A Change of Guard

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Friday 4 June 2010

Khmers should all mourn the loss of Kampuchea Krom territory

By Khmerization
4th June, 2010

“The loss of Kampuchea Krom territory is a painful historical event for all Cambodians. It is imperative that we give moral supports to our Khmer Krom brothers and sisters by joining in great numbers in the commemoration services across Cambodia and around the world.”


Today marks the 61st anniversary of the loss of Kampuchea Krom territory to Vietnam, a loss so painful for all Khmers, especially for the Khmer Krom people who have to live and endure sufferings under the Vietnamese oppressive control.

The loss of Kampuchea Krom territory to Vietnam was a great national loss which caused great sufferings to the ethnic Khmer Krom people who had been subjected to discriminations, persecutions and oppressions from the Vietnamese people and subsequent Vietnamese governments. Many Khmer Krom had become a minority in their homeland and, due to persecutions, had to flee from their homeland to seek refuge or political asylum in Cambodia and countries around the world. Despite obstacles and discriminations from the Vietnam-backed government of Prime Minister Hun Sen, many Khmer Krom had become relatively successful in their livelihood and excelling in schools. Notwithstanding their relative comfort life in Cambodia, they never forgot their homeland and celebrated and commemorated the loss of Kampuchea Krom territory every year.

In order to understand the dilemma and the sufferings of the Khmer Krom people, one must know the history of the Kampuchea Krom territory first. The Khmer Krom people have endured the Vietnamese oppression since 1623 when King Chey Chetta II of Cambodia (1618-1628), after having married to a Vietnamese princess, acquiesced to a Vietnamese request and allowed Vietnamese refugees fleeing the Trinh-Nguyen War in Vietnam to settle in the port city of Prey Nokor, presently known as Ho Chi Minh City, which they eventually set up a custom house in that port city. Increasing waves of Vietnamese settlers flowed in and due to its weakened administration of the areas and due to protracted wars with Thailand, the Cambodian central government could not control the region and eventually and gradually the region had become Vietnamised.

In 1698, Nguyen Huu Canh, a Vietnamese noble, was sent by the Nguyen rulers of Hue to establish Vietnamese administrative structures in the area, thus detaching the area from Cambodia, which was not strong enough to intervene. Since 1698, the area has been firmly under Vietnamese administration and the ethnic Vietnamese became the majority population in most provinces.

In 1757, the Vietnamese colonised the provinces of Psar Dèk (renamed Sadéc in Vietnamese) and Moat Chrouk which was Vietnamised to Châu Doc and now known as An Giang.

In 1802 Nguyen Anh crowned himself emperor and called himself Gia Long. He had unified all territories which are now modern Vietnam and annexed large chunk of Cambodian territories the Vietnamese used as sanctuaries when fleeing the Trinh-Nguyen War, including 21 provinces of Kampuchea Krom territory of Cambodia.

Just before France colonised Cambodia in 1863 and before he died in 1860, King Ang Duang wrote to Napoleon III asking France to become a Protectorate of Cambodia in order to save Cambodia from being swallowed by Vietnam and Thailand, with one condition that Napoleon III agrees to return all territories of Kampuchea Krom to Cambodia whenever France withdrew from Cambodia. Napoleon III gave strong assurances that France will cede all former Cambodian territories of Kampuchea Krom to Cambodia whenever France leaves Cambodia.

However, four years before the French Protectorate left Cambodia on 9th November 1953, the French government turned to the French parliament to decide what country, Cambodia or Vietnam, should the territories be returned to. The French parliamentarians, despite strong protests from Cambodia, had voted to officially cede all territories of Kampuchea Krom to Vietnam on 4th June 1949. Those votes sealed the fate of Khmer Krom people and Kampuchea Krom’s chances of a reunification with Cambodia.

Today, according to Vietnamese census, there are about more than one million ethnic Khmer Krom living in the territory of Kampuchea Krom. However, some Khmer sources put the figures as high as 12 million. These people had endured persecutions and suffered discriminations and oppressions under subsequent Vietnamese governments. And many had fled the Vietnamese persecutions to a relative comfort in Cambodia. Despite many obstacles, including bans and pressures from the Cambodian and Vietnamese governments, Khmer Krom living in Cambodia have always put up a brave face and commemorated the loss of Kampuchea Krom territory every year as a symbolic struggle for the survival of their culture, ethnic identity and their Motherland, Kampuchea Krom.

