On May 27, at the inauguration of the Buddhist achievements in the Pagoda of Lang Ka, Phnom Penh, Samdech Techo addressed the audience on the Royal Government’s policy on religious issue, benefits gained from Buddhism, harmonious and interdependence relations between Buddhism and secular world, hostels for less-resource students, and contribution by the Buddhist monks to the humanitarian assistance.
For its May-2013 publication, CNV selects some of the political messages and comments concerning the opposition leaders who have outrageously made political statement on the Pol Pot’s genocide and the March-18-1970 coup.
The Paris Peace Agreement: “Preventing the Return of the Recent Past Regime”
Why do we have some political leaders steeping out and making such comments? I would instruct those involved in this work to post the audio documents in their websites. The Parties responsible may conduct their authentication checking. In time of peace in the whole country and people are celebrating what is called Day of Remembrance of the Genocide on May 20, such thing should not have taken place. I may recall that the discussion on the Paris Peace Agreement took such a long time to reach agreement was because of the disagreement on the issue of how to include in the Agreement the prevention of the possible return of the genocide regime of Pol Pot.
I proposed to include the sentence in the Paris Peace Agreement. It was rejected by the tripartite coalition government at that time and by some countries. I also could not accept (any Agreement without such statement in it). Finally, in Tokyo, we have found a solution. Then Japanese Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, now President of the International Court of Justice in The Hague and in law of the Japanese Emperor, issued an invitation for me to have a medical checkup in Japan. In fact, it was not really a medical checkup.
There was a negotiation going on from 7 pm through to 2.30 am. He said to me that what you have proposed is correct but if we were to include such statement in the Agreement, the Khmer Rouge side would not have agreed, and so would some other countries. In such case, we would not achieve the agreement. We spent so much time of this point. Finally, we came to the agreement to include “Preventing the return of the recent past regime.” HE Tia Banh, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense was also in the discussion from the beginning to the end.
Pol Pot’s Genocide is a Fabrication – The Opposition Leaders Say
We had done everything possible to guarantee that the regime of Pol Pot would not return to power. I also have made great effort in every term of the Royal Government to work with the United Nations in order to have this trial of the former Khmer Rouge leaders. The former Khmer Rouge soldiers who have integrated with the Royal Government condemn Pol Pot and organize the celebration of the January 7 victory in their strongholds since after 1996. Why the political leaders in Phnom Penh dare state like this? When s/he does not recognize the history that involves even the killing of her/his own parents, how could we expect her/him to recognize anyone? How could you trust in her/him?
While (Pol Pot) killed and put many in mass graves in Choeung Ek, they say those were fabrications. How people react to this is totally up to the people. I respect the people’s rights. In Khmer we say if a piece of bamboo used as mattress is broken, a new one could replace it. However, when a word comes out of one’s mouth, there is nothing to deny it.
I urge HE Khuon Sodary, Second Vice President of the National Assembly, to convene and discuss with members of the Cambodian People’s Party to draft an urgent law for the National Assembly in relation to those who make statements that the Khmer Rouge regime did not kill people or there is no such thing as Tuol Sleng torturing centre. In Europe no one dares say that there were no killing by Hitler. It is outrageous that they could go this far just to obtain political gain over the Cambodian People’s Party. They do insult the souls of people killed under this regime. I think grandfather Jum Mey and Bou Mi (survivors of Tuol Sleng prison) would have some matters to sort out with them.
Kong Kuam: “Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk ordered the coup”
I need to bring to your attention on what HE Kong Kuam, President of the Sam Rainsy Party and senior advisor of the National Rescue Party, has said on May 24 in the district of Trang, Takao province, in relation to Samdech Preah Borom Ratanak Kaod, Preah Norodom Sihanouk. We have been working on a statue in his memory at the Independence monument area so that the people of Cambodia can pay respect for, and we are hanging his picture on walls of all state institutions. About what he said, the Quick Reaction Unit (of the Council of Ministers) has already issued a statement. In what he said, HE Kong Kuam did not consider Lon Nol as the coup maker that brought Samdech Ov (Preah Norodom Sihanouk) down but it was Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk who ordered Lon Nol to launch the coup. It is a serious issue.
I am sure you can find and listen directly to what he said in the website of the Quick Reaction Unit but I just read a passage that was sent to me and I quote: “The situation has turned difficult now. Lon Nol should become Prime Minister and set up a national rescue government. Lon Nol should do the job inside the country. I will go abroad.” It was said that the situation was the result of preparation by the Vietnamese, Chinese and even the Soviet communists. According to this statement, it is inferring that the March 18 coup in 1970 was also a fabrication. The whole country went into destruction because of the coup launched by Lon Nol. Now they said it was not Lon Nol who launched the coup but Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk who ordered it.
