By Khmerization
4th June, 2010
Today marks the 61st anniversary of the loss of Kampuchea Krom territory to Vietnam, a loss so painful for all Khmers, especially for the Khmer Krom people who have to live and endure sufferings under the Vietnamese oppressive control.
The loss of Kampuchea Krom territory to Vietnam was a great national loss which caused great sufferings to the ethnic Khmer Krom people who had been subjected to discriminations, persecutions and oppressions from the Vietnamese people and subsequent Vietnamese governments. Many Khmer Krom had become a minority in their homeland and, due to persecutions, had to flee from their homeland to seek refuge or political asylum in Cambodia and countries around the world. Despite obstacles and discriminations from the Vietnam-backed government of Prime Minister Hun Sen, many Khmer Krom had become relatively successful in their livelihood and excelling in schools. Notwithstanding their relative comfort life in Cambodia, they never forgot their homeland and celebrated and commemorated the loss of Kampuchea Krom territory every year.
In order to understand the dilemma and the sufferings of the Khmer Krom people, one must know the history of the Kampuchea Krom territory first. The Khmer Krom people have endured the Vietnamese oppression since 1623 when King Chey Chetta II of Cambodia (1618-1628), after having married to a Vietnamese princess, acquiesced to a Vietnamese request and allowed Vietnamese refugees fleeing the Trinh-Nguyen War in Vietnam to settle in the port city of Prey Nokor, presently known as Ho Chi Minh City, which they eventually set up a custom house in that port city. Increasing waves of Vietnamese settlers flowed in and due to its weakened administration of the areas and due to protracted wars with Thailand, the Cambodian central government could not control the region and eventually and gradually the region had become Vietnamised.
In 1698, Nguyen Huu Canh, a Vietnamese noble, was sent by the Nguyen rulers of Hue to establish Vietnamese administrative structures in the area, thus detaching the area from Cambodia, which was not strong enough to intervene. Since 1698, the area has been firmly under Vietnamese administration and the ethnic Vietnamese became the majority population in most provinces.
In 1757, the Vietnamese colonised the provinces of Psar Dèk (renamed Sadéc in Vietnamese) and Moat Chrouk which was Vietnamised to Châu Doc and now known as An Giang.
In 1802 Nguyen Anh crowned himself emperor and called himself Gia Long. He had unified all territories which are now modern Vietnam and annexed large chunk of Cambodian territories the Vietnamese used as sanctuaries when fleeing the Trinh-Nguyen War, including 21 provinces of Kampuchea Krom territory of Cambodia.
Just before France colonised Cambodia in 1863 and before he died in 1860, King Ang Duang wrote to Napoleon III asking France to become a Protectorate of Cambodia in order to save Cambodia from being swallowed Vietnam and Thailand, with one condition that Napoleon III agrees to return all territories of Kampuchea Krom to Cambodia whenever France withdrew from Cambodia. Napoleon III gave strong assurances that France will cede all former Cambodian territories of Kampuchea Krom to Cambodia whenever France leaves Cambodia.
However, four years before the French Protectorate left Cambodia on 9th November 1953, the French government turned to the French parliament to decide what country, Cambodia or Vietnam, should the territories be returned to. The French parliamentarians, despite strong protests from Cambodia, had voted to officially cede all territories of Kampuchea Krom to Vietnam on 4th June 1949. Those votes sealed the fate of Khmer Krom people and Kampuchea Krom’s chances of a reunification with Cambodia.
Today, according to Vietnamese census, there are about more than one million ethnic Khmer Krom living in the territory of Kampuchea Krom. However, some Khmer sources put the figures as high as 12 million. These people had endured persecutions and suffered discriminations and oppressions under subsequent Vietnamese governments. And many had fled the Vietnamese persecutions to a relative comfort in Cambodia. Despite many obstacles, including bans and pressures from the Cambodian and Vietnamese governments, Khmer Krom living in Cambodia have always put up a brave face and commemorated the loss of Kampuchea Krom territory every year as a symbolic struggle for the survival of their culture, ethnic identity and their Motherland, Kampuchea Krom.
