Dear Fellow Compatriots,
It is with great respect and interest that I read Trong Sisowath Sirik Matak’s letter. Indeed, I came across that letter a few years ago; and despite I have read it several times since then, the emotion still runs high in me every time I re-read it.
Over the past few days, I have closely followed the debate at Khmer-Avenir forum over the content of the letter and the related events in the 1970’s. Based on what have been said or written throughout the debate, it is clear that the division among our people over the event of March 18, 1970 still runs deep as it did forty years ago. The so-called republicans and royalists still regrettably blame each other for the personal and national tragedies resulted from the March 18, 1970 event.
At this point, I am not sure if it really matters who was right and who was wrong back then. What matters the most is that we all try to learn from it and hopefully we can do something to prevent similar tragedy in the future.
When the Mar 18, 1970 event took place, for many urban elites, it was the right thing to do to get the Viet-cong out of the country, and for that reason the republicans enjoyed tremendous support from the urban population. I still recalled many young people, including one of my uncles, lining up to volunteer for the military service to fight the Viet-cong. Sadly, the republicans quickly lost control over the country as the abuses of power and corruption became rampant from the highest to the lowest government offices.
The republicans’ experience showed that it took more than the “good will or intention” of a few leaders and citizens to put the country on the path to prosperity. The same can be said for the Khmer Rouge regime whose movement started with noble intention to liberate the country from foreign domination, and corruption among other things.
Our history is full of glory and tragedy, yet we refuse to accept that ultimately the fate of the Nation depends on every one of us, not just a few leaders or Samaritans. We all have an important role to play and contribution to make. As frustrating as it may sound, pointing the fingers does not morally absolve us from the suffering of our nation. Could we have done more to help the Nation? In that sense, we all share the blame.
Regardless what some may think or say, Trong Sisowath Siri Matak bravely fought and died for what he believed was right for the country. I could only wish that more of us have his courage and fortitude. Let’s be united and work together to honour his memory.
Truly yours,
Davan Long
================
Chers compatriotes,
C'est avec un grand respect et d'intérêt que j'ai lu la lettre de Trong Sisowath Siri Matak. En effet, j’ai obtenu une copie de cette lettre il y a quelques années, et malgré que je l'ai lu à plusieurs reprises depuis lors, j’ai toujours un sentiment triste chaque fois que je relis.
Au cours des derniers jours, j'ai suivi de près le débat au Forum Khmer-Avenir sur le contenu de cette lettre et les événements dans les années 1970. Basé sur ce qui a été dit ou écrit au cours du débat, il est clair que la division parmi notre peuple concernant l'événement du 18 mars 1970 demeure aussi profonde qu'elle ne l’était il y a quarante ans. Les soi-disant républicains et les royalistes continuent de blâmer les uns les autres pour les tragédies personnelles et nationales entraînées par l’événement du 18 mars.
En ce moment, je ne suis pas sûr si c'est vraiment important de juger qui avait raison et qui avait tort à l'époque. Ce qui importe le plus, c'est que nous essayons tous d'apprendre de cet événement et arrivons à faire quelque chose pour empêcher la tragédie semblable à l'avenir.
Pour beaucoup d'élites urbaines, l’événement du 18 mars 1970, était nécessaire pour faire sortir le Viet-congs du pays, et pour cette raison, les républicains obtenaient un soutien spontané de la population urbaine. J'ai encore rappelé de nombreux jeunes, dont un de mes oncles, se portaient volontaire pour le service militaire pour combattre les Viet-congs. Malheureusement, les républicains ont rapidement perdu le contrôle du pays parce que l'abus du pouvoir et la corruption est devenue endémique dans les bureaux du gouvernement.du plus haut au plus bas
L'expérience des républicains nous a clairement montré qu’il a fallu plus que « la bonne volonté et intention », de quelques dirigeants et citoyens pour pouvoir mener le pays sur la voie de la prospérité. La même chose peut être dite pour le régime des Khmers rouges dont le mouvement a commencé avec une noble intention de libérer le pays de la domination étrangère, et de la corruption entre autres.
