down and don't do anything else really rash.

I agree, but the government has used heavy-handed tactics way before the elections, shooting people protesting land grabbing, deforestation, etc.

[Sheryl]

What is really astounding is that all that was done to "deal" with a small handful of (mostly female) people quietly meditating.

Suggests a level of panic on the part of the govt that is in itself a problem. Hope they calm down and don't do anything else really rash.

I agree, but the government has used heavy-handed tactics way before the elections, shooting people protesting land grabbing, deforestation, etc.

To put in very mildly.

I have lost count of the "politically motivated" murders carried out by the regime .

Currently in the process of upholding false conviction of 2 completely innocent men for one of the many murders they (govt) have done.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/rights-groups-call-release-%E2%80%98scapegoats%E2%80%99

Update: amazing! They were finally released

"@ instupor All charges dropped. The courtroom erupts in applause as scapegoat 'killers' of Chea Vichea exonerated nearly 10 years later".

"@doyle_kevin One of the worst travesties (and mockeries) of justice ended today in Cambodia after 10 years. Who will be held account in Gov't, judiciary?"

[hanno]

Amazing!

[scobie redux]

I think a distinction has to be be made about what happens on the streets by troops and security forces, and what is sanctioned by the Government. As is so often the case in SEA, the implementation of directives from on high is not plain sailing. We've seen the same thing in Thailand, of course.

Good news on the Chea Vichea verdict.

I think it's obvious the Hun Sen regime is coming to an end. The worrying thing is what replaces it. Rainsy's virulent nationalism and racist agenda is not the answer to Cambodia's troubles.

I can't help but think that it was the west's knowledge of Rainsy's views that muted their reaction to the electoral irregularities.

[Sheryl]

This is a common criticism bandied about but doesn't stand up top very close examination IMO.

In neither Rainsy's writings nor his speech (when heard verbatim) have I found any racism.

He has been highly critical of the government's ceding land to Viet Nam, and of Vietnam for supporting the Hum Sen regime militarily, but I have never heard him express any sort of racial hatred towards the Vietnamese as a people.

Western countries and UN agencies were pretty vocal in their response to the election irregularities. Of course, there is a limit to what they can do, and of foreign countries in is China that has the most influence....and they truly have been "mute" on the subject.

[scobie redux]

This is a common criticism bandied about but doesn't stand up top very close examination IMO.

In neither Rainsy's writings nor his speech (when heard verbatim) have I found any racism.

He has been highly critical of the government's ceding land to Viet Nam, and of Vietnam for supporting the Hum Sen regime militarily, but I have never heard him express any sort of racial hatred towards the Vietnamese as a people.

Western countries and UN agencies were pretty vocal in their response to the election irregularities. Of course, there is a limit to what they can do, and of foreign countries in is China that has the most influence....and they truly have been "mute" on the subject.

Like all good political leaders he just manages to avoid direct racism but he knows exactly what he is doing when he uses the word youn and he knows he's playing up to his supporters innate hatred of Vietnamese. I

[phuketrichard]

This is a common criticism bandied about but doesn't stand up top very close examination IMO.

In neither Rainsy's writings nor his speech (when heard verbatim) have I found any racism.

He has been highly critical of the government's ceding land to Viet Nam, and of Vietnam for supporting the Hum Sen regime militarily, but I have never heard him express any sort of racial hatred towards the Vietnamese as a people.

Western countries and UN agencies were pretty vocal in their response to the election irregularities. Of course, there is a limit to what they can do, and of foreign countries in is China that has the most influence....and they truly have been "mute" on the subject.

what do call his use and others in his party of the word YOUN?

AS much as i dislike He, I must admit in any elections you no longer vote for the person/party that will do the most good, but the person that will do the least damage.

Ransey just has no idea or plans how to do all the things he promises he will do.

[scobie redux]

This is a common criticism bandied about but doesn't stand up top very close examination IMO.

In neither Rainsy's writings nor his speech (when heard verbatim) have I found any racism.

He has been highly critical of the government's ceding land to Viet Nam, and of Vietnam for supporting the Hum Sen regime militarily, but I have never heard him express any sort of racial hatred towards the Vietnamese as a people.

Western countries and UN agencies were pretty vocal in their response to the election irregularities. Of course, there is a limit to what they can do, and of foreign countries in is China that has the most influence....and they truly have been "mute" on the subject.

what do call his use and others in his party of the word YOUN?

AS much as i dislike He, I must admit in any elections you no longer vote for the person/party that will do the most good, but the person that will do the least damage.

Ransey just has no idea or plans how to do all the things he promises he will do.

Absolutely agree with this.

HE is no saint and Cambodia is no democracy but as many troubled nations have found in recent years, you don't come out of periods of extreme strife of the kind Cambodia has been through and simply implant a western model of democracy overnight.

