When Will Culture of Violence Stop Haunting Cambodian People?

PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- A violent clash happened recently between the authorities and the supporters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). At least five people were injured after the suppression of the authorities. This was another incident that has happened since the post-election political deadlock. It reflects that the culture of violence continues to haunt the Cambodian people. Why?

Although the culture of democracy has rooted in Cambodia for more than two decades, politicians and some Cambodian people, especially the authorities, haven’t seemed to get accustomed to this culture yet. The physical, verbal and even attempted violence still exists in the Khmer society.

The violent incident erupted on the International Workers’ Day on May 1 was new evidence of sensitive, fragile violence in Khmer society. Without taking into account the dark history of Cambodia before 1993, a lot of incidents happening after the general election in 1993 have shown that Cambodia is still on the political page of “blood and tears.”

How many people have died, injured, and imprisoned in the event of 5-6 July 1997, post-election deadlock in 1998, and subsequent political disputes? This question is a good aide-memoire to understand the way of doing politics in Cambodia which is difficult to avoid violence.

Twenty years after turning toward democracy, Cambodia has experienced a significant change. Yet, the way of doing politics by costing lives, blood, and tears still exists. Some people died, injured, were imprisoned, and became poor because of politics. The politicians only blamed each other but eventually they will shake hands, smile to each other, and work together.

In modern world, politicians do politics without causing violence or losing people’s lives, blood or tears. They sacrifice for the sake of their national interest and people. They use their ideas and policies to seek supports and if they make any mistakes, they will give up their positions as their responsibility.

In Cambodia all political messages of the rival parties have already hidden the picture of violence behind them. Therefore, whenever there is a tension, violence will be erupted right away. The habit of doing politics with rancor, retaliation and forces is the root of culture of violence in the Khmer society.

Political analysts in Cambodia observed, for a country newly emerging from war and killing regime like Cambodia, the building of the culture of peace is the top priority mission. Politicians play a leading role in this mission. Hence, instead of inciting violence with their political messages, Khmer politicians should show their ability of national reconciliation in order to attract more support from the people.
Cambodian people also need to contribute to the building of peace culture by providing good scores to the politicians having full ability to build culture of peace and culture of democracy rather than to those using forces and policy of “eat flesh drink blood” or aggressive policy. The scores from voters are efficient drug to change politicians toward building culture of peace.

On the contrary, doing politics with violence will make it difficult for Khmer society to recover from the old wound of the Khmer Rouge Regime. Therefore, it’s time for Cambodian people to stop violence in all forms, starting from politicians. The authorities should be patient by using law and code of morale instead of batons, sticks and guns.