Cambodia fights to balance Vietnam, China
When an ethnic Vietnamese crashed his motorcycle into an ethnic Khmer’s car in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district last Saturday night, he was attacked by Khmers shouting the racially charged term for Vietnamese — “yuon” — and beaten to death.
That an ordinary traffic accident turned into a racist attack underlines the importance of managing ethnic fault lines in Cambodia — and the country’s complex relationship with Vietnam, Cambodia’s longtime regional rival, but also an ally of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Tens of thousands of ethnic Vietnamese — some born in Cambodia, but others recent immigrants — have the right to vote in Cambodia. Hun Sen needs their support in his rivalry with the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), says Dr. Sok Touch of the International Relations Institute in Phnom Penh. CNRP leader Sam Rainsy — who still refuses to accept the result of last July’s general election — on the other hand, plays a divisive anti-Vietnam card.
The two parties pointed fingers at each other after last week’s incident. …
The China Post News Staff
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/commentary/the-china-post/special-to-the-china-post/2014/02/24/401368/Cambodia-fights.htm
