02 March 2008
By Lim Pisith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
The representative of the NRP from Banteay Meanchey province and a number of local people have reacted to the erasing of the name of Prince Ranariddh from a high school located in O’Ambil commune. They said that this action was intended to restrict the right of royal family members from participating in politics, and also to eliminate the truth from history.
Moeun Sarat, the NRP executive director from Banteay Meanchey, reacted to this erasing by saying that: “It was their idea, now the sign is showing up, their sign, they erased the name of Prince Norodom Ranariddh – the son of Samdech Norodom Sihanouk, the (former) king who always remains in the mind of all successive Cambodian children.”
Several families living in O’Ambil village, Serey Sophorn district, Banteay Meanchey province, showed their displeasure about the erasing of the prince’s name by saying: “For the people living here, nobody want to erase (the prince’s name) at all. We demand that the prince’s name be restored back.”
Cheam Soth, principal of the O’Ambil high school, said that the erasing of the prince’s name from the high school, was done according to the request of the people, and also, to ease in contacting donors to request for assistance in building other parts of the school also.
Cheam Soth said: “Don’t misunderstand that there was any political aim, I am not a politician. Teachers do not know anything about politics, but we did it based on the request of the people.”
Cheam Soth added that the high school plans to change its name to O’Ambil High School instead.
Chea Se, the deputy secretary of state of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) who is in charge of building schools and naming them in Cambodia, said that the name change or the naming of each school must be accompanied by a directive from MoEYS. He said: “However, for this school, we didn’t hear anything about the issue of name change.”
Dr. Hang Puthea, Nicfec director, noted that: “I believe that this issue is political, they are pushing each others back and forth. A Cambodian proverb states: “The winner becomes the king, the loser becomes the thief.” Therefore, I believe that some are inclined towards those who won forcefully. If there was a request made by the local people, for sure, it would be recognized by MoEYS.”
The Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh O’Ambil High School was built with the (financial) support provided by Oknha Mam Soth in 1994, at a time when Duong Khem, the provincial governor, was a Funcinpec party member, and when Prince Ranariddh was still the No. 1 prime minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia.
Moeun Sarat, the NRP executive director from Banteay Meanchey, reacted to this erasing by saying that: “It was their idea, now the sign is showing up, their sign, they erased the name of Prince Norodom Ranariddh – the son of Samdech Norodom Sihanouk, the (former) king who always remains in the mind of all successive Cambodian children.”
Several families living in O’Ambil village, Serey Sophorn district, Banteay Meanchey province, showed their displeasure about the erasing of the prince’s name by saying: “For the people living here, nobody want to erase (the prince’s name) at all. We demand that the prince’s name be restored back.”
Cheam Soth, principal of the O’Ambil high school, said that the erasing of the prince’s name from the high school, was done according to the request of the people, and also, to ease in contacting donors to request for assistance in building other parts of the school also.
Cheam Soth said: “Don’t misunderstand that there was any political aim, I am not a politician. Teachers do not know anything about politics, but we did it based on the request of the people.”
Cheam Soth added that the high school plans to change its name to O’Ambil High School instead.
Chea Se, the deputy secretary of state of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) who is in charge of building schools and naming them in Cambodia, said that the name change or the naming of each school must be accompanied by a directive from MoEYS. He said: “However, for this school, we didn’t hear anything about the issue of name change.”
Dr. Hang Puthea, Nicfec director, noted that: “I believe that this issue is political, they are pushing each others back and forth. A Cambodian proverb states: “The winner becomes the king, the loser becomes the thief.” Therefore, I believe that some are inclined towards those who won forcefully. If there was a request made by the local people, for sure, it would be recognized by MoEYS.”
The Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh O’Ambil High School was built with the (financial) support provided by Oknha Mam Soth in 1994, at a time when Duong Khem, the provincial governor, was a Funcinpec party member, and when Prince Ranariddh was still the No. 1 prime minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia.
12 comments:
Should erase all even hun sen names. why should it be everywhere?
Shit!
It's the rule of gangsters' society.
Hey People have the right to remove anything they don't like in their property.
This is a good lesson for Hun Sen. Should someone do research how many places and public property that inscribed Hun Sen name in there?
It should be fun to compile a book.
Let see even though prince or king, the names can be removed, so how about just an ordinary dictator?
KY
Well, when you got it, you got it!
People just love Hun Sen. What can I say?
The change of that school's name confirms yet again the truthfulness of the Buddha's law of impermanence (anicca).
Many people, especially living politicians, still have delusion (moha) and believe that their names and statues, when adopted and erected, will be there for ever until the end of time.
How many and how often streets public builings, statues of politicians, towns or countries have changed names in Cambodia and in the world? How many statues have been demolished?
Names and statues can be more permanent if they are dedicated to dead people whom the society or the nation (not just a group of people) believes, when alive, had tremendously contributed to its wellbeing in an honest way.
Samdech Chuon Nath's and Kram Ngoy's statues recently erected in Phnom Penh will probably last for ever when Cambodian society has recognised their respective great contribution its religion, language, literature, religion and morality.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Well Said Dr. Lao. I am very proud of my great uncle Samdech Choun Nath's achievements,and hope,in the near future,I have an opportunity following his footsteps to serve my beloved-motherland. Hope to see you there in Cambodia Dr. Lao.
CPA from California
Okay, just remember to follow Samdech Choun Nath's foot-steps, not George Washingtong's foot step.
I have my shit named after Hun Xen every morning!
It down the drain afterward!
i think many khmer rural people need to get acclimated to the a lot of new idea and concepts that cambodia as a whole is starting to experience now. many poor, uneducated people there tend to believe that leadership are inborn or innate, a leader is passed down from parents to children, etc. not so true anymore nowaday, it seems like anybody can become a leader if they are capable and both cambodian and world savvy can do it. please get adjusted to the new way of democracy in cambodia. can do this by help to educate the people who seem to be left behind in the dark. please, everyone can help to enlighten people in cambodia. stop dependin too much on a leader, get involved and self each other as well. everyone has a task to better the country.
3:10AM educate yourself they can be priminister, president or what ever you call they are no leader in democracy they just representator and servance to the public!
They should not rule but serve the country!
Read me AH Kwack?
We are doing it; we don't have to read it.
Post a Comment