MELBOURNE, Sep. 27
JULIO A. JELDRES
Posted at UPI Asia Online
Guest Commentary
Click here to read a translated version of the call issued by
then-Prince Sihanouk from Beijing on 23 March 1970
then-Prince Sihanouk from Beijing on 23 March 1970
In his commentary entitled "No immunity for Sihanouk" dated Sept. 5, Dr. Lao Mong Hay argues that retired King Sihanouk should not be given immunity by the mixed Cambodian-U.N. tribunal set up to try Khmer Rouge leaders. Lao writes: "Sihanouk, while in China in the immediate aftermath of being overthrown, became the head of the Khmer Rouge-dominated government in exile. From China, Sihanouk used his popularity to mobilize the Cambodian people 'to go into the maquis (jungle)' to join the Khmer Rouge."
Lao also writes: "Furthermore, many Cambodian people still believe that Sihanouk was instrumental in the Khmer Rouge's victory and was therefore also responsible for the suffering of the Cambodian people under the Khmer Rouge's rule. They also want justice and to know the truth about their horrible past history in which Sihanouk must have had a hand due to his association with the Khmer Rouge."
These are serious allegations against retired King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, yet Lao has offered no evidence to support his claims.
Firstly, Samdech Sihanouk did not join the Khmer Rouge; they adhered to his United National Front of Kampuchea (FUNK) which was established by the retired King in Beijing on March 23, 1970, after he had been overthrown by a U.S.-supported coup led by General Lon Nol. There is a statement signed by Khieu Samphan, Hu Nim and Hou Youn, nominal leaders of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, to that effect. Khieu Samphan is still alive in Cambodia and he can be consulted about the veracity of this. Hu Nim and Hou Youn were killed by Pol Pot.
Secondly, If Lao cares to consult the series of messages King Sihanouk issued to the Cambodian people from Beijing, he never told them "to go and join the Khmer Rouge" but rather to join the resistance fighting the Lon Nol regime and the U.S. and South Vietnamese invaders. The resistance was not comprised solely of Khmer Rouge but initially of a majority of supporters of Sihanouk, even some princes of the royal family, public servants, diplomats and the people, who had been driven toward the resistance by the U.S. carpet bombing of Cambodia and the tremendous corruption of the Lon Nol regime.
That these non-Khmer Rouge, nationalist, pro-Sihanouk forces were later on liquidated by the Khmer Rouge, allowing it to take the upper hand and achieve final victory in April 1975, is another completely different story.
Thirdly, King Sihanouk was head of state of the Royal Government of National Union of Cambodia, which was established in exile in Beijing in May 1970. It was in that capacity that Samdech Sihanouk returned to Cambodia from Sept. 9 to 28, 1975, then proceeded to China for the National Day and then to New York for the U.N. General Assembly.
After visiting the United Nations, he undertook a long trip of Arab, African and European countries that had recognized his government from 1970 to 1975, and then on Dec. 30, 1975, he returned to Cambodia.
In Phnom Penh, he lived under house arrest and could only leave the Royal Palace when the Khmer Rouge allowed him to make visits to the countryside. All contact with the Cambodian people was forbidden, even with his own children, grand-children and other members of the royal family.
The deputy chief of mission of the Romanian Embassy in Beijing, a gentleman surnamed Lefter who visited Cambodia in late January 1976, upon his return to Beijing told U.S. diplomats that he had had a three-hour private conversation with Sihanouk. He described the prince as being very sad and feeling that he had been dealt a double blow, first by the Lon Nol coup and second by the Khmer Rouge. Sihanouk had lost weight, was despondent and feared for his life, he said.
An Egyptian diplomat in China by the name of Tewfik, who had known Sihanouk since 1958, visited Cambodia in early March 1976. He commented to the U.S. Liaison Office in Beijing that Sihanouk "was a head of state who had nothing to do with the day-to-day business of government."
