HEALTH CARE - PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
By Sokha Ou-Uun

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:

I am what I am because of what I have experienced. The debate about our health care brings back one of my sad memory. When I first came to the US, I lived in Florida and got my health care at a county health center. One day while I was waiting for a doctor, a man walked in with blood on his face from what seemed to be a head wound.

He was turned away because the county clinic can only provide well care needs such as vaccinations or something like that. Disappointed, the man walked outside and sat on a bench. It was Winter, cold but bearable. Having seen so many miseries in Cambodia, the country I left behind, I could not just ignore this man. I walked up to him, and asked why he did not go to a hospital. He told me that he did not have any transportation.

Of course, at that time, I had no idea how the health care systems worked in the US; I thought that a person with injury would just go to a hospital and he or she would be taken care of.  So I volunteered to drive him to the hospital in my clunky. We arrived at one hospital, but he was turned away. The next hospital did the same thing. We visited three hospitals, but the results were all the same. The man finally gave up and asked me to drop him off at a bus stop, and that was where I left him with blood already hardened on his face.

At that time, I could not comprehend everything, so I did not know why that man could not get help. I did understand enough such that many years later, I realized that he did not have insurance and his injury was not life threatening.

I thank God for letting me witness it. Otherwise, I would never know the difference. Every day, I am very thankful that I do not have to go through what that man did. 

WHERE IS OUR COMMON SENSE?
By Sokha Ou-Uun

CNN Money

Like everything else, tools that were designed to make our lives easier have unintended evil consequences. Credit cards, communications, on line tools, to name a few, have been used by crooks for their benefits with total disregard to morality.

During the final stage of the 2016 presidential election, supporters from each camp have further validated the above statement or hypothesis. Not a day goes by that we did not see news, breaking news, ... that very often were too outrageous to be true. Both camps use modern technology to spread news that benefit them regardless how the news were originated. Sometimes we cheer on...

News are not musics where the sole purpose is to sound good to our ears. We must not stop using our common sense when it comes to these kinds of NEWS.

Our Democracy Must Be Protected
By Sokha Ou-Uun

For this election, I have pretty much remained quiet and not expressed my opinion either for or against any of the candidates. They each have their strong points, but their strong points often get drown out by their mediocrities.

What I am about to say has nothing to do with being against or for any of the candidates, but it is against any efforts to destroy our democratic system of selecting our leaders.

I am an independent voter and very disappointed that we did not have two real good candidates for this election. However, I would very much want to see our system of democracy remains intact. This way, we will still have the hope for change if the outcome of this election is not to our liking.

This has been our way and this is what has kept our country together so far. Calling for any actions other than accepting the majority voice will destroy our way of life and make us no different from the dictator prime minister Hun Sen of Cambodia who has always threatened that war will come to Cambodia if he loses.

I hope and pray that both parties will put our USA ahead of their egos and help maintain our democracy, so that we will continue to have our opportunity to get the right leader for our country in the future.

On that note, I admire and am grateful that Gov. Mike Pence did not simply go along with his supporter who wanted to call for a revolution if former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won. Long Live Our Democracy!

ការរីកចំរើននៅកម្ពុជា  
Development in Cambodia

By Sokha Ou-Uun
(English Version Included)

