Daran Kravanh, who survived Cambodia’s Killing Fields by playing the accordion, is defying all odds by running for prime minister in the country’s 2013 election. The 55-year-old musician founded the Khmer Anti-Poverty Party in 2007, and since then has traveled across the United States to build support among Cambodian Americans—young and old—in community strongholds such as Seattle, Long Beach, Calif., and Lowell, Mass. A bid for political office in his home country means Kravanh faces the threat of assassination by Cambodia's ruling party. NAM's Mike Siv profiles Kravanh and asks why he's willing to risk his life again to play a role in his native country's politics.
- Arizona Watch |
- Arts & Entertainment |
- Economy |
- Education |
- Elders |
- Environment |
- Ethnic Media Headlines |
- Ethnic Media Network |
- Ethnic Media in the News |
- Eye on Egypt |
- Gender & Sexuality |
- Health |
- Immigration |
- International Affairs |
- Latin America |
- Law & Justice |
- Media |
- NAM en EspaƱol |
- New America Now |
- Original NAM Content |
- Politics & Governance |
- Race |
- Race Relations |
- Religion |
- Science & Technology |
- Sports |
- Stimulus Watch |
- Veterans |
- War & Conflict |
- Youth Culture |
- Audio |
- Photo Galleries |
- Video |
- All Stories
Rescuing Cambodia with an Accordion—the Man Who Would Be Prime Minister
Posted Aug 26 2010
stupid comments as Cambodia has no threat like this
Posted Aug 26 2010
Very informative story!
Posted Aug 26 2010
He pulled an accordion out of his ass when he was about to get killed. That's amazing! - Silong
Posted Aug 31 2010
Wow, he is a great man. He the hope for people in Cambodia.
Posted Aug 31 2010
mr.kravanh go get it,millions of people will support you and your org.
Posted Aug 31 2010
He is a great man. He is the one will save Cambodia.
Posted Aug 31 2010
Mr.Daran kravnh ,you are the new cambodian prime minister in the near future. Be strong and brave.
Posted Aug 31 2010
Mr Daran go all the way , God always be with you.
Posted Aug 31 2010
There are many Cambodian politicians. However, Mr. Daran Kravanh is different from most
of them in that he has courage to speak the truth. Cambodian is under the Vietnames government control. All Khmer knows that but the majority would not dare to do anything about it because of fear of their livelihoods and safety. Majority of Cambodian leaders present and in the past mislead their own people and country to annihilation for money and power.
I wish Mr. Daran Kravanh and his party will lead Cambodian to preserve its identity and territory.
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND CAMBODIA!
Posted Aug 31 2010
You made bad comments ,you are nothing but a loser.
Posted Aug 31 2010
The comment by Silong sounds like you are part of the killers, you do not understand the suffering of human kind. Mr. Kravanh go get them! Millions of people all around the world will support you and you will change the world in the near future. May god bless you and all of your followers.
Posted Aug 31 2010
You made bad comments ,you are nothing but a loser.
Posted Aug 31 2010
The people in Canbodia will like Mr.Kravanh .
Posted Aug 31 2010
Preah Vihear is not a Cambodian problem, it is the Vietnames government political influence.
Hanoi want to invade Cambodian again and use the Preah Vihear standoff as a pretext.
Posted Aug 31 2010
Great man will always do the great thing for his people and his country. He never forget his home land and he will be a great leader when he will have chance. He will bring real democracy from USA to Cambodia.
Posted Aug 31 2010
It's about time that someone stands up with courage to show that even Khmer living abroad still loves and honors his country of origin and dignifies his countrymen. I am proud of any Khmer who cares so deeply like Mr. Kravanh. And, I condemn those who exploit their motherland and countrymen. They should not even call themselves Khmer, for their actions bear nothing but shame and disgust. They are worth no more than a piece of trash by the roadside.
Posted Aug 31 2010
Mr. Kravanh will be a great leader for cambodia country, because he have a gold heart for cambodians peoples.
God will look after him everyday.
Posted Aug 31 2010
Eventually we have found a true committed leader who will bring hope to Cambodia and her people in the very near future. This video is very inspiring!
Posted Sep 1 2010
This is a response to Silong. It sounds like your one of the killers, you don't understand the sufferings of human kind. Mr.KRAVANH, you will change the world in the near future, go get them ! Millions of people around the world will support you and your followers. May God bless you.
Posted Sep 1 2010
This is new world order,Mr.Daran Kravanh will take order from world and do the good jobs to save million lives .
Posted Sep 1 2010
If Mr. Kravanh and all Cambodians take advantage of everything America and the World have to offer, there's nothing we can't accomplish our noble mission to save and serve Cambodia. Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the opposed.
