...Two weeks ago, people who [had] just come back from Cambodia said they saw this sign: "Visit Phnom Penh, only 10 km from Cambodia." This saying shows how different Phnom Penh is from the "real" Cambodia.The countless problems of Cambodia could be compared with a sick person who is ill from head to toe, for which any assistance would be helpful. Financial support without morality and wisdom would to to waste. We should be able to identify what helps and harms the future e.g. "Are we developing beggars or [a] sustainable economy?" We may want to help develop family economic plans. We should teach them to fish rather than to feed them forever. I also [ac]knowledge the efforts of the government to untangle the spider webs of many social needs. So far the problems outweigh the solutions.
I bring these few examples for your consideration to identify what we can do for our country without damaging more lives. You can see that our people are fed up with frustration, poverty, anger and negative views toward each other. We must minimize and not accentuate "Agni Netra."["Fire Eyes" --- from the Khmer story of a powerful king who was said to burn people with his angry glance. --- Ed.] We should identify our role and concentrate in what we want to achieve.
There are very many things we can do to help. Remember the sign: "Visit Phnom Penh, only 10 Km from Cambodia." Beyond a 10 Km radius, you will see rivers, mountains, the quiet countryside and peacefully working peasants. Unfortunately, in that beautiful and peaceful Cambodia live our poor farmer such as Ngan's family, elderly and widows with children. They need compassion from us. I would request that you, including the International Communities, NGOs, and Government, pay special attention to this particular area....
--- Excerpted from "Crossroads to Opportunities and Progress" by Lar Mundstock, 1996.
Version 4.0, Event #128: The Mammoth Edition
 G21 ASIA: Part Two of ROD AMIS' reporting on the elections in Kampuchea(Cambodia): Interview with Lar Mundstock of the National Development Party.
 ON DRUGS: ADAM SMITH, Barry McCaffrey's favorite writer, reports on how the "Fear & Punishment in Plano, Texas."
VOX POPULI YOUR page of e-mailed comments is updated. Looks like PHIL MARTIN week! BOB POWERS delivers a one-two punch this Issue:
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POWERSBOOKS
POWERSSOUND
G21 DAY ONE
TABLOID HART
FAX NIKITA
BarnesandNoble SEARCH:
G21: What specific incidents caused the NADEP to withdraw from the upcoming election?
LAR MUNDSTOCK: NADEP did not withdraw from the election. As for myself, I decided not to run for a member of parliament. We formed the NADEP with the intention of uniting many political parties together. We are not able to do so due to safety reasons, as I mentioned in my letter to the State Department... we need a safe environment for at least one month prior to the registration for the election. [That way] we can unite different political parties with the same goal and purpose.
As it is, it is a shame to see 39 political parties running for the election in a country of 10 million people.
I stand strongly on the grounds that as long as there are more than 20 parties, I will not participate in the election. Cambodian people are nice and good, the problem lies with the leaders, who are not able to work together and will lead the country to complete chaos. I evaluate this as a complete failure on the part of the leaders.
G21: Is there any basis to rumors G21 has heard that Hun Sen might provoke civil war if his party does not win this election.
LAR MUNDSTOCK: I have heard from both sides, the CPP and the FUNCIPEC[The party led by Prince Norodom Ranariddh, son of King Norodom Sihanouk, which won the last election in 1993, but was driven from power last July and fought a war of opposition on the Thai-Cambodian border until given amnesty for this election. --- Ed.]. Both sides claim they will be winners if the election will be free and fair.
G21: U.S. Policy, as reported in the New York Times on 23 July, 1998, is to go ahead with the election, though they know it might be "flawed." How do you and the NADEP feel about this position?
LAR MUNDSTOCK: I guess that the US has to go along with the majority. However, as a US citizen, I feel sorry that our country has been considered as an expert and the first power in the world and yet has to turn [a] blind eye toward a fake democracy and the political election game in Cambodia.
My second guess might be that the US could not find any capable leader or any better parties among those that were apparent because NADEP was not visible early enough.
G21: Sam Rainsy. What are your feelings about his criticisms of the elections and of foreign powers supporting the elections? Do you think he would make a good leader for Cambodia?
LAR MUNDSTOCK: I do not want to make a comment on any other parties. The birth of the NADEP and other new parties proves that those visible ones[Cambodian Peoples' Party, FUNCIPEC, the Sam Rainsy Party] have some flaws.
The foreign powers supporting the election: I believe they think only of their benefits and they want to wash their hands off from the 1993 failure election that they claimed as a success. They do not think of the miseries that the Cambodian people have to suffer.
| This is a special G21 series on the July 26 elections in Kampuchea. G21 wishes to gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Ms. Peg Thomas and Ms. Betsy Burns of the Grotto Foundation, Minneapolis, MN, and former G21 Staff Writer Kim Carter for assistance in the research for this series. And we are especially grateful to Ms. Lar Mundstock of the National Development Party of Cambodia for agreeing to be interviewed about conditions in her country today. |
LAR MUNDSTOCK: NADEP did not opt out of this election. The vice-president of NADEP actively participates in this election to keep NADEP visible. I personally did not register to be a candidate for the postion of MP due to safety reasons, which has prevented me from bringing other parties of similar goals and purposes together. I have decided to stay out and prepare myself to help my people in any way I can according to the circumstances at the time.
G21: What do you foresee as the next actions which should be taken to bring "true democracy" to Cambodia?
LAR MUNDSTOCK: I would recommend the International Community to stay involved, do not abandon Cambodia. Consult with the Khmer leaders who are devoted to... real freedom, democracy and public interest and lead the country to the political and economic independence rather than [allowing Cambodia to] become a beggar.
G21: How can NADEP be instrumental in this process?
LAR MUNDSTOCK: NADEP is ready and willing to cooperate under any circumstances for the benefit of both Cambodia and the international community.
G21: What is your opinion of Secretary Albright's speech in San Francisco on Friday stating: "The international community cannot impose democracy in Cambodia, but we can encourage it by making our assistance to any government conditional on respect for international norms"?
LAR MUNDSTOCK: She is perfectly right. Nobody can impose democracy in any country when its people are not ready. My question is what is the international community's role when the majority of the people are ready for Democracy, but the ruler applies the law of [the] gun.
G21: If you had one thing to say to Americans interested in assisting to bring peace and freedom to Cambodia, what would that be?
LAR MUNDSTOCK:
- Stay in touch
- Keep the human rights watch
- Bring business to Cambodia
- Make sure the aid to Cambodia would help the needy: Control the expenses; cut down the administration cost by minimizing the foreign admistration personnel; developing a business plan for Cambodia to provide jobs to the locals; provide education and training to leaders. I am ready to supply ideas and suggestions in detail.
WEDNESDAY: In Part Three of this series, G21 reports on the election results and provides analysis on the aftermath. Stay with us.