The loss of Kampuchea Krom territory is a painful historical event for all Cambodians. It is imperative that we give moral supports to our Khmer Krom brothers and sisters by joining in great numbers in the commemoration services across Cambodia and around the world. In fact, we should all commemorate this event as a National Day of Mourning every year.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

The loss of Kampuchea Krom territory is a sad and painful event indeed. We Khmer Kandal must support our Khmer Krom brothers and sisters and give them moral supports to remember this painful event. Hope one day Khmer Krom and Khmer Knadal can be reunited.

Anonymous said...

Why do they have a different flag than us>>??

Heng Soy said...

I do agree with Khmerization and now I let's mourn together, remember it, help each other and hope for the independence!

Khmerization said...

Kolbotkhmer, thanks for your thought.It is unimaginable for Kampuchuea Krom to be reunited with Cambodia. However, the least we Khmers can do is to mourn the loss, remember it and help our Khmer Krom brothers and sisters with moral and political supports.

Anonymous said...

Brothers and sisters, Kampuchea Krom is always in my heart and in mind. If we mourn, we give the impression to the Hanoi that we give it up. We Khmer never give this land up to Hanoi and we must find a mean to get it back. It was the french who give this land to the Viet just 61 years ago. It was not Khmer.
Israel lost her country to the Arab nations for nearly 1,000.00 years and now they got it back just 60 years ago.
In the clause of the UN, Democracy and Independence can be given to people who live on that land as long as you prove that you are the owner and you not satisfy with the Hanoi government. We must show some resistance to Hanoi to realize about this dissatisfaction.

We should never give up. We should not live like a coward. We must fight back. We have lost so much.
As long as we are breathing, we must keep on fighting for this devolution. Free ourselves from the expansionism of the Hanoi's empire.

True Khmer

Anonymous said...

Israel didn't not lose their land; they were kicked out off their land by their God for nearly 2,000 years.
Their crime: rejection of of the truth that Jesus was their Messiah.

It was based on a promised that they would be restore back to their land after the time of the Gentiles be fulfill. I can't say it will be so concerning the Khmer Krom situation.
Only the God of Israel will able to do so if he so chooses. He was the One that divided up the nations in all it places on earth.
The only hope is to appeal to him. He is waiting to hear your case if you call for his help. Seem to me the arm of flesh has been failing miserably to do any good.

Anonymous said...

How we go from here ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Anonymous said...

I am of the opinion that Kampuchea will never be reunited with the Cambodian Motherland. "True Khmer" is right to say we should never give it up. but how do we get it back? Kampuchea Krom can never be compared to Israel, East Timor, Kosovo or other newly independent territories. Khmer Krom are the original inhabitants of the land but now they have been driven out of their lands and have become the minority. Soon, Kampuchea Krom will exist in name only because all the Khmer Krom will be driven out by the Viets and the Viet government and the land will be populated by the Viets only. However, if we persist and the Khmer Krom fight hard to publicize their persecutions and sufferings under the Viet, the world, UN and UNPO will pay more attention to their sufferings and some sort of self-determination and autonomy might be attainable. Even this is a remote possibility.

Anonymous said...

We all die sometimes. We must choose to die in a meaningful way.
Independence of Kampuchea Krom is duty and a responsibility of every Khmer.
You have seen a lot of stories of, how something impossible turns out to be possible. For instance the journey to become president of Mr.Barak Obamar.

Kampuchea Krom is not something impossible. It all about being resistant to the Hanoi.

During the war of the 70s, Khmer Krom almost gain power to be independent from the south Vietnam. There were almost 200,000 Khmer Krom soldiers got arms in their hands. That was the closest self rule by the Khmer Krom brothers. It is our right to have it back.
When there is a will, there will be a way. Be a resistant fighters against the Hanoi's expansionism.

True Khmer

To Kim Thong said...

