A Change of Guard

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Saturday 11 October 2014

Sam Rainsy's message: Be careful of distortion and provocation

In relation to: Continental divide for CNRP [This is a political suicide]


From: Sam Rainsy

Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2014 09:06:42 +0200
Subject: Be careful of distortion and provocation 



BE CAREFUL OF DISTORTION AND PROVOCATION. PLEASE JUDGE FOR YOURSELF.
In an article titled "Continental divide for CNRP" published today (9 October 2014) in The Phnom Penh Post, I was quoted as follows:
 He (Sam Rainsy) also appeared to admit that small groups of supporters were funnelling donations directly to Sokha rather than sending funds to the CNRP treasury.
“In free and democratic countries such as the USA and Canada people can do whatever they want as long as they are not engaged in illegal activities,” he said. “This applies all the more to volunteers who spend their own money the way they want. Any regulations are difficult to implement.”

Here are my full real and full answers to The Phnom Penh Post’s journalist Kevin Ponniah on 8 October 2014:

De: Sam Rainsy 
Objet: Rép : Split amongst CNRP supporters in North America - Phnom Penh Post questions (urgent)
Date: 8 octobre 2014 10:36:39 UTC+2
À: Kevin Ponniah <kevin.ponniah@gmail.com>

Dear Kevin,

Here are my answers to your questions:

- Does the CNRP leadership support CNRP North America as the official continental representative of the CNRP? Why or why not?

There is no unique official representative of the CNRP for North America. The CNRP leadership maintains relations with, and is grateful to, all support groups throughout the world. 

- In a speech before the CNRP-NA convention last Saturday, Meach Sovannara released a message on Facebook claiming that the convention was illegitimate because it had not been sanctioned by CNRP leaders. Do you view the convention as illegitimate? If so, why did you speak via Skype?

We respect the freedom of all supporters and encourage them to form CNRP support groups as they see fit. We are in touch with all of them.

- CNRP-NA and others claim that small supporters groups aligned to Kem Sokha prefer to channel money directly to him rather than through the CNRP central treasury in Phnom Penh. Is this true?

In free and democratic countries such as the USA and Canada, people can do whatever they want as long as they are not engaged in illegal activities. This applies all the more to volunteers who spend their own money the way they want. Any regulations are difficult to implement.   


- CNRP North America says it would be better if all money went through them to ensure transparency and accountability. However I have seen directives from the CNRP that anyone overseas at any level can hold events and form CNRP groups and raise money. Does the CNRP not need an organizational structure to ensure that overseas donations are processed and directed properly and transparently?

Volunteers in free and democratic countries get organized the way they want. We favor decentralization to bureaucratization which leads to tensions and disputes. 

- Sources close to both sides in the US have also told me that the split and disunity in the US between the old SRP/HRP sides is also the same beneath the surface in Phnom Penh and that there is little trust between your SRP supporters/officials and Kem Sokha's HRP supporter/officials. What is your comment on that?

No, this is not true. In Cambodia, there is a real merger between the SRP and the HRP because Kem Sokha and I have shown maturity in leading the CNRP and we have achieved full unity in our approach to tackle national issues that really matter. At the same time, we have noticed that, among some CNRP supporters abroad, there are a lot of ego problems. Hence the decentralization policy we have adopted to deal with our different overseas support groups and this can work very well with modern communication technologies.   

Best,

Rainsy

Le 8 oct. 2014 à 08:09, Kevin Ponniah <kevin.ponniah@gmail.com> a écrit :

- Does the CNRP leadership support CNRP North America as the official continental representative of the CNRP? Why or why not?

- In a speech before the CNRP-NA convention last Saturday, Meach Sovannara released a message on Facebook claiming that the convention was illegitimate because it had not been sanctioned by CNRP leaders. Do you view the convention as illegitimate? If so, why did you speak via skype?

- CNRP-NA and others claim that small supporters groups aligned to Kem Sokha prefer to channel money directly to him rather than through the CNRP central treasury in Phnom Penh. Is this true? 


- CNRP North America says it would be better if all money went through them to ensure transparency and accountability. However I have seen directives from the CNRP that anyone overseas at any level can hold events and form CNRP groups and raise money. Does the CNRP not need an organizational structure to ensure that overseas donations are processed and directed properly and transparently?

