Unofficial Translation

Selected Comments at Donation of Samdech Techo Hun Sen-Haruhisa Handa National Scholarships to 500 Students by the University of Cambodia

[Also Include issues of Cambodian-Thai relations and Siwarak's release]

16 December 2009

I have a great joy today to be able to join with all of you in providing Samdech Techo Hun Sen-Haruhisa Handa National Scholarships 2009 to 500 students by Dr Haruhisa Handa, Chairman and Founder of the International Foundation for Arts and Culture in Japan, through World Mate since 2007. Students who have received and continued their studies with this scholarship have now reached 1,500, with a total cost of 3.9 million US dollars, which means among our participants here would benefit from over one million US dollars for your studies in the next four years.

I would like in this opportune moment to express my deepest thanks to Dr Handa for his generosity and care for poor-resource students of Cambodia in the passing periods and I hope that he would continue to do so in the future. It is indeed a pride to have such a good friend and I would also like to inform that besides his tasks as Chairman of World Mate, Chancellor of the University of Cambodia, Dr Haruhisa Handsa is also my personal advisor too. So appointing foreign citizens as my advisors is nothing bizarre to me. It should be the same for HE Thaksin’s appointment as well. I also used to have HE Lee Myung-bak, currently President of Republic of South Korea, as my economic advisor too.

Please allow me to taker this time, dear friends and fellow countrymen, to clarify what the Thais say about eavesdropping phone conversation. Cambodia is a rule of law country and no company is allowed to eavesdrop or record telephone conversation at all. Those who make comments in Bangkok should be pondering before speaking that there is this incident. Any call will have to be recorded by the service provider so that they could keep track of time on line that they will charge users for the service used. And this is a normal procedure that is applied by all phone companies. Look we have here the receipt of Mr Kham Rak, the first secretary of the Thai Embassy. His phone number is 011 827070 and he had called on that day 5 times and there had a record of 42 calls to his number. Maybe phone company in your country do the same. They may collect receipts from 016 and 011 companies in Cambodia and compare them with those recorded in Bangkok. Please do not say thing that would make the problem more complicated and bigger.

Secondly, they said that the act of releasing Siwarak Chotipong, the Thai engineer, arrested and tried for his provision of information on Thaksin’s flight to Bangkok, is just a farce. Siwarak and his mother have all said how on earth that a mother sets up a farce for his son to get jailed? Maybe leaders in Bangkok should reconsider their statements. Maybe they could set up a farce and send their children to jail. Have you the courage to do so? This is an affront on the both of them – mother and son, on the Royal Government of Cambodia and on HE Chaovalit Yongchaiyuth and Thaksin. If it was a farce, why don’t you let out an actor, Mr Kham Rak?

To be frank, I know that Kham Rak is a good man as he had cooperated with my son, Manet, in preparing my trip to Hua Hin. But he had to take order. What I have noticed is that whatever is said on the issue of Siwarak by Bangkok, Sam Rainsy said the same. On 15 December, the Nation issued an article that Sam Rainsy described issue of spy as a farce with advance preparation for Hun Sen’s political interest. I wish to send a message to members and leaders of Sam Rainsy Party that individual Sam Rainsy has truly served the interest of the Abhisit’s government. Sam Rainsy never condemns Thai aggression on Preah Vihear area or at least appeal for the Abhisit’s government to not abuse to the extreme our citizen, for instance killings at the border. When we are busy solving problem along our border to west of the country, Sam Rainsy went on to pulled out border poles used for demarcation purpose at border to east of the country. How do you define this act?

I wish that our people have a close look at this individual and officials in this party. Here is the article I got from the Nation and Sam Rainsy may want to deal with them. When those in Bangkok commented the judicial decision on Siwarak as a farce, Sam Rainsy also says it is a farce. How could you make others believe it is a coincidence? I have no reason to let Sam Rainsy go free on this issue of border pole pulling out and maybe the Thais would like him to formulate his activities there. That can be done and I should not be reprimanded for welcoming Thaksin in Cambodia. What have you done in Hua Hin? NGOs that Cambodia did not consent and Son Chai, the opposition MP were there. I told them if the MP is still there, I will not stay and my absence would fail ASEAN effort. You have left no stone unturned and pressed me to my last resolve.

