Anonymous leaflets distributed in Cambodia

KI-Media Note: On 22 April 2010, an anonymous reader sent us the message below regarding leaflets that were distributed in Cambodia.
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Dear Friends:

Cambodian authorities block the monks and Cambodian people at the Cambodian Thai border from entering into Thailand after these ten thousand leaflets spread out in Cambodia.

Thanks,

Anonymous

Click on the leaflet in Khmer to zoom in

Seizure of leaflets criticizing King-Father in Pailin City

Thursday, December 06, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Local news media reported that, a few days earlier, the Pailin city authority seized about 50 leaflets criticizing former monarch, King Norodom Sihanouk. However, the authority did not reveal the content of these leaflets. Chhuon Makara, a coordinator for the Adhoc organization in Pailin city, said the police seized leaflets distributed by anonymous people at two schools on 30 November 2007. Chhuon Makara said that he does not dare talk about the content of these leaflets because it may touch upon King-Father, whom the constitution stipulates that he is inviolable. Pailin city police officials also did not dare talk about the contents of these leaflets either, however, it is pursuing to arrest their distributors.

Funcinpec opposes leaflets criticizing King-Father

Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Funcinpec party issued a declaration on 31 July opposing the anonymous leaflets who named themselves “Preap In Spirit” or “an innocent Cambodian who died under the Khmer Rouge regime” and blamed the former monarch, King Norodom Sihanouk, by linking him to the responsibility of the killings perpetrated under the Pol Pot regime. Funcinpec’s declaration was made under its name as a royalist party and as Sihanoukist. Funcinpec strongly condemns the unfair accusations made against King-Father through this anonymous leaflet, and considers this as a cheap act perpetrated by a group of cowards who do not dare confront the truth openly, and they use this method to attack on the royal institution. This declaration stated that this accusation is a subversion to create confusion in the Cambodian society, and it also demands that the government take “hot” measures to seek the unfair persons and sentence them to the maximum of the law.

The making of a mountain out of a molehill: How NOT to hide well known facts

Police investigate leaflets criticizing King-Father

Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Phnom Penh police is investigating to find the author(s) of the leaflets criticizing former monarch King Norodom Sihanouk and China, saying that the pair are involved with the Khmer Rouge. Touch Naroth, Phnom Penh police commissioner, told The Cambodia Daily that the leaflets criticize the revered King-Father in order to create unrest in the community. Touch Naroth said that the authors of the leaflets want to prevent the Khmer Rouge Tribunal from functioning, however, he does not believe that they can create this prevention with a few leaflets only. Phorn Pheng, Daun Penh district inspector, said that he collected only 4 leaflets near Wat Phnom during Sunday night. Touch Naroth said that the leaflets were passed around from one person to another by photocopying and sharing among friends. Sok Phal, the national deputy police commissioner, said that he has no clue as to who was behind the distribution of these leaflets.

Spirit of Preap In leaflets scattered in Phnom Penh city

Monday, July 30, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

According to Touch Naroth, the Phnom Penh city police commissioner, anonymous people have scattered leaflets on Saturday night, and these leaflets were gathered and seized by the police authority on Sunday morning near the Wat Phnom Park. The leaflet criticizes former king Norodom Sihanouk. Touch Naroth said the content of the leaflet aimed at scorning the former monarch. According to the Koh Santepheap newspaper, the text of the leaflet, written in both Cambodian and English, is titled “The truth that all Cambodians must remember.” The author(s) of leaflet call themselves “Spirit of Preap In”, and they baselessly accused that China and King-Father were the creators of the Khmer Rouge. Reach Sambath, spokesman for the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, said that according to the agreements concluded between Cambodian and the UN, no country will be judged by this tribunal, as for King-Father, he is protected by Article 7 of the constitution of the kingdom.

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KI-Media Note: Who was Preap In? The following is a clarification provided by the former monarch himself to counter those accusing him of luring Preap In – who belonged to the political dissident group Khmer Serey (Free Khmer) movement, then supported by the USA, Thailand and South Vietnam – to Cambodia where he was sentenced by a military court and summarily executed by a public firing squad in Trapeang Kraleung in the 60s:

"I recall that, during that period, Mr. Preap In led an act of national treason to the profit of the US Imperialism, of the US CIA, of the pro-US regime in Saigon.

The People National Congress had welcomed Mr. Preap In at the Preah Mén field, he spontaneously confessed at this National Congress of the Khmer People that he indeed worked against the independent Cambodia, on behalf of the US Imperialism and the Khmer-hater and expansionist regime of Saigon. Mr. Preap In précised that he was an employee of the US CIA.

Following that, the Military Tribunal of the 1st Kingdom of Cambodia had condemned Mr. Preap In, in all legality, to the death penalty.

As the Cambodian Head of State, I did not pardon Mr. Preap In. In all legality, Mr. Preap In was shot (in public).

In this “Preap In Affair,” as well as that of the other traitors, Mathura and Chau Bory, the Khmer Nation and the International Community, the news media etc… were informed by my government from beginning to end, without hiding any secret.

The death penalty was still in force in our State." - Source: NorodomSihanouk.info.