"Now that Samdech Sihanouk decided to go and pay homage to the Viet invaders, an unbecoming conduct of a Khmer Kshatrya, he should consider returning all previous titles given him by the office of the Monarchy back to the Kingdom, to include the “Varman” lineage title. He should travel to Vietnam as “Comrade Sihanouk” not as a former Khmer king, nor as a Khmer dignitary. The office of the Khmer Monarchy shall have no business pleasing, nor honoring the arch enemy of the Khmer. If he so desires he can go by his own means and methods not at our expense, with royal standard, parasol, nor with any minute symbol of the Monarchy that would give the enemy the impression that a Khmer King pays them tribute in the name of the Khmers. Better yet Comrade Sihanouk and his immediate entourage should consider getting themselves a one-way ticket on this trip."
Friday, June 18, 2010Op-Ed by Neay Krud'th
Before voicing his protest over His Majesty Former King Sihanouk Varman’s planned pilgrimage to the territory of Khmer’s arch enemy east of the border, this author would like to clarify two concepts which all Khmers must be able to distinguish ― the Persona of a King, and the Institution or the Office of the Monarchy.
To avoid head-on collision with our Khmer tradition namely the duty to uphold, honor, and faithfully protect and defend the office of the Khmer Monarchy, the author will stay away from this realm out of respect for the spirit of our ancestors who have made ultimate sacrifice throughout our history to ensure the perpetual existence of the Khmer Kingdom and the Monarchy which we all inherited. As much as he personally would rather see it go away, the author understands that it is not his call and would rather leave it to the Khmer people to decide.
The author would like to ask the readers to examine the old photograph above. On the right, two rows of Baku Purohita (Brahmins) are performing series of rituals during a royal ceremony (Water Festival/Bon Om Touk in this instance) at the royal pier on the Tonlé Chatumuk (in front of the Palace) as prescribed by the Vedas scripts of Brahmanism custom and tradition of the Khmer Royal Court handed down since ancient time. The water, the royal pier, and the Brahman priests represent the office of the Khmer Monarchy.
The person on the left is to occupy the office of the Monarchy and fulfill the role of a “Divine Kshatrya” (God King and Warrior) which in most cases for life, where he should live his life in accordance to the Brahmanism precepts of kingship. He is supposed to rule over the land with the guidance of the council of Brahmans and Buddhist scholars, to include organizing collective infrastructure and water work, mobilize the population for war of expansion and/or in defense of the kingdom against all enemies, maintain peace and prosperity, justice, law and order. Requirements of the job includes ruling with wisdom and to have dashing courage in time of war and be willing to make ultimate sacrifice for the sake of his kingdom and his subjects ahead of his army. This person is a Persona of the Monarchy who assumes the public role with lofty character, honesty, integrity and quality of a leader worthy of praise, inspiration and respect of all people, at home and abroad.
Unfortunately, after more than half a century of Samdech Sihanouk’s authoritarian rule and involments as king and as political figurehead, Khmers have seen disunity, internal strife, genocide, Communist Vietnam invasion, and utter misery. Many Khmer people woke up too late from his sweet lullaby of demagoguery to realize that the “King Father” has been nothing but a scam and a fraud. Patriots and courageous servants who dared oppose his warped ideology, especially his collusion with Communist Viets, have been viciously branded as “traitors” and brutally eliminated from the political scene. This man believes he owns the country and every single soul in it, that he was entitled to pawn the destiny of the Khmer as he pleases, without their consent. He has used and continues to use the office of the Monarchy to satisfy his egotistical excess despite of the terrible consequence on the lives of millions of ordinary Khmers. He has sold and resold the Khmer people down river to the Communist Viets many times over without the slightest regret, just to get even with his nemeses. His criminal record is as long as the Khmer Rouge clique and the Communist Viets themselves. He has been steadfastly sided with Communists and Khmer enemy for so many years. Now on top of the misery we Khmer have to endure, he is going to kick us in the chin by stamping his own seal of approval on the Viets’ long-term plan of keeping their choke-collar around our neck.
The author would like to ask the readers to look back in time to the old way in which our predecessors defined the office of the Monarchy and the Persona of a Kingship.