ជញ្ជឹងគិតមកវិញ អំពីពិធីរំលឹកថ្ងៃទី ៤ មិថុនា
June 4 2010, the days after
ការរំលឹកថ្ងៃទី៤ មិថុនា ដែលជាថ្ងៃប្រធានាធិបតីបារាំង Vincent Auriol ចុះហត្ថលេខាផ្ទេរអំណាចគ្រប់គ្រងកម្ពុជាក្រោម ឲ្យអធិរាជយួន Bao Dai កាលពីឆ្នាំ១៩៤៩ បានកន្លងផុតទៅម្តងទៀតហើយ។ ពិធី រំលឹកខួបឆ្នាំទី៦១នេះ មានភាពអធឹកអធ័មជាទីគាប់ចិត្ត ដោយមានការ ចូលរួមយ៉ាងគគ្រឹកគគ្រេងពីបណ្តាញសារព័ត៌មាន ព្រមទាំងកុលបុត-កុលធិតាខ្មែរ នៅក្នុងមាតុភូមិផង នៅកាណាដា អាមេរិក បារាំង អិតាលី អូស្ត្រាលី និងនូស្សេឡិនផង។
បើនិយាយតាមភាសារគណិតសាស្ត្រឃើញថា ការរួមគ្នារំលឹកថ្ងែ ទី៤ មិថុនា ជាភាគបែង( denominator) នៃសង្គមខ្មែរក្រោម ពោលគឺ ខ្មែរក្រោមយើង ទោះបីជាមានទស្សនៈ ឬនិន្នាការខុសគ្នា ប៉ុន្តែយើង មានមូលដ្ឋានដូចគ្នា (common ground) កាលណាយើងនិយាយអំពី សេចក្តីស្រណោះសោកស្តាយកេរដំណែលមរតកដូនតា។ ខ្មែរអ្នកជាតិ និយម គប្បីយកមូលដ្ឋានដូចគ្នានេះមកធ្វើលេខគុណ (multiplication) ហើយយកទស្សនៈ ឬនិន្នាការ ដែលនាំមកនូវការ បែកបាក់គ្នា មកធ្វើ លេខដក(subtraction)។ ខាងក្រោមនេះ ជារូបមន្ត (formula) មួយ ចំនួន ដើម្បីដោះស្រាយចំណោទដ៏ងាយស្រួលនេះ។
• រូបមន្តទី១
ស្នេហាជាតិ = ប្រឆាំងនឹងអាណានិគមយួន + កសាង
សង្គមខ្មែរ
សតិអារម្មណ៍ខ្មែរយើងធ្លាប់តែសន្មត់ថា អ្នកស្រឡាញ់ជាតិត្រូវតែ ហ៊ានស្លាប់ប្រឆាំងយួន ដូច្នេះអ្នកខ្លះគ្រាន់តែប្រកាសថា ស្អប់យួន ប៉ុណ្ណឹង ដោយមិនទាន់បាន ”ធ្វើ” អ្វីឲ្យយួនរស៊ើបផង ក៏គេចាត់ទុកជា អ្នកស្នេហាជាតិ។ អកុសលអីមូលហេតុនៃការមិនចុះសម្រុងគ្នាសព្វថ្ងៃ ពីព្រោះតែ “អ្នកស្នេហាជាតិ” មានយុទ្ធសាស្រ្តប្រឆាំងយួនខុសគ្នា។ ដូច្នេះទន្ទឹមនឹងការព្យាយាម កំចាត់ឫសគល់នោះចេញ យើងគួរបណ្តុះ ពូជថ្មីឲ្យចាក់ឬសក្នុងសតិអារម្មណ៍ដោយ ៖
(ក) បុគ្គលណាឬក្រុមណា ដែលបានយកយុទ្ធសាស្រ្ត និងយុទ្ធវិធី របស់ខ្លួន ទៅប្រតិបត្តិជាច្រើនឆ្នាំហើយ មិនបានអំណោយផលទេ បុគ្គលនោះឬក្រុមនោះត្រូវចេះងៀកទៅរកម៌ាគា ដែលប្រសើរជាង ឬ នៅស្ងៀមតែម្តង។
(ខ) ប្តូរសតិអារម្មណ៍អំពីនិយមន័យ នៃពាក្យ ស្នេហាជាតិ ។ ទន្ទឹមនឹងសកម្មភាព វាយកំទេច របបអាណានិគម អ្នកស្នេហាជាតិ ខ្មែរក្រោម មានភារកិច្ចមួយទៀតដ៏ឧត្តុងឧត្តមដែរគឺ កសាង សង្គម ដែលរាប់ទាំងសង្គមគ្រួសារ និងសង្គមជាតិផង ឲ្យជឿនលឿនទាន់ សម័យ ហើយរក្សានូវលក្ខណៈវប្បធម៌ខ្មែរ។ ដូច្នេះអ្នកណាបានទំនុក បំរុង វង្សត្រកូលថ្លៃថ្នូរ លើកដំកើងកិត្តិយសខ្មែរក្រោម អ្នកនោះចាត់ ទុកជាអ្នកស្នេហាជាតិដែរ។
• រូបមន្តទី២
អញ < យើង + គេ
“អញ” ឬ “ខ្ញុំ” ក្នុងន័យនេះសំដៅទៅបុគ្គល “យើង” សំដៅទៅ ក្រុមមនុស្សដែលមានគំនិតដូចគ្នាហើយ “គេ” សំដៅទៅក្រុមមនុស្ស ដែលមានទស្សនៈខុសពី ”អញ”។ បើម្នាក់ៗ ចេះឯងក្រែងចេះគេប្រា កដជាងាយស្រួលក្នុងការប្រមូលកម្លាំងតស៊ូ។
• រូបមន្តទី៣
មុសាវាទា វេរមណី សិក្ខាបទំ សមាទិយាមិ => ពង្រឹង មិត្តភាព និងសាមគ្គីភាព ។
ក្នុងសង្គមខ្មែរក្រោម ៧០% នៃការបាក់បែករវាងគ្នា គឺបណ្តាល មកពីសំដីប៉ះទង្គិច មានត្រឹមតែ២៥%ទេ ដែលបណ្តាលមកពីទំនាស់ គំនិតនិង៥% មកពីទង្វើមិនគប្បីដាក់គ្នា។ អ៊ីចឹងហើយមុននឹងនិយាយ ឬសរសេរត្រូវគិត យើងនឹងជៀសវាងការបែកបាក់ដោយមិនដឹងខ្លួន។ “ថោកអីនឹងដៃ ថ្លៃអីនឹងមាត់” ។
សរុបសេចក្តីក្រោយពីបានប្រារព្ធទិវាខួបឆ្នាំទី៦១ នាថ្ងៃបាត់បង់ កម្ពុជាក្រោមឆ្នាំនេះ សមាជិក-កាគ្រប់ជាន់ថ្នាក់ នៃ សហព័ន្ធខ្មែរកម្ពុ ជាក្រោម ត្រូវធ្វើជាគំរូរួបរួមជាតិ ដោយអនុវត្តនូវរូបមន្តទាំង៣នេះ កែទម្រង់កាយ វាចា ចិត្ត ដូចបានរាយរាបដោយសង្ខេបខាងលើ។
ប្រទេសកាណាដា, ថ្ងៃទី ៧ ខែមិថុនា ឆ្នាំ២០១០
អំពីខ្ញុំព្រះករុណាខ្ញុំបាទ
តោ គិម ថុង

