King-Father and Queen-Mother to Oum Daravuth (personal advisor and first cousin of King Sihamoni): Just shut up!

Translated from French by Luc Sâr

Message to
H.E. Oum Daravuth
c/o H.E Samdech Chaufea Veang Kon Som Ol

We, King-Father and Queen-Mother Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, are officially ordering you from this day on, this hour on, this minute on, the following:

a- No longer harass, disturb H.M. King Preah Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia.
b- Not cause him the least difficulty about anybody or anything whatsoever.
c- Not to talk to the mass media (Khmer or International -> radio, TV, newspapers, reporters, etc…) about H.M. King Preah Sihamoni, about the parents (father and mother) of His Majesty.
d- Not to get yourself involved in Cambodia’s royal, state affairs etc…

(Signed) N. Sihanouk

Done in our Royal Residence in Beijing, PRC, 01 October 2008

King-Father to return home before the 2008 election

13 December 2007
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

King Norodom Sihamoni returned back home yesterday afternoon, and he was welcomed at the airport by top Cambodian leaders such as Hun Sen.

There was no additional report provided regarding the king’s return, however, Oum Daravuth, an official from the royal palace cabinet, indicated that the king’s father, Hero-King Norodom Sihanouk, will return back home prior to the upcoming 2008 general election, so that he can provide a shade (to the country) and project an image of peace in the country.

Oum Daravuth said: “The words from Samdech Ta were: ‘his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren shouldn’t be worried because he will stay (in Cambodia) to provide a shade for the upcoming 2008 general election.’ The Hero-King send words that he never abandon his children and grandchildren, the latter should remember that in1993, 1998, and 2003, he always stayed (in the country) to provide a shade for his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren living in the Kingdom of Cambodia.”

The departure of King-Father to Beijing for healthcare took place while his son, Prince Ranariddh, is still in exile and cannot return back to politics in Cambodia any time soon to participate in the upcoming 2008 July general election.

There is only 7 months left until the general election, several political sources, both inside and outside the country, hope that an intervention could be done to make the return of Prince Ranariddh home possible.

However, Oum Daravuth, (son of Oum Manorin) who is close to the Hero-King and the king, revealed that the key for the return of the prince to Cambodia lies with Hun Sen.

Oum Daravuth added: “He (King-Father) told Prince Ranariddh that the prince will return back (to Cambodia), if he clenches an agreement with Samdach Hun Sen, and only Samdach Hun Sen can guarantee the return of Prince Ranariddh home.”

Prince Ranariddh left Cambodia since after his resignation as president of the National Assembly in March 2006.

Queen-Mother's nephew rejoices at the failure of the offpsrings of the Lon Nol's regime to publish their republican magazine

Royal Palace official talks about the republicans

03 November 2007
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

An official from the royal palace declared that there could be an attempt made by a group of republicans to oppose and topple the monarchy system in Cambodia.

Oum Daravuth, an official from the royal palace office (and a nephew of Queen-Mother), discussed about the attempt made for this toppling, following the authority’s confiscation of the Free Press Magazine (FPM) which included articles and drawings very critical to the former monarch, King Norodom Sihanouk.

Oum Daravuth praised the measures taken to counter the scorning made against the former monarch. Oum Daravuth declared: “Based on what I understand, H.E. Khieu Kanharith did the right thing because no magazines or newspapers can violate Article 7, Chapter 2 of the constitution which stipulates that the king shall be inviolable. The Ministry of Information has the duty of confiscating or closing down this newspaper, this does not mean that we don’t respect the press freedom rights, this is stipulated in the Constitution, and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Based on what I observed, a lot of republicans came, for example, to set up the Republican party in a kingdom, and no kingdom would ever allow a republican party to exist, this means that in Cambodia, we respect a lot the freedom rights of each party …”.

Oum Daravuth added: “… I am very puzzled and want to know why the Republican party is set up, and why a republican newspaper is formed to attack our king or our Hero-King? As H.E. Khieu Kanharith rightly said so, these (republican) group, they are only waiting to attack the monarchy only, and in particular, to attack the monarchy institution itself., because first of all, these (republican) people are very hurt that the Lon Nol republic regime lasted only 5-year, therefore, the remnant (of this regime) want to avenge their fathers, grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts and uncles, who couldn’t govern Cambodia during the Lon Nol regime for a long period of time.”

The FPM which was prevented by the authority from being distributed is a newly published magazine which issued its first edition in November 2007.