Translated from French by Luc SârCambodian Studies
In 1955, why did I abdicate to form the Sangkum Reastr Niyum (SRN)
By N. Sihanouk
In 1955, why did I abdicate to form the Sangkum Reastr Niyum (SRN)
By N. Sihanouk
Beijing, January 15, 2007
According to the “1954 Geneva” Agreements, Cambodia had to organize, under international control (International Control Commission, ICC), general legislative elections (elections of Members of Parliament who would be seated at the National Assembly of the Kingdom).
Before the general elections, a large number of Compatriots, the Small People (ordinary citizens) in huge majority, from Phnom Penh and all our provinces and cities (including Phnom Penh), came to demonstrate in front of the Royal Palace to let me know these:
1- They only have confidence in me to lead and administer our Country and they never had confidence in any political party.
2- They absolutely want to protect the best results of the Royal Crusade, i.e. to protect, through our national unity, our total independence and our territorial integrity.
Being a King without Power, I could evidently not be the guarantor of a good Administration in our Cambodia, and of the conservation of our total independence, our territorial integrity and of our statute as a neutral and non-aligned State which I proclaimed in the name of Cambodia (before “Bandung,” but after the acquisition of our total Independence in 1953).
I thus resigned from the Throne in order to form the Sangkum Reastr Niyum, which would participate in the general legislative elections (under the control of the ICC, with the non-aligned India as its President, Poland (from the communist bloc), and Canada (from the western countries) as members).
The results of these very important elections:
No. 1: the SRN which obtained 82% of the votes from the Nation and the People (men only; our ladies, thanks to SRN which held the Parliament, received the same political rights and others as the men).
No. 2: The Democrat Party which obtained 13% of the votes but no seat at the Parliament because our then-electoral system was “uninominal” in each district and not “proportional” as “right now.”
No. 3: The communist “Pracheachon” party [which obtained] 3% of the votes and 0 seat at the National Assembly and Senate alias Council of the Kingdom.
Remark: The “Reno” (National Renovation belonging to H.E. Lon Nol – H.H. Sirik Matak) dissolved and merged itself with the SRN prior to the general legislative elections.
The Democrat party would merge with the SRN following the elections cited above.
(Signed) Norodom Sihanouk
Before the general elections, a large number of Compatriots, the Small People (ordinary citizens) in huge majority, from Phnom Penh and all our provinces and cities (including Phnom Penh), came to demonstrate in front of the Royal Palace to let me know these:
1- They only have confidence in me to lead and administer our Country and they never had confidence in any political party.
2- They absolutely want to protect the best results of the Royal Crusade, i.e. to protect, through our national unity, our total independence and our territorial integrity.
Being a King without Power, I could evidently not be the guarantor of a good Administration in our Cambodia, and of the conservation of our total independence, our territorial integrity and of our statute as a neutral and non-aligned State which I proclaimed in the name of Cambodia (before “Bandung,” but after the acquisition of our total Independence in 1953).
z Z z
I thus resigned from the Throne in order to form the Sangkum Reastr Niyum, which would participate in the general legislative elections (under the control of the ICC, with the non-aligned India as its President, Poland (from the communist bloc), and Canada (from the western countries) as members).
z Z z
The results of these very important elections:
No. 1: the SRN which obtained 82% of the votes from the Nation and the People (men only; our ladies, thanks to SRN which held the Parliament, received the same political rights and others as the men).
No. 2: The Democrat Party which obtained 13% of the votes but no seat at the Parliament because our then-electoral system was “uninominal” in each district and not “proportional” as “right now.”
No. 3: The communist “Pracheachon” party [which obtained] 3% of the votes and 0 seat at the National Assembly and Senate alias Council of the Kingdom.
z Z z
Remark: The “Reno” (National Renovation belonging to H.E. Lon Nol – H.H. Sirik Matak) dissolved and merged itself with the SRN prior to the general legislative elections.
The Democrat party would merge with the SRN following the elections cited above.
(Signed) Norodom Sihanouk
18 comments:
Xihanouk said :" I've been too Power Hungry " !.....He demolished the best Khmer-Party we ever had,Democrat Party.
It was formed by best Khmer-Intellectuals such : Prince Sosowath Yuthevong,Ieuv Koeus,Son Ngoc Thann,Ear Sichauv,Sim Va and others good Khmers.
With them Cambodia would be a Little NAGA in South East Asia....a lot respect from Khmer-Neighbours.
But Sihanouk is here...he makes sure that he'll bring Cambodia with him to the grave !
Pls see my new Toons : A Doggy's tales will post very soon at :" sacrava.blogspot.com " & "ki-media.blogspot.com "
Thank you.
It's a little bit easier to do then it's now for HRH King Sihamoni to abdicate the Throne and to run the country, because Your Majesty could easily handed King's power to HRH King Suramarith ( Your Majesty's father). King Sihamoni coud not at all do the same, because Your Majesty was already too old to do anything.
You cann't please everybody, especially Mr. Lon Nol and Prince Siri Matak. They also have ambition of their own and saw things very differently.
We regret China was a Communist Country and for some reasons Your Majesty found strong interest in them and likewise they returned your equal affection.
Very strange relationship indeed.
Ordinary Khmers
Sam Sary was the secretary of Sangkum Reatr Nyum and did the dirty job for Sihanouk.They used secret polices to intimadate the Democrat Party.Some witness are still living in Australia.