Anonymous said...

Vietnam is a very clever thief. When it wants something bad enough, it will resort to the dirtiest and sleaziest acts to achieve that goals. At first, Khmer were being too generous and trustworthy by allowing Vietnamese refugees to settled in Prey Nokor. It may have been a trick used to fool Khmer. It was Vietnam's Trojan Horse. Whatever the case, it worked very well. Khmer were blinded by Vietnam's true intension. Over times, Vietnam was able to manipulate the situation to its advantage and successfully won the heart and minds of French colonial ruler to give away Kampuchea Krom.

Khmer are fighter when they know that there is a threat. When the threat is unknown, its a lot harder to fight, that is why Khmer lost this fight with Vietnam. Back then, Khmer never thought a Vietnamese refugees were a threat to their territory. How very naive they were. Now, all Khmer should know, in this case, the threat will always be Vietnam. Vietnam will never stop expanding. Like a cancer, it will spread. Vietnam is still watching and waiting for the right time and opportunity to grab more territory from Cambodia. With the help of pro-Hanoi Cambodian government, it will only make it that much easier for Vietnam to do so.

To remind ourselves to not trust Vietnam, and to mourn our loss to Vietnam is the only key to our remaining existence. Khmer should fight for Khmer. The loss of any Khmer, is a loss for all Khmer. Khmer should be hopeful for our future. Khmer shouldn't give up the fight and become hopeless because of our loss. "Hope lead to actions, actions lead to success."

- ONE KHMER

Anonymous said...

First of all, I would like to say hello to all of Khmers on Earth, and I'm one of Khmers on Earth too. I love my people and country. No matter what happened in the past, but from now on, I'm begging to all of Khmers living on this Earth that must be united and supported each other. In the last sixty years, we have been lost so much already, but I believe that we still have one thing survived "Our Hearts" and no one can take it from us. Finally, I'm begging to all of Khmers again that "Stop listening and trusting to the old school propaganda of the Vietnamese communist, and the former (Thieu's regime) as well.

Anonymous said...

It seems that this Website is not a Kampuchea Krom federation. Khmers people must be aware and careful of the old school propaganda of Vietnamese communist.

Anonymous said...

A several uneducated Vietnamese here in this website tried to make Khmers people look bad. All Vietnamese communists listen to me. From now on, you have to keep your stupid mouth shut because we all have known you well mad dog.

Anonymous said...