Notre histoire est pleine de gloire et de tragédie, mais nous refusons d'accepter que finalement le destin du pays repose sur chacun de nous tous, pas seulement une poignée de dirigeants ou de Samaritains. Nous avons tous un rôle important à jouer et une contribution à apporter. Aussi frustrant que cela puisse paraître, pointant les doigts ne nous rendent pas innocent moralement vis-à-vis a la souffrance de notre nation. Aurions-nous pu faire plus pour aider la patrie? En ce sens, nous partageons tous les blâmes..
Peu importe ce que certains pensent ou disent, Trong Sisowath Siri Matak a bravement combattu et sacrifie sa vie pour ce qu'il croyait être bon pour le pays. Je ne peux que souhaiter qu’il y a plus de gens parmi nous qui ont son courage et sa détermination. Soyons unis et travaillons ensemble pour honorer sa mémoire.
Fraternellement vôtre,
Long Davan
25 comments:
Davan Long is right for the most part, but our Khmer community was already divided into many groups, and they won't be able to unite to one. I guess we have problems of this kind of disunity when Yuon spies are among us. Our people some would trust the Yuon and believe that Yuon are telling the truth as such, Yuon like Ly Diep will not allow us Khmers rest in peace.
This Yuon spy Ly Diep is not the first, but many thousand or million of them among us Khmers. The second most powerful general during Long Nol was Yuon spy named Sosthene Fernandez. He claimed to be Filipino-Khmer Krom, but every secret in Khmer Kingdom, Yuon knew right away.
We Khmers have to encourage each others to learn the real past history about Yuon that's all.
Many Yuon spies wear labels of Khmer Krom.
In Vietnam, schoolchildren are taught that the nation has survived for nearly 1,200 years by never surrendering to bullying when issues of territorial integrity are at stake.
Can we do the same to our Cambodian schoolchildren and the whole Khmer Nation to be never surrendering to bullying when territorial integrity are at stake?!
I agreed with this article. We should learn from ou past of not to make the same mistake, prepare ourselves at the present, and should take actin to rebuild our country for the future.
after all, sirikmatak, got poor-weak politics, he sucked, betrayed our leader, betrayed his own family..
in history, no 1 do that in the world,
betrayed his own family, because to loves POWER. it was SUCKED n STUPID
HE is a traitor, he was the real, real traitor, loved POWERS so much
at the end, not even USA cared,
Pang Sokhoeun is not only a con man but he is a cult leader.
They could have wrote a letter to Hun Sen to let him know that we need a Miss.Cambodia to represent our beauty, culture and country in Miss.Universe and not be unknown to the outside world for once!!!!!
ខ្ញុំបានមើងសំបុត្ររបស់ទ្រង់ហើយខ្ញុំយល់ណាស់ថាហេតុអីខ្មែរយើងបានក្លាយទៅជាខ្មែរសព្វថ្ងៃ។ បើយើងម្នាក់ប្រកាន់ភ្ជាប់ទៅលើប្រទេសជាតិទោះជាយើងស្អប់គ្នាប៉ុណ្ណាក៏ដោយ។ ប្រទេសខ្មែរដូចប្រទេសស្វិសដែលមានប្រទេសធំព័ទ្ធជុំវិញ។ បើសម្តេចឪប្រកាន់នៅអព្យាក្រិតឲ្យបានដូចគាត់ពោលហើយប្រទេសខ្មែរយើងពិតជាមិនធ្លាក់ចុះដូចសព្វថ្ងៃទេ។ ខ្ញុំធ្លាប់ធ្វើការនិងជនជាតិយួនហើយខ្ញុំបានឃើញថាគេស្រឡាញ់គ្នាល្អណាស់។ ខ្មែរយើងយ៉ាងដូចម្តេចទៅ?
សូមឲ្យយើងម្នាក់ ៗ ស្រឡាញ់ប្រទេសជាតិឲ្យច្រើននៅពេលដែលយើងមានប្រទេសជាតិឲ្យយើងស្រឡាញ់។
Mr. Long Dovan,
First of all, I don’t know who you are, but your idea is excellent and should be acceptable by the majority of Khmers.
The rampant corruption during the Khmer republic era was one essential factor that demoralized the spirit of fighting amongst our troops.
The stubborn idea of some of the leaders that “I cannot work under Khmers” was another factor that led to the break up of the Republican party (Lon Nol party). At this present time, did we learn anything from that giant mistake? Of course, NOT.