     ប្រជាជនខ្មែរ ទោះនៅក្នុងប្រទេសឬនៅក្រៅប្រទេសក្ដី គេមិនមែនមើលមិនឃើញទេ។ ប៉ុន្តែអ្វីៗដែល ស៊ីពែពែ បានបង្ហាញនោះ មិនអាចយកធ្វើជាសក្ខីភាព សំរាប់ការវាស់ស្មានលើកំរិតអភិវឌ្ឍននៅក្នុងសង្គមបានទេ។
     យុត្តិធម្ម សេរីភាព និង ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យភាព ត្រូវតែរីកចំរើនព្រមគ្នា នោះទើបបានគេហៅថា អភិវឌ្ឍននៅក្នុងសង្គមពិតប្រាកដ។ ដរាបណាប្រទេសខ្មែរស្ថិតនៅក្រោមនឹមលទ្ឋិផ្ដាច់ការ សង្គមខ្មែរនឹងមិនអាចទទួលបាន នៅការអភិវឌ្ឍនពិតប្រាកដបានទេ។ មិនជាការពិបាកទេក្នុងការមើលយល់ថា តើប្រទេសខ្មែរស្ថិតនៅក្រោមរបៀបដឹកនាំប្រភេទណា? នៅក្នុងភិភពលោកនេះ មិនដែលមានរបបប្រជាធិបតេយ្យណា ដែលអាចឈ្នះឆ្នោត ហើយអាចក្រាញអំណាចបានជាង១៥ឆ្នាំនោះទេ។ មានតែរបបផ្ដាច់ការ ដែលអាចធ្វើយ៉ាងនេះបាន។

           ម្យ៉ាងវិញទៀត, ការរីកចំរើននៅក្រោមនឹមផ្ដាច់ការ ដូចជាការសាងសង់អ្វីៗ តែងតែមានផលវិបាកពីរយ៉ាងភ្ជាប់ជាមួយ។ ទី១ ក្រុមគ្រួសារនិងបក្សពួកក្នុងរង្វង់ផ្ដាច់ការ ច្រើនបានទទូលលាភសក្ការៈ, និងទី២ ប្រទេសជាតិត្រូវបាត់បង់សម្បត្តិធម្មជាតិ ឬ ប្រជាជនជំនាន់ក្រោយនិងត្រូវទទួលផលកម្ម ជំពាក់បំណុលបរទេសបន្ថែមទៀត។

            នេះមិនមែនជាការស្ដីបន្តោសលើរដ្ឋាភិបាលខ្មែរទេ តែជាការជួយប្រាប់ឱ្យដឹងថា អ្វីទៅដែលជាការរីកចំរើនពិតប្រាកដ។ ព្រមជាមួយគ្នានេះ ក៏សូមកុំឱ្យយករឿងបង្ករសង្គ្រាមមកច្រឡូកច្រឡំ ព្រោះអ្នកមានអាវុធ គឺមានតែរដ្ឋភិបាលតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ។
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Development in Cambodia
By Sokha Ou-Uun

Background: Recently the ruling party of Cambodia has been trying to convince Cambodians living abroad that Cambodia is a developing country.

First, no one is blind. Quality of life or progress cannot be measured by just those things that CPP is showing. Justice, freedom, and democracy (JFD) must go along with it, and there won't be such things as long as the country is governed by a dictatorship regime. If a regime has won every elections to last more than 15 years, you can bet it is a dictatorship regime.

Second, under a dictatorship regime this is always true. For every building or structure being built, two things happen: 1) Dictator clan benefits from it, and 2) Either the country natural resource is being robbed or foreign debts are being added for the next generation of citizens to bear.

This not a criticism of the Cambodian government, but rather a suggestion if the government truly wants to see the country moving forward. Also, please do not bring the prospect of a war because the only people who are capable of initiating a misery and war are the people who have all the guns and tanks. 

POLITICAL SATIRE - BALLS' SIZE
By Sokha Ou-Uun 

Since 2013, the ruling party has increased its abuses of its own people by ten-fold and resorted to using its military, police, hired hands, as well as the judicial system to beat up or jail activists who dare speaking up or standing up for their rights.

In light of all the human-rights abuses committed by the dictator Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia, the European Parliamentary (EP) body had issued a stern warning to the Prime Minister  Supreme Lord Hun Sen that the EP may stop or reduce the economic and financial supports to the Kingdom of Cambodia. 

In response, during his speech at a university graduation, the Uneducated Dictator Supreme Lord Hun Sen angrily denounced the warning.  As usual, the PM speech was very colorful and vivid with his hand gestures. 

