Echo from the past - KI-Media is providing below a translated transcript of Prince Sihanouk message dated from 23 March 1970 which could be of interest to some of our readers.
23 March Message from Cambodian Prince Sihanouk to Her Majesty the Queen, the Khmer bonzes, and people—recorded
They have not only overthrown – in violation of the Constitution – their own Euv but also have insulted, humiliated, and discredited me to an unprecedented degree. In addition, they have condemned me as a traitor to the nation, as a man who has sold out his country, and condemned me like they would an animal to slaughter. My personal indignation cannot be compared with the magnitude of my indignation and concern for the sad fate of our country, which has been voluntarily enslaved by these traitors.
These traitors have trampled on the Constitution and turned the country – which has a good reputation in the world as an island of peace and stability, and as an exemplary country – one among the number of anarchic nations, and thrown it into the furnace of the war of the Americans. At present, the freedom, democracy, progress, unity, and solidarity of the nation have been completely destroyed. The armed forces have been turned against those fellow countrymen who dare to oppose the new fascist power which serves the U.S. imperialists’ interests.
This is not a personal accusation but a worldwide judgement. The Lon Nol-Sirik Matak-Cheng Heng clique have also severely condemned and accused me of being a traitor, a man who has sold out and humiliated his country—after all I have done to win a good reputation for our country on the international scene and prevent it from falling victim to a great danger [words indistinct] like Vietnam or the giant Americans [words indistinct]. My loyalty to the nation has been condemned as treason. But such accusations by these ungrateful, ambitious, power-and-money hungry, cowardly traitors, who have not hesitated to stab Sihanouk in the back, are unimportant to me.
This group of persons cannot deter me from defending the highest interests and national freedom of the motherland. Millions of our fellow countrymen who are now in the country and thousands others outside the country will certainly rise up to liquidate the reactionary group of Lon Nol, Sirik Matak, Cheng Heng, and their American masters.
And they will build—after final victory—a new Kampuchea with the power vested in the people's hands [words indistinct] and pure progressive spirit which will enable the people to build a nation with maximum prosperity, social justice, and equality. The evil acts of the reactionaries have opened my eyes and restored my perspicacity. I have been ignorant and mindless in believing that these high personages in the government and the parliament—who have just staged the coup d'état—could bring prosperity, freedom, democracy, and security to the country.
The great danger that I have just experienced is an unforgettable lesson for me. Therefore I swear that I will never assume the post of Chief of State when our people have won (?complete) victory over this reactionary and traitorous clique and their imperialist American masters, and will let the progressive youth and people [words indistinct] assume responsibility and take measures in total freedom to build and defend the nation. At present my mission has not been accomplished yet. I formally refuse to let the reactionary traitors destroy and trample on our ideals, rights, and basic national principles by using American dollars or bayonets.
In this regard, I want to solemnly declare that: (1) in my capacity as legal Chief of State, a title the Khmer people have conferred en me, I want to assure that I work to resolutely dissolve the Lon Nol government and the two houses which have betrayed their oath and the constitution; (2) I beg my fellow countrymen and foreign peoples’ resolutely not to recognize and respect their announcements, decrees, measures, circulars, judgements, or decisions, which are the evil works of the Lon Nol-Sirik Matak-Cheng Heng clique and their lackeys; (3) my children must set up a new government of national unity and a provisional parliamentary council composed of representatives from various circles including bonzes, farmers, workers, tradesmen, industrialists, military men, policemen, provincial guards, youths, intellectuals, functionaries, and women, and so forth; and (4) a national liberation army must be formed.
And (5) All Khmers both inside and outside the country—including the faithful, religious people, military men, civilians, and men and women who cherish the ideals of independence, democracy, neutrality, progressism, socialism, Buddhism, nationalism, territorial integrity, and anti-imperialism—must unite to form the National United Front of Kampuchea. The mission of this front is: (A) to liberate our country from the enslavement of the reactionary fascists led by Lon Nol, Sirik Matak, and Cheng Heng; (B) to struggle against the American imperialists—who are the aggressors against Indochina and who have brought about injustice, wars, destruction, [word indistinct], disunity, and all kinds of misfortune to the Khmer, the Vietnamese, and the Laotian peoples—by cooperating with, and with formal support from, the socialist, progressive, and anti-imperialist countries throughout the world; (C) to rebuild the country after the victory over the enemy, which will entail building the country in solidarity and national unity during difficult times [sentence as heard].
