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| Norodom Sihanouk (C) speaks during a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Oct. 30, 2011. (AFP) |
2011-10-31
RFA
“We still see the Cambodian people are scared to talk about things. Let’s unite and cease discrimination based on political party affiliation,” said a moto-taxi driver in Phnom Penh.
Cambodia’s ex-monarch calls for national reconciliation during a public appearance in Phnom Penh.
Cambodia’s former king Norodom Sihanouk has highlighted the need for increased national unity as he made a rare appearance before tens of thousands of Cambodians on Sunday to mark the 20th anniversary of his return from exile.
The estimated 40,000 supporters, most of whom were younger students, cheered energetically outside the Royal Palace as Sihanouk delivered his first public remarks since returning Thursday from nearly three months of medical treatment in Beijing.
The revered former king, who turned 89 years old on Monday, or 90 years old by Cambodian reckoning, was joined at the podium by his son King Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen while addressing the crowd Sunday.
He said that despite his continued health problems, he would remain in his home country and requested that China dispatch physicians to assist him in the event that he should require medical care.
Sihanouk has suffered from colon cancer, diabetes and hypertension.
He also called on Cambodians to work around their political differences to aid in the development of the country.
“Not in as ambitious a way as the superpowers, but we just want people to recognize that we are united as a country, which will show our strength,” he said.
“We are moving forward in any number of fields, so let us join hands to develop what is [regarded as] the supreme interest of our nation.”
Welcome words
Those who gathered welcomed the words of the former king, whose turbulent rule saw him twice exiled and twice returned to the throne before abdicating to his son in 2004, citing ill health and old age.
“We still see the Cambodian people are scared to talk about things. Let’s unite and cease discrimination based on political party affiliation,” said a moto-taxi driver in Phnom Penh.
A university student, who did not provide his name, said the former king’s return brought a sense of calm and optimism to the people.
“Our king is here, so we are comfortable. When he is away—think about when we’re away from our parents. How do we feel?”
Minister of Women’s Affairs and cabinet member Ung Kuntha Phavy said that Cambodia had already benefited from increased cooperation across party lines.
“Through unity and cooperation, we have already begun to improve the development of the economy.”
Tumultuous history
Sihanouk first ascended Cambodia’s throne in 1941 and ruled until shortly after guiding the country to independence in 1953. He abdicated to his father and became prime minister in 1955 after an overwhelming victory in the parliamentary elections.
In 1960, after the death of his father, Sihanouk was officially designated Head of State. He managed to keep Cambodia out of the Vietnam War by playing different political factions off of one another, but was deposed by then-Prime Minister Lon Nol in 1970 while traveling outside of the country.
The former king relocated to Beijing and allied with the communist Khmer Rouge which overthrew the U.S.-backed Lon Nol regime in 1975.
The group sought to turn Cambodia into an agrarian utopia, but devastated the country through economic mismanagement and purges that led to the death of nearly 2 million people.
Sihanouk became a voiceless prisoner in his own palace until a Vietnamese invasion removed the Khmer Rouge from power in 1979 and he returned to exile. The Vietnamese withdrew from Cambodia in 1989 leaving a pro-Vietnamese government in place under the lead of former Khmer Rouge cadre Hun Sen.
The former king returned to Cambodia from China in 1991 and was restored to the throne in 1993, but was marginalized by Hun Sen with threats to abolish the monarchy. He served until abdicating to his son Norodom Sihamoni in 2004 due to health problems.
Joint praise
Nonetheless, Sihanouk praised Hun Sen Sunday for his “tireless work and achievements” in developing the country during his time in power.
"Also, I admire the government of Cambodia and the parliament for their joint efforts to develop the nation," he said.
Hun Sen also said Sunday that he welcomed what he described as Sihanouk’s idea of national reconciliation.
“Under the former king’s leadership and along with the government, a win-win policy was implemented that has brought us full peace and national reconciliation,” Hun Sen said.
Hun Sen said the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) was determined to protect the monarchy, the Constitution, political stability and work towards national reconciliation.
“The CPP and the government have always expressed high respect, love, gratitude and loyalty to the [King Father] as the father of unity and the national reconciliation,” Hun Sen said.