I am going to bring one example and I swear that I am not a Sam Rainsy party.
Look at the current situation:
The puppet government has been doing everything since 1979 to facilitate the integration of Cambodia into Indochinese Federation. The massive influx of Vietnamese into Cambodia has caused so many problems for the indigenous Khmers. This should cause all Khmers to unite to repel this neo colonization. But we did not.
For instance, Sam Rainsy party has created a long time aiming at fighting this colonization and the corrupt incompetent government.
Do we need Kem Sokha to create the Human right party trying to do the same thing?
This kind of “same problem” that makes our people worry so much because the same personal ambition ( chang theu thom min deung pel ) still resides inside the so called Khmer politicians ‘s mind.
Finally, we know that the expansionist has always been spying in our society to break us apart.
But why do we play their game ? The presence of the Human right party has dashed our hope of uniting Khmers to produce a strong force to combat the problem creating by the expansionist.
Listening is the key to get along with others.
This is the phrase that you should use when you disagreed with some one " We agreed to disagree on this issue ! ". Eventhough, you disagreed with each others, you still can work together.
It is hard to work with some one with the mentality like " Either you are with me or You are against me !! "
This is the KR mentality and you know it let you to hell !!
The country can't effort to have these kind of leaders any more it will lead to disaster !!!
10:40 PM You sound good from the begenning but at the end you pointing the finger and blame.Thank you 11:14pm for a quick response.Everything the country down because of Kem Sokha and the SRP beak apart because of Kem Sokha created the polical party.Sam rainsy doesn't know how to solve their own problem but just blame everyone else.He is not qualify to be a Khmer leader,he will lead to the same Pol Pot.
The message from Davan Long is a great message that all Khmers must UNITE regardless of circumstances if Khmers want to survive.
I understood that many Khmers want to unite but some are still being fooled by outsiders such Ly Diep and his Vietnamese countrymen, so Khmers confused them as Khmers, thus they continue to fight non-rest among their own Khmers. Some Khmers claimed "If Ly Diep is Yuon spy why does he tell the truth?".
Viets are best known as perfect spies, such as Pham Xuan An, Sosthene Fernandez.. to a nasty low class little perfect spy named Ly Diep who live a double life among their enemies.
Whenever Ly Diep hears "Solidarity" he injects the same story then a few of his Khmer fans jumping up and going crazy. At the same time Khmers going crazy is the same time that Viet invaders get ahead.
How long that this is going to stop? No, because Ly Diep's job is doing his best in that one.
The blame must stop but seek a SOLIDARITY to survive is only one way. Forgive and build a strong solidarity.
Here is a part I extracted from Khmer history (diary of the Dutch man). Ngoc Van had a few children with Jeyajetta II and illegitimate sons named Ang Sur and Ang Tan from Jeyajetta II's young brother (sons that she had an affair with Jeyajetta II's brother).
Ngoc Van was the one who created disunity and created civil wars in Cambodia. She pretended to side with the King, but she convinced her illegitimate sons to rise up against the King to weak Khmer nation and she did it successfully. She had an army and she used Khmer court to destroy kampuchea. Khmers heard that Siem sacked Angkor but Khmers did not hear or study that multiple times the Annamese sacked Khmer Kingdom.
The Viets cleaned up all the treasures from ancient Kings in Oudong until today during her two illegitimate sons rose against Khmer King (King Chov Ponhea Khan from laotian mother), then again and again until today. Today the Viet openly sacking the Kingdom while Khmers outside are still listening to the same Yuon jerk Ly Diep of his same story.
I am not a agree with hearsay's above at all the old said thousand heard from rumors that is not equal with once that you can find out with your own.
Putting the blame on the corruptions
and traitors republican leaders fault that are NOT THE POINTS.
There 2points that causing collapsed of republican khmer .
Khmer tired of fighting between khmers and khmers.
Sihaknuk(Khmers thought SIHAKNUK is the Symbolic of Peacefully)
But Sihaknuk used khmers trust to his own revenge.Even all these Lon Nol,In Tam followed SIHAKNUK PATHS to make coup e'tat(Sihaknuk policy failed united Viet to defeat the USA)But it was out of his control and used those Republican leaders to save Cambodia.