Hanoi and other Vietnamese dogs thing they can get away by trying to erase Khmer Krom from the mind of Khmer. As long Khmer name is heard, Khmer will live to fight the Youn(Vietnamese) disease that has sicken our motherland. The savages Youn disease had try so hard since 1665 to seperate Khmer so to be able to control Khmer and take away Khmer land. The sounds of Khmer and Kampuchea Krom are getting louder and louder. Together, they are the voices of rebellion to drive out savages Youn disease out of Khmer land. They had stayed and infected Khmer long enough and eaten away our resources. They are the disease that needed to be eradicate. They are not human because human have heart, Youn don't. What's matter most to them is their own ambition of expansionism. This Youn disease is very sneaky, yet cunning and willing do the cowardest and sleeziest things to achieve that ambition. We Khmer must stop these Youn disease from ever spreading. Given time, Khmer Krom will be frees from Youn disease.

Anonymous said...

King Norodom Sihanouk and his son should support PM Hun Sen, Hun Sen's son, and all khmers people on this Earth. I believe that King Sihanouk and his son had earned BA or Master degree but their heart are too honest. I meant, they are too kind and nice. That's why the Vietnamese communist and Thai people tried to use and take advantage of their kindness. Khmers people had lost so much land just because of the King of Khmers. However, PM Hun Sen has not abstained Bachelor or Master degree because he was born and raised up during the war time. Moreover, I believe that PM Hun Sen has ability to deal with Thai people and Vietnamese communist because he is able to reach their mind and knows what they want. He is fine, but if anyone who wants to invade and fight then he will be waiting for them. Everything will be all right.

Anonymous said...

Most of the Vietnamese communist high officers had earned the third grade of the village schools in countryside of North Vietnam.

Anonymous said...

Compared to the last six decades, For now, PM Hun Sen's military is the best that Cambodia ever had. Since 1941-1978, Sihanouk, Lon Nol, and Pol Pot's militaries had weakened (useless). However, PM Hun Sen and his son Manet have capability to create a military strength, so that i can prove that they know how to protect Cambodian people and country as well. I gave him a B+

Anonymous said...

If Thai government thinks that Cambodia is a small country and military is weaken then them, just let them tried. I suggest that if Thai continue to brake the law, Cambodia's military must be moving toward to Bangkok and take the land back. I believe that the central land of Thai is belong to Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

if we want to claim Kampuchea krom land back from Vietnamese communist. First, the Country of Cambodia must be strong of Economy, so every individual has a job and live a better life. second, to build more school, so young generation will get a better Education. Third, the Cambodia Government must be encouraging the world to do the business in Cambodia as many as they could. However, Cambodia must be accepted to any aid (assistance) from any country; especially the United States and China. at the same time, the Cambodia Government must be created of the military strength(power). I mean, whatever we plan, we must think about ourselves first. Therefore, we must confident that we have enough power defeat the enemies, then we will do it. If not, we'd better keep silent for a moment. Think about it! anyone on this Earth has the same things isn't it? bone, blood, and meat.(hihihi) if you think that you're a smarter, stronger, and braver, then you're the winner. That's it! it's easy to understand the situation, right? actually, I'm the one of Khmer krom, but fortunately I came the U.S. just a few years after the Vietnamese Communist took over our land (kampuchea krom) (South Vietnam) I hope one day in the future, I will help the Cambodia Government to claim the land we had lost.

Anonymous said...

Hanoi tried to control Indochina, Vietnam, Lao, Cambodia, and Thailand as well. Hanoi planed to do same thing that it had done in Cambodia before 1970; it means Hanoi kept sending more Vietcong to Cambodia, Lao, and Thailand. However, I believe that one day in the future, China must wide-out of Hanoi, so Khmers can have Kampuchea krom back.
Suggestion: The US should stay out of South China Sea. In the eyes of Hanoi-Vietnamese communist, The French and The US were considered a loser. Hanoi-Vietnamese communist talk and nice to the US at this time because they afraid China invade the Vietnam, therefore, his brother Stalin-Soviet Union is longer exist on earth. Hello American, wake up!! and remember that Hanoi always plays game two hands at the same time. That's all I can tell you, and hope you will think about it twice.

Anonymous said...

Kampuchea Krom will always belong to Cambodia, not Vietnam. Even though the current Vietnamese's puppet government in Cambodia (ruled by the ruthless Hun Sen)collaborated with the Vietnamese that, Kampuchea Krom belong to Vietnam, WE, the People of Cambodia, will never ever accept it. The truth will always with us, and we will get it back, even if we have to start another world war.
My love to you Khmer Krom, we will rescue you back from the ruthless oppressor, the Vietnamese.