In 1962, Prince Sihanouk wrote: "Whether he is called Gia Long, Ho Chi Minh, or Ngo Dinh Diem, no (Vietnamese) will sleep soundly until he succeeds in pushing the Khmer toward annihilation, after having made them go through the stage of slavery."
Pol Pot and his French-trained Marxists handed Cambodia to Vietnam. Then Heng Samrin and company agreed to a Vietnamized Cambodia. Now the King has ratified it.
March 10, 2010By A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Pacific Daily News (Guam)
My apologies. It's impossible to answer all e-mails on or related to any week's topic. But be assured that I read every one and even retrieve some that my ISP sends to a spam folder. My answers will sooner or later find their way to my columns.
To some who urge that I translate my writing into Khmer, I respond that God never meant a day to exceed 24 hours. Can't someone translate them?
A few days ago, the Hun Sen military test-fired 100 miles from the disputed border with Thailand, some 200 Russian-made Katyusha rockets, a Stalin-era weapon known today as BM21. A bank of 40 launch tubes mounted on a truck can fire in 20 seconds, with a range of about 20 miles and more.
Sen's military spokesman said the test was to strengthen Cambodia's abilities for "national defense against invaders." The test firing helped keep people intimidated and Sen in power.
Did it sidetrack the issue of Vietnamization of Cambodia? It seems only retired Johns Hopkins professor Naranhkiri Tith keeps a focus on the issue on his Web site. http://cambodiana.org/default.aspx. His proposed "roadmap," is a path he describes as "necessary but not sufficient," to save the Cambodian people.
His schematic should have been translated into Khmer long ago, because, if I rephrase a common saying to relate to Tith: "I know that you believe you understand what you think Tith said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what he meant."
A reader e-mailed me George Santayana's quote -- "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it" -- but I am reminded of Karl Marx's, "History does nothing; it does not possess immense riches, it does not fight battles. It is men, real, living, who do all this." I like Thomas Jefferson's "I like dreams of the future better than the history of the past" and American poet and champion of individualism Ralph Waldo Emerson, who said, "Make the most of yourself for that is all there is of you."
Today, let me examine the 25-year "Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation" that effectively integrated Cambodia into a greater Vietnam.
As people educated in the culture of Confucianism, Vietnamese leaders' actions are, generally, carefully thought-out and calculated to maximize Vietnam's interests. They know what they want, what their national interests are and they move methodically to attain them.
Unfortunately for Khmers and their country, King Sihamoni, son of King Father Sihanouk, signed the supplements to the treaty, giving Vietnamese full access to colonize and Vietnamize Cambodia. The treaty cites "the traditions of Vietnam-Kampuchea militant solidarity and fraternal friendship."
Recall the Vietnamese revolutionary activities in Cambodia, described in my earlier column: Among them, in 1949, Hanoi's Canvassing Committee created the Revolutionary Kampuchean People's Party and, in 1950, Hanoi created the Kampuchean People's Liberation Army. That was the near 30 years of "great revolutionary gains" for Cambodia?
In its preamble, the treaty cites the "closely interrelated" independence, freedom, peace and security of Vietnam and Cambodia -- what affects one affects the other -- and that both countries are "duty-bound to help each other wholeheartedly and with all their might" safeguard and consolidate the products of their "revolution." It cites both countries' "militant solidarity" and "long-term and all-round cooperation and friendship" as representing their "vital interests."
In the treaty's first three articles, the Cambodians hand Ho Chi Minh the goal he had dreamed about.
In Article 1, the two countries pledge to "do all they can" to maintain their "traditions of militant solidarity" and to develop "mutual trust and assistance in all fields." In Article 2, they pledge to "wholeheartedly support and assist each other in all domains and in all necessary forms," as well as to take "effective measures to implement this commitment whenever one of them requires."
Cambodian leader Hun Sen can "require" Vietnamese intervention and Sen will be assisted "in all domains and in all necessary forms," and vice versa.
In Article 3, both countries pledge "mutual fraternal exchanges and cooperation" and mutual assistance in the economic, cultural, educational, public health, scientific, and technological fields, as well as the training of cadres and the exchange of "specialists and experience in all fields of national construction."