Although he is talking tough, the Supreme Lord Dictator Hun Sen does know that his lively hood does depend on those financial aids.

ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាកំពុងរុងរឿង ?!?! 
By Sokha Ou-uun
(English version included below)

ទោះបីជាគ្មានការសិក្សារតាមក្បួនវិទ្យាសាស្ត្រក្ដី ក៏គេអាចសន្មតបានថា ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ជាប្រទេសដឹកនាំដោយជនផ្ដាច់ការ ព្រោះមិនដែលមានរដ្ឋាភិបាលប្រជាធិបតេយ្យណា អាចឈ្នះឆ្នោតគ្រប់វេលារហូតដល់ជាង ៣០ឆ្នាំនោះទេ។ សូម្បីតែចិនឬយួនក៏គេផ្លាស់ប្ដូរក្បាលម៉ាស៊ិនគេ បួនឬប្រាំឆ្នាំម្ដងដែរ។ តែស្ដាយណាស់ ដោយមានខ្មែរមួយចំនួន មិនយល់រឿងនេះ ហើយថែមទាំងខិតខំនិយាយថា ប្រទេសខ្មែរមិនចាំបាច់មានការផ្លាស់ផ្ដូរអ្វីទេ ព្រោះយើងមានការសប្បាយរុងរឿងរួចហើយ។  ជាការពិតណាស់ ការសប្បាយរុងរឿងវាមានមែន នៅក្នុងរង្វង់ក្រុមគ្រួសារជនផ្ដាច់ការ ឬចំពោះជនចេញមុខសរសើរក្រុមផ្ដាច់ការ។ 

តើត្រឹមត្រូវទេ ដែលអ្នកខំស្រែកថា ការផ្លាស់ផ្ដូរអាចនាំចូលនៅសង្គ្រាម នៅពេលដែលក្រុមអ្នក ជាក្រុមតែមួយដែលមានអាវុធគ្រប់យ៉ាង? តើត្រឹមត្រូវទេ ដែលអ្នកខំស្រែកថាអ្នកឯទៀតមិនចេះដឹងដូចអ្នក នៅពេលដែលអ្នកជាអ្នកលួចជាតិ មានប្រាក់កាសហូរហៀរ និងសមត្ថភាពបញ្ជូនគ្រួសារអ្នកទៅរៀននៅទីណាក៏បាន? តើត្រឹមត្រូវទេ ដែលអ្នកខំស្រែកថាប្រទេសខ្មែររុងរឿងណាស់ ព្រោះអ្នកនិងក្រុមអ្នកមានគ្រប់សព្វ ទាំងលុយទាំងអំណាច អាចធ្វើអ្វីបានតាមអំពើរចិត្ត?តើត្រឹមត្រូវទេ ដែលអ្នកខំស្រែកថាអ្នកចង់បង្រួបបង្រួមជាតិ ហើយចង់ឱ្យគេឈប់ប្រើភាសារស្ដីបន្ទោសអ្នក នៅពេលដែលអ្នកនៅបន្តរប្រើហឹង្សារ និងឃាតកម្ម ទៅលើប្រជាជនដែលចង់បាន សិទ្ឋិសេរីភាព? 

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Cambodia is fine ?!?!

By Sokha Ou-Uun

Without doing or citing any scientific researches, I can say without reservation that Cambodia is ruled by a DICTATOR. 

Only dictator can manage to win every elections to last more than 30 years. Even China and Vietnam, they replace their leaderships every 4 or 5 years. 

Unfortunately, there are people who overlook this and try to justify that Cambodia is fine, and there is no need for any changes. Of course, people within the dictator circle are fine. Of course, they can smile, ... But should we use this as a yard stick to measure or to speak of Cambodia? I think not.

Please stop telling people that:

1.  They will bring war to the country while you are the ones with all the guns and the tanks;

2. They are not as educated while you have all the money and send your kids to study abroad; 

3. Cambodia is fine because you have everything (money and power to do whatever you please); 

4. You want national reconciliation and for people to stop verbally attacking you while you continue to physically attacking them. 

