When fiction becomes reality ... in someone's "beautiful" mind

Actor Nop Nem (L) talking with the "Red Prince" (R) in Sihanouk's fiction and propaganda film "Shadow over Angkor"

Sihanouk receiving surrendering weapons from Dap Chhuon Khmer Issarak group

Lon Nol’s plotting started back in 1959

Monday, 22 March 2010
John Conner
Letter to the Phnom Penh Post

Dear Editor,

The events of March 18, 1970, actually began in 1959 with an attempted coup by General Dap Chhuon Mchulpich, military commander of the Siem Riep area.

Supported by the US military and its puppets in South Vietnam and Thailand, this plot could have resulted in Cambodia ceasing to exist. The plan was to divide the nation between its neighbours, with the total area under de facto US control.

King Norodom Sihanouk’s film, Shadow Over Angkor, dramatises these events, which are detailed in his book My War With the CIA. A DVD of this film and a book are available in Phnom Penh.

Plots to remove King Sihanouk, due to his neutrality, began in the 50s. Neutrality was “unacceptable” to Cold War warriors like Allen and John Dulles, who constantly pressured Sihanouk to accept American aid and thus domination.

The 1959 coup was thwarted, and General Dap Chhoun arrested. King Sihanouk instructed Lon Nol to bring the general to Phnom Penh for questioning.

Lon Nol’s reaction was to have Dap Chhuon shot so as not to reveal Lon Nol’s involvement with the plot.

It took another 11 years before another coup was successful and Sihanouk was removed.

Perhaps if Lon Nol had been shot with Dap Chhuon, Cambodia may never have endured the horror inflicted on it by US aggression. In 1959 the Khmer Rouge were nothing, Cambodia was at peace, and its people lived in harmony.

In the 1971 Paris Peace Accords, Nixon agreed to pay Vietnam reparations of US$3.25 billion. Of course the US government never paid this money, which would be worth nearly $20 billion if paid today.

If Cambodia was to take action for damages, it could consider a figure of $10 billion to $15 billion as fair compensation for illegal US activities from the 1950s onwards.

The US has the gall to claim the Lon Nol era debt must be repaid.

Perhaps Cambodia can deduct this amount from its damages claim, which should be made soon while the US remains an existing nation.

John Conner
Phnom Penh

Ministry of Un-Social Affairs: Pro-CPP newspapers go right in, all others keep out!

Ith Sam Heng, Minister of Un-Social Affairs

Ministry of Social Affairs bans reporters

By Kang Chan Amrak
Phnom Penh Post, Issue 16 / 22, November 2 - 15, 2007

If you have noticed less news about the Ministry of Social Affairs lately, it could be because the ministry has banned all but three Cambodian newspapers from entering its premises.

According to a sign posted on the window of the guard house a month ago, the only newspapers permitted to enter are three large daily papers that the ministry has deemed "more ethical."

"Allowed in: Journalists from Rasmei Kampuchea, Koh Santepheap, Kampuchea Thmey. Journalists from all other newspapers are strictly banned," the sign says.

A security guard working in the guard house said the order came from a vice minister.

"I am just doing my duty. It is not written by me, but by the administrator," he said.

Minister of Social Affairs Ith Sam Heng, reached by phone, said he was too busy to talk about the ban.

Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the notice is aimed at unethical journalists who solicit bribes.

"Some journalists who I don't want to name asked money from the officials. If they do not get the money, they write untrue articles to defame the officials," Kanharith told the Post.

Kanarith said officials complain, leaving him stuck in the middle. He said although the press law doesn't allow bans on particular newspapers, he thought the ban was understandable.

"We have a specific department to deal with the press," said Nim Thoth, secretary of state of the Ministry of Social Affairs. "It is not directly under my control so I did not order this announcement. I don't think that any departments or person have the right to make this kind of order," Thoth said.

No journalists, except a Post reporter who went to the ministry to get information about labor issues and was denied access, reported being directly affected by the rule. But Phan Sophat, a journalist from Radio Free Asia, said his colleagues experienced similar bans. He said the restrictions are a political ploy used by officials to avoid talking to newspapers that do not support the interest of the ministry.

"If it is truly a policy from the ministry, it is total discrimination. It does hurt the free press and the freedom to access information of all journalists," Sophat said.

Om Chan Dara, the president of the Khmer Journalist Friendship Association, called the order "a way to restrict the journalist's right to gather the information. It is incorrect."