The loss of Kampuchea Krom territory is a painful historical event for all Cambodians. It is imperative that we give moral supports to our Khmer Krom brothers and sisters by joining in great numbers in the commemoration services across Cambodia and around the world. In fact, we should all commemorate this event as a National Day of Mourning every year.
“The loss of Kampuchea Krom territory is a painful historical event for all Cambodians. It is imperative that we give moral supports to our Khmer Krom brothers and sisters by joining in great numbers in the commemoration services across Cambodia and around the world.”
Today marks the 61st anniversary of the loss of Kampuchea Krom territory to Vietnam, a loss so painful for all Khmers, especially for the Khmer Krom people who have to live and endure sufferings under the Vietnamese oppressive control.
The loss of Kampuchea Krom territory to Vietnam was a great national loss which caused great sufferings to the ethnic Khmer Krom people who had been subjected to discriminations, persecutions and oppressions from the Vietnamese people and subsequent Vietnamese governments. Many Khmer Krom had become a minority in their homeland and, due to persecutions, had to flee from their homeland to seek refuge or political asylum in Cambodia and countries around the world. Despite obstacles and discriminations from the Vietnam-backed government of Prime Minister Hun Sen, many Khmer Krom had become relatively successful in their livelihood and excelling in schools. Notwithstanding their relative comfort life in Cambodia, they never forgot their homeland and celebrated and commemorated the loss of Kampuchea Krom territory every year.
In order to understand the dilemma and the sufferings of the Khmer Krom people, one must know the history of the Kampuchea Krom territory first. The Khmer Krom people have endured the Vietnamese oppression since 1623 when King Chey Chetta II of Cambodia (1618-1628), after having married to a Vietnamese princess, acquiesced to a Vietnamese request and allowed Vietnamese refugees fleeing the Trinh-Nguyen War in Vietnam to settle in the port city of Prey Nokor, presently known as Ho Chi Minh City, which they eventually set up a custom house in that port city. Increasing waves of Vietnamese settlers flowed in and due to its weakened administration of the areas and due to protracted wars with Thailand, the Cambodian central government could not control the region and eventually and gradually the region had become Vietnamised.
In 1698, Nguyen Huu Canh, a Vietnamese noble, was sent by the Nguyen rulers of Hue to establish Vietnamese administrative structures in the area, thus detaching the area from Cambodia, which was not strong enough to intervene. Since 1698, the area has been firmly under Vietnamese administration and the ethnic Vietnamese became the majority population in most provinces.
In 1757, the Vietnamese colonised the provinces of Psar Dèk (renamed Sadéc in Vietnamese) and Moat Chrouk which was Vietnamised to Châu Doc and now known as An Giang.
In 1802 Nguyen Anh crowned himself emperor and called himself Gia Long. He had unified all territories which are now modern Vietnam and annexed large chunk of Cambodian territories the Vietnamese used as sanctuaries when fleeing the Trinh-Nguyen War, including 21 provinces of Kampuchea Krom territory of Cambodia.
Just before France colonised Cambodia in 1863 and before he died in 1860, King Ang Duang wrote to Napoleon III asking France to become a Protectorate of Cambodia in order to save Cambodia from being swallowed Vietnam and Thailand, with one condition that Napoleon III agrees to return all territories of Kampuchea Krom to Cambodia whenever France withdrew from Cambodia. Napoleon III gave strong assurances that France will cede all former Cambodian territories of Kampuchea Krom to Cambodia whenever France leaves Cambodia.
However, four years before the French Protectorate left Cambodia on 9th November 1953, the French government turned to the French parliament to decide what country, Cambodia or Vietnam, should the territories be returned to. The French parliamentarians, despite strong protests from Cambodia, had voted to officially cede all territories of Kampuchea Krom to Vietnam on 4th June 1949. Those votes sealed the fate of Khmer Krom people and Kampuchea Krom’s chances of a reunification with Cambodia.