THE GREAT RALLY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

By Sokha Ou-Uun 

Washington D.C.

On June 10, 2016, multiple rallies/demonstrations were held at different parts of the world, demanding international communities to put pressure on the government of Cambodia led by dictator Prime Minister Hun Sen and his clan to respect human rights in Cambodia. The protesters also demanded the world signatories of the 1991 Paris agreement to investigate the violations of the agreement by both the Government of Hun Sen  (Cambodia) and the government of Vietnam.

Paris

Since 1993, after the Paris Agreement was implemented, the government of dictator Hun Sen has

violated the agreement and continued to do so with impunity. One of the important articles in the Paris Agreement was that all treaties signed during the Vietnamese occupation were to be nulled and voided because those treaties were signed under pressure from the conquerer.

Prior to 1991, the government of Vietnam and the government of Hun Sen had signed many treaties ceding much of the Cambodian territories to Vietnam, including the Island of Koh Tral (or Phu Quc, name given by Vietnam). That particular island is situated less than 8 miles from Cambodia. Of course, those treaties were nullified in 1991. 

Long Beach, CA

However, in 2005, the government of Hun Sen, in order to maintain its power as a puppet government of Vietnam, resurrected all the old treaties signed between the two governments through some form of executive order or a special law.  The King was believed to have been pressured to put his signature on this new scam therefore ratifying it.  Since then, efforts have been made between Vietnam and Hun Sen to accelerate the border demarcation using maps ratified under the treaties signed prior to 1991, later nullified by the Paris Agreement, but resurrected in 2005.

The Paris Agreement also guarantees Justice, Freedom, Equality to all Cambodian peoples. But since 1993, the government has shown not respect to the basic human rights of its own people.  

Washington State

People are being put in jails for simply speaking out or demanding that they have those basic human rights: freedom and justice. The government of Hun Sen has used its judicial system and trumped up charges against anyone who dares speaking up.

Under the terms listed in the Paris agreement, all foreign troops were to be withdrawn from Cambodia, mainly Vietnamese soldiers. When the Agreement was implemented, Vietnam did pull their troops out, but only a small portion of them. Former and late King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia estimated that hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese troops remained. They simply shed their uniforms  and started wearing civilian clothing. 

Washington D.C.

In July of 1997, when dictator Hun Sen launched a coup d'etat to overthrow his rival co-prime minister, Prince Rannaridh, residences living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia capital, had witnessed in horror, their Vietnamese neighbors coming out wearing their Vietnamese military uniforms and joined Hun Sen troops. Those Vietnamese continue to live and work in Cambodia as of today. In addition, Vietnamese people continue to pour into the tiny Kingdom of Cambodia, and Hun Sen's government has done nothing. 

Bottom line, Vietnam and its puppet government of  dictator Hun Sen have acted as though the Paris Agreement did not exist. The main reason for the rallies held across the globe on June 10, 2016 was to bring awareness as well as to ask all the signatories of the 1991 Paris Agreement to launch an investigation into what Vietnam and its puppet government in Cambodia have done in regard to the Agreement.  The rallies also demanded that the Government of Cambodia respects Human Rights and unconditionally releases all political prisoners. 

Note: Similar rally was held Washington D.C.- Olympia, Washington State - Lowell Massachusetts -  Long Beach, California - Canada - France - and Australia  

I WISH I KNEW
By Sokha Ou-uun

Over thirty years ago I was on vacation with my family in Florida and there was an incident that I could not forget.  Remembering it now makes me feel ashamed of why I did not know any better.

Kampuchea Krom & Koh Trol in Light Blue

My family and I were going through the various attractions within Disney’s World Park.  I had made a reservation for dinner that day at what looked like a fancy Chinese restaurant inside the park; we were all looking forward to sitting down and having a nice and relaxed dinner at the end of the day. The last attraction we went to before dinner was the 180-degree dome theater.  The show was about China, its land, its people, and its beauty.