I am thinking of my venerable mother constantly, of all the bonzes—who are my benevolent teachers, of all my children, and of the country because [words indistinct]. If I do not die in the struggle—which is indispensable for the nation, for its future and its prosperity—I am certain that I shall return to kiss my mother's feet and my children. But at present it is necessary for me to serve the nation from outside the country.
I call on all children, both military men and civilians who cannot stand to remain under the traitors' power, or who are courageous and out of love and concern for the nation are determined to liberate the fatherland, to seek all means and possibilities to take refuge in jungles to fight our enemy. If the children have already got weapons, I will take measures to bring them ammunition and even new weapons to strengthen them. If the children have not got weapons yet and want to undergo training courses for national liberation, I will take measures to help you flee to the military school of the National United Front of Kampuchea which will be set up deep in a forest to avoid enemy detection.
For those children who are in Europe or the neighboring countries of Europe, and who wish to come to serve the nation within the framework of the liberation army or the national front, I would like to ask you to come to Moscow or Peking to see me.
Long live Cambodia!
Source: The Vietnam Center and Archive, Texas Tech University, USA
Item Number: 2430122001 (Record #: 288563)
Document Title: Wire Story - Sihanouk Message To Queen Kossamak - March 23, 1970
23 March Message from Cambodian Prince Sihanouk to Her Majesty the Queen, the Khmer bonzes, and people—recorded
"I swear that I will never assume the post of Chief of State when our people have won (?complete) victory over this reactionary and traitorous clique and their imperialist American masters" - Prince Norodom Sihanouk on 23 March 1970[Text] I, Norodom Sihanouk, chief of state of Cambodia, respectfully salute Her Majesty the Queen, the two major religious orders, the venerables, my fellow countrymen, young and old, men and women, military men and civilians: I would like to express to you my best and eternal regards. I am an unlucky man with a bad destiny, the victim of a group of reactionary high personages who owe their distinction and honor to the Sangkum Reastr Niyum and, its president. At this moment, after receiving all kinds of power and favors from the Throne and the Sangkum, they have showed their gratitude by committing very serious acts.
They have not only overthrown – in violation of the Constitution – their own Euv but also have insulted, humiliated, and discredited me to an unprecedented degree. In addition, they have condemned me as a traitor to the nation, as a man who has sold out his country, and condemned me like they would an animal to slaughter. My personal indignation cannot be compared with the magnitude of my indignation and concern for the sad fate of our country, which has been voluntarily enslaved by these traitors.
These traitors have trampled on the Constitution and turned the country – which has a good reputation in the world as an island of peace and stability, and as an exemplary country – one among the number of anarchic nations, and thrown it into the furnace of the war of the Americans. At present, the freedom, democracy, progress, unity, and solidarity of the nation have been completely destroyed. The armed forces have been turned against those fellow countrymen who dare to oppose the new fascist power which serves the U.S. imperialists’ interests.
This is not a personal accusation but a worldwide judgement. The Lon Nol-Sirik Matak-Cheng Heng clique have also severely condemned and accused me of being a traitor, a man who has sold out and humiliated his country—after all I have done to win a good reputation for our country on the international scene and prevent it from falling victim to a great danger [words indistinct] like Vietnam or the giant Americans [words indistinct]. My loyalty to the nation has been condemned as treason. But such accusations by these ungrateful, ambitious, power-and-money hungry, cowardly traitors, who have not hesitated to stab Sihanouk in the back, are unimportant to me.
This group of persons cannot deter me from defending the highest interests and national freedom of the motherland. Millions of our fellow countrymen who are now in the country and thousands others outside the country will certainly rise up to liquidate the reactionary group of Lon Nol, Sirik Matak, Cheng Heng, and their American masters.
And they will build—after final victory—a new Kampuchea with the power vested in the people's hands [words indistinct] and pure progressive spirit which will enable the people to build a nation with maximum prosperity, social justice, and equality. The evil acts of the reactionaries have opened my eyes and restored my perspicacity. I have been ignorant and mindless in believing that these high personages in the government and the parliament—who have just staged the coup d'état—could bring prosperity, freedom, democracy, and security to the country.
