Dear All:
HM King Sisowat's Letter of 5 November 1906 (attached) regarding the provinces of Soren (Surin), Kuckkan (Sisaket), Sangkae (Sangka), Nokoreach sema, Chantaburi, Paknam etc. The King demanded that they be returned to Cambodia.
(Courtesy: International Court to Justice, 1962a, Case Concerning the Temple of Preah Vihear. Pleadings, oral arguments, documents. The Hague)
Yours, Bora
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| King Sisowath |
Unoficial translation
Letter from the King of Cambodia, H.M. Sisowath,
to the French Colonial Governor in Cambodia
(5 November 1906)
to the French Colonial Governor in Cambodia
(5 November 1906)
Kingdom of Cambodia
No. 205
Office of the King
H.M. Preah Bat Samdech Preah SISOWATH Cham-Chakrapong Hakrireach Barminthor Phuvanay Kraykeofa Soulalay Preah Chao Krong Kampuchea Thippadey, King of Cambodia
H.M. Preah Bat Samdech Preah SISOWATH Cham-Chakrapong Hakrireach Barminthor Phuvanay Kraykeofa Soulalay Preah Chao Krong Kampuchea Thippadey, King of Cambodia
To the Governor of the French Republic in Cambodia,
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Mr. Governor,
At a time when France, our benefactor, is busy with the delimitation of the border of Cambodia with the former Cambodian provinces abducted by Siam, I believe that it is my duty to send you the following observations and reservations, and I am also asking you to please let these be known, at an opportune time, to the delimitation Commission which will start its works and submit them to the Government of the (French) Republic. My delegates within this Commission are also in charge of supporting the same demands in front of the Commission.
1- In reality and incontestably, the cession to Siam by France of the former Khmer provinces which have just been re-attached to Cambodia – such as Stung Treng, Tonle Ropov, M'lou Prey, Krat and Koh Kong – cannot provide legitimate satisfaction to Cambodians given the circumstances in which the Siamese occupied these territories by force and by hypocrisy during the time when Cambodia was at the mercy of Annam (Vietnam) and Siam. By returning back these provinces (to Cambodia), the Siamese are only divesting what they took and detained against all rights of the people [of Cambodia], and that they do not want to keep them much longer because the lack of importance of these districts cannot compensate their costs of their exploitation, administration and maintenance.
2- We insist on the former natural limits of the Khmer Kingdom which, prior to the Siamese invasion, included on Siam's side the provinces of Battambang, Siem Reap, Stung Treng, Tonle Ropov, M'lou Prey, Kuckhan [currently known as Sisaket], Prey Sar, Soren [Surin], Sankeac [Sangka], Neang Rong, Nokoreach Seima (Korat), beyond the Phnom Dangrek Mountain, Koh Kong, Krat and Chantabor (Chantaboun [Chantaburi]) touching upon Bacnam and the Kingdom of Champassac (Passac).
All these provinces are still populated by Cambodians and they preserve their absolute Khmer patriotism.
3- The richest provinces of Cambodia are precisely Battambang and Siem Reap; in the latter province, (temple) ruins of our Kingdom old powerful capital still subsist, they are shining proof of the magnificence of our ancestors. These two provinces, just like the others, were never given to Siam by any of my predecessors, and our claims in view of their return back to Cambodia have never ceased and will never cease as long as we do not receive satisfaction in this regard. Our past numerous claims are testimonials to this effect.
Independently to all historical justifications which confirm our rights on these two provinces, the 15 July 1867 Treaty concluded between France and Siam mentioned that the December 1863 Treaty, allegedly concluded between the Kingdoms of Cambodia and Siam, was annulled and that Siam renounces forever all vassalage from the part of Cambodia. Therefore, this clause completely disengaged Siam from the Khmer Kingdom, which, by this treaty, should recover all her territorial integrity, and if the then-French diplomats – through Article 4 of this same 15 July 1867 treaty – consented, without consulting the Cambodian Government or the Cochinchina Governor, that the provinces of Battambang and Siem Reap remained with Siam, they were absolutely being cheated by the Siamese in their persuasion of the existence of an alleged treaty unknown to the Cambodians, and within Siam's rights and value of these territories. I am adding, that to my knowledge, this alleged treaty concluded on December 1863 between Cambodia and Siam never regularly existed and that it is only fair to provide us with satisfaction. In fact, in spite of our profound and sincere gratitude towards the protectorate Government, we cannot prevent ourselves from wondering whether such diplomatic action to get rid of our assets, behind our back and without our consent, could last.
In all cases and irrespective of the results of the works [accomplished] by the current Commission, and the ulterior diplomatic actions regarding our borders with Siam, not including the cession by Cambodia of her valuable provinces of Battambang and Siem Reap – along with all its dependences –, we are asking to reserve forever, for us and all our successors, the right to prevail our demands until full justice and satisfaction are given to us.
These are, Mr. Governor, the observations and the reservations that I make it as my duty to send to you, while assuring you that they perfectly represent the unanimous feelings of my Government and those of my people. Beyond our strong attachment to these provinces – the irregular detention of which is a real heartache for all the Cambodian people – you are aware of all the difficulties resulting from this detention that our neighbors are continuously creating through the encroachments of our territory, the robberies, the plundering actions and the daily crimes committed in our country by perpetrators who can easily find refuge on their side where they remained unpunished. These acts are actually taking place as they have been proven by the reports from your [French provincial] Governors and our provincial Governors. I believe that this situation which is absolutely prejudicial to all public security principle will become worst as long as the provinces of Battambang and Siem Reap, the most contiguous ones to Cambodia, are not returned to us.
