Why the Cambodian opposition parties are so silent about the Preah Vihear issue?

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‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’, Martin Porter

I have refrained from writing my opinion pieces on this blog for a while now due to time constraint, but most importantly because I thought that readers are sick and tired of my somewhat vitriolic diatribes which are “provocative”, “too opinionated” or “too subjective”.

However, when Cambodia’s national interests are at stake and since the Preah Vihear issue is increasingly in danger of becoming a “lost cause” by the day due to the mercurial behaviours and the lethargic actions of the Cambodian government, I am compelled to voice my opinion once again.

This time, my opinion will be at odds with the conventional wisdom of the so-called “democrats” and “anti-Hun Sen camp” because the target of my diatribes is not the usual ruling party, but the opposition parties that I so often lauded.

The opposition parties are an integral part of the democratisation process in a pluralistic political system which often act as checks and balances to right the wrongs of the government. It is sad that, in relation to the Khmer-Thai border disputes and the Preah Vihear issue, the Cambodian oppositions, namely the Sam Rainsy Party and the Human Right Party, chose to remain silent. They did not react to the two armed clashes between Khmer and Thai troops in October 2008 and April 2009. They did not react when Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thai Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban and the Thai Supreme Commander Jaggabatra visited Cambodia. They did not react when 5,000 Thai PAD yellow-shirted ultra-nationalists marched to reclaim Preah Vihear on 19th September and most recently, they did not react to the seminar held on 20th October by 40 Thai MPs staking a claim to the Preah Vihear temple.

The silence of the Cambodian oppositions regarding the life and death issue of the Cambodian nation is politically damaging and it should puzzle every Khmer patriot, considering that they are reeling from a massive election defeat recently.

However, the silence of the Cambodian opposition parties can be explained in many folds. First, Sam Rainsy is a good friend of the current Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva because both of their parties are members of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats. Secondly, the Cambodian oppositions have been intimidated into silence through defamation lawsuits brought on by the government against party president Sam Rainsy and two of its star MPs, Mu Sochua and Ho Vann. Thirdly, the oppositions are so pre-occupied with fighting the lawsuits against the government that they have little or no time for other issues.

The Cambodian oppositions must get their priorities right or risked being totally rejected by the Cambodian voters in the next elections. They must grab every opportunity to sell their ideas and policies if they are to survive politically and electorally in the turbulent and, sometimes, cutthroat politics of Cambodia.

The current Khmer-Thai border issue is an issue of national importance and is one golden opportunity that they should not miss to grab. It should be used as a weapon by the oppositions, not to stoke nationalistic fervour, but to pressurise the government into actions and to gain the upper hand against the government that seems to be so incompetent in resolving this Khmer-Thai border dispute satisfactorily.

The Khmer-Thai border dispute and the Preah Vihear issue is a cause of concerns for every Khmer citizen. It is the single most important issue that is facing Cambodia today. For being so silent on the issue, the oppositions risked becoming irrelevant in the Cambodian politics and could be further marginalised if they continue to remain silent. Their continued silence would alienate many Khmer patriots and voters. They must be proactive on this issue or risk being pushed into oblivion and disappear into the Cambodian political wilderness. For the sake of the Cambodian nation and to defend Cambodian territorial integrity, they must break their silence and start doing something. As Martin Porter says ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’. And it is not yet too late for the oppositions to do something.