I would like to repeat it once again the same time SIHAKNUK GO TO JOIN KHMER ROUGE that is why?
FLIP FLOP POLISICK SIHAKNUK
IN RESULT OF CAMBODIA LOST.
to:2:32am u- got wrong idea
because, Lon Nol - Sirimatrak, plus his administrations got poor-weak politics, played stupid games
was betrayed his own leaders,betrayed his own family - loves Power, enjoy Dollars from USA,
the result come up with losing confident + losing war.
In big hope that, USA will help to fight until the end,,,
3:00AM
How old are you?
How long have you stayed in school?
Did you read a lot of News at that ERA?
I am the grand son of Genaral Khlote Boot 6sieme loure and my father was the CHENLA I&II Chief transportation
BONTEAY SLEUK PP.
3:18AM
I'm not 3:00AM but this is the following of my remark:
BONTEAY SLEUK and BONTEAY Q.G.A.A.
These two BANTEAYS were not very far from each other and which one belong to your grand father office?
5:31AM
Q.G.A.A that my uncle fortress .
My grand pa retired at the sixieme lourd in KG Chnnang as the one star.
But my father office was at Bonteay Sleuk next door to the RUSSIE s hospital.
Good Comments 10:40 PM and 11:14 PM
Us Khmer is easily curruptable, unlike Vietnamese, they never sell their country to any one.
If us Khmer want to survive as a nation and not to go down the path like Champa, we need to fix our culture, value, ethics etc where it is faulty urgently.
8:53 AM
Your comment "If us Khmer want to survive as a nation and not to go down the path like Champa, we need to fix our culture, value, ethics etc where it is faulty urgently."
I agree with you on this issue. I think the root of the problem was stemming from our leaders who are uneducated or got very little education to lead the country.
For example, you finish 7th grade, how can you solve the problem in calculus.
Singapore and Cambodia got independence almost the same time. But look at the education of those two leaders: Lee Kuan Yu (Doctor) and Sihanouk (maybe high school that did not require him to pass the test).
Look at the outcome of those two countries 15 years after receiving their independence.
We require an educated leader with good judgment to fix our culture, value, ethical problem, etc...
We also must be alerted that Yieknam has always tried for centuries to intervene and disrupt any of our plans that would produce fruitful result for our Country. Right now, Yieknam's hands are on our throat.
Hi Everyone,
One of KI-Media member who has his name in Facebook as Khmer Sovannaphumi but his real name is Pang Sokheoun, former political asylum and now living in Sweden. He always copies news from here to post in his facebook profile to promote himself, but right now, he tries to removed and blocked anyone who dares to reveal his con activity particular he tries to hide what he has cheated his wife (Sreypov Chea) by having a girlfriend (Sokunthear Som) behind his wife back. Now, his girlfriend had ran way from him after she knew his cheating.
A con man Pang Sokhoeun as well as KI-Media like to insult to the government officers who have affairs, but himself does even worse than other people. What a shame!
7:31AM
There are something opposite to Q.G.A.A what is this?
Ask your uncle.
TO: 12:30 PM
Thanks for your comment. I agree with you.
Even if their hands are at our throats, therefore we have to respond urgently at the first opportunity. Still we must not give up.
Do whatever is possible to reverse it.
No one ever thought that the USSR would colapse. So don't give up Khmers.
There are a lot of problems in Vietnamese society too. Economies, cooruptions, possible social unrest, seperatists etc....
The reason why the Khmer Republic collapse and vanishe:
1 Battaillon Army = 200 to 300 soldiers for 549 soldiers so half of ghoshs salaries had gone into the pockets of some generals.
People used to pay money not to joint army and not to go to batle fields.
Chineses businessmen paid the corruption to the officiels for closing eyes on black markets prices.
The salary of govement duty always delayed.
Army uniforms and rice sold in black markets.
Many of widows could not earned the pension of the death of their husbands who died in battle fields.
For whom were living and alive today have more memory under SATHEARENAK KHMER.
SEREYPHEAP
SOMAPHEAP
WATANAKPHEAP
SOPHEAKMAINKOL.
It's not too late yet, all us Khmers must start thinking and planning and doing to rescue the country Cambodia from being lost.
Ask not what our Beloved country can do for us, but ask what we can do for our Bevoved country before it's too late.
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