Article 4 stipulates a border agreement based on the "present border line." In Article 5, both parties pledge a "long-standing tradition of militant solidarity and fraternal friendship" to which they "attach great importance." Article 6 requires that the parties "frequently exchange views" on all questions concerning both countries' relationships and on "international matters of mutual interest." Articles 7, 8, 9, speak of the right and obligation of each party to any bilateral and multilateral agreements.
The treaty opens the door for Vietnam to operate in Cambodia. For example, Vietnam always has been short of food, and Cambodia is historically rich in fertile land and fish and natural resources.
In 1962, Prince Sihanouk wrote: "Whether he is called Gia Long, Ho Chi Minh, or Ngo Dinh Diem, no (Vietnamese) will sleep soundly until he succeeds in pushing the Khmer toward annihilation, after having made them go through the stage of slavery."
Pol Pot and his French-trained Marxists handed Cambodia to Vietnam. Then Heng Samrin and company agreed to a Vietnamized Cambodia. Now the King has ratified it.
Why blame the Vietnamese for expansionism when Khmers have acquiesced to it?
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.
To some who urge that I translate my writing into Khmer, I respond that God never meant a day to exceed 24 hours. Can't someone translate them?
A few days ago, the Hun Sen military test-fired 100 miles from the disputed border with Thailand, some 200 Russian-made Katyusha rockets, a Stalin-era weapon known today as BM21. A bank of 40 launch tubes mounted on a truck can fire in 20 seconds, with a range of about 20 miles and more.
Sen's military spokesman said the test was to strengthen Cambodia's abilities for "national defense against invaders." The test firing helped keep people intimidated and Sen in power.
Did it sidetrack the issue of Vietnamization of Cambodia? It seems only retired Johns Hopkins professor Naranhkiri Tith keeps a focus on the issue on his Web site. http://cambodiana.org/default.aspx. His proposed "roadmap," is a path he describes as "necessary but not sufficient," to save the Cambodian people.
His schematic should have been translated into Khmer long ago, because, if I rephrase a common saying to relate to Tith: "I know that you believe you understand what you think Tith said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what he meant."
A reader e-mailed me George Santayana's quote -- "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it" -- but I am reminded of Karl Marx's, "History does nothing; it does not possess immense riches, it does not fight battles. It is men, real, living, who do all this." I like Thomas Jefferson's "I like dreams of the future better than the history of the past" and American poet and champion of individualism Ralph Waldo Emerson, who said, "Make the most of yourself for that is all there is of you."
Today, let me examine the 25-year "Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation" that effectively integrated Cambodia into a greater Vietnam.
As people educated in the culture of Confucianism, Vietnamese leaders' actions are, generally, carefully thought-out and calculated to maximize Vietnam's interests. They know what they want, what their national interests are and they move methodically to attain them.
Unfortunately for Khmers and their country, King Sihamoni, son of King Father Sihanouk, signed the supplements to the treaty, giving Vietnamese full access to colonize and Vietnamize Cambodia. The treaty cites "the traditions of Vietnam-Kampuchea militant solidarity and fraternal friendship."
Recall the Vietnamese revolutionary activities in Cambodia, described in my earlier column: Among them, in 1949, Hanoi's Canvassing Committee created the Revolutionary Kampuchean People's Party and, in 1950, Hanoi created the Kampuchean People's Liberation Army. That was the near 30 years of "great revolutionary gains" for Cambodia?
In its preamble, the treaty cites the "closely interrelated" independence, freedom, peace and security of Vietnam and Cambodia -- what affects one affects the other -- and that both countries are "duty-bound to help each other wholeheartedly and with all their might" safeguard and consolidate the products of their "revolution." It cites both countries' "militant solidarity" and "long-term and all-round cooperation and friendship" as representing their "vital interests."
In the treaty's first three articles, the Cambodians hand Ho Chi Minh the goal he had dreamed about.
In Article 1, the two countries pledge to "do all they can" to maintain their "traditions of militant solidarity" and to develop "mutual trust and assistance in all fields." In Article 2, they pledge to "wholeheartedly support and assist each other in all domains and in all necessary forms," as well as to take "effective measures to implement this commitment whenever one of them requires."
