Cambodia celebrates anniversary of independence from France
Fri, 09 Nov 2007
Phnom Penh - Thousands of Cambodians waving national flags turned out at the capital's Independence Monument Friday to witness King Norodom Sihamoni light the symbolic flame to mark the 54th anniversary of the country's break from colonial France. However, the man widely credited as the architect of a political solution to growing popular and increasingly armed resistance to French rule in November 1953, 85-year-old former King Norodom Sihanouk, was not present. Only his portrait oversaw the ceremony.Police estimated that around two thousand people lined the streets around the monument to watch Sihamoni symbolically release pigeons before hundreds of balloons were also sent skyward. Countless more watched the live broadcast on state television. Sihamoni was born just months before France agreed to withdraw from Cambodia and succeeded his father as monarch in 2004.The ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister Hun Sen, Senate and National Assembly presidents Chea Sim and Heng Samrin - both former resistance fighters against the French - senior politicians, business leaders and the nation's most senior Buddhist monks.The flame will burn for three days before being extinguished by Sihamoni in a brief ceremony Sunday. A fireworks celebration on the city's central Tonle Sap river is scheduled for Friday night.
Fri, 09 Nov 2007
Phnom Penh - Thousands of Cambodians waving national flags turned out at the capital's Independence Monument Friday to witness King Norodom Sihamoni light the symbolic flame to mark the 54th anniversary of the country's break from colonial France. However, the man widely credited as the architect of a political solution to growing popular and increasingly armed resistance to French rule in November 1953, 85-year-old former King Norodom Sihanouk, was not present. Only his portrait oversaw the ceremony.Police estimated that around two thousand people lined the streets around the monument to watch Sihamoni symbolically release pigeons before hundreds of balloons were also sent skyward. Countless more watched the live broadcast on state television. Sihamoni was born just months before France agreed to withdraw from Cambodia and succeeded his father as monarch in 2004.The ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister Hun Sen, Senate and National Assembly presidents Chea Sim and Heng Samrin - both former resistance fighters against the French - senior politicians, business leaders and the nation's most senior Buddhist monks.The flame will burn for three days before being extinguished by Sihamoni in a brief ceremony Sunday. A fireworks celebration on the city's central Tonle Sap river is scheduled for Friday night.
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