{"id":53555,"date":"2026-01-09 11:10:04","modified":"2026-01-09 11:10:04","title":"Cambodian Catholic Bishop Condemns Global Inaction, Warns Against \u201cSilence\u201d in the Face of Suffering","excerpt":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/catholiccambodia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2_2026-01-09_11-04-05.jpg","link":"https:\/\/catholiccambodia.org\/?p=53555&lang=en","content":"

In a public letter addressed to all people, the Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, has spoken strongly against the world\u2019s \u201csilence\u201d amid ongoing wars, displacement, and human suffering.<\/strong><\/p>

The letter opens starkly with a single word, \u201cSilent!\u201d setting the tone for a reflection that links the Christian message of Christmas with contemporary global crises. Referring to the Nativity, the bishop recalls the Gospel scene: \u201cAt that time, the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem, and they found Mary and Joseph, with the newborn baby lying in the manger\u201d (Luke 2:16). He explains that \u201cGod\u2019s power lies in his fragility in a newborn child,\u201d describing Christmas as \u201cthe overturning of humanity\u2019s certainties.\u201d<\/p>

Released on January 7, 2026, the letter challenges a world that equates power with force. Bishop Schmitthaeusler writes that Almighty God \u201cbecomes man in a newborn, fragile and defenseless,\u201d and that this same Jesus, an \u201cinnocent victim of human jealousy and hatred\u201d will die on the cross, a symbol, he says, of \u201cthe violence and inhumanity of the human heart.\u201d<\/p>

The bishop names several conflict zones, \u201cUkraine, Gaza, Cambodia, Venezuela!\u201d and questions whether global power has reverted to domination by the strongest. He asks whether centuries of philosophical and political reflection on democracy, freedom, and sovereignty can be erased \u201cin the name of geopolitical interests,\u201d while ordinary people become \u201cthe new martyrs of the twenty-first century.\u201d<\/p>

Turning specifically to Cambodia, he contrasts intense international debate over Venezuela with developments closer to home. \u201cThe world debates the legitimacy of this American intervention in Venezuela\u2026 but at the same time, Thai bulldozers are razing the homes of Cambodian civilians for miles,\u201d he writes, adding that villages have been sealed off by \u201cbarbed wire and shipping containers.\u201d His verdict is blunt: \u201cThe world is silent! The international institutions are silent! Silence!\u201d<\/p>

The bishop also laments the destruction of religious and cultural heritage. \u201cTemples, sacred places par excellence for the veneration of the gods and the memory of humanity, have been reduced to dust,\u201d he writes. \u201cThe world is silent!\u201d Even where ceasefires exist, he adds, \u201chundreds of thousands of civilians and children remain in squalid camps. Silence from everyone!\u201d<\/p>

Drawing parallels between Scripture and the present, Bishop Schmitthaeusler recalls that \u201cJesus, the innocent one, remained silent before Pilate,\u201d but insists that Cambodia today \u201cwants its voice heard, demanding justice and reparation on the world stage.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Bishop Olivier donated some help to 400 families of displaced people who has temporaly stay at Kep province on December 28, 2025.<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The letter distinguishes between contemplative silence and moral indifference. \u201cSilence, to pray to God to enlighten us,\u201d he writes, can be necessary, \u201cbut certainly not silence that allows the innocent to be mocked and scorned.\u201d<\/p>

Quoting Psalm 85, \u201cLove and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other\u201d\u00a0 the bishop points to reconciliation as the ultimate goal. He also cites Pope Leo XIV, who said on January 1, 2026, that \u201cGoodness is disarming,\u201d linking this insight to the vulnerability of the Christ child.<\/p>

The message concludes with a call to hope rooted in responsibility. Recalling the angels\u2019 proclamation of \u201cpeace on earth,\u201d the bishop writes that humanity can only discover God\u2019s love by caring for the defenseless. He expresses the hope that \u201cevery community will become a \u2018house of peace,\u2019 where hostility is defused through dialogue, where justice is practiced, and forgiveness is cultivated.\u201d<\/p>

Cambodia has faced several Thai military incursions in recent months. Since July 2025, a 21-day war resulted in 30 civilian deaths and the displacement of 500,000 people. Although a ceasefire was signed on December 28, 2025, Thai forces continue to occupy 14 locations inside Cambodia, preventing refugees from returning home while bilateral negotiations remain pending.<\/p>

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<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","categories":[{"id":158,"name":"Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh"},{"id":150,"name":"Daily News"}],"tags":[]}