Cambodian leader Hun Sen can "require" Vietnamese intervention and Sen will be assisted "in all domains and in all necessary forms," and vice versa.
In Article 3, both countries pledge "mutual fraternal exchanges and cooperation" and mutual assistance in the economic, cultural, educational, public health, scientific, and technological fields, as well as the training of cadres and the exchange of "specialists and experience in all fields of national construction."
Article 4 stipulates a border agreement based on the "present border line." In Article 5, both parties pledge a "long-standing tradition of militant solidarity and fraternal friendship" to which they "attach great importance." Article 6 requires that the parties "frequently exchange views" on all questions concerning both countries' relationships and on "international matters of mutual interest." Articles 7, 8, 9, speak of the right and obligation of each party to any bilateral and multilateral agreements.
The treaty opens the door for Vietnam to operate in Cambodia. For example, Vietnam always has been short of food, and Cambodia is historically rich in fertile land and fish and natural resources.
In 1962, Prince Sihanouk wrote: "Whether he is called Gia Long, Ho Chi Minh, or Ngo Dinh Diem, no (Vietnamese) will sleep soundly until he succeeds in pushing the Khmer toward annihilation, after having made them go through the stage of slavery."
Pol Pot and his French-trained Marxists handed Cambodia to Vietnam. Then Heng Samrin and company agreed to a Vietnamized Cambodia. Now the King has ratified it.
Why blame the Vietnamese for expansionism when Khmers have acquiesced to it?
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.
20 comments:
Doc, you are have gracefully placed that hammer right on the nail's head. This new king, he is a king of no kingdom. If I see him, I would begged a question of his residency during his stays in California. Sihanouk handed Srok Khmer to the Vietnamese once he betrayed Son Sann. But he was successful in preserving his family name.
Old King Sihanouk and new King Sihanouk should be slauter! They don't deserve to die naturally...
Here is the translation.
អ្ហែងចង់ហៅអញថា ស្ដេចយ៉ាឡុង ឬ ហូ ជី មិញ ឬក័ ង៉ោ ឌិន យីម ក័ហៅទៅចុះ ពោលគឺគ្មានយួនណាម្នាក់ដេកលក់ស្កប់ស្កល់ទេ នៅពេលដែលអញមិនទាន់បានសម្រេចក្នុងការរំលាយអាខ្មែរឲ្យអស់ ។កំរិតទីមួយ គឺធ្វើឲ្យវាក្លាយជាខ្ញុំកញ្ជះគេសិន ។
Can you write in your next columns to explain why every Khmer leaders are soo stupid to serve neighbors interest and make his own blood citizen in to a difficulties?
For better or worse, Dr. Peang Meth you speak the truth about Cambodia's past and present. King father Sihanouk has been using a losing political strategy all his life, which directly contributed to the death of nearly 2 million khmers. His son, although highly educated, is following his father's footstep. There is an old adage that says "an apple does not fall far from its branches". The current khmer king is nothing more than a rubber stamp king; He and his father lack the warrior spirit of past khmer kings who defended khmer territory at all cost.
4:31AM that why we need not have leader but demoncracy! But Ah Kween Ranarith and ah Kwack Hun Xen just want to be PM for life
Dear dr peang meth
so good to have you on earth shedding light on dark history of Cambodia and light for the Kwak. Please continue posting and your knowledge. Cambodia needs people like you.
It seems that the corrupt Hun Sen will be in power until he dies, since the people who oppose him seem to be even worse retards who insist using the term "yuon" all the time and tell fiction stories about Vietnam eating Cambodia.
Such nationalism was in fashion elsewhere in the 19th century and early 20th century.
How long will it take for you to finally make it to the 21th century?
Is it because KR killed all the intelligentsia and now there are only you ultranationalist retards left in Cambodia? Or what's wrong with you?