Rainsy is that evil in disguise. He promises everything and has no concrete plans on how he will deliver it, yet he is smart enough to know to play the populist anti-Vietnamese xenophobic card to perfection; he panders to the baser instincts in a largely uneducated voting public.

I've spoken to lots of western and Asian business people here - people who are creating jobs and investing lots of money - and they all to a tee have said that if Rainsy is elected, they will upsticks and leave, taking their money with them. A Rainsy win would be disastrous for Cambodia's continued economic development, which - let's face it - is entirely dependent upon foreign capital.

[Sheryl]

I don't wish to turn this into an argument among foreigners as to which party/persons are best for Cambodia since I think the entire point is that the Cambodian people, not anyone else, should have the right to decide this. I would however suggest you read some of Rainsy's writings, interviews etc (a 2005 interview on BBC Hard Talk can still be found online, and he has recently published a book). As what you say suggests impressions taken from others rather than a first hand examination. Bear in mind that he has held high government office in the past, as have others in his party, so there is clear past record of policies and effectiveness.

"Youn" is the term used throughout Cambodia for the Vietnamese, it is found in Khmer dictionaries (defined as simply meaning "Vietnamese") and most Khmer would tell you that in and of itself, it has no derogatory connotation. Certainly I have heard Khmers use the term in contexts that were clearly not derogatory, e.g. "the best/most trustworthy mechanics in town are youn" etc. There are even popular food dishes names "X youn" to connotate Vietnamese style cooking. The fact is that in speaking to ordinary Cambodians, especially rural people, "youn" is the only term that will work to indicate Vietnam/Vietnamese.

There is animosity on the part of the Khmer towards the Vietnamese, of course. And while it goes way, way back, long before any of the current players were alive, what is fueling it more than anything nowadays is Viet Nam's support (including substantial military support) to the Hun Sen regime.

[jellydog]

This is a common criticism bandied about but doesn't stand up top very close examination IMO.

In neither Rainsy's writings nor his speech (when heard verbatim) have I found any racism.

He has been highly critical of the government's ceding land to Viet Nam, and of Vietnam for supporting the Hum Sen regime militarily, but I have never heard him express any sort of racial hatred towards the Vietnamese as a people.

Western countries and UN agencies were pretty vocal in their response to the election irregularities. Of course, there is a limit to what they can do, and of foreign countries in is China that has the most influence....and they truly have been "mute" on the subject.

what do call his use and others in his party of the word YOUN?

AS much as i dislike He, I must admit in any elections you no longer vote for the person/party that will do the most good, but the person that will do the least damage.

Ransey just has no idea or plans how to do all the things he promises he will do.

I've spoken to lots of western and Asian business people here - people who are creating jobs and investing lots of money - and they all to a tee have said that if Rainsy is elected, they will upsticks and leave, taking their money with them. A Rainsy win would be disastrous for Cambodia's continued economic development, which - let's face it - is entirely dependent upon foreign capital.

They'll up and leave because there will be much less graft and corruption for them to sink their greedy teeth into. What is "disastrous" for Cambodia is to continue with the same old "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" mentality from here to eternity. No, there certainly won't be perfection after Hun Sen is gone (I'm not holding my breath), but it would be a significant step in the right direction.

[MrWorldwide]

Sheryl, I appreciate that you are trying to be as considered and diplomatic as possible, but you do seem to be raising some very clear red flags to anyone who is considering a longterm stay in Cambo. Am I reading too much into your responses ?

[Sheryl]

Sheryl, I appreciate that you are trying to be as considered and diplomatic as possible, but you do seem to be raising some very clear red flags to anyone who is considering a longterm stay in Cambo. Am I reading too much into your responses ?

Possibly.

Foreigners (if not journalists or HR/enviormental acitvitsts) are in no way a target in the political controversy. It is possible to get stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time but unlikely if you use common sense . Certainly no more likely than in Thailand, which also lacks political stability.

It has never been advisable to purchase a home in Cambodia, even after enactment of a recent law allowing foreigners to own condos/apartments above the ground floor, because of lack or rule of law (legal ownership doesn't do you any good if anyone with power wants the property). So plan on renting, or if you do buy, spend no more than you can afford to lose -- but that is, as said, nothing at all new and not related to recent political events. Same would probably apply to opening a business there, but on the plus side visa situation couldn't be easier and no restrictions on type of work a foreigner can do, business they can run etc. Lost of enterprising young Aussies head there for that reason. Whereas in Thailand there are considerable legal restrictions.

Basically this and the poor quality of medical care are in my view the main disadvantages to settling there. But there are also many positives.

[Sheryl]

Re "youn", a Cambodian perspective on the term:

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/meaning-yuon-1