Victims’ Eulogy for the Launch Announcement Session of the Commission of Inquiry for Cambodia, 23 October 2021
The representatives of Kem Ley, Chea Vichea, and the numerous other victims of Hun Sen’s atrocities and intimidation tactics that have kept him in power over the past 37 years, feel that the best way to honor their actions and to speak out today for human rights and democracy in Cambodia, and the best way to conclude this launch announcement session of the Commission of Inquiry for Cambodia, would be to repeat and reflect upon the messages that they and their supporters conveyed, and that they thought were important enough to risk their lives to say. These are among the messages conveyed by Chea Vichea and Kem Ley, that caused the government of Hun Sen to initiate reprisals against them. These are the messages they had the temerity to issue publicly to condemn the government’s policies and practices. These are the messages they died for.
These are the words that the Khmer people must repeat and remember today to help bring justice and accountability to Hun Sen, and to FINALLY bring peace to Chea Vichea, Kem Ley, and all the many other advocates for human and worker rights, environmental issues, women’s rights and youth, who have been, and still are, being beaten, arrested, jailed and otherwise punished and victimized by the Hun Sen regime for speaking truth to power, and criticizing the brutal atrocities of Hun Sen and his government.
Chea Vichea and Kem Ley spoke out on your behalf for justice and freedom. Now, through this Commission of Inquiry, the victims’ representatives have been given the chance at long last to speak out for Chea Vichea, Kem Ley, and all the others in the Khmer community who valued democracy and human rights enough to speak out to condemn the abuses that Hun Sen’s government lives by and survives by. Here are their words that remain as true and meaningful today as they were when they risked their lives to speak them many years ago. Take them to heart! And use their example, and their words, to help bring justice, democracy, and human rights back to the Khmer people!