The great danger that I have just experienced is an unforgettable lesson for me. Therefore I swear that I will never assume the post of Chief of State when our people have won (?complete) victory over this reactionary and traitorous clique and their imperialist American masters, and will let the progressive youth and people [words indistinct] assume responsibility and take measures in total freedom to build and defend the nation. At present my mission has not been accomplished yet. I formally refuse to let the reactionary traitors destroy and trample on our ideals, rights, and basic national principles by using American dollars or bayonets.
In this regard, I want to solemnly declare that: (1) in my capacity as legal Chief of State, a title the Khmer people have conferred en me, I want to assure that I work to resolutely dissolve the Lon Nol government and the two houses which have betrayed their oath and the constitution; (2) I beg my fellow countrymen and foreign peoples’ resolutely not to recognize and respect their announcements, decrees, measures, circulars, judgements, or decisions, which are the evil works of the Lon Nol-Sirik Matak-Cheng Heng clique and their lackeys; (3) my children must set up a new government of national unity and a provisional parliamentary council composed of representatives from various circles including bonzes, farmers, workers, tradesmen, industrialists, military men, policemen, provincial guards, youths, intellectuals, functionaries, and women, and so forth; and (4) a national liberation army must be formed.
And (5) All Khmers both inside and outside the country—including the faithful, religious people, military men, civilians, and men and women who cherish the ideals of independence, democracy, neutrality, progressism, socialism, Buddhism, nationalism, territorial integrity, and anti-imperialism—must unite to form the National United Front of Kampuchea. The mission of this front is: (A) to liberate our country from the enslavement of the reactionary fascists led by Lon Nol, Sirik Matak, and Cheng Heng; (B) to struggle against the American imperialists—who are the aggressors against Indochina and who have brought about injustice, wars, destruction, [word indistinct], disunity, and all kinds of misfortune to the Khmer, the Vietnamese, and the Laotian peoples—by cooperating with, and with formal support from, the socialist, progressive, and anti-imperialist countries throughout the world; (C) to rebuild the country after the victory over the enemy, which will entail building the country in solidarity and national unity during difficult times [sentence as heard].
I am thinking of my venerable mother constantly, of all the bonzes—who are my benevolent teachers, of all my children, and of the country because [words indistinct]. If I do not die in the struggle—which is indispensable for the nation, for its future and its prosperity—I am certain that I shall return to kiss my mother's feet and my children. But at present it is necessary for me to serve the nation from outside the country.
I call on all children, both military men and civilians who cannot stand to remain under the traitors' power, or who are courageous and out of love and concern for the nation are determined to liberate the fatherland, to seek all means and possibilities to take refuge in jungles to fight our enemy. If the children have already got weapons, I will take measures to bring them ammunition and even new weapons to strengthen them. If the children have not got weapons yet and want to undergo training courses for national liberation, I will take measures to help you flee to the military school of the National United Front of Kampuchea which will be set up deep in a forest to avoid enemy detection.
For those children who are in Europe or the neighboring countries of Europe, and who wish to come to serve the nation within the framework of the liberation army or the national front, I would like to ask you to come to Moscow or Peking to see me.
Long live Cambodia!
Source: The Vietnam Center and Archive, Texas Tech University, USA
Item Number: 2430122001 (Record #: 288563)
Document Title: Wire Story - Sihanouk Message To Queen Kossamak - March 23, 1970
11 comments:
I think you deserved it . Your fake neutrality.VietcongS and north vietnamese were all inside our land and you protect them.
If Sihanouk have all his border guards protect all our border it would not get us this far. He only thinking about himself only not the national interest. How come? Please reveal your betrayal to our innocent Cambodian. We only want to hear the truth.
Fellow cambodians
Abusive comment never lead us any where.The message appears he was far leftist politically.The reality(any events) has to be reflected and adjust them accordingly for our country to survive through economic environment,politics are the keys any adjustment. Constitution is the platform to exercise governing powers with balance of human rights.Constitution has some degree of flexibility for amandments reflected upon circumstial changes and logic.
What we need to look at:
1-Lessons learned from past/history avoiding repetition for country sake for our survival and stability
2-Open heart for learning/study to improve our concept and practices.
