Posted on 22 July 2008The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 570
“Phnom Penh: A Royal Letter of the Great Heroic King dated 19 July 2008, which was published [on his Internet website] for all compatriots who are his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, is his response to a not named political dignitary who accused the Sangkum Reastr Niyum [often translated as “People’s Socialist Community” or “Popular Socialist Community”] to have eliminated all political parties, so that there remained only one party: the Sangkum Reastr Niyum Party. Without making any comment, this Royal Letter is made know also here:
Royal LetterNorodom Sihanoukof Cambodiato his most Beloved Compatriots, Brothers and Sisters, Children, Grandchildren, and Great-Grandchildren
Phnom Penh, 19 July 2008
Yesterday night, a political dignitary said that the Sangkum Reastr Niyum regime eliminated all political parties and made Cambodia to have only one Party – the Sangkum Reastr Niyum Party - which started from 1954 to 1969.
Responding to this very unjust accusation, I would like to correct it and to tell the truths to our compatriots and to history as follow:
1.The Sangkum Reastr Niyum regime started in 1955, not in 1954.
2.The Sangkum Reastr Niyum regime did not eliminate other parties. In 1955, there was a national election to elect a parliament, monitored by the International Control Commission (officially called the International Commission for Supervision and Control [to supervise the cease-fire at the end of the French-Vietnamese military confrontation in Vietnam at the end of French colonial rule in Indochina, the withdrawal of foreign troops, the release of prisoners of war, and the overall compliance with the terms of the agreement]) in which there was India as president, and Poland as a representative of the communist block, and Canada as a representative of the democratic block as members.
“The triumph of the Sangkum Reastr Niyum Party was a sign of multiparty democracy, and the elections were 100% fair, as monitored by internationals.
“The results of the national election were announced by International Control Commission as follows:
The Sangkum Reastr Niyum Party won 82% of the citizens’ ballots
The Democratic Party got 13%
The Khmer Vietminh People’s Party got 3%
“Mr. Sim Va, who opposed Sihanouk 500%, was not happy with the 100% Sihanoukist Assembly. He got the permission from Preah Karuna Preah Bat Norodom Suramarit [Sihanouk's father] (who reigned as King after me) to dissolve the Assembly which supported Sihanouk very much. I resigned from the throne in 1955 and created the Sangkum Reastr Niyum Party, in response to requests of citizens who were Sihanoukists, in order to participate in the national election to choose a parliament, monitored by internationals.
“In 1958, there was another national election to elect a parliament. The result was as follows:
“The Sangkum Reastr Niyum continued to gain more successes than before. As for the Democratic Party that did to want to be shamed, it did not dare to compete with the Sangkum Reastr Niyum Party. The Khmer Vietminh People’s Party dared to join the competition, but it received only 1% of the ballots from the compatriots.
3.Samdech Krom Preah Sisowath Monireth, my uncle, told Lon Nol and Prince [Sisowath] Sirik Matak of their National Renovation Party and the Democratic Party that the fortress of the Sangkum Reastr Niyum was very strong; anyone who wanted to destroy the fortress of the Sangkum Reastr Niyum by an attack from outside would not be successful. Unless enemies could get inside of the Sangkum Reastr Niyum, the fortress of the Sangkum Reastr Niyum Party could be ruined.
“That was why Lon Nol, Prince [Sisowath] Sirik Matak and others joined the Sangkum Reastr Niyum Party in order to ruin it, by making a coup d’état on 18 March 1970 when I was not in the country.
“Hence, the accusation which says that Norodom Sihanouk made the Sangkum Reastr Niyum Party the only party is very unfair. But it was Lon Nol and Prince [Sisowath] Sirik Matak and others who had merged their parties into the fortress of the Sangkum Reastr Niyum in order to destroy it from inside when I was not in the country.
4.As for Prince Sisowath Yuthewong [the founder of the Democratic Party], I took as good care of him as I could. He wanted to stay at a royal palace belonging to the King in Kep, and in Tonle Bati; I, on behalf of the King of Cambodia, gave him and his wife, a French national, everything he wanted. My uncle, Samdech Sisowath Monireth told my mother that Sisowath Yuthewong and his wife acted like King and Queen, that was not like democrats!
“I pray in the name of the three virtues of the Buddhist trinity [the Buddha, his Teaching, and his disciples], to the angels who protect Cambodia, such as the angels who hold the huge white protective parasol, and to the spirits of all former Kings and Queens of the Kingdom of Cambodia, to take care of our most beloved compatriots, brothers and sisters, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, for the five Buddhist goods: Ayu [long life], Vannak [good complexion – having a good life], Sokhak [health], Poleak [strength], and Padepheaneak [wisdom] forever.
Thank you very much.
(signed) N. Sihanouk
Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6402, 21.7.2008
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:Monday, 21 July 2008
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