They cheated the ballot...of course Sihanouk won 82 % for sure ,like the political situation now in Cambodia,CPP
is always the winner of every FREE & FAIR Election (?).
Hun Sen is a copycat of Sihanouk Varman,the King without Border.
With King Sihanouk's blessing and trusting, Cambodia must be a very different country then it was in the 70's. Who know what Mr. Lon Nol and Prince Siri Matak could have done for the country and the royal family.
We wonder, if Mr. Hun Sen has any thought at all for Mr. Sam Rainsey?
Absolutely not! He is too occuppied with wome, too power hungry, too ambitious to control Cambodian bank and too much attention from Hanoi. This is our biggest dissapointment in our government today and intensify hatred for The Vietcong. They are such a big burden and obstable. Wonder when they are getting to get sucking into the Ocean by Tsunami?
What is a bunch of misguided?
If you compared the quality of
Sihanouk leadership to others,
not many come close to Sihanouk.
First, he's a true people leader
as opposed to corporates' puppets
like GW Bush, Tony Blair, or SB
Chen....
Dictators are not all bad.
Both Taiwan and Singapore was
created by capitalist autocracy
government.
While Japan appeared democracy,
the truth is they have one party
that is far bigger than others;
hence it is a virtual capitalist
autocracy government as well.
On the other hand, I don't know
any successfull Asian nation that
is created by capitalist
democratic government.
Many developed country always got
their people on their feet first
through capitalist autocracy before
turning democracy. In other words,
get the economy reasonably
developed first before reforming
the government.
While it is true that Sihanouk was
"iron fist," he was not abusive
toward any citizen. I don't hear
as many complaint as I hear for
other learders.
As for his opposition, he got good
reason to suppress them. Under
Sihanouk ruling, Pol Pot don't have
the slightest chance to rise
to power ever. Who would opposed
this?
And we all know by now that
Sisowatt Sorimatak is no leader,
even if Pot Pot had not toke him
out. And who would opposed Sihanouk
to suppress him.
And similarly, I am for the CPP
to supress all other parties until
Cambodia get back on its feet.
Then we can look into democracy.
Right now it is unaceptable because
even Laos is passing us by, just
ridiculous.
yep, nobody better than Sihanouk when it come to concupines and smoking opium.
Keep on licking.
in some way you are correct, we should focus on our economy. But having one party that has shown incapability for over 2 decades to make that focus is getting a bit agigated, illogical and absurd. It is no wonder every other country are surpassing us. We go no fresh minds coming into the equation of change or economic developments.
I say its time for democracy. Time for intellects to rule and not money.
Money can be created, but if you don't know how to spend you will be a poor man. If you are a poor man but have intllect. you will rise to wealth and stay wealthy. That is a Khmer proverb that all Khmer should keep close to heart.
Hey, this is not an ideal world.
No one have hand on experience in
running the country more than
Sihanouk. Under his ruling, the
economy was growing consistenly.
And Sihanouk citizens in general
was very happy with him.
Moreover, we are not just talking
economy, but getting along with
our neighbors as well.
The CPP has nerver has full control
over the country before. Hopefully,
they can pull it off in the 2008
under the 50%+1 fomula.
Anyway, over the year they have
obtained lot of hand on
experiences. There are growth but
slow because the principal capital
is small. As I said before, we are
riding on an exponential curve.
and until you go past the knee of
the curve, the growth will not
be apparent, but we will get to
the knee of the curve by 2010 or
2011 or so. From that point you
see everything bigger. I mean
bigger number of jobs, bigger
salary, bigger growth to make up
for the population growth, ...
Hence, I believe if all opposition
are suppressed, the CPP can create
a more stable environment to
attract investors. Right now, we
are having a hard time getting
investors because of political
kaos.
....And Cambodia will be the next Champa in early 21st centuary under Indochina of Youn-Hanoi.
Long Live Xmer !
Long Live Ho Chi Minh !
Hey, if it going to happen, it
will happen, alright? Do you think
you can stop it? Bullshit, you can.
Fellow KI-Media readers,
Be advised that we have Viet trollers pretending to be Khmer in our hand here on KI. One typical common language of theirs is pretty much the same - calling us all SIRIKMATAKIS, and (racist) Ethiopian fleas. Another one with broken khmerEnglish portrayed himself as "KMENG WAT KNONG SROK" (my translation of that nick would be: local pagoda's thug). They are here to sabotage KI, not to intelligently argue with us...So please beware and just ignore them. We cannot be distracted by these Viet trollers. These killers Viets are specifically no different than the killers Viet behind the Killing Fields.
Passer-by Guest
Please join me to say:
Vietcong Go home!
Vietcong Go home!
Vietcong Go home!
Et Sihanouk, quand est-ce que tu vas mourrir? Bientot, le peuple Khmer espere, n'est-ce-pas?
can Shihanouk read and write in Khmer. If KI were to have Khmer fonts, I would use.
Après toi, Post5:41.
A new series of Sacravatoons :
" A Doggy's tales "
to learn & share of Khmer-History.Thanks.
Ohhh, shut the fuck up. It's suck.
Yeap, evidentially, this Viet suicidal commando @4:42PM must have been given too much of Phu Quoc Nuoc Mam, thus getting too drunk even before he gets here to carry out his mission to Vietnamize KI-Media...lmao!
Vietcong Go Home!
Brain Death spammer.
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