As a victim of the coup, Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk has now become the one to take the fault. For HE Kong Kuam, I always have high thought of him and he engaged in politics since when he was in my team. Now I find it hard to believe what he had said just to ascertain political gain. I think the Cambodian people should memorize this. One other leader of the same group, Koem Sokha, President of the Human Rights Party and now in the National Rescue Party, had just said that Tuol Sleng was a fabrication. Now we all hear this from HE Kong Kuam. If we do not take serious measures to protect the late HM, how could his soul rest in peace?
Upholding Faithfulness to the Throne and HM
I have done and sacrificed everything for HM. I lost an eye and was wounded five times. I also did everything possible so that HM (Preah Norodom Sihanouk) could return to the country. You may have seen the pictures. It was since the time that I went to meet him for negotiation until I went to accompany them back to the country in 1991. Finally, I accompanied HM’s body from Beijing back to Cambodia for a grand funeral our country can offer to signify our respect for his efforts for the country and people. I have fulfilled my role and duty as one of millions of his grateful children, except perhaps those who opposed HM like those who have this theory that HM ordered Lon Nol to carry out the coup. If, in the name of the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Cambodian People’s Party, I dare not step out and defend HM, what meaning does it make when we swear to hold faithfulness to the throne and HM?
At the funeral, according to astrologer, my birth sign and zodiac would result me a bad luck as it was not compatible with the birth sign of HM. When we offered light to the pyre, Samdech Me, the Queen Mother, also stated again to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Royal Palace HE Kong Sam Ol to remind me on that. I annotated on the letter that I will not miss this very important event. In our meeting, my wife was also present, HM the King and the Queen Mother said they did not want bad thing to happen to me. I responded that if I were to do so what does being faithful to the throne mean. In fact I learned since when I went to Beijing that my birth sign was not compatible with the birth sign of the late HM. How could that stop me since I even used my chest and eyes as shield for HM.
Not a Royalist but the One that Defends It
It is quite new. If I were to keep it, those people will go on discrediting the reputation of the late HM, even he had passed away already. If learning this but did not respond to it, I would not be a Techo or a grateful child, who had left in 1970s and followed HM. I would say that the Cambodian People’s Party is not a royalist Party but the one that defends it. Monarchy could stay on depends on how much people support. There is no need to name it the royalist Party but the Party that protects the monarchy. I would hold my two hands together and offer my respect from afar that I would do everything to protect even though the late HM already passed away. I would not allow anyone to insult HM. I already took an oath before the body of the late HM in Beijing. With your children that are faithful to and supporting the Cambodian People’s Party, we will carry on.
All this has ascertained that these people would destroy the monarchy. It is so obvious. I have not shown you yet the picture of a member of the National Assembly from an opposition Party who participated in a seminar with a different flag hung in it. We will have it posted on website. As a member of the National Assembly, why do they take part in such forum where they used a different flag? I suggest the national police send the picture to the Quick Reaction Unit. I already sent one to Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranaridh already. They are sitting in the parliament and taking oath to be faithful to nation, religion and King, but they are seen in this forum with a different national flag. I think this is nothing to hide. Hun Sen has no intention to prevent anyone from exercising his/her own rights but I have the need to protect the throne and the constitutional monarchy.
I find it hard to comprehend. I would seek permission from our beloved and respected HM the King and the Queen Mother to take action on this issue. I think the Funcinpec Party also has to react to this statement of HE Kong Kuam. It is not a simple and small matter. It is a big one. While so many people turned out to pay their last respect to the late HM, how could these people make such statement? While grasping gain from attacking the Chinese, Vietnamese and Soviet communists, they dare condemn the HM (Samdech Preah Borom Ratanak Kaod), who is the victim of the March 18 coup conducted by Lon Nol.
People’s Decision
I am appealing to our people to digest and think through should they trust leaders of the opposition Parties which will contest in the elections when they argues Tuol Sleng was a fabrication and HM Samdech Preah Borom Ratanak Kaod was the one that ordered the March-18 1970 coup. There is no need for any draft of legal tool to sort out this issue since we will protect and assure justice for the late HM. When he returned to the motherland, all political parties – the Cambodian People’s Party, Funcinpec, and the Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party (of Son San) – declared support for the late HM as the Head of State and considered the March 18 coup illegal. Everyone should remember that. We will not allow a change to the history. Hundreds of thousands of people shed their tears, lost their lives because of shelling and bombardments in the war between 1970 and 1975 and more under Pol Pot.
I am so sorry for the politicians who did all this. Concerning what happened in Pailin, HE Kem Sokha, said that he is going to bring the matter for discussion with Prime Minister Hun Sen. The Ministry of Interior will take action. However, it seems that the issue is purely internal and there are no outsiders involved. He invited people to a meeting and some people posed him questions. Then they had a verbal clash. It was purely among them. They should not turn it to be a bothering case. I would warn them too when they just go out insulting others. It would be fine when they talk to their Party members but they should be careful when they invite other people to listen to them as well./.