Mr. Bora Touch: I Am A Monarchist

Dear Readers,

After my article titled "Cambodia: The Monarchy Or A Republic" was posted here in my blog, I received a few replies in my emails. Among them, the comments from Mr. Bora Touch, a lawyer from Sydney, Australia have been very academic and interesting. His comments are below - Khmerization.

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Learned friends:

I am too a monarchist, a Khmer monarchist to be particular, as I came to appreciate the Khmer monarchy as a symbol, if not the symbol, of the Khmer culture, tradition, civilisation and institutionally maturity.

For us Khmer, republicanism is not a new (exciting) conception.It has been around before the times of our Lord Buddha. Buddha, our Lord guru, after experiencing life, philosophically and practically, rejected, because of a pragmatic knowledge of human failings, the republicanism way of ruling. The Lord had this to preach:

" For as Long as there are bullies and liars, monarchs are needed. For as long as the poor look for hope and the rich seek excess, for as long as the wicked fight for dominion and other nations manoeuvre for control, for as long as evil men oppose the impulses of the good, we need to believe in a king whose power comes from above."

In this regard, I am with Dr. Lao Mong Hay.

Still in the relevant subject. We all know that India and Cambodia had the oldest/superior polity/political science treatises and teachings, Kaulya's Artharastra, to name one. Some dozen centuries later, ie in 4th century, Kamandakiya authored another significant treatise on political science called Nitisara (elements of polity). According to Khmer inscriptions, most if not all of Indian treatises, such Artharsastra and Nitisara, (Mahabatara, Mahayana, Buddhism included) etc. came to Cambodia before Angkor: ( KK Sarkar, Early Indo-Cambodian Contacts (1968). During the French colonial dominion, instead of teaching us the Khmer-Indian philosophies and polity, they taught us the western ones. Until today, we still are taught the same things at those universities because we/ the Khmer teachers are unable to teach our own thoughts. Lok Sar Sarun, through his Aryadharma ning Varpadharma Khmaer, (Khmer Civilisation and Culture (1972), arguing a long the line of Dr. Theos Bernard, Hindu Philosophy, (1947) gave us a starting point, but again we failed to pick his thoughts up and expand.

The French had also known that by the time they arrived in Cambodia in 1863, the later had a surviving constitution/Kram Srok (1693) which was older than theirs, older than the US's, and a rather sophisticated legal system and laws. The Khmer 1947 constitution, which most scholars wrongly called it the first constitution of Cambodia, was a copy of the draft constitution of the fourth French Republic. Again we ignored our own thoughts.

My Saturday's ranting.

Bora Touch.
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And the following is another reply from a reader named Salen Sy.

Dear Bora and all,

I personally have enough with the Monarchy, and the Royalist Character's is detestable but for the Khmer interests, and the Khmer glory to the future though, Royalist State in Cambodia is a must, as long as I can understand the Cambodian problem. Therefore, I am another person who support the Monarchy state in Cambodia. Bravo ! ! !

Regards

Salen Sy.

Nepalese "peacefully" got rid of ex-king Gyanendra

Final farewell ... the deposed King and former Queen Komal leave their palace in Kathmandu. (Photo: AP)

Ex-Nepali King Leaves Palace, Begins Life As A 'Commoner'

June 12, 2008
Komfie Manalo
AHN News Writer

Kathmandu, Nepal (AHN) - Nepal's former king Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, and the last monarch of the Shah dynasty, which reigned for almost 240 years, is now a commoner and will be living "amongst his people," after vacating the royal palace Wednesday night.

A statement issued Nepal's Peace and Construction Minister Ram Chandra Poudel said,"The former king has become an ordinary citizen now. He will get the same status and benefits from the government the other citizen are getting."

Early in the day, Gyanendra met the members of the press for the last time at Narayanhiti palace. The former king was stripped of his power as ruler of the Himalayan nation after the Constituent Assembly declared the nation the newest democracy on May 28 and abolished the monarchy.

The government gave Gyanendra 15 days to leave the former royal palace and offered him the Najarjun palace as his new residence. The Narayanhiti palace will be turned into a museum by the new government.

The former king's new home consists of 10 buildings including the ex-royals' residence, three guest houses, one office secretariat and one staff quarters.

