Some Thoughts About Transformation- Cambodia perspective

By Chim Manavy 

Dear Friends

This paper was written by me during 2004 to reflect the society after regimes changed. I share this with you for reference for your study or research. The below is the full paper:

This paper doesn't represent the position
of the Open Forum of Cambodia and
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation ( where I was working for that time)

SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT TRANSFORMATION-
CAMBODIAN PERSPECTIVE

I. INTRODUCTION

After several decades of civil war, Cambodia now enjoys peace and stability. The country is no longer isolate from the world but has broader relationship and cooperation with the other countries, economies and international organizations in the region and around the world. The development of social, political and economic is under process. Security has significantly improved. Through the first UN-sponsored general elections in 1993, the Cambodian people have chosen constitutional monarchy and multiparty system. Democracy is progressing more reliable than in the past. On 3 February 2002, there was the first ever commune council elections, which brought a sharing power between central and local authorities.

However, in its recent history, Cambodia has experienced many political regimes in which democracy and freedom of expression were permitted to some degree; in some cases, free speech was restricted. This young democracy country is facing challenges. Lack of law enforcement leads to the problem of abuse of democracy and human rights, leaving many unsolved problems that need to be tackle such as corruption, human trafficking, control of drugs, environmental protection, etc.

II. MORAL AND VALUE

When we make a choice of what is right or wrong, is there any thing we should value?

People from the same culture have more or less equivalent realities and mindsets. Their values, assumptions, and procedures become part of "common sense". However, when two groups that do not share norms of communication (customary patterns and rules of communication) and expectations about behavior must interact, then it leads to a conflict. The A group may believe that its way of doing things and thinking about things is the best way and come to regard other ways of thinking and acting as strange or normally wrong.

You may see it clearly in daily political practices. A country with multiparty system is hard to avoid such confrontation. Then the demonstration and advocacy activities have been organized to address their differences and concern.

As a person who involves many years with media in Cambodia, from my own of view, I would say that right to communicate is limited in the past. Free press is considered as some thing danger to the society in term of national security and social order. In Cambodia during 80s, there is very few newspaper and radio and they all under state control. But this is such kind of norm of communication that group of people belief that time that this is a normal situation such young liberate country should have.

After election since 1993, the situation of media in Cambodia become much more better if compare to the past, with guarantee of citizen's rights to freedom of expressing and freedom of press in the 1993 Constitution, journalist can use legal ground to gain access to information never before available. Numerous local and international privately owned media business, especially print and broadcast media, was established. The public attitude toward the media increased greatly.

However, media in Cambodia is considered- in the average-to be not very professional, as most of the papers are "opinion"-papers and not "news"- papers, with different party political background. These papers are often using for mutual innuendos, accusations and insult, which are not of an informative value; many of such publications would lead to lawsuits in other countries.

Therefore the role of media to bring the fact to people is absent.

How this society look like, no one know, just some individual assumption that Cambodia is a small and poor country, some said that it is a lawless country and some given a wrong image of Cambodia: a country full of thief, corruption and instability in term of political and economy. I do not endorse any of the above assumption at least not all.

But we must be realistic to look at this, on this transformation country from one regime to one regime. From daily practices, we may see the moral value of people goes down. People no longer consider preserving one's human dignity in a circumstance of materialism society. Culture of gift given and impunity affect the whole society. The imbalance of power between the poor and the rich reflect the lack of justice in the society.

So what can I do to this country, now I go back to question, When we make a choice of what is right or wrong, is there any thing we should value?

III. SELF-DETERMINATION

"To be self-determined is to endorse one's action at the highest level of reflection. When self-determined, people experience a sense of freedom to do what is interesting, personality important, and vitalizing." Edward L.Deci& Richard M. Ryan.1

The general elections in 1993, and the first ever commune council elections on 3 February 2002, which brought a sharing power between central and local authorities indicate the self-determination of people. People have the right to select person they like to serve the nation merit.

Article 35 of the constitution reads "Khmer citizens of either sex shall have the right to participate actively in the political, economic, social and culture life of the nation." and article 36: "Khmer citizens of either sex have the right to choose any employment according to their ability and to the needs of the society."

People are encouraged to participate in political and social movement, and in decision-making with equal rights. But from another aspect of observation, human rights is violated and injustice society. The poor are unable to access to adequate services for human need that the rich can do such as information, communication, education, health.....The poor cannot afford to send their children to pursuit for higher education, the poor cannot access to health care.

Self-determination must go along with the freedom to live in a meaningful life in the community. For this young democracy country and multiparty system where most people are under low educated, people live in political instability situation there is some cases of political abuse, of threaten and discriminations.

IV. WOMEN IN SOCIETY

Cambodian proverb says" Women are mother of the world". The explanations of this proverb say so many things worthless to the role of women in the society. That woman should act as mother figure and take high responsibilities in a family, community and society. I think the role of women has been enhancing since then. Women of Cambodia are encouraged to involve in political and social development, and in decision-making. "All form of discrimination against women shall be abolished....Men and women are equal...." Article 45 of constitution and article 46 " The state and society shall provide opportunities to women, especially to those living in rural areas without adequate social support, so they can get employment, medical care, and have send their children to school, and have decent living condition."