Reported by RFA’s Khmer service. Translated by Hassan Abukasem. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
19 comments:
This is your chance for those who think that Cambodia should be saved from the hands of the Vietnamese.
You say:
But I rather keep biting and devouring to prove that Sihanouk is a traitor all these years?
Ah fucking Sihanouk. Are you saying this because Ah fucking Hun Sen wants more money for donation?
Since 1960 and up to now,Sihanouk has had served Vietnam govt.
-1960-1970,he has had allowed Vietcong use along Khmer-Vietnam border(Ho Chi Minh Trail)inside Khmer territory.
-He provided weapons and food to
Vietcong.
-1970,he asked Vietcong to invade Cambodia and killed people to save
power and monarchy.
Cambodia lost Khmer Krom and Koh Tral because of him.
-Paris Peace agreement lost because of him too.
Sihanouk was/is a Khmer killer.
He is a traitor.
What does Sihanouk need now?
1)Save monarchy.
2)Save Vietnam power and 6,000,000 Vietnamese in Cambodia or Vietnam
officials in Cambodia.
3)Save Hun Sen,his lovely thief son.
Is he the right man at the right time or the wrong man at the wrong time?
Will he kill Khmer people again?
A killer is still a killer.
SHAME
As if 2 millions lives are not enough, this Freaking Sihanouk will say and do anything just to save his ass from the firing squad or being hung, including killing some of his own family members...
Go to hell ah Sihanouk, the khmer killer!!!
from my watching the youtube video on somdech ta's speech, he displays some dementia in him. dementia is forgetfulness and comes with advance age. may god bless the somdech ta. after all, he is 90 years old, that's a long life for him, really!
This clown King is so unpredictable. The outcome of his actions has always benefited Vietnam.
Because of him, about 3 million Khmers were perished, and we are about to lose Cambodia completely to Vietnam. His expulsion of the UN in 1993 has dashed all Khmer's hope of saving Cambodia from the monster Vietnam.
Maybe in his last breath, he wants to legalize Vietnam annexation of Cambodia.
Khmer people must be vigilant and diligently follow his action. This stupid King is crazy.
Realistically, what kind of power this King has to make Vietnam changes its policy of absorbing Cambodia? Zero.
Khmer people must keep pushing for the puppet government to abrogate all bilateral treaties between Cambodia and Vietnam and fully implement the 1991 Paris peace accord.
Stop dreaming about this crazy king to save Cambodia. He might just help Vietnam to finish Cambodia off.
8:08 AM Do you mean "YEAR ZERO"?
Click...Games of Death of Sihanouk Part 1 of 7
shut up! in this day and age, viet/youn should stop dreaming about annexing cambodia or whatever because the world won't let viet/youn do that like they did to khmer krom and koh tral during the dark ages era, you know! cambodia is a sovereigned state, so viet/youn cannot annex or colonize or steal or whatever cynical people want to call it, ok! the world won't let them do that to cambodia, so stop insinuating it or dream about it, ok! it's not going to happen in the modern world, maybe during the dark ages but most definitely not in the modern world, you know. stop dreaming, ok, viet/youn and their sympathizers! and stop the hysteria, too, ok!
8:39 AM,
You forgot 6 millions Illegal Vietnameses in Cambodia. Over many hundred thousands Viet youths are attending Khmer schools and Universities. hey will take Cambodia legally by this way by infiltrating into all Khmer institutions, and rule over Khmer heads.
I wonder how body parts he may have had transplanted from Chinese dissidence who are imprison for the purpose of harvesting their body organs to the highest bidder.
I pity the king. May he live to be 100 years old and see many more good days. Man is but a shadow, so man must decide his eternity on this side of life. May the king find life that is in God, Almighty.
God said... " I take no delight in the death of the wicked... But that all men would find repentant in him..."
Another words, God doesn't take pleasure in punishing people but people's defiance against his goodness brings about his wrath.
Sure, Norodom Sihanouk may have done wrong in the last 90 years of his life, but if he will acknowledge his wrong and confess them before God, God will impute all his iniquity from him. God is good. He rather forgives then show his displeasure.
