A Mathematics Enthusiast And His Involvement In Politics

Since the national election held in July 2013, political climate in Cambodia has sustained many unhealthful internal political conflicts successively which resulted in many protests and demonstrations organized by the opposition party seeking justice for the national election which it has so far claimed to have electoral frauds and irregularities, and the demonstrations aim to demand mainly a re-election and a change among National Election committees. Since starting political campaigns to date, a number of Cambodian citizens especially youths, who are still in school and university, have soared up in their presences involving political activities and catching up with updating political news. As social media crucially Facebook have become a platform in which updated information is being quickly and uncontrollably spread, university students have even more engaged and interested in politics – a field many elderly people consider very endangered and harmful to involve.

“A number of university students joining politic have increased, and I really appreciate that. They join politics because they are more educated than they used be, and they may understand their history. Looking back to history, those who joined politic or took part in demonstrations to struggle for change were students, scholars and teachers. As this number is increasing from day to day, I think this is a positive sign,” said a 18-year-old sophomore student who studies both at Institute of Technology of Cambodia and at Institute of Foreign Language.

Born and raised in Phnom Penh, Sokhonn Rainy is currently a full scholarship sophomore at Institute of Technology of Cambodia, and he is also doing English Literature at Institute of Foreign Language of Royal University of Phnom Penh. He won the third place in Asia-Pacific CUP Mathematical Competition held in Hong Kong in 2010. In 2011, he won the first place for Chicago Summer Math Competition, and he was one of the IMO team members representing Cambodia to join International Mathematical Olympiads held in Netherland in the same year. He used to join a 19^th National Children’s Science Congress held in India in 2011, and he was also a member of a winning team getting Most Promising Young Scientists and Outstanding Award on Presentation in the SSYS (Search for SEAMEO Young Scientists) competition held in Malaysia in 2012.

Speaking confidently soon after being asked at a table nearby the checking-desk in a Westernized fast food restaurant KFC while having his late lunch, Rainy said his interest in politics was mainly influenced by his family because his father always asked him to read newspapers for him especially political articles, so politics impressed him since then. Beside family, chatting with friends, studying in class and an invention of social media are other contributing factors pushing him to like politics even more.

“I learn a lot from my friends when we exchange ideas, and teachers also talked about politics in the class; however, they were not as open as they are today,” said Rainy, adding that, “it’s recently because of Facebook on which everything is shared and spread very quickly.”

In some cases, students dare not to be involved in politics or even talking about it because it’s like a taboo in some families since the elderly fears that involving with politics is like joining a war: you can’t see when your day comes. However, in Rainy’s case, this is not a thing to worry because he said his parents never frustrate him from taking part in it, but they just advise him not to be too extreme.

“Speak and do what is right. It has to be rational and thought critically,” this is what Rainy’s parents advise him.

“I used to join demonstration as well, but I took part in it whenever it’s a big one because I wouldn’t be scared when surrounded by a huge crowd of people, and in other days I just passed by and dropped a visit when I was free,” said Rainy, adding that, “you don’t need to be scared as long as your action is legitimate and peaceful. If the protest were like the one in Steng Meanchey I wouldn’t join and support either. If it’s just about peaceful marching, raising banners and screaming out loud what we demand, I think it’s not a problem. Additionally, the police are also Khmer, and I think they won’t fight us if we don’t scold them or be aggressive to them first.”

However, there are a small number of protesters who normally disdain the others by using dirty or derogatory terms toward the other parties’ supporters, which can possibly lead to violence, and this has also become a problem for protest organizers to manage.

“That’s the problem and we have to admit it. We won’t say that we are 100% perfect. If there is mistake, we accept it. There are some wrongdoing activities. For example, let’s raise the case of using Facebook. Some supporters make a Photoshop of the others to derogate or insult them. Some supporters try to spread false and fake information to disgrace other parties. Some want to turn the peaceful demonstration into a violent one. All of those actions are wrong,” said Rainy.

CNRP president, Sam Rainsy, said the demonstration was peaceful, and he also outlined some principles to be peaceful demonstrator to join demonstrations held by CNRP.

“I think some, who joined the demonstrations, are not CNRP supporters, but they have the same goal - opposing a long-term ruling – as CNRP does, and successful demonstration doesn’t mean that we have to change the government, but we just need the government to accept our proposals. We also see some civil societies involving with the demonstration as well and we want the international society to know that Cambodian people especially youths start to know what real democracy is,” continued Rainy.

However, it’s believed that some opposition supports seems reluctant to be openly and directly involved with the opposition-led political activities, and they may have some reasons or agenda to hide it.

“If they are just ordinary people, I think it’s a good idea for them to express it out. However, if they are working in the government body section, I think they don’t need to support openly because they will get pressures from bosses or they may be kicked out from position,” said Rainy, adding that, “still, they can support indirectly in money or any means of motivation.”

Based on socialbacker.com website, a number of Internet users reached more than 2, 500, 000 in 2012, and there were more than 700, 000 Facebook users in the same year. Most of them are believed to be youths, especially those who are in high school and university.

According to Khem Ley, a well-known social and political analyst, said, in an interview with No Comment Cambodia, that freedom of speech on social media, especially among youths, is a new culture of expressing ideas, and it has strong potential. He said that it doesn’t mean that they [youths] don’t want to express their opinion through television, radio or newspaper, but there is a culture of limiting right on free expression through those mainstream media.

“Most youths know what has been taking place through social media, and they turn to read news online rather than newspaper. Mostly, it’s a social media allowing them to take photos and post them on their Facebook, so this information will spread quickly and this is how most university students and some Cambodian people get information. When people see negative and unbalanced things happening in their society increasing, people start to think that they mustn’t tolerate anymore, so they think they have to take actions,” said Rainy.

Many university students presently have joined in various activities: volunteering for local and international NGOs, charity, Cambodian Red Cross, Scouting movement, and member of some specific organizations. Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC) – a youth organization aligned with the ruling CPP and presided over by Hun Many, the youngest son of Prime Minister Hun Sen and a newly elected CPP lawmaker from Kompong Speu province – has so far attracted a huge number of youths to join its activities.

Approximately 600 youth representatives from all provinces joined a 3-day- camping dedicating to commemorate the 34^th anniversary of Solidarity Fronts for the Development of the Cambodian Motherland. Besides, UYFC recruited more than 4000 volunteers, the majority of whom were university students, to organize a 3-day-Angkor-Sangran celebration in Siem Reap in April 2013. Moreover, UYFC was responsible for selecting Liaison Officers, most of whom were university students, to host the 37^th World Heritage Committee held in Cambodia in June 2013.

According to an article released by the Cambodia Daily on 23 May, 2013, Chea Cheng – a Royal University of Law and Economics student and a leading protester among his group who protested against U.N human rights envoy Surya Subedi at Cambodian Mekong University after Subedi’s lecture on International Investment Law – was, based on fellow students and a lecturer at RULE, a well-known personality among the UYFC.

It’s a stereotype among many elderly Cambodian people saying that “don’t take part in politics, if you do, it will seriously affect your study and personal security.”

Responding to this, Rainy said, “whether or not you join is not compulsory, but the most important thing is that you have to understand, know and catch up with politics because more or less it will affect you. If the country’s politics is in the wrong path, it can make us poor and even destroy people in the whole country. You don’t need to go on street joining demonstrations or protests to be called “involving politics”, but you have to make sure that you are aware of what has been going on in the society.”

“Being a university student, we already know and understand that people have the right to express their ideas except defamation, derogation and spreading fake information. As long as what they want to say or do is right and legitimate, don’t be afraid,” Rainy said.