Today, according to Vietnamese census, there are about more than one million ethnic Khmer Krom living in the territory of Kampuchea Krom. However, some Khmer sources put the figures as high as 12 million. These people had endured persecutions and suffered discriminations and oppressions under subsequent Vietnamese governments. And many had fled the Vietnamese persecutions to a relative comfort in Cambodia. Despite many obstacles, including bans and pressures from the Cambodian and Vietnamese governments, Khmer Krom living in Cambodia have always put up a brave face and commemorated the loss of Kampuchea Krom territory every year as a symbolic struggle for the survival of their culture, ethnic identity and their Motherland, Kampuchea Krom.
The loss of Kampuchea Krom territory is a painful historical event for all Cambodians. It is imperative that we give moral supports to our Khmer Krom brothers and sisters by joining in great numbers in the commemoration services across Cambodia and around the world. In fact, we should all commemorate this event as a National Day of Mourning every year.
14 comments:
It is not difficulty to understand why French gave Kampuchea krom to Viet cos some khmer leaders at that time voted for it. Even now there are some Khmer people especially leaders from CPP are very supportive to Viet.
This week, a group of Sam Ransy party went to Ta keo to see the border post but they were stopped by some people organized by CPP. What does it mean when Sam Ransy people went to see if the post inside Cambodia and there are some people stopped them? Don't it mean that they wanted to hide and support Viet from taking Khmer land?
O Puch Khmer, that is why we lost Kampuchea Krom to Viet. I do not blame Viet but my own people who are power hungry and corrupted and betrayed the nation. Let God punish these people.
7:45 PM, there were no Khmers in the French parliament, therefore there could not have been a Khmer who voted to cede Kampuchea Krom to Vietnam. Before the French parliament voted, Khmer and Vietnamese delegates were allowed to present their case. The Khmer delegate, led by Princess Pingpeang which include Son Sann, strongly argued their case but maybe the Vietnamese delegation argued better that's why the French MPs voted to cede Kampuchea Krom to Vietnam. However, we must remember that Kampuchea Krom had fallen under Vietnamese control even before France colonized Cambodia and Vietnam. So, we can't blame the French totally.
7:45Pm u just talk out of your ass, you have not clue @ all, do some research before you just bullshit to people........
I don't blame any French rulers, but past and present Khmer leaders - particularly Sihanouk and Hun Sen.
Sihanouk did not and still does not have any courage to fight for the country. He only thinks of his own interest, never the nation interest. Last year, he said he was too old and wished death came to him soon enough. Did he ever think of doing something good for the nation for the few years or months left in his life?
As for Hun Sen, he is one of the worst leader betraying his own country. I understood that in the 1980's and 1990's, he had to obey yuons in order to survive.
But why is he still doing it now? He can count on China, UN, Khmer nationalist at home and overseas to raise up against yuons domination and encroachment. Yet, he chooses to do the opposite. I don't know why and one thing I know for sure is that his day will come and he and his entourage will pay the price.
You can not change the nature of Hun Xen. YOUN only choose the one who can carry out Hanoi's strategy from time to time.
You must remember that Hun Xen power is preserving by Hanoi but not by his bodygard unit or any millitary unit. Hence Hun Xen can not make YOUN angry and disppointed.
Since there are million of YOUN are living in Cambodia therefore I don't guratantee that Cambodia will be existent for more centuries.
Remember that Cambodia societry is still be very fragile in terms of rull of law, economics, politics, morality and so on. Cambodia order is based on the power of Hun Xen but not by rule of law. The low level government official are working base on Hun Xen recommendation. Without Hun Xen recommendation they did nothing.
You know why ah fucking French gave Khmer lands to ah Youn. Cause ah Youn people they gave ah French free pussy that fucking races likes to sales their pussy for anythings same like Youn bitch in the U.S.
We cannot recover Kampuchea Krom. However, together, we can make a difference by exposing Viet persecutions of the Khmer Krom people. By publicizing Viet crimes against Khmer Krom to the world, they possibly could put pressures on Vietnam to give some sort of self-rule in the territories. Also it would provide moral and political supports to our Khmer Krom brothers and sisters.
