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Khem Veasna's speech
KEYNOTES FOR THE 1ST ORDINARY CONGRESS
by Leader of LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY PARTY (LDP)
on 6 November 2011
To start with, I, Khem Veasna, would like to extend my respect to the venerable Buddhist monks and my warm welcome to all the members of the congress and distinguished guests.
On this occasion, I have two questions for all the congress members. My first question is, ―What are we doing?‖, and my second question is, ―Why are we doing what we are doing?‖
The response to the first question makes us fully aware of our work. The answer to the second question helps us build our confidence in what we are doing. Once you are fully aware of what you do and you do it with confidence, the work moves forward with focus, and under your control.
Once you are fully certain of what you are doing, and why you are doing it, the influence from the outside will never change the course of your direction of what you are doing. After all, no matter how hard your work may be, and how big your challenges may be, you will get the work accomplished with satisfaction and appreciation. For instance, the fact that LDP is able to organize its very first congress today; because we are certain of what we do and our work is under control.
What is the response to the second question? For what purposes are we organizing this congress? Although this congress aims at electing the party leaders, adopting the party’s statute, validating the Party’s Central Committee membership so on and so forth, it only marks the stepping stones towards our goal. So what is our goal?
We have to visualize the common dream which is our goal. It is a common dream that all Cambodian citizens have visualized, ―A nation in which we live in equity as its owners.‖ This is our ultimate goal. All Cambodians have to realize this dream together with our own fists. The key element ensuring the equity in a nation is the check and balance between the citizens and the government that represents their will.
Unofficial Translation
Check against delivery
Our Party’s acts are guided by our goal to realize our common dream, ―A nation in which we live in equity as its owners.‖
I am fully confident that you have heard about ―THEM‖, known ―THEM‖, understood ―THEM‖, and even visualized a lively and clear picture of ―THEM‖ in your mind. So what are ―THEM‖? Of course, they are the eight mechanisms, the party’s key political programs that reflect our vigorous will and vision. The eight mechanisms which are a result of our rationale consideration shall serve as a foundation in order to realize our common dream.
The eight mechanisms are as follows:
1. Premiership shall be limited to two terms in office ONLY;
2. Prime Minister shall not be allowed to establish his own bodyguard unit;
3. Prime Minister shall be required to live in a State residence;
4. Administrative court shall be established;
5. Nomination of police and military generals shall be validated by the National Assembly;
6. Civil Servants shall be banned from political party affiliation;
7. Direct voting system shall be applied to elect or remove representatives at all levels (Commune/Sangkat, District/Khan/Town and Province/Capital);
8. Uninominal system of election shall be applied to elect members of Parliament;
These eight mechanisms establish a new structure of government that all of us are obliged to endorse in order to substitute the existing government administration, and to realize our dream, ―A nation in which we live in equity as its owners‖.
There is a distance between where we are now and our destination. Generally, when we move along the path to reach our destination, we inevitably encounter numerous challenges both subtle and enormous. So what are the real and perceived obstacles lying along the path towards the reachable destination that is firmly targeted by our party pioneers?
So far, we have unveiled three main challenges as follows:
- Increasing influence of widespread structure of centralized power is our first challenge;
- Propaganda of those non-portfolio political parties whose goals are merely to collect ballots, and are increasingly popular among anti-government voters and the grassroots with limited level of thoughts is our second challenge; and
- The passiveness of the nation’s citizens prone to be cheated, including self-centeredness, ignorance of own obligations towards the nation, ignorance of the political program of the parties, blind faith beyond reasoning and, underutilization of their human potentials, and inability to logical reasoning on all aspects of life is our third challenge.
The three challenges lie everywhere along the path we are to travel from where we are now to our destination. It is a bumpy and dangerous path.
Unofficial Translation
Check against delivery
Thus, in order to avoid any danger to ourselves and any side effects to the destruction of the nation as a result of our mission and to successfully overcome those potent...
by Leader of LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY PARTY (LDP)
on 6 November 2011
To start with, I, Khem Veasna, would like to extend my respect to the venerable Buddhist monks and my warm welcome to all the members of the congress and distinguished guests.
