King-Father (L) and his adopted son (R)04 Oct 2008
By Pen Bona
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the original article in French
Norodom Sihanouk will receive, one after another, the visits of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition party in his royal residence in Beijing.
In a letter dated 19 September, Sam Rainsy solicited for a courtesy audience with King-Father. The latter indicated that he could not receive him until the third week of November because he is currently busy with medical exams. According to Mu Sochua, the SRP deputy Secretary-general, Sam Rainsy’s visit is only a courtesy visit without any political motive.
At a speech given during the return to school, Hun Sen also let it be known that he will visit for the former monarch soon. While Hun Sen indicated that he would be received by King-Father before Sam Rainsy, he did not say what subjects he will raise during this royal meeting.
It is not random that the two men, one after another, had solicited a meeting with King-Father. Even before the announce was made, the former monarch congratulated Hun Sen, by mail sent from Beijing, who was just re-elected as prime minister on 24 September. “In the name of my wife and in myself, we wish to congratulate you for this nomination to a position worthy of your name,” Norodom Sihanouk wrote, while adding that Hun Sen is a “prestigious great leader” who did so much for Cambodia.
On the other hand, Hun Sen who considers Norodom Sihanouk as his “own father,” indicated in his letter that the words dispensed by the former monarch are “useful for encouraging him in his work.”
The display of love (between Sihanouk and Hun Sen) punches a hole right through Sam Rainsy’s speech, who shortly after the election, called on the former monarch to lead a royal crusade to “save the country,” which in Sam Rainsy’s eyes, is actually in danger, in particular due to poverty, election rigging, and the invasion of foreigners.