- Sources close to both sides in the US have also told me that the split and disunity in the US between the old SRP/HRP sides is also the same beneath the surface in Phnom Penh and that there is little trust between your SRP supporters/officials and Kem Sokha's HRP supporter/officials. What is your comment on that?

Le 9 oct. 2014 à 06:28, Monovithya Kem  a écrit :
From: Kevin Ponniah <kevin.ponniah@gmail.com>

Date: October 9, 2014 at 11:26:39 AM GMT+7
To: Monovithya Kem 
Subject: Story in today's Phnom Penh Post


Dear Mona,


In my story in today's Post about divisions within the CNRP's donor base in North America, allegations are made by sources that supporter groups in the US are sending money to Kem Sokha directly, rather than through the central party treasury. Some supporters questioned where that money was going. When I contact Sam Rainsy yesterday, he basically confirmed that money was indeed sent directly to Kem Sokha and said "any regulations are difficult to implement".


We called Mr Sokha yesterday to allow him a chance to explain/give his position but he chose not to. I would like to offer you (and him) the opportunity to comment today given that the story has now been published.


Please get back to me with any comments/explanations you have about why Kem Sokha recieves money directly from supporters (if this is indeed true) and how this is managed transparently.


Best regards,

2 comments:

Anonymous said...


BAD JUDGMENT FROM SOME CNRP’S MEMBERS WILL PRODUCE CATASTROPHIC RESULT FOR CAMBODIA

There have been severe clashes of opinions amongst Khmer people after the CNRP joined the National Assembly.

People must realize that the CNRP’s leaders have tried very hard to make the traitor Hun Sen to step down, but Hun Sen refused to do so.

Moreover, some people have chastised the CNRP’s leaders for failing to seize the opportunity when the number of the demonstrators reached over one million during the post election peaceful demonstration demanding Hun Sen to honor the people’s wills

I personally thought that those over one million people were not mentally prepared to challenge Hun Sen. They will run all over the place like chickens if Hun Sen ordered his “personal units” to shoot at them. Therefore, had the CNRP’s leaders tried to topple Hun Sen by using those demonstrators, the CNRP would have totally been crushed.

The vast majority of Khmer people did not agree with the CNRP’s decision to join the National Assembly.

But if they continue to unreservedly condemn the CNRP for joining the National Assembly, try to create more political parties and break away from the CNRP, they would only help strengthen Hun Sen’s position and deepen Vietnam’s dominance over Cambodia.

The BEST SOLUTION to save Cambodia is to stay united with the CNRP, help ensuring that this upcoming election is free and fair.

If the next election was still not fair, the CPP was able to “pick” a number and proclaim that the CPP got these many seats such as 68 and the CNRP got 53 seats like the last election, this will be the duty of all Khmer people along with the CNRP to mount a peaceful but determine demonstration firmly demanding for justice.

Like I said before if we wanted to succeed, we must mentally PREPARE to stand ground and ready to die if Vietnam through its puppet Hun Sen decided to violently suppress the peaceful demonstration. Without our people’s ultimate sacrifice, Vietnam will NEVER relieve its grip over Cambodia. Stop dreaming about “don’t want to see Khmer people die and save Cambodia”. It will NEVER work and sound stupid.

The CNRP’s leaders must review their rhetoric that “we don’t want Khmer people to die to save Cambodia”. We had lost around 3 million people since 1970 and Cambodia is still under Vietnam’s control.

If the current CNRP’s leaders do not have enough courage to face this upcoming obstacle – Hun Sen’s third hand force to quell the demonstrators – they should promote other people within the CNRP to assume this task and the current CNRP’s leaders become Advisors. This is the right time to make such decision.

What’s wrong with losing a couple of thousands people to make the International community intervenes and saves us from this evil Vietnam and its slave Hun Sen?

Finally, the signatory countries of the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement will assertively intervene if and only if the number of the fatalities (death) stemmed from Hun Sen’s suppression of the peaceful demonstration reached one thousand at least.

Bun Thoeun

P.S: Could KI post this comment on KI too?

Anonymous said...

Mr. Sam Rainsy,

If you want to save or even rescue the Cambodian National Rescue Party, you MUST take charge, that all sub-chapters of the CNRP
both in and outside Cambodia must take derectives from the central CNRP.
All monies must come to the bank account(s) of the CNRP, not to yours nor that of Kem Sokha.
The CNRP must have one voice and one leadership.If you cannot resolve this issue , please review your leadership quality or resign.
Thank you