Both diplomats felt that Samdech Sihanouk did not enjoy much power or influence and that he owed his life to the influence of China with the Khmer Rouge, and to the interest other foreign heads of state showed for his well-being.
In 1977, President Josip Tito of Yugoslavia, for instance, was only willing to receive a visiting Khmer Rouge delegation led by Ieng Sary after he was given assurances that his ambassador in Phnom Penh would have access to Sihanouk.
Samdech Sihanouk submitted his resignation in early March 1976. Thus, it would have been very difficult for His Majesty to "have had a hand" in the horrible events that took place in Cambodia afterwards.
--
(Ambassador Julio A. Jeldres is a former senior private secretary to King Norodom Sihanouk and the king's official biographer. He established the Khmer Institute of Democracy in Phnom Penh in 1992 and has worked as consultant to several U.N. agencies in Bangkok. He is presently a research fellow at Monash University's Asia Institute in Melbourne, Australia.)
Lao also writes: "Furthermore, many Cambodian people still believe that Sihanouk was instrumental in the Khmer Rouge's victory and was therefore also responsible for the suffering of the Cambodian people under the Khmer Rouge's rule. They also want justice and to know the truth about their horrible past history in which Sihanouk must have had a hand due to his association with the Khmer Rouge."
These are serious allegations against retired King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, yet Lao has offered no evidence to support his claims.
Firstly, Samdech Sihanouk did not join the Khmer Rouge; they adhered to his United National Front of Kampuchea (FUNK) which was established by the retired King in Beijing on March 23, 1970, after he had been overthrown by a U.S.-supported coup led by General Lon Nol. There is a statement signed by Khieu Samphan, Hu Nim and Hou Youn, nominal leaders of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, to that effect. Khieu Samphan is still alive in Cambodia and he can be consulted about the veracity of this. Hu Nim and Hou Youn were killed by Pol Pot.
Secondly, If Lao cares to consult the series of messages King Sihanouk issued to the Cambodian people from Beijing, he never told them "to go and join the Khmer Rouge" but rather to join the resistance fighting the Lon Nol regime and the U.S. and South Vietnamese invaders. The resistance was not comprised solely of Khmer Rouge but initially of a majority of supporters of Sihanouk, even some princes of the royal family, public servants, diplomats and the people, who had been driven toward the resistance by the U.S. carpet bombing of Cambodia and the tremendous corruption of the Lon Nol regime.
That these non-Khmer Rouge, nationalist, pro-Sihanouk forces were later on liquidated by the Khmer Rouge, allowing it to take the upper hand and achieve final victory in April 1975, is another completely different story.
Thirdly, King Sihanouk was head of state of the Royal Government of National Union of Cambodia, which was established in exile in Beijing in May 1970. It was in that capacity that Samdech Sihanouk returned to Cambodia from Sept. 9 to 28, 1975, then proceeded to China for the National Day and then to New York for the U.N. General Assembly.
After visiting the United Nations, he undertook a long trip of Arab, African and European countries that had recognized his government from 1970 to 1975, and then on Dec. 30, 1975, he returned to Cambodia.
In Phnom Penh, he lived under house arrest and could only leave the Royal Palace when the Khmer Rouge allowed him to make visits to the countryside. All contact with the Cambodian people was forbidden, even with his own children, grand-children and other members of the royal family.
The deputy chief of mission of the Romanian Embassy in Beijing, a gentleman surnamed Lefter who visited Cambodia in late January 1976, upon his return to Beijing told U.S. diplomats that he had had a three-hour private conversation with Sihanouk. He described the prince as being very sad and feeling that he had been dealt a double blow, first by the Lon Nol coup and second by the Khmer Rouge. Sihanouk had lost weight, was despondent and feared for his life, he said.
An Egyptian diplomat in China by the name of Tewfik, who had known Sihanouk since 1958, visited Cambodia in early March 1976. He commented to the U.S. Liaison Office in Beijing that Sihanouk "was a head of state who had nothing to do with the day-to-day business of government."
