Cambodia parade a hot issue
By Jason Gewirtz
Staff writer
Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - LONG BEACH — A divisive
issue over the date of the city's first Cambodian New
Year's Parade spilled into the City Council Chambers
Tuesday, causing Mayor Beverly O'Neill to offer an
impassioned plea for harmony in the Cambodian
community.
"There's got to be some way that you can come together
to show the strength you have as a group," she said.
Councilwoman Laura Richardson's office is helping to
organize the parade, which is scheduled for April 17
on Anaheim Street. The day falls during a weekend of
festivities celebrating Cambodian New Year's,
including an annual celebration in El Dorado Park.
But the date also marks the 30th anniversary of the
Khmer Rouge's invasion of Phnom Penh, launching one of
the worst genocides in history. That timing has caused
a split among several Cambodians who say the parade
date is insensitive.
On Tuesday, about two dozen opponents and an equal
number of supporters took their case to the council
during a public comment period. Highlighting the
divide, the sides sat on opposite sides of the council
chambers, separated by the center aisle.
"We have no choice but to hold you responsible for any
pain and suffering on the April 17 parade," resident
Pola Soth told the council as he represented a group
called the Killing Fields Memorial Task Force.
But others said the parade should continue.
"April 17 is a day on the calendar," said Rosana
Chanou. "It's neither a good day nor a bad day. Some
people think it's a bad day because they are living in
the past."
O'Neill said Cambodian residents had at least four
chances to change the date but had failed to object at
recent meetings.
Richardson invited opponents to attend future parade
meetings to discuss the event. She said business
owners supporting the parade have been threatened and
that she would support prosecution if further threats
were made.
"We will not be threatened," she said. "This is not
the Khmer Rouge. This is Long Beach."
Richardson's office has been active in organizing the
parade, although no city money will be spent on the
event. Long Beach is home to the largest Cambodian
community outside of Cambodia.
==================
Letters of Protest
==================
March 15, 2005
The Honorable Laura Richardson
Office of Councilwoman Laura Richardson
Sixth Council District
333 West Ocean Blvd., 14th Floor
Long Beach, California 90802
Dear Madam:
We, the Cambodian community in Northern California,
have become aware that the Cambodian community in
Southern California plans to have a New Year parade on
April 17, 2005. If the parade actually happens, it
would be a first in California.
We are delighted to learn that you endorse and
plan to participate in a parade on behalf of the
Cambodian community in California. However,
We wish to raise awareness that 17th of April
is a dark day for Cambodia and its people those
scattered around the world and those left in poverty
and sickness in our Homeland. It is the day when the
communist Khmer Rouge befell Cambodia into a killing
field where more than one million of its citizens were
slaughtered. To knowingly select this day as the day
of
celebration would indicate ignorance, at best.
However, the Cambodian New Year celebration is a
cultural event that celebrates our ancient dance,
music
and religious traditions. It is this date that should
receive a united support from the culture for which it
represents. Clearly, planning this parade to be held
on
the current scheduled date is controversial, if not an
insult, and divides the community.
Your endorsement and participation in this event is
important. We ask you to help convince the event
committee to change the date from April 17 to some
other date. In that way, the whole Cambodian
community and others who support us can participate
and celebrate our contributions to America.
If the committee finds no other suitable date, we wish
to see you withdraw your endorsement and participation
as a protest. Thank you for your consideration.
Perom Uch
Cambodian American Resource Agency
==================
March 16, 2005
Honorable Beverly O’Neill
Mayor of City of Long Beach
333 W. Ocean Blvd, 14th floor
Long Beach, CA 90802
Re: Reschedule April 17, 2005 Parade
Dear Mayor O’Neill:
First, may I congratulate you as the recipient of the
2004 Municipal Leader of the Year and your new role in
leadership as the President of US Conference of Mayors
in upcoming June 2005. I concur per your State of City
Address to have visited here for several occasions and
witnessed the visibility of economic vibrancy from
many Cambodian owned businesses along Anaheim strip,
which I have enthusiastically shared with many of the
Great St Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and city
leadership of your example in enhancing city
multicultural presence.
As one of the Killing Fields survivors with many
friends and relatives live in your very City, I am
grateful for your leadership and compassion for many
of my fellow America’s Cambodians in Long Beach City.
I felt your humble view and support to our fellows
here. However, the confusion which was arose from poor
presentation from individuals who had no sensitivity
and regard of the worldly condemned April 17 day of
Cambodia Killing Fields. This day was the horrific
reminder for those of us who had fortune to survive
but yet in profound sorrow for our fallen loved ones
in the hands of the sanguine Democratic Kampuchea aka
Khmer Rouge regime. This also was the end result from
the out spilled US government intentional aftermaths
from Viet Nam.