Gyanendra left the palace together with his wife, former queen Komal.

Ranariddh urges voters not to vote for Hun Sen, calling him an “enemy of the Palace”

Hun Sen (L) and Prince Ranariddh (R)

Wednesday, June 11, 2008
KI-Media

In a speech broadcasted on Beehive Radio station on Tuesday, Prince Ranariddh called on voters not to cast vote for the CPP, saying that a vote for the CPP is a vote against the monarchy, and that Hun Sen is an enemy of the royal palace. “Please do not vote [CPP] again, otherwise the monarchy will be abolished and if the monarchy is abolished, we will go to hell,” The Cambodia Daily quoted the prince as saying in his radio address. CPP MP Nguon Nhel denied the prince’s statement, saying that this is merely the “prince’s trick.” The Cambodia Daily also reported that Hun Sen’s reference to the recent abolition of the Nepalese monarchy on 28 May had cause deep concern in the royal palace. However, Khieu Kanharith claimed that Hun Sen’s reference was directed to Prince Ranariddh only, and not to the monarchy.

The monarchy cannot be abolished through the constitution: Dr. Chhim Phal Vorun

Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Dr. Chhim Phal Vorun, director of the institute for Civil Education and a Constitutional expert, gave an interview to The Mekong times regarding whether the monarchy can be abolished once again or not. He explained that “this issue must be divided into 2 parts. If we want to change the monarchy (i.e. replacing the monarchy by a republic), then we cannot do much because the constitution ties us to the monarchy. However, outside of the constitution, a revolution can be undertaken. There are two types of revolution: one that use the group power, and one that use the people power, i.e. the toppling revolution and the democratic revolution.” Dr. Chhim Phal Vorun added: “Like in Nepal, it was a democratic revolution, (the abolition of the monarchy) was not conducted within the constitution framework, but it was done by the population vote. Therefore, in Cambodia, (the abolition of the monarchy) cannot be undertaken within the framework of the constitution because the law ties us. Therefore, in the future, the abolition of the monarchy through the constitution cannot be performed. In order to preserve the durability of the monarchy, everybody must consider that the monarchy belongs to all of us. However, if Cambodia has only 2 to 3 parties which all claim that the monarchy is theirs alone, this situation in fact creates instability for the monarchy in Cambodia instead.”

King Sihamoni will not abdicate after all ... but, if the monarchy is abolished, there will be an exile w/o protestation unlike 18 March 1970

No Abdication for King: Sihanouk

By Win Thida, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
09 June 2008

Former king Norodom Sihanouk said Monday there was no plan for his son, King Norodom Sihamoni, to abdicate the throne, but he said the royal family does have a plan if ever the monarchy is abolished.

"This is not an abdication, but an exile without protestation, if Phnom Penh would abolish the monarchy," Sihanouk wrote in a letter issued Monday by the Royal Palace.

Sihanouk said in a letter Friday the monarchy had a chance of being deposed, but in that case his son would return to France and he would live in another country. He asked that his name not be used in association with the founding of the coalition party, Funcinpec, and that politics put the throne "under risk."

"In waiting for this abolition, we thought a long time ago about following a plan," Sihanouk wrote Monday.

In the meantime, the royal family would remain in Cambodia through the election period, leaving Aug. 1 to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

"After that King Sihamoni will have a general check-up at the central hospital of the state in Beijing," Sihanouk wrote. "After the check-up he will return to Cambodia. My wife and I will continue to stay for some period in Beijing to have general check-ups and medical treatment."

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith declined to comment on the message.

Politiktoons No. 18: "Adieu, the Monarchy of Nepal"

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://politiktoons.blogspot.com
and also at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Nepal: Monarchy abolished while Maoists are committed to Capitalism

Nepalese celebrate at a victory rally on the streets in Katmandu, Nepal, Wednesday, May, 28, 2008. Nepal's lawmakers abolished the monarchy and declared the country a republic Wednesday, ending 239 years of royal rule in the Himalayan nation and the world's last Hindu kingdom. In the first meeting of the newly elected assembly, led by former communist rebels, 560 lawmakers voted for the resolution with just four against. The king was given 15 days to leave his palace in central Katmandu. (AP Photo/Binod Joshi)

Nepal assembly abolishes monarchy

By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — The main palace in Nepal's capital lowered the flag of the country's royal family Thursday, a day after lawmakers, led by former communist insurgents, abolished the monarchy that had reigned over the Himalayan land for 239 years.