On this occasion, I have two questions for all the congress members. My first question is, ―What are we doing?‖, and my second question is, ―Why are we doing what we are doing?‖
The response to the first question makes us fully aware of our work. The answer to the second question helps us build our confidence in what we are doing. Once you are fully aware of what you do and you do it with confidence, the work moves forward with focus, and under your control.
Once you are fully certain of what you are doing, and why you are doing it, the influence from the outside will never change the course of your direction of what you are doing. After all, no matter how hard your work may be, and how big your challenges may be, you will get the work accomplished with satisfaction and appreciation. For instance, the fact that LDP is able to organize its very first congress today; because we are certain of what we do and our work is under control.
What is the response to the second question? For what purposes are we organizing this congress? Although this congress aims at electing the party leaders, adopting the party’s statute, validating the Party’s Central Committee membership so on and so forth, it only marks the stepping stones towards our goal. So what is our goal?
We have to visualize the common dream which is our goal. It is a common dream that all Cambodian citizens have visualized, ―A nation in which we live in equity as its owners.‖ This is our ultimate goal. All Cambodians have to realize this dream together with our own fists. The key element ensuring the equity in a nation is the check and balance between the citizens and the government that represents their will.
Unofficial Translation
Check against delivery
Our Party’s acts are guided by our goal to realize our common dream, ―A nation in which we live in equity as its owners.‖
I am fully confident that you have heard about ―THEM‖, known ―THEM‖, understood ―THEM‖, and even visualized a lively and clear picture of ―THEM‖ in your mind. So what are ―THEM‖? Of course, they are the eight mechanisms, the party’s key political programs that reflect our vigorous will and vision. The eight mechanisms which are a result of our rationale consideration shall serve as a foundation in order to realize our common dream.
The eight mechanisms are as follows:
1. Premiership shall be limited to two terms in office ONLY;
2. Prime Minister shall not be allowed to establish his own bodyguard unit;
3. Prime Minister shall be required to live in a State residence;
4. Administrative court shall be established;
5. Nomination of police and military generals shall be validated by the National Assembly;
6. Civil Servants shall be banned from political party affiliation;
7. Direct voting system shall be applied to elect or remove representatives at all levels (Commune/Sangkat, District/Khan/Town and Province/Capital);
8. Uninominal system of election shall be applied to elect members of Parliament;
These eight mechanisms establish a new structure of government that all of us are obliged to endorse in order to substitute the existing government administration, and to realize our dream, ―A nation in which we live in equity as its owners‖.
There is a distance between where we are now and our destination. Generally, when we move along the path to reach our destination, we inevitably encounter numerous challenges both subtle and enormous. So what are the real and perceived obstacles lying along the path towards the reachable destination that is firmly targeted by our party pioneers?
So far, we have unveiled three main challenges as follows:
- Increasing influence of widespread structure of centralized power is our first challenge;
- Propaganda of those non-portfolio political parties whose goals are merely to collect ballots, and are increasingly popular among anti-government voters and the grassroots with limited level of thoughts is our second challenge; and
- The passiveness of the nation’s citizens prone to be cheated, including self-centeredness, ignorance of own obligations towards the nation, ignorance of the political program of the parties, blind faith beyond reasoning and, underutilization of their human potentials, and inability to logical reasoning on all aspects of life is our third challenge.
The three challenges lie everywhere along the path we are to travel from where we are now to our destination. It is a bumpy and dangerous path.
Unofficial Translation
Check against delivery
Thus, in order to avoid any danger to ourselves and any side effects to the destruction of the nation as a result of our mission and to successfully overcome those potent...
8 pages, Hardcover
First published November 6, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 3, 2017
Very Very Good! He is the best leader and he is the first leader who creates a revolutionary movement of people in Cambodia.
January 5, 2020
Great man that I have ever known in my life.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews