Peace Day

The United Nations proclaimed this day September 21st, an International Peace Day, and a week ago, September 15th, the Democracy Day. Peace did not come by itself, sometime at a heavy price in blood and tears, and life... Sometime people live in peace but behind the peaceful facade, people live shame and misery. The late President of the US, John Kennedy, once talked about "Peace of the Graves" and "Security of the Slaves" that we do not want. We need true peace not for our generation but for our posterity, people living in dignity, free and equal within the law.
   The late Martin Luther King Jr. once said that "Peace is not merely the absence of conflicts, but the presence of Justice", and it is so true. And this important that true Democracy - again it should be true- should be present t ensure true Peace. Again Democracy with its complete separation of power between the Legislative, the Executive and the Judiciary. All of it with the protection of declaration of Human Rights a free and independent media.
    Look back at Cambodia, my motherland, I have the impression that Peace is not the one that we hope for, when the Prime Minister is in need to have the protection by an army of "Body Guards", and the foreign influence is still present.
    It is now 25 years since the Paris Peace Agreements were signed on October 23rd, 1991, truly the Khmer people deserve better... it is true that they have food and shelter, but this is enough? - Most of us need dignity and freedom that they are willing to die for.
    Hopefully our leaders share the same moral values...