Man was made in the image of God, so it is heart wrenching for God to punish evil doers whom he had made. Like killing your own son or daughter because they became traitors.
4 cents
happy with the wealth ah Kwack is robbing fro the nation and peple!!!
How can you accept the dirty money from thieves, Royals?????
I really appreciate the message from the King on our need to reconcile and unite. Let's put the tragedy in the past and move forward as a people and country. Thanks to all who have made Cambodia what it is today! Let's us all work for the same goal, to develop and prosper a people and nation.
11:10 AM
Ah FUCKING IDIOT!! YOU MEAN LIKE BEND OVER TO AH FUCKING HUN SEN? WHAT ABOUT THE MILLIONS THAT DIED ? WHAT ABOUT THE CURRENT REGIME? NO HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION? NO ILLEGAL LOGGING? NO DEATH THREAT? NO CRIMES AND INTIMIDATION? NO SELF SUICIDE JAIL IMPRISONMENT??
AH FUCKING IDIOT! GO SUCH AH HUN SEN SOME MORE!
Zero I mean zero leverage. That means Sihanouk does not have any power to make Vietnam change its plan of annexing Cambodia.
Peace in Cambodia during Sihanouk era was a fake peace.
For instance, in the sixties, Sihanouk allowed Vietcong to station inside Cambodia to attack South Vietnam and the US in exchange for peace given by Vietcong.
In 1993, Sihanouk was submitted to Vietnam and the puppet government in exchange for peace. Even with the presence of the UN, Sihanouk still afraid of Vietnam and Ah Kwack.
That is why Khmer people must watch out for this crazy King to broker for peace in Cambodia.
Sihanouk has and will be given in to all Vietnam's demands, which will be detrimental to Cambodia's existence.
Sdach Lob Sihanouk will never change his Chkuot Chkuot behavior
8:13 AM
Zero I mean zero leverage. That means Sihanouk does not have any power to make Vietnam change its plan of annexing Cambodia.
Peace in Cambodia during Sihanouk era was a fake peace.
For instance, in the sixties, Sihanouk allowed Vietcong to station inside Cambodia to attack South Vietnam and the US in exchange for peace given by Vietcong.
In 1993, Sihanouk was submitted to Vietnam and the puppet government in exchange for peace. Even with the presence of the UN, Sihanouk still afraid of Vietnam and Ah Kwack.
That is why Khmer people must watch out for this crazy King to broker for peace in Cambodia.
Sihanouk has and will be given in to all Vietnam's demands, which will be detrimental to Cambodia's existence.
Sdach Lob Sihanouk will never change his Chkuot Chkuot behavior
Sihanouk must answer a fundamental question before the spirits of the more than 2 million death of Cambodian people settled. No national reconciliation taken place without these following basic answers:
Why you don't explain the reason you appealed Khmer people to join the Killer Khmer Rouge.
Why don't you apologize to people that it was your stupid mistake to lead the Khmer rouge from 1970-1975?
some people seemed to transfixed or frozen in time on this viet/youn annexing cambodia or whatever. that's so outdated almost a nationalistic slogan from the past. people forget that we are now in the modern world, not dark ages era, etc... in this day and ages, i don't think the world sit still and watch or allow viet/youn to annex a sovereigned country like cambodia. it's just do able. sadam of irag tried to do that to kuwait, look what happened to him now! so, for those old-fashioned politicican like scam rainsy to always claim viet/youn will annex cambodia in this day and age is nothing more than a hysteria and dream to incite people for his own poltical plot to gain power for himself in cambodia. this guy scam rainsy still think in this mind that cambodia is all about him like in the old day or somehting. he still think khmer people are that stupid and ignorant like in the ol day to not do something about it and let evil individual like him to do whatever he wants to cambodia and khmer people. people are sick and tired to hear that again and again from stupid individual like scam rainy who always ran away and hide overseas! no wonder people in cambodia do not like him! he's stupid and obsolete in this thinking! i suggest he go to see a doctor he/she can help him. his thinking is out of wack, you know!
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