One of the reasons the French gave Kampuchea Krom to the Vietnamese was to try to persuade the Bao Dai government and those Vietnamese in the South to help them come back to rule Indochina by supporting them (the French) in their war against the Vietminh and the North Vietnamese.
Anet Khmer
We agree wholeheartedly to mourn the loss of Kampuchea Krom, but also we have to remember that we also lost some provinces on the Western side of Cambodia as well. Since 1700, Cambodia lost the province of Ubon, then consecutively from 1800 the province of Kokhan (Sisaket), Boriram, Surin, Sras Keo, Prachin Buri, Chanta Buri, Romchang (Rayan) and Trat. Since French protectorate, the French Government tried to win back some of these provinces by engaging in heavy war between Thailand and France (Franco-Thai War) under the command of French General Jean Decoux and General Plaek Phibunsongkhram, who Khmer called General Phibun. Two provinces, Siem Reap and Battambang, were recently won back to Cambodia in 1907. The French Government was not always bad to Cambodia, she tried to do her duty for all colonies. The Kampuchea Krom question is the irresponsibility of the Khmer king. This is totally opposite to Viet rulers or Thai rulers. French Government knew Thailand better than Khmer, since the French dealt with Thailand around 1650 and then became bitter enemies with Thailand.
Khmers have the attitude to blame everyone and have a show off manner, but never stand up and do their own work. That is why we lost and keep losing.
9:28 AM, It is true that Cambodia had lost many provinces to Thailand, then known as Siam, as well. But, if my history lesson is correct, no Cambodian provinces had been annexed by Siam after 1800s. All were annexed before 1795. If one read the 1897 Franco-Siamese treaty, which was revised in 1907, France demanded that Siam returned all annexed Khmer and Laotian territories to French control. But a Thai king was so smart that he went on a tour to Russia, Germany, America, England... to complain bitterly about the French demand and to try to play England off against France. Many of these countries were very sympathetic with Siam and they convinced or forced France to back down and draft another treaty in 1907. Under the 1907 treaty, France was only able to reclaim any territories annexed by Siam after 1794. That's why Cambodia can only recover Battambang, Siem Reap and Sisophon because they were annexed by Siam in 1795. Even this is not a free gift. France has to give Siam Trat, known as Krat in Khmer, and Chantaburi provinces to Siam in exchange for Siam to give Battambang, Siem Reap and Sisophon back to Cambodia.
However, with the support of the Japanese Imperial Army, Marshal Plaek Pibulsongram, the Thai strongman, launched a military attack and re-occupied these provinces in 1941. After world war II ended and after the defeat of Japan in 1946, fearing a reprisal from the French army in Cambodia, Thailand agreed to return all these provinces back to Cambodia.
The Yuon state is the enemy of the KHMER NATION.
May Hanoi-crook_nation reaps what it sold.
When it comes to lost territories Vietnam and Thailand are always thorns in the flesh for Cambodia.
It is good to commemorate the lost of Kampuchea Krom to remind every Khmer to safeguard what land we still now have. The bigger question is does Cambodians know how to carry out that responsibility of safguarding? I'm not too confidence that Cambodians can.
It seems Cambodian leaders once again look to outside help, China.
To me China is not a promising savior either!
A more worrying problem is the moral decay of the Cambodian people and society. How can people of a nation ever hope to defend against intruders when it is morally rotten from the inside?
Cambodians are not known for self sacrifice for the good of the nation. Typical Cambodian have a ME first mentality, "As long as I gain is all that matter." That is why corruption is widespread in gov't. History have shown, it does not matter who is ruling the country corruption is always a problem. This rotten behavior is what weakened a nation.
It is useless to blame the French, Yuon, Siam, former kings, or Hun Sen for lost territory. Because territorial presevations is every Cambodian responsibility!
Instead we need to ask what is it about Cambodians, the way we think in the last 3 centuries that make us so weak internally? What has been the greatest influence on Cambodian worldview? Buddhism is on top of my list, follow by education or lack there of.
If we are just content to maintain what we've always had I'm afraid what little land we still have may not be around much longer. Don't blame others for our own weakness.
Champa wiped out by YUON! Are we next?
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