The Bayon bas-relief above illustrates the office of the Monarchy and the Persona of the King in action. The ancestors meant to tell us that when the Persona of the king properly discharge his duty within the spirit, precept and code of conduct of the office of the Monarchy, a dynamic power is created for the benefit of the state and its citizenry. Here the office of the Monarchy is represented by foot soldiers with shields and spears, cavalry of elephants, troops carrying multiple golden parasols, royal standard, military guidons, and battlefield signaling flags, accompanying the decorated war elephant driven by the courageous Mahout (elephant driver). The Persona of the Warrior King is battle-stationed on the elephant riding platform, bow and arrow drawn. Traditionally, Khmer king and his warriors crossed the enemy threshold not for paying homage, nor offer apology to the opponents, nor kiss -and-make-up, but strictly to inflict casualties and claim victory for the kingdom. Khmer warriors have not been known to be “diplomatic” when they follow their king into enemy territory. All eyes are on the two characters riding the office of the Monarchy elephant. The outcome of the battle depends on the experience, knowledge, judgment, decision and gallantry of the Mahout and the King as they both scan the battle landscape looking for the path-of-least-resistance to ram the elephant through, and breach the enemy frontline. Note that the Mahout is given a Java Rhinos horn (which was believed to possess magical power to deflect arrows and spear from a warrior’s body) headgear for his protection. As for the King himself no additional protection was needed ― he is “Divine” and is always protected by the various deities until his “time is up”. These two brave individuals must have had tremendous gut and nerves of steel to be aloft without much in a way of body protection just to be the center of gravity of the friendly combat formation. They lead the charge through raining salvos of arrow and spear faithfully fulfilling the duty and responsibility of King and warrior. Similar theme from the bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, bear many such powerful reminders for all Khmer descendents not to bow down in front of any aggressors.
Now that Samdech Sihanouk decided to go and pay homage to the Viet invaders, an unbecoming conduct of a Khmer Kshatrya, he should consider returning all previous titles given him by the office of the Monarchy back to the Kingdom, to include the “Varman” lineage title. He should travel to Vietnam as “Comrade Sihanouk” not as a former Khmer king, nor as a Khmer dignitary. The office of the Khmer Monarchy shall have no business pleasing, nor honoring the arch enemy of the Khmer. If he so desires he can go by his own means and methods not at our expense, with royal standard, parasol, nor with any minute symbol of the Monarchy that would give the enemy the impression that a Khmer King pays them tribute in the name of the Khmers. Better yet Comrade Sihanouk and his immediate entourage should consider getting themselves a one-way ticket on this trip.
To avoid head-on collision with our Khmer tradition namely the duty to uphold, honor, and faithfully protect and defend the office of the Khmer Monarchy, the author will stay away from this realm out of respect for the spirit of our ancestors who have made ultimate sacrifice throughout our history to ensure the perpetual existence of the Khmer Kingdom and the Monarchy which we all inherited. As much as he personally would rather see it go away, the author understands that it is not his call and would rather leave it to the Khmer people to decide.
The author would like to ask the readers to examine the old photograph above. On the right, two rows of Baku Purohita (Brahmins) are performing series of rituals during a royal ceremony (Water Festival/Bon Om Touk in this instance) at the royal pier on the Tonlé Chatumuk (in front of the Palace) as prescribed by the Vedas scripts of Brahmanism custom and tradition of the Khmer Royal Court handed down since ancient time. The water, the royal pier, and the Brahman priests represent the office of the Khmer Monarchy.
The person on the left is to occupy the office of the Monarchy and fulfill the role of a “Divine Kshatrya” (God King and Warrior) which in most cases for life, where he should live his life in accordance to the Brahmanism precepts of kingship. He is supposed to rule over the land with the guidance of the council of Brahmans and Buddhist scholars, to include organizing collective infrastructure and water work, mobilize the population for war of expansion and/or in defense of the kingdom against all enemies, maintain peace and prosperity, justice, law and order. Requirements of the job includes ruling with wisdom and to have dashing courage in time of war and be willing to make ultimate sacrifice for the sake of his kingdom and his subjects ahead of his army. This person is a Persona of the Monarchy who assumes the public role with lofty character, honesty, integrity and quality of a leader worthy of praise, inspiration and respect of all people, at home and abroad.