Thaksin has requested twice to come to Cambodia. His first request was in January and I have asked him to accept my apology. Secondly, he just asked me for a refueling stopover on his way to Papua New Guinea, I also asked him for an understanding. Finally I could not abandon friend but to respond reasonably to his call. It is not a play of Thaksin’s trick at all but it is a clear message that you have turned from being opposition to government, so it is appropriate to work on a governmental basis. When Abhisit was in Phnom Penh, Kasit Phiromya, Minister for Foreign Affairs planned to meet the opposition in Phnom Penh. I gave an urgent message then that if that was going to happen, it would be an opportunity for Hun Sne to work with Thaksin and Pheu Thai in Bangkok. They left the plan unfulfilled. But they later forget and I have to reciprocate in kind.

Thirdly, they said information that was collected was from open source. Now they talked about open source. I know why you need information of that sort from Cambodia and the need for you to abuse Cambodian sovereignty. However, though in the company that you have ordered for information has got Thai citizen working there, you have no rights to access information for your own sake at all. Remember, the company is under the Cambodian law in the form of BCT (Build-Cooperate-Transfer) so it is not entitled to providing information to a third party at all.

You may understand that if we did not discover that in time perhaps at this moment Thaksin is dead already or now in Thai jail. Instruction with regard to Thaksin’s flight schedule and itinerary was issued as urgent matters whereas, according to information obtained here and also presented by the red-shirted protestors, they have F16 fighters ready along the Thai-Cambodian border and even identified positions of the Cambodian anti aircraft system. They even listed here what sort of weapons Cambodia’s anti aircraft system possesses. According to this if Thaksin were to get killed or arrested and jailed in Thailand, I would have become a man of no virtue.

Leaders in Bangkok may have to think it through. If it were not for such a conspiracy, why else it was necessary to expel Kam Rak from Cambodia and had Siwarak arrested, investigated? It is indeed open source information, but only is open for those under Cambodian authority and not for anyone to use it for evil intention at all.

They even said that we have fooled with the procedure. Maybe I should assure Chuan Leekpai and Abhisit that I know full well Cambodian legal procedure, which after a court decision there needs to have thirty days before the matter could be brought to the attention of the Court of Appeal. From the day that Siwarak was released, there are 26 more days to get there. But did they want Siwarak to stay on in jail? Could you please verify that to the Thai public and people? As far as legal issue is concerned, take the case of Sam Rainsy about border pole out-pulling, if he were to be convicted, he has to serve two-third of his jail term. We could not repeat the procedure in 1998 for the case of Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranaridh, because of national reconciliation urgency and the Siwarak’s case.

As far as I know there has a foreign diplomat who, I could not pull myself to understand how dangerous and deceptive they could be, suggested a version of the story that it was another person who pulled out the pole whereas Sam Rainsy stood witnessing it. So they do not care who would be jailed instead. So if you have doubt on procedure, I wish to get back to you on that. We have confirmation from Siwarak’s mother that she would not go to the court of appeal or revise the case. Siwarak’s mother had here hands on her chest and asked fro mercy from the Prime Minister and HM the King. That is what a mother should be, and why can’t Bangkok understand that? I said yesterday that if we were to do as Chuan Leekpai said, Siwarak would be in jail several years, because going to appeal court it would take another six months to one year before its hearing. He would need to be there another six months to one year for the case to be processed at the Supreme Court. So it would have taken him two years in jail which a royal pardon would not be necessary.

