Map showing Kampuchea Krom, known in this map as Cochinchine, in green and blue and the date it was colonised by France.
By Khmerization
Source: RFA
Nine members of parliament from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) has sent a petition to King Sihamoni asking him to declare 4th June as a day of national mourning because it was a day that the French parliament voted to cede Kampuchea Krom territories (21 provinces of Cambodian territories in southern Vietnam) to the Vietnamese control in 1949, reports Radio Free Asia.
Mr. Yont Tharo (pictured), an SRP MP who is an ethnic Khmer Krom, said by telephone from Preah Vihear province that the SRP wants all Cambodians to remember this historical and painful day of the loss of Cambodia's vast territories to Vietnam. "I think that 4th June 1949 was a day that all Cambodians feel painful and sad because France have illegally ceded our territories to the Vietnamese", he said.
On 4th June 1949, the French parliament voted to cede 21 Cambodian provinces with total areas of 68,965 square kilometres to Vietnam's control. Today, according to some sources, there are 12 million ethnic Khmer Krom people living in Kampuchea Krom.
Mr. Tith Sothea, spokesman for the government's Press Quick Reaction Unit, said the 9 opposition MPs are doing this for political gains. "I wish to ask the opposition party not to use this date as a front for political gains", he said.
The Royal Palace cannot be reached for comments at the time of this report going to air.
Source: RFA
Nine members of parliament from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) has sent a petition to King Sihamoni asking him to declare 4th June as a day of national mourning because it was a day that the French parliament voted to cede Kampuchea Krom territories (21 provinces of Cambodian territories in southern Vietnam) to the Vietnamese control in 1949, reports Radio Free Asia.
Mr. Yont Tharo (pictured), an SRP MP who is an ethnic Khmer Krom, said by telephone from Preah Vihear province that the SRP wants all Cambodians to remember this historical and painful day of the loss of Cambodia's vast territories to Vietnam. "I think that 4th June 1949 was a day that all Cambodians feel painful and sad because France have illegally ceded our territories to the Vietnamese", he said.
On 4th June 1949, the French parliament voted to cede 21 Cambodian provinces with total areas of 68,965 square kilometres to Vietnam's control. Today, according to some sources, there are 12 million ethnic Khmer Krom people living in Kampuchea Krom.
Mr. Tith Sothea, spokesman for the government's Press Quick Reaction Unit, said the 9 opposition MPs are doing this for political gains. "I wish to ask the opposition party not to use this date as a front for political gains", he said.
The Royal Palace cannot be reached for comments at the time of this report going to air.
3 comments:
BRAVO! BRAVO! I applaud SRP's request. 6/4/49, a special historic occasion, means to be kept as our national mourning for the later generation to remember and learn the object lesson of our history. Absolutely, it's a political gain that the present puppet government intents to ignore the 6/4/49 in the hope of maintaining the yuonization(vietnamization?)on Khmer soil.
Great job, Sam Rainsy Party. I agree that the day we lost Kampuchea Krom is a painful day for our nation, so it is appropriate that we declare that day a day of national mourning.
Any living human being who consider themselves KHMER(Cambodian) would wholeheartedly agree to this sad date of Cambodian history and need to be constantly reminded.
June 4, 1949 was a great loss to Cambodia. Cambodia loss more than just a huge chunk of territory and populations, but a loss of respect, honor and dignity. A part of Cambodia was stolen. This also the loss of respect for the colonial French and a loss of trust with Vietnam nation. Vietnam had all along wanted to expand southward at any cost. By kissing up to colonial French, Vietnam was able to earned trust from the French. With this trust, Vietnam was able to insert its ambition. That ambition was to obtain Kampuchea Krom(Cochinchine)and beyond. Since the colonial French has all the saying about French-Indochina affair, Cambodia's king was speechless and uncontested of the French's decision. Cambodia had no other choice but to accept this loss. This sparked great joys for Vietnam, all prays had been answered.
The loss of territories to Vietnam was probably the main reasons why there are great distrust and bitterness for the Vietnamese amongst Cambodian. The flame of distrust and bitterness will forever burning as long as Kampuchea Krom is in the heart and minds of Cambodians and Vietnam will do its damn-est to stop that. The current Cambodian government is a puppet of Vietnam. It is under the spell of Hanoi's power. Whatever Hanoi orders, Cambodian governments will follow, even if Hanoi turns Khmer against Khmer.
Post a Comment