The surviving siblings and alike are disheartened with
the scheduled Parade which was a profound disrespect
that misled the City Council member good intent and
sensitivity. Synonymously this action alone is
dispirited and insensitive to those of us who still
await UN justice and closure for the victims of the
extermination 30 year ago. Undoubtedly it would be a
slap in the face of the survivor families and the
concerned UN nation members including US. Such day
should never have taken for granted.
In retrospect, Cambodians deserve much respect the
same as Jews of holocaust or other genocidal victims,
therefore, it is politically correct and sensitive
thing to do move it from April 17, if humanly
possible, please.
I trust your utmost discretion to reconsider and
support our concern.
Respectfully,
Bunhap Prak
Email: prakhap1...@hotmail.com
2201 First Avenue North
St Petersburg, FL 33713
727-409-3606
Dear Editor:
RE: Cambodia Parade a hot issue on March 22, 2005
issue
The comments in article infuriated some of us who
still have clear conscience and moral responsibility.
As survivors, we deserve much respect the same as Jews
of holocaust or other genocidal victims in this
country. Khmer New Year Celebration supported by Ms.
Richardson behalf and City was honorific but not on
17th day of April. Many of us who had fortune to
survive but yet in profound sorrow to mourn and grieve
for our fallen loved ones on that day. Such confusion
arose from the date not necessary the parade itself.
Synonymously it will be a slap in the face for both
victim families and concerned UN nation members
including US in bringing closure for the victims of
the extermination 30 year ago.
In a democratic society it was exactly the point of
those appealed her very Council understanding. But
Richardson said "We will not be threatened, this is
not the Khmer Rouge. This is Long Beach." Stronger
words from official to the already traumatized people
whose good intent to raise awareness of the tragic
anniversary to their adopted home government. It
sounded almost a retaliatory statement for their
public dissention.
As Rosana Chanou said “April 17 is a day on the
calendar,” "It's neither a good day nor a bad day.
Some people think it's a bad day because they are
living in the past." It is categorically inhumane and
indecent on Chanou part. As Khmer born she has
misplaced her self-history in such dispirited remarks.
We dare Chanou and alike to have a celebrating parade
scheduled on September 11, 2005 or Japan bombing Pearl
Harbor date for this city. We can’t wait.
Sincerely,
Bunhap Prak
Email: prakhap1...@hotmail.com
2201 First Avenue North
St Petersburg, FL 33713
727-409-3606
============
Dear Friends,
Just for your information, here in Westminster (the
heart of the Vietnamese community in Southern
California) the Vietnameses are demonstrating every
year against the communist Vietnam for the fall of Ho
Chi Minh City formely known as Saigon which was
formely known as Prey Nokor.
Unlike the Vietnamese, some groups of Cambodian in
Long Beach prefer to celebrate our Cambodian
traditional New Year with a parade on the 17th of
April, the date where Cambodia fell to the communist
Khmer Rouge that started the Killing Fields. The
Vietnameses like to remind their people to never
forget about bad events. Cambodians, on the contrary,
like to remind their own people to forget about bad
events.
Have we, Khmers, ever learned or taught any lessons to
our people about our own history? Have we ever
protested or reminded our own people about the loss of
Prey Nokor? Have we ever taught our people about the
great heroic sacrifice of Governor Son Kuy to save the
Khmer people from the Vietnamese persecution? Because
of Oknha Son Kuy's sacrifice (he was beheaded by the
Court of Hue) Khmer Krom people were allowed to
pratice Buddhism, preserve their custom, tradition,
and language. Instead of teaching our own Khmer people
the great lessons in history some people are telling
our own people to forget our past. To add insults to
injuries, they told us to celebrate on the date that
did the greatest harm to our people. Futhermore, they
split the community.
Khmers are passive for too long. We must speak up and
denounce this kind of mentality that harm our people.
We must nerver allow people to tell us to forget the
past. If we have any sense left in our body and mind,
we must always remember about events that harmed us so
that we won't repeat those mistakes.
Kenneth So
==========
M Preuk Note
============
------------------------
Note: It is absolutely ludicrous that those who
support the parade use the absurd argument: "you are
living in the past". For one thing, the fact that the
parade supporters want to hold a parade to celebrate
Khmer New Year clearly shows that "they also live in
the past" simply because they cannot forget their past
Khmer New Year tradition! Once you forget your past,
your history, it is bound to come back and haunt you
in the future.
M Preuk