Both diplomats felt that Samdech Sihanouk did not enjoy much power or influence and that he owed his life to the influence of China with the Khmer Rouge, and to the interest other foreign heads of state showed for his well-being.
In 1977, President Josip Tito of Yugoslavia, for instance, was only willing to receive a visiting Khmer Rouge delegation led by Ieng Sary after he was given assurances that his ambassador in Phnom Penh would have access to Sihanouk.
Samdech Sihanouk submitted his resignation in early March 1976. Thus, it would have been very difficult for His Majesty to "have had a hand" in the horrible events that took place in Cambodia afterwards.
--
(Ambassador Julio A. Jeldres is a former senior private secretary to King Norodom Sihanouk and the king's official biographer. He established the Khmer Institute of Democracy in Phnom Penh in 1992 and has worked as consultant to several U.N. agencies in Bangkok. He is presently a research fellow at Monash University's Asia Institute in Melbourne, Australia.)
25 comments:
The chicken and the egg which is come first? Samdach Seihaknuk is pro communist,who is Hoonim- Hooyoon-Khiev Samphan? they just hand picked by Seihaknouk ,they well protected by norodom Seihaknouk ,since early 1965 they were arrested and released ( at that time said they were appointed by norodom Seihaknouk said Khievsamphan is very clean and honest to the country(sic).
When Seihaknouk resign have any announcement from the national radio like he tell Khmer rouge to destroy and kill Cambodian from Peking? Seihaknuk created khmer rouge ,Seihaknuk favor communist,Seihaknuk get involved with killing field
every all of us seeing that, but Seihaknouk reigned by himself,who know? Seihaknouk ,Khievsomphan,Hoonim ,Monique and Hooyoon together what is the point view? Mr.Amb Julio A Jeldres, You are just keep the record of Seihaknuk from75 to 79 you were not with him, But we were go through all that time we heard he call us to go Marqui,we heard Seihaknouk said to day his resistances (black uniform) destroy and kill khmer people 100,200 on and on,did you record that down,so please do not confuse and do not add the mud in clear water
,so which is the reliable sources,You can hear people tell 100 times but it doesn't do any help when your see with your own at once.
2;14PM correction resigned
If Sihanouk was a good man, Sihanouk wouldn't need a foreigner to write his biography. For any Cambodian person, their knowledge of Sihanouk associations with Khmer Rouge cannot help them to write a good biography for Sihanouk. People can make liers if they don't remember anything. But for Sihanouk, he was so famours for his day to day appeal to Cambodian people to wage war against Cambodian people.
Ammbassador sans frontiere Jedres,
Stop spinning and embarrassing yourself. Sihanouk is either morally and politically responsible for all the tragedies.He never allowed democratic government,every thing is his as a father of nation.
This alone incriminates him already.
His removal was done by his own government and national assembly not US,remember that period Sihanouk no lesser than Hun Sen now interm of censureship and suppression.
Plus he is the one who has kissed up to Nixon to reestablished relations since March 1969.
Also Sihanouk has committed purgery under oath in making up story to manipulate folks that the three leftist(Khiev Samphan,Hou Yun,Hu Nim) PMs were killed.
I said before "you are too intelligent" yet fail to see Sihanouk crimes.Please use your imagination.
Dr. Lao is not the one that people want to hang but the hypocrite Sihanouk who is no longer King.Dr.Lao raise awareness in the interest of people justice not an individual.You may recall Sihanouk himself declared he is a citizen the same as folks so long his son be appointed King.So no one questioned the immunity validity of present King ( his heir).This is another point of Sihanouk constitutional violation.
Your argument makes Sihanouk immunity is intact regardless of his willfully resignation from Kingship.He relinquished his rights all at once to trade off for his son to be king.
Therefore it can be the same rhetorical for him as Khmer Rouge President whether he's in or out of the country or office then.UN recognized him as legitimate head of state.
You can stop now and be impartial for the sake of humanity not a criminal.
"Dr. Lao is not the one that people want to hang ... "
Wrong, if Dr. Lao keeps up with bullshits, I want to hang him.
