Saturday, November 10, 2012

Cambodians Somberly Mark Independence Day

Cambodian students wave their national flags during a ceremony to celebrate the country's 59th Independence Day from France, at the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Hundreds of people gathered at Independence Monument in Phnom Penh on Friday to celebrate the 59th anniversary of Cambodia’s independence from France.

10 November 2012
Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer

PHNOM PENH - Hundreds of people gathered at Independence Monument in Phnom Penh on Friday to celebrate the 59th anniversary of Cambodia’s independence from France.

King Norodom Sihamoni, still in mourning at the death of his father, Norodom Sihanouk, did not attend the ceremony. Sihanouk is widely credited with bringing Cambodia through its independence without violence. He died in Beijing Oct. 15, and his body is now lying in state at the Royal Palace.

The death of the former king, widely revered in the country, cast a somber mood on the celebration.


The ceremony was presided over by National Assembly President Heng Samrin, at Independence Monument in the capital. Prime Minister Hun Sen did not attend the ceremony, which included the lighting of a “victory flame” at the base of the monument that will burn for the next three days.

Marn Dollar, a 22-year-old student of agriculture, said the ceremony was a day of sadness for him, due to the death of Sihanouk.

“I told my children to remember the king father and what he has done for the nation,” said Ket Phana, a 54-year-old civil servant from the Ministry of Rural Development, who joined the anniversary celebrations.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Independence day from France is good.


Next,

Independence day from Vietcong is better!

Anonymous said...

Many young kids/teenagers do not look like Cambodian/Khmer at all - must be Yuon/Vietnamese offspring

Anonymous said...

(INដេរពងក្ដ) day from Vietcong is better!
-ឯករាជ!......កណ្ដួយម៉ែវាអី!
-បើអាយួននៅពី​លើ​ក្បាលអញ្ចឹង!

Anonymous said...

(អាំងដេរពងក្ដ).....កណ្ដួយម៉ែវាអី!
-បើអាយួននៅពី​លើ​ក្បាលអញ្ចឹង!

Anonymous said...

សុទ្ធតែកូនយួន អបអរ (អាំងដេរពងក្ដ)!

(អាំងដេរពងក្ដ)=Independence

Anonymous said...

7:34 PM
Yes, they your youn offsprings. Take them to Hanoi please.

Anonymous said...

In the picture, Cambodian/Khmer people don't look like. Those are Vietnamese/Yuon gooks.

Anonymous said...

Correction for 6:06 PM

In the picture, Cambodian/Khmer people don't look like those kids/teenagers. Those are Vietnamese/Yuon gooks who were coming from the illegal Yuou/Viet Gook Parents in Cambodia.

Khmer/Cambodian folks mixed other races appreciate their Khmer nationality.

Khmer/Cambodian people usually have very strong and healthy looking features, strong and high cheek bone, hazel eyes, healthy looking, with dark, light and light tan skin.

You can be the judge!

Most Vietnamese/Yuon look like Chinese, but they act different from Chinese people.