How could they accuse us interfering into Thai affairs? What had Chuan done in the past on Cambodia? In 1998, in Hanoi, Cambodia was to be admitted as an ASEAN member, after the formation of the Royal Government according to one of its three angles of the triangular strategy, which was to integrate Cambodia quickly into international community. Seven days later Cambodia reoccupies the Cambodian seat at the United Nations and we were heading to become ASEAN member, after Cambodian membership was frozen in 2007. Chuan was the one to create obstacle for a consensus on ground that Cambodia did not yet have the Senate, which is totally internal affairs of Cambodia. The Chuan’s government took that position because Noun Chea and other leaders of the Khmer Rouge were still at large. Until all of them returned to the national fold from Thai territory that they agreed to let us be.

This has led me to understand that whenever the Democrats in Thailand come to power, the two country’s relations would be difficult. That is one way of saying it. Looking into history of the Democrats in power, it seems they never have sufficient support of their own. In 1997, the elections brought Chaovalit Yongchaiyuth’s New Aspiration Party to power. Demonstrations forced him to step away. As a minority party, Chuan harnessed supports from other smaller parties, some in the New Aspiration Party also included, to set up a Government. Again, after two successive terms in office, Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai majority (76%) was overthrown to be followed by the military-led Government. A year later, the elections were conducted. The People’s Power Party, combined forces between those with Samak Sundravej and former Thak Rak Thai party, won the elections. Prime Minister Samak finally backed off for a legal case just because he hosted a cooking program in a TV station.

Somchai, a brother-in-law to Thaksin, was then voted in to take over the post. He had faced with demonstrators who occupied the Cabinet’s office and then the two airports of the country. On December 2, the Constitutional Court issued a decision to dissolve the People’s Power Party, after which Somchai said he has become once again a citizen. It was in that situation that the former PPP’s forces was broken and a group led by Newin Chidchob had joined hands with the Democrats, whose ties then brings about the formation of the current Government. So ask yourself if you ever have a majority to form a government.

In the course of our discussion, we have agreed to exchange criminals. Cambodia has agreed and did already return two Thai criminals connected with terrorist case of Hambaly, but the Thais have not yet returned to Cambodia the two female criminals convicted of being drug related and are facing lethal court decision in Thailand. How can we do business with each other in this case? Maybe Mr Sam Rainsy could do something to help us get the two Cambodians back and I would be thankful to his action. I would not be consumed with jealousy like that way the Thai Government does with Pheu Thai at all.

Concerning Thai-Cambodian relations, in a letter sent to my by Abhisit on December 1 relating to the loan of 1.4 billion Baht, he had phrased that our relations could go back to normal like before October 23, 2009 if there has no cooperation to be rendered by Samdech. October 23, at Hua Hin, I declared appointing Thaksin my advisor. In my letter in return I said that our relations would not go back to normal as before July 15, 2008, if the registration of Preah Vihear in the world heritage list continues to be obstacle in our relations.

I wanted to say it would not happen as long as you keep aggression on us, sending in troops to Keo Sekha Kirisvarak Buddhist monastery and showing discontent through the yellow-shirt demonstrators, who in fact are the ones to put you in power. Don’t fool everyone that Thaksin’s appointment is the cause.

If you claim this is Thaksin’s issue, why did you specify only what happened on October 23, 2009? Why don’t you mention about the coup on September 19, 2006? There was or there was not a coup? If you really think you are popular among the Thai people, why are you afraid of throwing a new election and accepting whatever result that may come out?

I wish to let you know that I am resolved to sit on and wait for the new comers. I have canceled the loan to be rendered by Thai Government and because there has been a confirmation that the College of Kompong Choeteal (in Kompong Thom province of Cambodia) is not involving Thai Government and belongs exclusively to Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, I have given my consent for students to take entry test.

Well, what I have said and elaborated is for the sake of self-defense and protecting the Cambodian honor, mine also included. We dream for good relations with neighboring countries but it would be impossible if they don’t want it.