847pm has a future!
The truth will prevail.Dr LAO is telling the truth.Sihanouk was a TRAOTOR who collaborated with the khmer rouge from the beginning to the end.The end is when khmer rouge put him in house arrest and killed 5 of his children and score of his grand children.Sihanouk is a communist sympatizer.Sihanouk mistakenly believed that commununist love him but in fact they used him.Sihanouk had let himself cheated by yuons and he didn't even know it.What a shame?.
Almost all the Cambodian soldiers on Mr. Lon Nol's side were tricked into go to receive King Sihanouk from China a day or two after April 17th of 1975 and were dead by bullet wounds. From whom? You know pretty well, who was in charge of Cambodia at that time and why King's name got involved? King voice was on the radio from Peking all the time, cursing swearing and wishing all of his trators were dead. This was a major major confusion, but as one living inside Cambodia during those critical period of 1975 to 1979, we never saw or hear anything From King. Never. We don't even know who Pol Pot was or existed until it was all over. We knew only a few that ran the village. Everything else was a big big secret. King is going to have to do more than just let Mr. Julio explaining it for him. Right now, Dr. Loa's statement is very much it. Thank you
We are so confused, because the one that seemed to be his ( King's ) savoir was The Khmer Rouge. Everyone else was fighting along the American against the vietcong, except again, you know......when the Vietcong won the war over The American, The Khmer Rouge won the war over Mr. Lon Nol and all hell broke loose.
But King should have this window to defense himself, because there was no King Sihanouk's present in Cambodia and so Deos Dr. Loa.
There was no Pol Pot's present,but that didn't mean, he was not responsible for the 2 millions dead of the Cambodian people during that time. Mysterious..... mysterious and mysterious is the word...until it all will discover by court.
"Almost all the Cambodian soldiers on Mr. Lon Nol's side were tricked into go to receive King Sihanouk from China a day or two after April 17th of 1975 and were dead by bullet wounds."
Lesson learned: If it's too good to be true, then it's not true.
Oh sure!
Anybody whom related to those unfortunated soldiers were next to be killed or dissappeared from the face of this earth. By January of 1979, The World had discovered that nearly 2 millions Cambodian were gone. Nothing had happened. Nothing was true. No, nothing at all.
Come on, Dude, you know fair well that LonNol were extremely corrupted.
Many people were starving and near dead by the time KR tooks over Phnom Penh. Lot of people drop dead before they can get to the rice field because they had no strength. Therefore, whether KR succeeded in taking over Phnom Penh or not, those people would had died starving anyway from such the corrupted regime. So, let's not put all the blame on KR, okay?
By the way the rest that were spared, they were spared only to feel like fish in the tank waiting for their turn to get choped then cooked. By whom? did you ever wonder? and did you ever wonder how must they feel during those time? God knows! Tomorrow could be their last! and damm! you missed it!
News
U.N. is Dangerously Corrupt, Badly Needing Reform: Investigators
Latest report into massive Oil for Food program fraud says blame lies largely with Kofi Annan and U.N.'s corrupt culture
UNITED NATIONS
A panel of independent investigators last week slammed the United Nations and Secretary General Kofi Annan for indulging a culture rife with corruption, mismanagement, and laxity that contributed to massive fraud within the organization's Oil for Food program.
The $64 billion program was intended to cut off the income of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein by imposing strict limits on Iraq's oil sales, allowing proceeds to fund only the purchase of food and humanitarian supplies for Iraqis.
Instead, Saddam and a network of corrupt officials from participating countries, companies, and the United Nations rigged the system to enrich themselves, with Saddam pocketing nearly $2 billion in illegal surcharges, kickbacks, and bribes.
Wrapping up a $34 million investigation that took 18 months, the Independent Inquiry Committee concluded that the corruption was largely caused by mismanagement and negligence at the United Nations.