3-Allow human rights to grow,explore those demands and assist to grow individually and collectively.
4-To prosper,government needs constructive support from all backgrounds of cambodians.
5-Do not abuse(use power for personal gains-those are sins).
WE HAVE BEEN LURED TO COMMIT CRIMES LED BY EGO,WEALTH,POWER(NEVER BORN WITH ONE),AGAINST OUR CHILDREN,OUR RELATIVES AND OUR PEOPLE.THIS IS NOT BUDDISHM,STOP CHEATING OURSELF.AWARENESS IS LEARNING TOOL.
Khmer soth
We cannot take Sihanouk swear for grant. He is alway a flip flop man without integrity and a standing for himself.
All we need is justice and what is wright for our Cambodia ,we do not need any politic crap in here we tired to listen and hear from cheaply politician that had nothing gain only destroy our mother land.
If the court find out Seihaknouk is guilty hang him up next Hun Sen is he the traitor the sample already set up and next and next no one above the law, If Cambodian people can't not do that I AM SORRY TO SAY THIS, CAMBODIA HAVE NO HUMAN RUNNING THIS COUNTRY,All Cambodian beloved one find the way to survive your self, this is the animal lives styles.
I used to wonder why my 5th grade teacher was so enthusiastic in letting all her students march with other students and teachers to denounce Sihanouk's call for a revolt in March 1970, but I have realized now what an educated woman that teacher was!
Sihanouk-liar, traitor, betrayal.
His wife is the love of his life.
Cambodia was his playground. Cambodian people were his slaves.
Cambodians were the dusts under his feet. We were not important. Sihanouk is absolutly not a hero.
This is how you greet Sihanouk in Khmer- grab twhy bongkum krom tuly prhea bat -I low myself under the dust of your feet to greet your highness before you start talking.
In Khmer everytime you to talk to the king or the royal family you use God in front of a word.
All the nouns in the royal language has the word god.
eg-preah shit-god shit, god toilet, etc.
king= god=king=god
people=slaves=dogs-pests
I understand we have constitution but the constitution grant immmunity to the king. Why? The king is human too. He bonds to make mistakes. Just like Sihanouk, he killed Khmers and destroyed Cambodia to the year zero. And why is he not responsible?
Khmerforever
Dear khmer for ever your comment is fantastic.
I respect your comment,do not give up your hope ,Seihaknouk scratching USA back not China wait and see the trial is not finish, and UN not gonna do the silly thing either. I hope justice has been prevailed for Cambodian people.
It is so diturb to hear this asshole Sihanouk blame only America for the Khmer rouge.In fact khmer rouge was created long time ago by a group of khmer dissidents not satify with Sihanouk.They are salot sar,hou nim,hou yun,eang sary,nuon chea,khiev samphan and the rest of the killers.It's even more disturbing to know this asshole didn't even blame CHINA at all who armed and supply all kind of weapons TO KHMER ROUGE to kill millions including his children and grandchildren.We, the victims, wish you burn in hell for eternity your traitor.
All true Khmer compatriots, ladies and gentlemen,
Cambodia has cancers that were embedded into her by China+YUONS+Vietminh-CPP-Hun Sen+all royal crooks through traitor Sihanouk's flesh and blood, also through his YUON wife Monique and Sihanouk’s clique.
To have true and lasting peace for Cambodia these cancers have to be removed once and for all, either by the law of ECCC-KRT or by any means, as long as the majority of true Khmers agree with it.
If these cancers remain inside Cambodia, without proper treatment, YUONS will continue to swallow us bit by bit every day and China will gobble the whole region without mercy toward Cambodian land and all Khmer people. They will achieve this with the continued assistance of NORODOM SIHANOUK and HUN SEN.
KULEN MONOROM
(the rice farmer's son)
Sihanouk is a liar, a traitor of his country.Cambodians used to love their king. He (Sihanouk) used innocents and poors people to help him , he thinks that the poors people lives are nothing, he is the only person who can suffer of starvation and injustice.
He can change the black to white and the white to black when he speaks. Now Hun Sen is doing the same thing and many people believe him.
If we are not able to put him in the KRT, the justice will never be fund for cambodians.
CAMBODIA MUST BE A COUNTRY OF JUSTICE.
Post a Comment