Now my thanks and appreciation go to the University of Cambodia that HE Chancellor Kao Kim Huon has said in his report about accepting students into the program of Samdech Techo Hun Sen – Haruhisa Handa Scholarship, which has started since 2007. I am sure that the University of Cambodia, one among many others in Cambodia, will be playing crucial role in human resource development for the country. I would urge those who have won the scholarships every succeeding year to do your utmost in your study in response to trust and generosity of providers. I am sure providers would want nothing but your proven might in your studies, which is no different to the wish of your parents, society, and the Royal Government of Cambodia.

I am so glad that the screening process has been conducted that 500 students have been successfully selected from 10,211 contestants. My congratulation to all winners and I am so happy to see a sense of participation in our society, while contributions by our friends from near and far, private person, private or humanitarian organizations have been well noticed. For this year, of the 1,335 scholarships provided to me by various universities, in days to come, orphans from ASPECA will be given a priority to contest for it.

Providing assistance once in a while does indeed help reduce our hardship but real assistance remains in human resource development. With knowledge everyone has key to advance which would make the whole society advance as well. We are living in knowledge economy whereas competition for development of intelligence in a society is a major issue and important for us all.

Now that we are almost 31 years away from the day when the country is liberated from the regime of Pol Pot genocide, our situation has parted quite far from starting point, when our city was so empty. I met a person who first came to Phnom Penh after the liberation and worked at the International Red Cross. He told me with tear in his eyes about those scenes that he could recall – empty streets and deadly silent ambiance. Now we have a heavy traffic everywhere and everyday I see people, since I have come to live in the city of Phnom Penh again, exercising in the gardens.

As we are here to benefit from scholarship provided by a Japanese dignitary, my son, Hun Manet, and a group of young people are in Japan for a working visit. Last month I went to Japan for the Summit of the Japan-Mekong countries and in our negotiation, HE Hatoyama, Prime Minister of Japan offered to invite Hun Manet, Head of Special Anti-terrorist Department and Commander of Special Anti-terrorist Forces to visit Japan. It was a surprise as the invitation was extended in the course of formal negotiation. I responded and requested to HE Prime Minister that when my son happens to be in Japan, I wish that he would have met with his son.

I learned that his grandson refused to go to kindergarten for his father, HE Hatoyama’s son, was not there with him but was in Russia to help the Russian Prime Minister HE Vladimir Putin on traffic issue. It threw me another surprise yesterday that HE Hatoyama received my son himself. I take it that Japan is paying attention to younger intellectuals whereas Dr. Haruhisa Handa is also making this a reality here in Cambodia.

The scholarship students of this sort have been admitted since 2007. maybe it is a good idea to name each intake by something like those in the Royal School of Administration, where they name each intake after main event of the year like the Peace Generation Intake, Rectangular Strategy Intake, etc. For instance because we have our Preah Vihear temple registered in 2008 as the world heritage, maybe we could call the intake scholarship students by this name, whereas the first intake in 2007 should be called the Angkor Generation Intake...

Taking this opportune moment I wish to share news with our Buddhist monks whose leaders, Samdech Supreme Patriarchs and the monk assembly, have signed and sent to me a letter on issue of Buddhist study. I have given my instruction to HE Keat Chhon, Lok Chumteav Men Sam An, HE Min Khin and HE Im Setthi to sit down and discuss this matter.

As far as this matter is concerned, in order to realize a sustainable Buddhist studying process, I would like to suggest that we should apply the general state education system for those who pursue education through Buddhist studying system. Teachers are salaried staff and they also have per diem while supervising examination. Samdech Non Nget, Samdech Luas Lay, Samdech Nay Jreok and Samdech Am Lim Heng have informed that because of some financial reduction by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, they have gone into debt of about one billion Riels already.

Let’s see that education in the Buddhist system helps us absorb students who have become monks because of family’s difficulties into schooling. After finishing primary education, they have chance to go on to secondary and university levels. Now they have two universities.

EndItem