"Our assignment has been to look for mis- or mal-administration in the oil-for-food program, and for evidence of corruption within the U.N. organization and by contractors. Unhappily, we found both," former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker, who led the inquiry, told the U.N. Security Council last week.
Volcker's fourth report into the Oil for Food fraud pinned much of the blame on United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, who was criticized for negligence and deficiency in his oversight duties, noted the Washington Post.
"His sins were ones of omission basically; there were things that he might well have done and should have done that he didn't do," a senior investigator told the New York Times. Annan was faulted for failing to ask warranted questions, failing to pursue evidence of misbehavior, and allowing his position to be used by his son, Kojo, who sought favors and contracts by dropping his father's name.
"The inescapable conclusion from the committee's work is that the United Nations organization needs thoroughgoing reform -- and it needs it urgently," warned Volcker's report.
World leaders from more than 175 nations are scheduled to return this week to the United Nations to vote on reform measures, though disagreements between members may derail the process, noted the Los Angeles Times.
While Volcker's panel has concluded its investigation, at least one more report from the group is forthcoming: a naming of implicated corporations and their abuses, scheduled for release next month.
One of the mos corrupt Organization on earth is the UN.
http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-253.html
"...the corrupt culture of the United Nations could be multiplied almost endlessly, but that dreary record would still avoid the central questions: just how much waste, fraud, and abuse is there in the United Nations.."
-------------
How much did Vietnamese and Chinese Communists and Hun Thugs pay the UN to keep the Trial inside Cambodia so for them to control the trial?
Go and figure out.
Dr. Lao has to do what he is instructed, if not he will be out of job. Lao was one of the KR's supporter against the Vietnamese Communist.
But I don't understand why does he want the KRT inside Cambodia where the thugs Yuon/Chen and Yuon KR control?
Guys, the UN is not just corrupted but also deceiving and hypocrite.
Just look at their permanent member of the SECURITY council: US, FR, Soviet, China, ...
Do they look like something that provide SECURITY to people? Every member are WMD dealer and they constanly competing with each other, and get millions killed from their arm goods. Not only that, you can even suit them for destroying your country. Well, maybe you can, but you'll never win.
There are things that we didn't like and didn't approve of the UN, but this one, we say, give them a chance. The only problem is that The new Moon didn't seem to worry too much over Cambodia. We were just a small fraction of whatever & whatever which goes on around the world. So calm your nerve.
When the real verdict of the KR's regime comes in 2010 or 2011, then maybe, we'are talking about The UN. Right now, they should have enough competent and honest people to do the job.
To 9:53am
A free flow of economic system would allow more than 2/3 of the population of Phnom Penh to do whatever they can with their wills to save themself. They could still be alive today. Their reuources could be at the oversea. Their family could be outside of Cambodia: in Thailand or France or America, but where was the Communication System? Where was The Mailing System? or Traveling system? or Money System? Are you saying that those 2/3 of our people are all poor & brainless people? You! yourself need to come on. You're very sick! and making alot of people here sick.
THOSE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE IN PHNOM PENH AND ELSEWHERE IN CAMBODIA ON APRIL 17TH OF 1975 WERE VERY DUMB, STUPID, VERY VERY NEGATIVE AND A VERY GRAVE MISTAKE!!! WHY MILLIONS HAD TO SUFFER AND DIE, ALL BECAUSE OF A STUPID FEW MEN?
For your information, just about everyone in China now has TB. The new hell on this earth is coming and this time also from China.
MOST PEOPLE WOULD DO THING TO MAKE LIVE BETTER AND EASIER.
TO THOSE PEOPLE THEIR MINDS ARE REVERSED AND IT'S JUST A SHAME.
Hey, that is not dumb change. What is dumb change is the change to the biggest corrupted leader of all times, LonNol/Sarimatak. That change obliterated nearly 300 thousands peasants and flatten many property, 100th thousands famines, ...
See you never stupid!!!
and an asshole!
and MF 10:48p.m.
Why? did I got the story from Hollywood or something?
Come on guys, you know fair well the can't hide the truth.
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