Is the political development really so retarded in Cambodia that there are no other people opposing Hun Sen. Just you "yuon"-shouting fanatics, who live in your own fairytale world where the Vietnamese are still occupying Cambodia and so on. All the successful countries are cooperating with their neighbors nowadays. You just are still living mentally in the 19th century. No wonder the Vietnamese are doing better also in global economy since they don't waste their time for such nonsense like blaming their neighbors for everything.
Good job! Just keep on shouting "yuon" and telling fairytales about Vietnamization of Cambodia. That way your srok khmae will be always a poor third world backwater.
According to Norodom Sihanouk quote, he understood Vietnam ploy to ensnare the Khmer political heads. Since the others fought against him, didn't he succumb to the wishes of the triumph? I mean I read a positive statement here if I'm not mistaken that others are so quick to execute him with their words.
I'm making aliyah to Israel. Up to Zion!
4:21 AM, I don't know whether you misunderstood Sihanouk's quote or whether it is your intention to mislead, your translation is absolutely wrong. Your translation reads " Whether you want to call me King Gia Long or Ho Chi Minh or Ngo Dinh Diem is up to you, ie. no Vietnamese can sleep soundly when I have not destroy (kill off) the Khmer people yet. The first level (stage) is to make them become others' slaves first".
This translation is absolutely wrong!
When Sihanouk said "whether he..." he refers to all the Vietnamese leaders, not himself.
Either this quot is true or false, we don't believe Sihanouk or Pol Pot would think like that. But Hun Sen and Heng Samrin would think like this based on their current policy.
Mr. 5:37
It does not matter which century you bring Youn government to, they will still hold the same ambition - to swallow Cambodia and subjugate her to political control. It is obviously done already in every way, politically and economically. This is not a matter of "super" or "ultra-nationalism" like the Preah Vihear drum that Mr. Hun Sen is beating. This is a matter of fact daily life experience that we go through everyday inside Kampuchea.
Whether you "objective" and "non-bias" individual have eyes to see it or shut it to the dark, it still does not change these events.
Khmers are arrested, sent to Vietnam for prosecution, Khmers are denied Khmer citizenships, Khmers are forced out of their land for Vietnam concessions, Khmers are arrested for demanding their land rights against Vietnam encroachment etc. What do these things represent to you? Certainly these are not mere "dreams" or fantasy of some out-of-fashion people, these are highlights of a 21th century form of colonialism that was supposed to go out of fashion a century ago.
It is obvious you are not Khmer so you would not know anything about these events affecting Cambodia/Vietnam relations. Because you're too focused on being or appearing the third party "unprejudice" "unbiased" or "no-color" seeing whatever your believe to make you feel "highly educated" and progressive.
If you have no positive contribution, do not contribute to the demise of any other people and nation simply because you have become a "sensitive" "peace loving" politically correct feel-good humanities man.
Sincerely,
Sai
5:37
YOu could be one of the three or two!
1. You are a Yuon!
2. If you are Khmer, then, it must only in body but not in your mind and heart!
3. Ignorant of real world events and happenings!
Please stop your Viet propaganda. KI readers are much too smart to be fooled by your Viet Communist tongue! Wake up and see the realities that exist in Cambodia. Please look at Khmer history, and you will see that the Viet have always resorted to Machiavellian tactics against their neighbors to achieve their goals. How can any country try to get along with a country that is only good at plotting and scheming against you and ready to stab you in the back at any given point! Get out of your fantasy, dreamland, Vietnam is a venomous snake, ready to bite Cambodia and suck it's blood dry. Please do some reading, research on our country and reflect on all the facts, and if you still are drawing the same conclusion, then you are helpless!
5:37
You see White, when it is actually Black!
Sai and 11:35,
Thank you for schooling this clueless 5:37. This person is completely out of touch with what has happened in Cambodia and the present day Vietnamization of Cambodia. This individual has no clue or idea of the struggles that Cambodia has faced for centuries, after Dai Viet freed itself from Chinese bondage and started their Southern expansion into Champa and Cambodia. I bet you this guy has no clue about Kampuchea Krom and the plight of Khmer Krom under the colonization of Vietnam! I'm one of the most liberal and peace loving person, but how do you make friends with someone who has murdered your people, stolen you land and resources and they have no regrets or remorse and they continue to do so...present day!
