In King-Father's letter posted on his website in September 2007, King-Father wrote in his second post-scriptum (left hand side):P.S. 2 - It is the USA, the Lonnolians, and the other pro-Lon Nol countries which should be judged by the ECCC UN, and not me. (Signed) Norodom Sihanouk
17 September 2007
By Huy Vannak
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
"Yes, just like I usually said it, it is normal for people to claim that they are victims and that they are not responsible for their own actions." - US Ambassador Joseph MussomeliIn the morning of 17 September, the US ambassador to Cambodia declared that he does not agree with the royal desire of the former monarch, King Norodom Sihanouk, who wrote a footnote on an article published on his website that the US should be brought to face justice in the KR Tribunal (KRT) also.
US Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli said that he respects and loves the Hero-King who was a good king, however, he does not agree with the former monarch’s idea.
Mussomeli said: “I love the Hero-King who is a wonderful man in many ways, but on this issue, we do not agree with each other. Do you know that the Nazi claimed that the Versailles Treaty was not fair, that was why they killed almost 6 million Jewish people (during World War II). These killers always try to find an excuse for their mistakes. Whether, we are angry with our wife, or we are moody about a problem at work, or because we lost our job, human beings tend to find an excuse on what is wrong with them. In his case, there is no excuse for them, they are all killers and they must be brought to justice!”
In response to the question on the claim made by KR leaders who said that the bombings of the US military in Cambodia were the cause for the formation of the KR resistance movement, and the birth of the killing fields in Cambodia, Ambassador Mussomeli said: “Yes, just like I usually said it, it is normal for people to claim that they are victims and that they are not responsible for their own actions. This is not a good thing, and it does not show that these people are taking their own responsibility, furthermore, this is not a way to explain one’s action through some other consequence.”
Ambassador Mussomeli added: “The KR crimes are the KR crimes, others should not be blamed for these, if anything, they should blame themselves. It’s true that they can say that it was because of the US or China, or other people did this wrong or did this rights, etc… but, in the end, it is the responsibility of each individual. Those who killed others must be charged for these killings, they should not blame others to make up an excuse for their own mistakes.”
Mussomeli also indicated that, in view of the rapid progress of the KRT in the past few months, the US is reviewing the possibility to provide funds for the ECCC.
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KI-Media Note: The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was the peace treaty which officially ended World War I between the Allied and Associated Powers and Germany. It was signed exactly 5 years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the event that triggered the start of the war. Although the armistice signed on November 11, 1918 put an end to the actual fighting, it took six months of negotiations at the Paris Peace Conference to conclude a peace treaty. Of the many provisions in the treaty, one of the most important and controversial provisions required Germany and its allies to accept full responsibility for causing the war and, under the terms of articles 231-248, disarm, make substantial territorial concessions and pay reparations to certain countries that had formed the Allies. The Treaty was undermined by subsequent events starting as early as 1922 and was widely flouted by the mid thirties. (Source: Wikipedia.org)
15 comments:
Thank you Mr. Mussomeli. I am agree with you. They must be judged for what they have done . We have to find justice for all the victims and their family. They killed also many babies, many children are orphelins .
one thing that i do not like the usa is that they talk good, but they did not give any money to support the krtrial, and the usa is also sharing with the cambodian tragidy.
Thank Mr.Mussomeli. You have awesome clarification ,these sick people they have to face with Justice because ,they killed us starved us forced to work hard than slave they treated us like we are not human being, so please find the better court than in Cambodia and that court it won't be working because,Hun Sen,Heng Sam Rin,tomyco,Khiev kanarit they try to conspire the systems and turn Cambodian PPl against USA and UN court ,I hope the game that the sick Cambodian leaders it wont fly, show that bugs some bugs killer.
For the second comment:
Don't blame American. If you blame US, you should not come to the US. You should go back to your home country. American tries to promote democracy and protects their interest. Cambodia destroyed because of Sihanouk has a relationship with the communist countries and let Hanoi use Cambodia territory to fight American force. Sihanouk is Cambodia traitor who destroy Cambodia and his people. He served Hanoi and Beijing interest, not his country. That's why American kicked him out of power and bombed Cambodia because American don't want communist at their backyard. Now American needs to destroy China, North Korea, Vietnam, Lao, and Cuba. These countries are still communist. Don't let them get stronger.
I think you guys or some of you guys are now american (Are you still Khmer?) and of course you will totaly agree with Mr.Mussomeli. How about the victims of US bomb? do you have any firends or members of your family killed during that damn us bomb? What would you re-comment to this article if one of your family were the victims during the US bomb? I ...
HE Mussomeli is working for the US so he has to defend the US. Agree with 9;53PM. Yes how about the MIGHTY BOMBS that killed too many Khmers?
Everyone has always claimed he is god does good, but Allan Greenspan just blasted Bush for invading Iraq for oil not for WMD.
May be WMD existed but the Russia and China may had helped to hide it.
The war between Communist vs. Capitalist is part of it which led to genocide in Cambodia, no doubt about it; every party contributed to that genocide albeit the biggest responsible of that genocide are Vietnam and China. And behind these two monsters China and Vietnam can't forget the mighty MAFIA RUSSIA (former Soviet) either. The Evil Stalin demanded to take Cambodia and Laos. Is it surprised?
The KRT should have not be taken place in Cambodia, but should be at outiside Cambodia.
Mussomeli said it best,
"These killers always try to find an excuse for their mistakes."