Palace staff took down the small red standard with a flag-waving lion and replaced it with Nepal's national flag, a red banner of two triangles adorned with a sun and moon.

The changing of the flag was "a decision by the government to show that Nepal is now a republic," said a palace official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of palace rules.

An overwhelming majority of the assembly declared Nepal a republic Wednesday, sparking celebrations across the country. Thousands marched, danced and sang in the streets of Katmandu, setting off firecrackers, waving hammer-and-sickle flags and denouncing King Gyanendra as a thief.

By Thursday, the celebrations had largely tapered off with Nepalis relaxing at the start of the three-day national holiday declared to mark the country's rebirth as a republic. There were some scattered gatherings across Katmandu, and a few hundred people gathered outside the pink concrete palace, chanting "Gyanendra is a thief, leave the country!"

There was no immediate reaction to the abolition of the throne from the dour 61-year-old former monarch, who remained silent in recent months as it became apparent that his days as king were numbered.

Gyanendra now has 15 days to quit the 1970s-era palace and move to his large private residence in the city — or face the possibility of being removed by force.

Gyanendra assumed the throne after his brother, the late King Birendra, and much of the royal family was slain at a palace gathering allegedly by the crown prince, who then killed himself.

The killings helped pierce the mystique surrounding a line of kings who had once been revered as reincarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu, and Gyanendra was dogged by rumors that he was somehow involved in the massacre.

His popularity only further plummeted after he seized power from a civilian government in 2005, saying he needed total authority to crush the Maoists.

Instead, he found himself beset by an intensifying insurgency and a faltering economy.

A year later, weeks of massive protests forced Gyanendra to restore democracy, after which the Maoists came out of the bush and began peace talks.

An interim government, meanwhile, slowly stripped away the trappings of a kingdom. Gyanendra lost command of the army, his portrait was replaced by Mount Everest on the currency and references to the king dropped from the national anthem.

Then came April's vote for the assembly in which the fiercely republican Maoists won the most seats, all but sealing the fate of the dynasty, which dates to 1769 when a regional ruler conquered Katmandu and united Nepal.

But now that the monarchy is finished no one is certain what comes next.

While the Maoists say they are committed capitalists and have no intention of nationalizing industries or setting up collective farms, they have promised to bring sweeping change to this largely impoverished country.

But they are struggling to form a government. Wednesday's opening assembly session was delayed for hours while they wrangled with other political parties over who should be president and what powers he should have. At the end of the day, they still had no deal.

It may also be difficult to fashion lasting peace in Nepal, where supporters of every major political party — the Maoists foremost among them — have been linked to killings since the start of the peace process.

Nepal agrees to abolish monarchy

Dec 24, 2007
The Press Association

Nepal's government has agreed to abolish the monarchy in a deal to persuade former insurgents to join the government.

The agreement signals an end to a political crisis that postponed crucial elections.

No date has been set for the ex-rebels - a communist faction usually referred to as the Maoists - to rejoin the government.

They quit in September, demanding the immediate abolition of the royal family and changes to the election system.

An agreement for them to rejoin was signed yesterday, however, by leaders of the seven main political parties - including the Maoists - said Arjun Narsingh of the Nepali Congress, the Himalayan country's largest party.

The 23-point pact said the leaders also agreed that once a Constituent Assembly is elected by mid-April, its first meeting would declare Nepal a republic, ending its centuries-old monarchy. The change had been widely expected for months.

The Constituent Assembly will rewrite Nepal's constitution and hammer out the details of a new political structure for the country.

The parties agreed that voters will directly elect 240 members of the assembly, while 335 other candidates will get seats under a proportional representation system, with parties receiving seats in proportion to the number of votes they win.

When the Maoists quit the government three months ago, other parties in the coalition government refused to abolish the monarchy immediately, saying the assembly should be allowed to decide on the issue - as had been agreed in a peace agreement signed with the then-rebels last year.

The Maoists began their armed insurgency in 1996. It left at least 13,000 people dead in 10 years of fighting between the communist guerrillas and government troops.