What is it like being a youth supporting liberalism and democracy in Cambodia today?

By Sorn Sarath

Democracy and liberalism in Cambodia is still in an immature phase. That is why youth participation is needed to supporting these, either directly or indirectly.

The youth can promote democracy and liberalism directly by getting involved in educative and participatory programs. The youth can be part of activities which target other youth like themselves. The Students' Movement for Democracy (SMD), for instance, holds workshops which focus on democracy, youth leadership, youth participation in politics and good governance, and the advantages of clean and fair elections.

Its held 9 training courses since its conception in 1998, with 50 trainees in each course. We are the first local organization which initiated such programs which encourage the youth to be more interested in politics and democracy. The outcome of there courses are many: the youth understand what real democracy is and what their roles in a democratic society are. Moreover, they learn how to deal with political problems non-violently. Their concern for society is deepened and so is their respect for human rights. They pass on this knowledge to their families and fellow youth.

More often than not, the youth who complete the courses become volunteers in NGOs such as the Youth Council of Cambodia (YCC), Khmer Youth Association, Khmer Students Association, and SMD. Incidentally, the YCC and the Watch Dog Council of Cambodia are organizations that were founded by SMD to increase the number of youths who will support liberalism and democracy in Cambodia.

The lessons learned by the youth are practised outside the workshops. During the year it was founded, one of SMD's first activities was a student and youth demonstration protesting the results of 1998 general. The government is opposed to these non-violent demonstrations but the youth persevere. Last May 1, 2006, there was a youth demonstration which was banned- however, they youth still stood by their demands that day.

Since the respect for human rights and freedom of expression are not completely enjoyed, not all initiatives which promote youth participation liberalism and youth participation in Cambodia today is conducted directly. The government still threatens those who demand for liberalism and democracy. People still have bad memories from the Pol Pot regime.

They know the reasons behind the 1997 National Assembly bomb attack which killed many demonstrators. Mr. Chea Vichea, president of Free Trade Union in 2004, was killed and Mr. Pang Sokheoun, a former president of SMD was given death threats (for protesting the rising prices of gasoline.) In the last few months of 2005 alone, several human right activists and border activists and opponents were put in prison and threatened. All of these contribute to the hesitancy of the youth in supporting pro liberal and pro democratic initiatives directly but they still show their support through other means. An example is petition-signing.

The youth support for liberalism and democracy in Cambodia today is still better than before. Youth participation- even in the face of intimidation and human rights abuses- is getting stronger. Someday, we hope Cambodia completely experiences liberalism and democracy. We know this is achievable through the youth and the organizations they support.

(taken from YLDA website)

Strengthening the Youth Wing of Political Parties in Asia

By Jackie Bernardt Viernes

The youth as many of us will perceive it now is nonchalant, careless, conformist and apathetic. These terms are being associated with the group of people whom they call the future of their respective nations. And by this reason, generational gap grew wider and wider. But we are not the ones to be blamed. We don’t want to be like those boring, squandering, noisy politicians so to speak. Consciously or not, we are constantly looking and hoping for change. But where is the action? That is where we should take off. Everyone knows that there is a light at the end of every tunnel. What we must do is to learn how we can get there.

Politics all over the world has a negative image. But most of us in the free world also have the access to this kind of politics through our ballots. That should give us the idea that shifting our perspective of things starts from within. Politicians on that matter should be advancing the welfare of their states and not their personal interests. Politics is present everyday and everywhere. Without it there would be chaos. But as I see of it now, I might just think otherwise. Our orientation of what is real is so distorted that we are losing touch of what really matters. As citizens we have the power. We must know carefully to whom we will share that with. That is why we have our political parties. To have a group of people whom we have a common interest and goal. As a youth, we also have the right to partake in these communities. It is here where we can voice out our concerns and push for reforms that will involve our active participation in the mainstream political system.

Asia is such a diverse region of the world that we have different cultures, norms, traditions and customs. It is home to a third of the world’s population. Unfortunately not every one of us experiences democracy. There is a limited opportunity for our concerns regarding the youth and our future to be heard. I am positive that amidst difficult situations there is still hope for the youth if not in their respective governments but through a machinery called political parties. The youth should look for the same birds that they can flock with, ears that could listen to them and welcoming arms that would support them. It is a two way process wherein the youth wing can propagate the mother party’s agenda and at the same time using that connection for their own interest.

There is an ideology that suits well the youth of today. A concept that accepts the individualism of the youth and respects its views and opinions. It is a mindset that seeks for the truth but believes in rational action and thinking. This is Liberalism. A system that fights for what it believes in but respects the constitution and due processes. I believe that Liberalism is the key to success and the youth is the bearer of that key. A liberal is someone who believes in freedom and that he can pursue his own interest. That is what we are fighting for in Asia and even to the rest of the world. Liberalism is not just an ideology; it is a way of living and thinking.

Asserting ourselves in the mother party is one thing. Knowing clearly what we want to happen is another. Having a strong foundation will help us breeze through the storm. The youth, to strengthen itself should have a common ground regarding issues that they are facing. We should be united in the struggle for greater political participation and representation and just leave the quarrels and the cumbersome to the elders. Some of the youth wings of our Asian neighbors have the sufficient representation to their mother parties. That should be the model for us to look upon and study on as to how we can make their success story our own. There are no perfect models, just good examples.

Asian youths have different issues to tackle in their respective nations. But we should have the common goal of putting pressure on the authorities and be vigilant in out fight for greater voice. There are many ways on how we can do that and there are even more of us to make it happen. Let us not stop there and wait for change. Work on it and try to even work harder. For we need to start now a new breed of the youth who dares to be different, a generation that is concerned about their future. It will be a benchmark that the future youth can look upon as an inspiration. Change is what we want, change is what we should start doing.

The youth is very susceptible to the influence of others. But be careful and do not let yourselves be used by politicians for their selfish interests. Rather use your involvement to lobby for changes that emphasizes the youth. We must utilize everything we have. Maximizing our resources and finding innovative strategies on as to how we can create an image that prioritizes the youth and not the political ambitions of others. On the other hand, learn from the elders because they have the wisdom and experience. Absorb what is good and dispose what is not. Volunteerism is a key factor for youth liberalism. We should do things that will benefit our generation without looking for something in return. We must influence our fellow youth and pressure the mother party. You might think that we don’t have the power but we have lots of it. We just need to know where to focus our strength. We must practice a strategy of channeling our youth energies towards a common interest with a strong ideals and foundations, vigilant and always participative, seeking for the common good of all.

We have the numbers, we have our voices and we have our ideals. We should not settle for anything less. We want change, changes for our future. We hold the key to success; we just need to find the right door to open. We will take every opportunity as a challenge. But we should be alert and aware that some doors are there to deceive and that only one door will open to the right way.