The show was spectacular.  We were visiting various parts of China by sitting on a virtual flying carpet.  We were flying from place to place, seeing modern Chinese sky rises, vast landscape, rivers, ancient cities full of past histories, and meeting people of different ethnics and backgrounds.  We saw the hectic life in big cities as well as the peaceful, soothing and calm way of life in the country side.  Then, an even more beautiful landscape appeared just ahead.

“To the West, our country, Tibet …...” said the Chinese film narrator as the beautiful scenery appeared. At that instance, I did not remember what came over, but I felt a burst of pain and screamed out: “Tibet is not China.”

(Detail of Kampuchea Krom and Koh Tral)

I was not sure if anybody could hear me because the sound system was blaring.  I became very upset such that I had to get out from the theater.  I ended up not going to the dinner at the Chinese restaurant as well, and therefore ruining the rest of the day for my family.

Now, whenever I recall that day, I feel so ashamed.  No, it is not because I had ruined that day for my family, but it is because I have realized how ignorant I was.  There I was, feeling the pain of the people of Tibet who had lost their lands and their culture to China, but knew nothing about the plight of Kampuchea Krom and Koh Tral Island.  Kampuchea Krom, home to millions of Khmers, about one third of the present Cambodia, size wise, was given to Vietnam by France in 1949 because Vietnam knew how to manipulate the Colonial France; Koh Tral is the largest island in the Golf of Siam situated within a stone's throw away from Cambodia main land, left undeveloped by Cambodia, but later occupied and renamed to Pho Qoc by Vietnam till the present day.

After some fifteen years of schooling in Cambodia, I knew nothing about my own country except that our ancestors had built Angkor Watt (one of the world's wonder), and we do not need to worry about our future because we were a great country compared to our neighbors.

At least that how we were taught to believe.   I am ashamed because my governments, past and present, do not make any efforts to remind us about our losses, but prefer to poison us with the idea that we are living in the greatest country on earth, while our map keeps shrinking such that the name of our country can no longer fit in, unless a larger-scale map is used.

That is what I am ashamed of.

WHO WAS THE REAL PAWN?

By Sokha Ou-Uun

During the cold war era, North Vietnam (NV) and South Vietnam (SV) were thought to be pawns to the super powers from the East and from the West. However, Ho Chi Minh (NV leader) had a different take. He was using both the East and West blocks to achieve his century-old plan, which is to be the master of Indochina and to be strong enough to stand up against China. During Vietnam war Uncle Ho did not care about what was being perceived, and he did everything including lying, signing treaties with China recognizing the South China sea as Chinese territories. By the end of the war, both brotherly countries (NV and SV) were united and became one country with lots of military equipment left behind, enough for the new Vietnam to be able to bully and secretly take over its neighbors, Laos and Cambodia.

President Barak Obama Visiting Vietnam in May 2016

The notion of Vietnam being a pawn to a foreign country was not clear then, and it is still muddy now. The US is courting Vietnam to stop China's influences in the area. At the same time, I wonder who is the real benefactor. Will this be a repeat of what happened in the past? Are we, the US, being used by Vietnam to fight its war against China?

Vietnamese leaders are very clever, nationalist and patriotic. They will use all means to achieve their goal. 

I remember as I was growing up during Vietnam war era, North Vietnam bribed the little prince of Cambodia and his generals with WOMEN, BOOZES, MONEY, AND PROMISES to return some of the territories back to Cambodia after the war in order for the North Vietnamese soldiers to continue using Cambodia's territories as safe heaven and base where they can launch military operation against the US.

After the victory in 1975, North Vietnamese leaders ignored the little prince, and instead of keeping the promise of returning the territories, they expanded the areas where they had already occupied and used to base their troops during the war. At one point, Vietnamese leader even returned a whining letter from the little prince un-open.

WARNING: Approach with CAUTION when it comes to dealing with Vietnam.