5:37
YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,YUON, YUON, YUON,...
that was the ex-king's opinion. we, young generation, have opinions, too. i think nothing is absolute anymore. it may be true once upon a time in the dark age era, however, it is unimagineable in the modern world of international law, etc... yes, there is no such thing as absolute anymore, really. cambodia and the world is way too advance beyond the stone age into the space age, eventually. it's good to quote the past, though, but remember it could be improven wrong due to changes, better education, better opportunity, and so on and so forth. god bless cambodia and all our beautiful khmer people and citizens.
Keep wearing our clothes, speaking our language and practice our religion. That is all we can do right now.
How do you think Thaksin can set his feet in Cambodia? Hun Sen must have Vietnam as his back bone to be able to cat fight with Abhisit and loud mouth with the rest Asean world. wouldn't you think? Thailand hate Sihanouk in 1962 the same they're doing now and worse with Hun Sen today. Cambodia just never meant to be Thailand and that is very sad. The norm should be the other way around. Loas was the first to be fooled by vietnam. Now it's us. The only way to change, is to vote for The Sam Rainsey party. It's the only hope and the right party for Cambodia.
You nationalists are simply ridiculous.
If "yuons" have been eating Cambodia for ages, it seems to be really slow eating them. :-D
You apparently believe in all the urban legends of khmers being treated in a racist manner by Vietnamese.
There are almost 15 million people in Cambodia. If can you find some individuals who have been treated badly by the "yuons", it does not represent any kind of larger phenomenon. If an Italian is arrested in Spain, are the Spanish eating Italy?
No credible evidence has been presented yet about the "Vietnamese enroachment". Just some hearsay and Rainsy's obscure maps. No neutral organization has confirmed any of them.
It is true, someone might have moved some border posts from the Vietnamese side (Rainsy moved them, too). It doesn't mean that there are any big plans of the "yuon race" to annihilate the khmer race.
By the way: Have you ever heard of any real international organization taking your mumbo-jumbo (about Vietnamese plans to eat Cambodia) seriously? I mean after the Cold War.... And any Son Soubert's buddhist research propaganda institutes don't count.
You see! No-one takes you seriously!
But it's not my business. Just feel free to go on shouting "yuon" and telling fairytales about "yuon plans to eat srok Khmae". You've got nothing to lose. The world is already laughing at you.
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime
Members:
Pol Pot
Nuon Chea
Ieng Sary
Ta Mok
Khieu Samphan
Son Sen
Ieng Thearith
Kaing Kek Iev
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...
Committed:
Tortures
Brutality
Executions
Massacres
Mass Murder
Genocide
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Slavery
Force Labour
Overwork to Death
Human Abuses
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime
Members:
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...
Committed:
Attempted Murders
Attempted Murder on Chea Vichea
Attempted Assassinations
Attempted Assassination on Sam Rainsy
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Assassinated over 80 members of Sam Rainsy Party.
"But as of today, over eighty members of my party have been assassinated. Countless others have been injured, arrested, jailed, or forced to go into hiding or into exile."
Sam Rainsy LIC 31 October 2009 - Cairo, Egypt
Executions
Executed over 100 members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered 3 Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Journalists
Murdered Khim Sambo
Murdered Khim Sambo's son
Murdered members of Sam Rainsy Party.
Murdered activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Murdered Innocent Men
Murdered Innocent Women
Murdered Innocent Children
Killed Innocent Khmer Peoples.
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Brutalities
Police Brutality Against Monks
Police Brutality Against Evictees
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Abuses
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Embezzlement
Treason
Border Encroachment, allow Vietnam to encroaching into Cambodia.
Signed away our territories to Vietnam; Koh Tral, almost half of our ocean territory oil field and others.
Illegal Arrest
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation bomb on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.
Lightning strike many airplanes, but did not fall from the sky. Lightning strike out side of airplane and discharge electricity to ground.
Source: Lightning, Discovery Channel
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Removed Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country.
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Use Dead people's names to vote for Cambodian People's Party.
Disqualified potential Sam Rainsy Party's voters.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Death in custody.
Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leaders of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.
Post a Comment