In Cambodia, the imbalance between women and men is clearly shown in the figure of illiteracy, which is 39% for women, while only 18% for men. But women dominate the main labor forces in this country; it takes 73.5%, which seem to be very high2. The failure of existing economic, political and social structures to provide equal opportunities and protection for girl and women has often left them excluded from education, vulnerable to poverty and subject to disease. Violence against women and girls continue to take place in the family and the community, while trafficking in women and girls, killing and harmful traditional practices such as wife has to respect and obey their husband and be patient with domestic violence commit by men, and the value of virginhood, remain common forms of abuse.

However, there are positive changes in this society. With the international trend of peace and women network, women now a day become more actively involve in society. Many women take high position in government and non-government institutions. Women identify their value of contribution through the political and social development movement even actively involve in advocacy activities to address their common concern.

V. MARKET ECONOMY

Market economy gives me the concept of "Customer is the King". Open market provides Cambodia diversity of goods and productions exchange, even not in balance practices: more import than export.

Under the streamline of globalization, a country has to accept inter independent system without border limited. Information flow and knowledge sharing provide Cambodia the possibility to enter into the world economy; get out and touch the world to catch up with information technology development. "Recently, Cambodia's legislature has approved the nation's entry into the World Trade Organization, a step forced by new rules for international textile and apparel trade that could otherwise have smothered the country's garment industry. Cambodia is joining the WTO even though it lacks many laws usually regarded as the underpinnings of a modern economy, like bankruptcy and incorporation statutes. Some free-trade critics have complained that negotiators from more affluent countries compelled Cambodia, one of the world's poorest countries, to open too many markets too wide before allowing it to join the WTO."3

However, open market provides job opportunity to both women and men to secure their life. Cambodian people enjoy their freedom as a worker to choose a job or career, join a labor union, or change employer although market economy are not without their inequities and abuse. People work under the circumstance of competition and challenges, dynamic and creatively, which bring meaningful to their life.

VI. NEW TYPE OF CONFLICTS

While conflict of interest may arise in almost any situation, political conflict is the most serious one in Cambodia where multiparty system is under practices. Discrimination and threaten happen to people those are support the other side. Democracy is practiced in the wrong way which minority is voiceless. The balance of powers cannot operate. The accusation and mistrust among difference groups is one among factor of the conflict.

Land dispute is the new and hot issue to this country. Ending decades of civil war leave the country with landmines; people have not enough land for their farming and cultivation. The poor cannot approach to land. Powerful people always capture land from farmers. The 2001 Land law became effective on August 30, 2001. This law establishes a modern system of land registration that guarantees the rights of people to own land. Even though, it seem fail to put in practice, from daily news papers, you can find very often articles about the conflict of land issue some more seriously leads to violence.

Illegal logging is also one among a major conflict, the government, even the Prim Minister has order and put the dateline to stop all kind of cutting trees, which result in deforestation. In early 2004, villagers gather in front of Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture to claim for more access to forestry concession plans, which they believed, would affect their livelihood. Severe and incurable deforestation committed in national territories has resulted in disastrous effects on Cambodia marginalized farmers.

Injustice society and human rights abuse is a long-standing and unsolved conflict. Justice is not equal apply to every body, particularly to the rich and the poor. The rich and powerful people have full access to legal assistance when the poor are left behind. Juridical and the court are seen as unfair and to act with political influence.

Moral conflict adds more complicatedly to this country. Individual beliefs, racialism, some traditional and religious are limiting women's freedom of movement, education and public involvement. In some case culture and religious belief has a powerful influence on the moral order.

VII. POLITICAL

Political in Cambodia is seen as movement of difference groups serves for their benefits rather than the nation. Imbalance in sharing power among political parties leads to interest conflict, which deeply affect the society. "National interest" is prominent. It is often said that different ideas of "National interest" have prevent the formation of a new government. So long as one side claims that they work "only for the people and the nation" and that the other side does not. There is little hope of common ground.

The deadlock of forming the new government delayed 11 months after election makes people hopeless to look into the future of the country. The consequences concern not only Cambodia but also outsiders. The Director of IMF- an institution which has been trying to assist Cambodia- "expressed his concern about the economic management which is weak and unable to compete with other countries....."5

The NGOs and civil society think that to improve such situation, the country need to be reformed in many fields. But until now this still not happen yet. Lack of law enforcements and cumbersome administrative halt this country from development. Not only politicians speak about " damage to the national interest". A survey among business people reveals that they think, "Corruption or bribery is the main barrier to foreign investment in Cambodia"4.

The MPs, most are not really representing voters who voted for them, but they work for the party they serve. Lack of accountability of politicians to the problem addressed by voters resulted in losing credibility among people.

VIII. COMMUNISM PRACTICE

I don't think there is such kind of socialism or communism still under practice in this country. Since the general election in 1993, when the people have chosen constitutional monarchy system, the socialism practice was left itself. But there is some thing has been committed by groups of people, the abuse of power does harm to powerless people.

Communism gave me the stereotype, the political ideology of doctrine and theory discrimination and divide, and isolation when the communism cannot in a move with liberalism.

Ensuring democracy requires good governance, which in turn depends on inclusive participation, transparency, accountability and the promotion of the rule of law. While there have been elections in place, this country does not by itself guarantee political, civil, social and economic freedom. People not really enjoy such democracy while their rights are violated.

Phnom Penh September 4, 2004

Reference:

1 Self-Determination Theory
2 Reasmey Kampuchea, Vol.10, Issue 2700, 7 March 2002
3 Keith Bradsher, New York Time
4 The Mirror Vol.8, N.368-from 9-15 May 2004
5 The Mirror Vol.8, N.373-from 13-19 June 2004

6 The 1993 Constitution of The Kingdom of Cambodia (Amendments).