User:Anilakeo/Vannath Chea

Vannath Chea is an independent researcher and political analyst in Cambodia. Her opinions are often sought by Cambodian mainstream media. She has been a vocal figure who can give media opinions over a range of topics such as domestic politics and China's influence over Cambodi a.

she was President for Centre for Social Development.

Life before the Khmer Rouge regime
Before the Khmer Rouge, Vannath Chea avoided the political life. After witnessing the Khmer Rouge atrocity, she changed her mind and became an activist.

Her family and her escaped to Thailand refugee camp and eventually made her way to the United States, where she began her activism. She worked as a coordinator for all organizations assisting refugees in the U.S. She was also a board member of the Cambodian Network Council, whose mission was to preserve Cambodian culture and tradition within the Cambodian community in the U.S. Between 1981-1990 she was the program monitor for the International Refugee Center of Oregon and the Southeast Asian Refugee Federation in Oregon. She was also the program coordinator for the Early Employment Project of the Metropolitan Community Action in Portland, Oregon. Later she became program specialist for the Oregon State Refugee Program, Department of Human Resources.

Career in Cambodia
In 1992, Vannath Chea returned to Cambodia to assist the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), as a translator, when Cambodia was preparing for a UN-sponsored general election in 1993. In 1996, she became the vice president of the Center for Social Development (CSD) and became president in 1998. CSD is an institution set up to try and eliminate corruption, develop accountability, and implement transparency in the public sector. The institution also promote human rights and democracy.2

Vannath Chea said, "I am interested in the process of implementing sustainable reintegration, reconciliation and peace based on social justice, harmony and dignity, at the policy level down to the grass-roots. Public and democratic participation, open dialogues and forums help to prevent any major crisis to happen. Strengthening moral and ethical values based on Buddhist principles of eight-fold-paths of righteousness."3

Vannath is also an advocate of peace. At the wake of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, Vannath and CSD worked hard to bring the debate to the public that included victims of the Khmer Rouge regime and former members of the regime as well. She believes that the purpose of the tribunal is to bring about national reconciliation and peace. The ultimate goal, for her, is to bring about national healing and attaining genuine peace. "Peace, Vannath says, is everything, so her work also has to deal with several issues: health, religion, gender. The great obstacles to peace, however, are poverty and lack of education. Her Center signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education to train 6,000 teachers and to integrate the concepts of transparency and accountability into the curriculum.“She is truly brave, even much more than many Cambodian men,” says Mam Sonando, president of the Phnom Penh-based Radio Beehive. “She leads her life with transparency and honesty. She practices Buddhism in her work, activities and daily living. She contributes tremendously to the development of Cambodia and attainment of lasting peace in our divided nation.”" 4

In 2004, Angkor Thom magazine selected her as an outstanding women in Cambodia for her "courage, achievements, and pioneering efforts in the field of transparency, accountability, human rights, democracy, and peace." 5

In 2005, she was a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee in the group of "1,000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize". She has been recognized for her courage and principles, her commitment to help the Cambodian people in their struggle to regain peace, independence and dignity. Vannath’s leadership is instrumental in facilitating positive changes in Cambodia. World People’s Blog and World-Wide Asian-Eurasian Human Rights Forum named Vannath a champion of Democracy – Cambodia in December 2007.