Please accept, Mr. Governor, the assurance of my highest regards.
Done in our Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on Monday, the 4th day of the waning moon of the 2nd month of the Cholasakrach 1268, of the year of the Momi (Horse) Atthasak, the third of the reign, i.e. the 5th of November 1906 of the Christian calendar.
(Signed): Sisowath
Copy: The Cabinet Chief
(Signed) Unreadable
8 comments:
Why do Kos Trol, sea and lands proximately over 10 000 km2 have been lost to Vietnam by who treaty? Why don’t Cambodia goverment transparencies explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 and what's about over 10 000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Kos Trol, Sea and lands over 10 000km2 have been lost to Vietnam by who treaty at 1979 to 1985 treaty! Treaty! Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protect a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group rather in the real name of protecting Khmer nation?
Cambodian army at front line suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition, their families have no health care help, no securities after they die but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning with young girls message, have super health care from oversea medical treatment, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make Cambodian people suffer everyday as Cambodian people know already.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that result lost over 10 000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why don't they transparency inform all Cambodian and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't include Kos Trol (Kos Trol size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen with heap of great natural resources) in education system in Cambodia.
Look at Hun Sen families, relatives; friends are billionaires, millionaires where do they get the money from if we all just get out of war with empty hands? Hun Sen always say in his speech Cambodia just get up from war, just get up from Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% innocent Cambodian people are so poor struggling with living every day.
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
thank you counselor bora. khmer should/must try to maintain what khmer have right now - khmer are hanging by a thread.
To: 9:59AM
I am with you! Why Hun Sen remains so quiet about Koh Trol?
Koh Trol is bigger than Singapore! Koh Trol has much more potential for tourism than Koh Pich, Koh Pos, and Koh Sess...
If Hun Sen is so serious about tourism and Koh Trol is the next destination! Koh Trol must be returned back to Cambodia!!!!!
Sisowath just puppet king for the Frence colonial government who used him to act everything for Frence Indochina.
Viva Cambodge jayo jayo jayo
beginning to think that Rattana Keo is not Khmer smart girl at. psydo sex and name.may not even a khmer. don't she keep repeating the same statement. unless she wants to propagandize conflict and anti-Vietnamese sentiment.
Who is she working for?
សូមកោតសរសើរព្រះមហាក្សត្រខ្មែរ(ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ) ដែលទ្រង់សរសេរសំបុត្របញ្ជាក់ពីគោលជំហររបស់ជាតិ ដែលសូមរក្សាសិទ្ធិទាមទារយកខែត្រ មួយចំនួនតាមដែលរៀបរាប់ទុកក្នុងព្រះរាជ លិខិតពីប្រទេសថៃវិញ ហេតុដូច្នេះដើម្បីបន្តវេន ពីព្រះអង្គ កូនខ្មែរទាំងអស់គប្បីបន្តទាមទារ យកខែត្រទាំងនោះមកវិញ តាមរយៈផែនទីដែលបារាំង បានធ្វើទុកឲ្យដោយ ប្រើផែនទីខ្នាត 1:500000
សូមឲ្យព្រះមហាក្សត្រខ្មែរបច្ចុប្បន្ន និង អ្នកដឹក នាំខ្មែរធ្វើបទស្ងួនសិទ្ធិ(reservations)ក្នុងការទាមទារយកខែត្រដែលថៃទន្ទ្រានយកទាំងបង្ខំ និងរៀបចំឯកសារផ្លូវច្បាប់ដោយប្រើផែនទី 1:500000 ។
សូមឲ្យអ្នកចេះភាសាអង់គ្លេសបកប្រែសេចក្តីសំបុត្រ របស់ព្រះមហាក្សត្រស៊ីសុវត្ថិ ហើយចែកចាយ ជាសាធារណៈដើម្បីឲ្យខ្មែរបានជ្រាបថា ខ្មែរនៅរក្សាសិទ្ធិទាមទារយកខែត្រទិសខាងលិចមកវិញ ។
ខ្មែរមិនមែនជាអ្នកជាតិនិយមជ្រុលទេ ប៉ុន្តែទឹកដី បុព្វបុរសត្រូវតែទាមទារនិងការពារ ។
I agree with Ms Keo Re the lost of thousands sq km of our Eastern border with Vietnam. Mr Hun Sen and his CPP comrades need to come clean and explain to Khmer people of our eastern borders. The Preah Vihear issue is only a sideshow that could have been resolved and arm conflicts could have been avoided, by bringing the issue to International Court of Justice at The Hague
(based on the 1962 ICJ judgement). Mr Hun Sen has tried to polarise populous opinions, and present himself as being a nationalist, which he is not by creating arm clashes with the Thai. And he has achieved that aim as a lot of Khmer people are being fooled and believed him. The pressing issue in Cambodia right now is the present of millions of Vietnamese flowing freely into Cambodia as well as the lost of our territories along the border with Vietnam in Takeo, Kampot, Svay Rieng, Kratie, Rattanakiri and Mondolkiri. Please be reminded that Nuon Kheoun’s account of “West Ward March” in his book has become a reality now as Hanoi has fulfilled uncle’s Ho dream, by controlling both governments in Lao and Cambodia.
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