People in leadership roles should except responsibility for their own actions. Some only accept good credit. If something goes wrong they blame others. A good leader must accept responsibility regardless if its good or bad.
Sihanouk is playing the role of a coward as usual. It's never his fault. He allowed other nations to play him like a puppet.
In the same contex, what USA did to Iraq, Sadam was an excuse to take over the oil rich field (listen to Alan Greenspan's speach). but millions people will face civil wars and starvation after they pull out for years....
Removing Sihanouk via Lon Nol and destroyed rubber plantations to force Sihanouk to beg USA for money were done. But 2 millions were killed and starvation after they pull out was the game of Nixon/Kissinger. If allowing Vietcong to use Cambodian land to kill US armies, let's take Sihanouk to the UN, but not inflict 2 millions innociences Cambodians to such suffering. In a different way, American must be accountable for their own actions. Please take them to trial for invading and causing suffering to other countries like Iraq and Cambodia... The two counties do not invade other countries like Japan and Germany during WWII. We do not need to be to much killing in exchange for democracy.
The Extremists should not have any right to kill and slaughter an innocent people or civilian and the same go with the Cambodian Government between 1975 & 1979. They have no right to destroy the innocent people home and slaughtered them one by one until nearly 2 millions counted.
What right should they have to justify their anger and revenge?
Cambodia was isolated from the rest of the world. No one knew and no one care then or until now. So let the KRT begings.
Democracy means allowing an ordianry people to live freely or independendly from a control- mean and deadly - rotten goevernment. Democracy means allowing everyone to live and enjoy their life to the fullest and in whatever way they choose to live. Democracy is great and democracy is the best.
Some leader like Saddam Hussein just didn't it and there is more...
ask us do we care for them? May be some of you dwarf will care, but not us. Off our sight! and off this planet Earth!
Have this old fart sihanouk ever blame CHINA or yuon ,not once.He was a khmer rouge accomplice and should be hang now.He was a communist sympatizer from the beginning.When American bombed the communist youns inside khmer territory, he (SIHANOUK) blame AMERICA.He forgot who were the provocator.Sihanouk is a traitor, a headach and a pain in the ass for all the khmer victims.Just hang him.Now he even moe dangerous of trying to cause a problem between U.S and Cambodia.
Good friends
As mentioned by Mr Mussomeli ,individual has to learn to face to the consequences.That is applied to us while we are raising the discussion on any topic,because it can be benificial or disastrous to our fellow cambodians and wanted cambodia as we all know by our neibourghs.
Buddha teaches us karma and its effect already.Nothing new.New thing we all should learn is to be sensible,cautious and process matter scientifically.That is how democratic countries progressed.
Like anything,there is limit.Mathematics has limit,it tells us that about facts.Democracy
has rules,laws and orders to achieve its aims,aimed and explored to grow within limits.
Abuse is not democratic,usually from the powerful to the powerless.Being abusive to one another is senseless,non democratic.So be aware of ourself and own action.Our invaders want to see all that turmoils occur so that they can snatch their opportunity for their benefits.
We cannot live with the past but it helps us with realistic presence presence,and plan for better future.We may have to drop the Sihanouk affairs and listen to researchers,historians for better view,and lower our anger to one another because it only burns ourself. Please be aware and cautious at all time dear friends.
Khmer soth
Well, it is true that people usually do not taking any responsible for their actions. It also applies to American as well. American had no clean hand in the political situation in Cambodia which led to mass killing. It is the American tradition to get so involve in other countries affairs and left without any responsibility. The world history of the political conflicts with American's involment say it all.
American will not hestitate to handshake with the dictatorship leaders in the process to bring down any American's political opposition in the poor countries. One may still remember that Bin Laden was the product of American.
"I don't know this woman and I never slept with that woman in my life" Bill Clinton.
"Our friend Vietnamese never tortured any POWs.." John Kerry, the socialist. But how many thousand US soldiers were captured and tortured by Viek Cong and some were put in the prison in Srok Khmer under KR. Ask Viet Rouge Hok Lundy.
"Saddam Hussein must be removed. He sponsored Alqaida and created WMD." Bush.
Their Idealism war between Capitalsim vs. Communism caused million lives in our poor country.
Iraq is now facing a civil war, but the next US President won't withdraw troops REP or DEmo does not matter. They are all talking and pointing fingers at each others just to get elected, but you will see they cannot afford to follow Vietnam war again. If they withdraw the troops, they will be blamed of creating genocide in Iraq, so they will send more forces.
In Vietnam war, the US should have kept sending more troops and bomb the hell of Viek Cong, Lon Nol will win and Cambodia would have never faced genocide.
But who am I to know about the secret inside Cambodia politics when she has so many enemies.
I still suspected like many whom I talked to, Lon Nol, Khieu Samphan, Hu Yun, Hu Nim.. may be Sihanouk's intelligent men whom he sent to carry this impossible mission, after he learned that Stalin and Mao directed Ho Chi Minh to take Cambodia and Laos.
Viek Cong and US watched Sihanouk and Lon Nol every move, because they were afraid they might be cheated.
I don't see the Khmer Rouge era as a bad thing. It was a long and overdue civil war waiting to happen.
The royal family and the French ignored Cambodia's need to educate her people. I have a hard time trying to communicate with Khmer elders because their thinking is so primitive. I look back in history. How can the government ignore this issue? Who was responsible?
whether Americans intervene or not. Cambodia needed a wake up call. If Cambodia had a strong government with high percentage of educated people. A civil war would not be necessary.
This is not a unique problem. It happens all over the world.
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