Five Second Heroism
Alternatives Watch
FIVE SECOND HEROISM
SRP president Sam Rainsy, who is evading an arrest warrant for
inciting racial discrimination and wilfully damaging state properties
offers he will return from exile to face whatever the government has
in store him if it releases villagers jailed in connection with the
removal of six temporary border poles, and returns to them their land
that they claim the poles have chipped away to neighbouring Vietnam.
The president acts heroic. He says, “I am willing to die so that the
country can live, so that all Khmers have land, and decent,
respectable livelihood”. He demands he be prosecuted in Hanoi so that
Cambodians and the world can watch him denouncing Vietnam’s violation
of Cambodia’s territory. The heroic gesture generates an emotional
outburst among his supporters who are led to believe he would return
to face the music; some beg him not to.
But returning to Cambodia is not really on the president’s card. After
making the offer, he says he is waiting for any response before his
next move, and only then, “I will consult with my colleagues in
Cambodia and abroad to decide on the next step”. This means the
president keeps open the Paris option even if his offer is accepted.
Furthermore, to ensure that the offer is outright unacceptable, he now
demands the government release “all farmers” – not just victims of the
pole removal – being detained for protesting land grabbing, and gives
back their property.
However, if the offer were genuine, Sam Rainsy’s commitment to die for
the country might be misplaced. First, if the SRP is running some kind
of a war against Vietnam and its beneficiary, it may be wise to note
what US general George S Patton has to say: “No bastard ever won a war
by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb
bastard die for his country.” The president would need to live, and be
creative to make his opponents die for their country, which he may
find it too tough.
Second, the two wishes – all the farmers would be released from jail
and get their land back, and Cambodians would live happily ever after
(without Vietnam breathing down their neck) – might not materialise
after his demise. They would be possible only if Vietnam honoured the
exchange, or with a regime change in Cambodia. But retired King
Sihanouk could attest Vietnam does not have a good track record of
honouring its promises. Thus, the regime change may become necessary,
and the task of mobilising sufficient “people power” would fall on the
SRP.
It is most unlikely, however, that the SRP would be able to muster
sufficient power to force the regime change, to make the president’s
sacrifice worthwhile. Among the party’s claimed membership of over
750,000, only about 3,000 of them bother to sign a petition calling on
the King and King Father to intervene and restore their president’s
immunity.
Therefore, whether the offer is accepted or not, it sounds heroic for
at least five seconds.
Ung Bun Ang
Quotable Quote:
“The hero appears only when the tiger is dead.”
Anonymous.
Burmese proverb.