Phnom Penh (FN), June 5 - It’s not a scoop: the USA don’t like the CPP. Since the UNTAC electoral campaign, the will is precise and strong: “drive Hun Sen out of power”, as was told to me at the time by Timothy M. Carney, then director of the information component of UNTAC and former CIA agent. When, at that time, we used to listen Radio UNTAC, which he was responsible for, the message went in the same direction.

Since then, everything has been tried. With the support and indirect funding of the State Department (via the International Republican Institute and the Heritage Foundation), arouse and support a pro-American opposition making Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha "heroes and martyrs". It was even seen in Phnom Penh, the team that had attempted a coup in Venezuela a year earlier, used to support Sam Rainsy, under the guise of support for democracy. Because the idea of a regime change, which belongs to the panoply of US foreign policy, has made its way since, decidedly, a majority of Cambodians continue to support Hun Sen and the CPP.

But who can believe that the US are concerned by democracy? How many times have they overthrown democratically elected leaders? We can not count the dictatorships they inspired and others they support today. Democracy and "values" have never been more than a pretext to justify the worst US interference. There is always a real reason behind the US alibi of democracy and human rights.

Last February, a new bill was introduced in the US Senate: the “Cambodia Accountability and Return on Investment Act” (CARI). Senator Cruz, a Republican close to the ultra-conservative Tea Party movement and one of the authors of this bill, said that the real purpose of this text is “to counter China’s influence in its various forms » and «the growing influence of the People’s Republic of China throughout Southeast Asia.» (V.O.A. 25 February 2018).

Here is the real reason for US interference in Cambodia. The empire, which refuses the inevitable evolution towards a multipolar world where it can no longer dictate its law, tries a new policy of containment. As in the years 50-60 that led to the coup of March 18, 1970. And as then, the policy of regime change is implemented. Yesterday the US allies were called Lon Nol, Sirik Matak, Sam Sary (the father). Today, they are called Sam Rainsy (the son – same family tradition for treason), Kem Sokha and those who follow them.

In Europe, governments refuse the idea that there was treason on the part of Kem Sokha, the CNRP and its leadership. Even though they know very well that the US is making fun of democracy and can do anything to overthrow a government they do not like. Even if in a video filmed in Australia, Kem Sokha himself, no doubt by carelessness or pride, reveals the support of the US to overthrow the government "as was done in Yugoslavia and Serbia," he said. Even though Cambodian Justice has a list of evidence to support this admission.

Why this European refusal to accept the reality of a conspiracy involving the US? The answer to this question requests to ask: who is responsible for the defense and security of Europe ?

When, in 1994, the then First Prime Minister declared "the Western brand of democracy and freedom of the press is not applicable to Cambodia" (The Phnom Penh Post, 25 August 1995), the US and the EU did not protest or announce any sanctions. Because he had the favors of the Western camp. The discourse on democracy and human rights is once again a pretext put forward to hide a new clash of influence between the US-EU bloc and China. And once again, Cambodia is pushed to choose a camp. If he refuses, it will be punished. All the rest is blah blah.

Dr. Raoul M. JENNAR
Political scientist