Posted Sep 1 2010
Mr. Kravanh is a man who wanted to unite every Cambodian no matter where they live, Khmer Kandal , Khmer Leu, Khmer Krom, Khmer Surin they are Khmer. Please support him to be elected in 2013 so he will be able to bring all Khmer together and will bring real democracy from USA to Cambodia.
Posted Sep 1 2010
Daran Kravanh, a hope for Khmer. He will be the next prime minister for our country's 2013 election, no question about it! This is a man with pure heart and devotion to save our country and bring peace, and to end poverty. Please help pass down his teaching and to regain our Country back. We strongly believed in Daran Kravanh, so let stand together and support our future Prime Minister Daran Kravanh of Cambodia.
Posted Sep 1 2010
Daran Kravanh, a humanitarian who has dedicated his life to serving the young, elder, disable, orphan, the poor, and help protect women rights. The ideas of the party have joined the best of American ideals, with the best of Cambodia to create something new and fresh. Daran Kravanh, brings the flame of dignity, justice, and peace to all Cambodians. This torch will return to Cambodia in 2013 when the rightful destiny of Cambodia people is restored.
Posted Sep 1 2010
Daran Kravanh, bring Job Development, Eliminate Poverty, Land Protection, Reforestation, Education, Youth Development, and STOP CORRUPTION.
Posted Sep 1 2010
First, I would like to say Thank you Mike Siv for posting this for the everyone to learning what Daran Kravanh stand for. Thank again, Mike Siv with all the effort you put into this story. Please follow up with future Prime Minster Daran Kravanh and his party (KAPP). GREAT WORK!
Let all join together and bring HOPE to Cambodia!
Posted Sep 1 2010
To Silong,
After I review this video tape about Mr Daran, i am very impressed by his courage and his commitment to help Cambodia and khmer people to get out from the grip of hun Sen/viets.
But I am very surprise of your comment.
1/ per your comment, I can tell you that you has no academic background or what so ever.
Your language in the comment is a garbage language, low IQ brain.
2/ Daran was one of the million victims of the Killing Field by the COMMUNIST clans. You should
appreciate of his heroism and his dedications to help khmer and Cambodia from the viets occupation. In this situation, if yo criticize those victims, it implies that you support the killing in Cambodia during that time. Therefore, you are one of them to involve indirectly in killing those victims. May be you were one of the BO DOI of the communist viets.
3/ Please I would like to advise you that if you are a civilize person, do not use this garbage language in the comment. If you brain is a childish brain, please go back to school and learn more on how to be a civilize person in the USA.
I support Mr Daran 100% because I am cambodian and I am very happy to have someone like him to stand up to liberate Cambodia from the viet puppet (Hun Sen) and from the vietnamization of Ho Chi Minh doctrine on Cambodia. I tell you again, We , khmer people and Cambodia never be and will not be one of the country to be in the viet Federation in the near future. DO NOT dream about that uncle Ho CHI MINH.
Bravoi Mr Daran. You are our heroe.
Down Hun sen/CPP and the communist viets.
Koh Tral.
Posted Sep 1 2010
As far as I can remember, Cambodia go through either war or dictator repression many times.
Mr. Kravanh and his party will bring American style peace to Cambodia.
Posted Dec 5 2010
Mr. Daran choose to go back to Cambodia because he can't stand idle and watch Khmer people continue to suffer. Our land maybe free of wars but the war on suffering has not stopped. Mr Daran is not a servant to politics but a servant to human rights!
Disclaimer: Comments do not necessarily reflect the views of New America Media. NAM reserves the right to edit or delete comments. Once published, comments are visible to search engines and will remain in their archives. If you do not want your identity connected to comments on this site, please refrain from commenting or use a handle or alias instead of your real name.
Most Popular
- Letter from Fukushima: A Vietnamese-Japanese Police Officer’s Account
- SB 1070 Casts Shadow on Arizona’s New Anti-Immigrant Bills
- Eye On Arab Media: Pundits Critical of Military Intervention in Libya
- Two Trials and an Anniversary—Bonds, Bailey and Mixon
- The Revolution of My Egyptian Homeland and San Jose Family
- Al Jazeera Chief Lauds New Media
Most Viewed
- Letter from Fukushima: A Vietnamese-Japanese Police Officer’s Account
- One Year Later: The Health Effects of the BP Oil Spill
- More Korean Kids Ending Up in Foster Care
- California DREAM Act Passes First Hurdle in State Legislature
- UCLA Student Says Sorry for “Asians in the Library” YouTube Rant
- Abused and Deported: Immigrant Women Face Double Disgrace

Comments