Unfortunately, after more than half a century of Samdech Sihanouk’s authoritarian rule and involments as king and as political figurehead, Khmers have seen disunity, internal strife, genocide, Communist Vietnam invasion, and utter misery. Many Khmer people woke up too late from his sweet lullaby of demagoguery to realize that the “King Father” has been nothing but a scam and a fraud. Patriots and courageous servants who dared oppose his warped ideology, especially his collusion with Communist Viets, have been viciously branded as “traitors” and brutally eliminated from the political scene. This man believes he owns the country and every single soul in it, that he was entitled to pawn the destiny of the Khmer as he pleases, without their consent. He has used and continues to use the office of the Monarchy to satisfy his egotistical excess despite of the terrible consequence on the lives of millions of ordinary Khmers. He has sold and resold the Khmer people down river to the Communist Viets many times over without the slightest regret, just to get even with his nemeses. His criminal record is as long as the Khmer Rouge clique and the Communist Viets themselves. He has been steadfastly sided with Communists and Khmer enemy for so many years. Now on top of the misery we Khmer have to endure, he is going to kick us in the chin by stamping his own seal of approval on the Viets’ long-term plan of keeping their choke-collar around our neck.
The author would like to ask the readers to look back in time to the old way in which our predecessors defined the office of the Monarchy and the Persona of a Kingship.
The Bayon bas-relief above illustrates the office of the Monarchy and the Persona of the King in action. The ancestors meant to tell us that when the Persona of the king properly discharge his duty within the spirit, precept and code of conduct of the office of the Monarchy, a dynamic power is created for the benefit of the state and its citizenry. Here the office of the Monarchy is represented by foot soldiers with shields and spears, cavalry of elephants, troops carrying multiple golden parasols, royal standard, military guidons, and battlefield signaling flags, accompanying the decorated war elephant driven by the courageous Mahout (elephant driver). The Persona of the Warrior King is battle-stationed on the elephant riding platform, bow and arrow drawn. Traditionally, Khmer king and his warriors crossed the enemy threshold not for paying homage, nor offer apology to the opponents, nor kiss -and-make-up, but strictly to inflict casualties and claim victory for the kingdom. Khmer warriors have not been known to be “diplomatic” when they follow their king into enemy territory. All eyes are on the two characters riding the office of the Monarchy elephant. The outcome of the battle depends on the experience, knowledge, judgment, decision and gallantry of the Mahout and the King as they both scan the battle landscape looking for the path-of-least-resistance to ram the elephant through, and breach the enemy frontline. Note that the Mahout is given a Java Rhinos horn (which was believed to possess magical power to deflect arrows and spear from a warrior’s body) headgear for his protection. As for the King himself no additional protection was needed ― he is “Divine” and is always protected by the various deities until his “time is up”. These two brave individuals must have had tremendous gut and nerves of steel to be aloft without much in a way of body protection just to be the center of gravity of the friendly combat formation. They lead the charge through raining salvos of arrow and spear faithfully fulfilling the duty and responsibility of King and warrior. Similar theme from the bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, bear many such powerful reminders for all Khmer descendents not to bow down in front of any aggressors.
Now that Samdech Sihanouk decided to go and pay homage to the Viet invaders, an unbecoming conduct of a Khmer Kshatrya, he should consider returning all previous titles given him by the office of the Monarchy back to the Kingdom, to include the “Varman” lineage title. He should travel to Vietnam as “Comrade Sihanouk” not as a former Khmer king, nor as a Khmer dignitary. The office of the Khmer Monarchy shall have no business pleasing, nor honoring the arch enemy of the Khmer. If he so desires he can go by his own means and methods not at our expense, with royal standard, parasol, nor with any minute symbol of the Monarchy that would give the enemy the impression that a Khmer King pays them tribute in the name of the Khmers. Better yet Comrade Sihanouk and his immediate entourage should consider getting themselves a one-way ticket on this trip.
16 comments:
I think you should consider all the events during and after the visit before Judging His Majesty.
Your comments are full of prejudices.
I think you should consider all the events during and after the visit before Judging His Majesty.
Your comments are full of prejudices.
GEEEE when is he going to go away for good? The whole nation has been collaped because of this one man. Khmer people will not be at peace until this old fart and all of his bloodline vanished from the end of this earth to repay of the 2-3 million innocent souls out their waiting for their right and justice. Wisdom
Don't be headache about him. He doesn't live in the earth for longer.
The dirt poor cambodian people still love and respect this king because they have no knowledge about this king. even khmer krom people they love the king so much and have been waiting for their whole lives to expect the visit of the king to their home town but it has never happened.
I would like to read king's supporters sensible comments, what else can they prove as not a sinful criminal king.
Smoothly please, Cambodia and Yeaknam are friend, we are next-door contry, our Sihanouk WAR MAN are looking for peace, not like he did in 1970, we should call our ex-king Sihanouk PEACE MAN now.
