Proportionality in an upside-down world - commentary by Theary C. Seng

Re: James Ricketson's only crime was kindness, now he might die in jail

Australian filmmaker James Ricketson is rotting in a Cambodian prison accused of espionage.

smh.com.au

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I first met James in 1997. He is all that the article says he is.

We live in an upside-down world and have a proportionality problem. (Proportionality is an element of fairness, of justice.)

While Kem Sokha's daughters lobby for the release of their father (rightly so) using the whole machinery of the opposition infrastructure built over the years since 1995 (repulsive!) -- in prison for his outrageous lies and betrayal of democracy because Hun Sen is demanding his pound of flesh in their Faustian Bargain (revulsive!)-- many genuine heroes continue to languish in prison silently, like James and Tep Vanny, and many as a consequence of Kem Sokha's betrayal.

In terms of proportionality, Thy Sovantha's evolution to the dark side is a mere fleabite in comparison to the damage and destruction Kem Sokha's betrayal has done to democracy and the lives and livelihood he has jeopardized.

Moreover, it was his daughter Mona who kicked 18-year-old Sovantha out of CNRP out of jealousy of her popularity. Sovantha is vilified, villainized in the most sexually repulsive way, whereas Sokha is made into a "hero", an upside-down world we are enabling and helping to create.

Also, remember the mentioning of Kem Sokha in the advocacy (by those not his daughters and clique members) is a calculation in the light of the larger concern for democracy and human rights in Cambodia and for the protection of the opposition party as an institution, as on paper he is still viewed as "CNRP president" (from an internal coup) and thus its symbolism (no matter how flawed), even among individuals and organizations who know better (that Sokha is the cause of CNRP dissolution, whereas Sam Rainsy "resigned" to save the party), to simplify the lobbying efforts.

Theary C. Seng, 23 Dec. 2017