Phnom Penh is more than 14 hours by plane from Long Beach, yet Cambodian expatriates in and around this city still feel threatened by their native land’s repressive government — and determined to push for change.
More than 200 Cambodians gathered recently at Cal State Long Beach to celebrate the launch of the Khmer Movement for Democracy, led by the political exile Mu Sochua.
“We believe that in Long Beach there are many Cambodian democrats,” said Sochua, who once served as Cambodia’s minister of Women’s and Veteran’s Affairs. “We need to bring the clear movement for democracy here and set the base so that we open up the space for our community in Long Beach.”