Long Live King Sihanouk !!!
A very good analysis on Comrade Xihanouk.Thanks.
This flip-flop king should help Khmer people while he still alive. Otherwise, he'll die disrespect fully.
Does he gives us any penny? I had fruits for breakfast on the way to farming. My lunch and dinner mostly fishes and insects every single day just to exchanged for rice. I don't give a damn about this Khmer ruined idiot.
King's visit to Viet shows two magnificent things: the prowess that King can use to confront the Viet, and the prostration and gratitude the King will tribute to the Viet.
Each of them has its cause and effect.
But in accordance to the letter from the so-called Office of the Monarchy as well as the leaning down towards Viet of Hun Sen government on behalf of the propaganda of maintaining friendship, comprehensive development, mutual understanding and lasting cooperation; the King will ultimately pay homage and gratitude to Viet leaders like recent visit of Leng Peng Long of Khmer NA as well as many other government leaders and dignitaries.
So, you wish to hear the good result after the King's visit? I am disappointed since the preparation of this visit. It is just a visit to a dominate state which all incumbent Khmer leaders have to maintain this tradition. You can count all those leaders numbering from Prime Minister Hun Sen, to Mam Som Orn of ministers cabinet, ministers of each ministries, assembly representatives, and many other incumbent dignitaries etc are aimed to bow down Viet's leaders in the prospect of tightening cooperation propaganda. After the current King Sihamuni's visit, former King Norodom Sihanouk will fully help this cooperation propaganda achievable.
The author of this article elegantly and wisely elaborated all aspects of the Monarchy's failure under the King Sihanouk enthronement. Reflecting from the bas-relief of Bayon and Angkor Wat to the present appearance of the King, we can perceive the gradual fading away of the Khmer Monarchy, its fame and institute.
Who has eliminated the Khmer monarchy? No one, but the King themselves; and King Sihanouk has to take accountable to this frailty.
How about the possible prowess that King Sihanouk should utilize to bargain with the Viet's leaders during his visit?
- First, Min Triet is the Viet's leader from the south, it is possible that the South and the King as well as the South and the US, still have common sympathy to each other. Recent reports have frequently affirmed the differences of the South and the North in handling with the influence of China. It confirmed about the possible strife of these two brothers. So how King Sihanouk can see the differences and utilize it wisely?
- King Sihanouk is a good friend of China's leaders. Will the King be able to utilize this prowess to bargain with the Viet's leaders? The King has to grasp his potential power to sit face to face with the Viet's leaders, not to act as an installed government messenger.
All these two are important for the King visit.
But if the King visit to Vietnam this coming week just an informal and personal visit like claimed, it is a frail of the King and the Monarchy Institute that have never realized the bad intention of the Viet's leaders hidden behind the word "friend", "cooperation" or "comprehensive development" etc.
Pay a visit to a state stages on two different perspectives: a tribute and a bilateral talk. But how King and other Cambodian leaders can pursue a bilateral talk if Cambodian counterpart has no collateral such as business investors or other essential contingents in Vietnam. If Cambodia cannot pursue that perspective like Vietnam has retained in Cambodia, all Cambodian's leader visits to Vietnam is just a tribute to supplement the prowess of Vietnam's hegemony over Cambodia as well as to totalizing an absolute installed government.
I am appreciate with Neary Krud for her open-minded and scholarly essay.
Regards,
KY
i think khmer people are beginning to voice discontent with the retired king's prerogative. i hope the retired king listen to all sides and perhaps explain to the people in order to avoid misunderstanding, etc... i think monarch, whether retired or active is the property of the country, therefore, they will be seen in public, and scrutinize by the public, etc, etc...
THE KING IS THEFT!
aH THEUMEKO NEVER SAY THR THRUE!
-THIS IS HIS LAST WISH B4 HE DIE THAT HE NEEDS TO BOW DOWN TO THE HO HO COMRADE 1 LAST CHANCE/TIME....!
-LET'S LIBERATE THE KHMER KROM (21 PROVINCES/MANY ISLANDS)!!! JAYO=BRAVO KHMER PEOPLE!! DOWN AH CROC SLAVE!!
Dies soon Pouk ah bamplanh cheat.
Dies soon Pouk ah banghenn cheat.
Last time they opened the door for youns to come in and now they close their eyes and ears . Let them walk over Khmers. They are happy and laughing poor Khmers who no place to stay and this is what they say they do things fo Khmer.Wake up khmer. You have to open eyes and ears.
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