27th July, 2011
We need to look back into our history again and again to analyze the past in order to compare with the present time. I would like to take us farther back into the past before the existence of the Khmer Rouge, so that we can understand the history which is repeating itself.
As the French lost the battle at Dien Bien Phu, the French begin to retreat from South East Asia. The Americans begin to move into the region to farther prevent the advance of the communist influence. Americans quickly begin to arm South Vietnamese, while Cambodia declares itself as independent and neutral state. Prince Norodom Sihanouk refused to enter the war to support the South Vietnam president Ngo Dinh Diem against the North Vietnam as long as the South Vietnam regime refuses to recognize the border treaty with Cambodia. The South Vietnam regime was no different from Thailand today. The South Vietnam regime wanted to have the Mekong River, just as the Thai wanted and referred to watershed as the natural the boundary between the two countries and refuse to organize and disregard those border posts which was left by the French.
The well armed South Vietnamese soldiers consisted of the element of the Khmer Kroms, who understand the Cambodian language fluently, entered Cambodia to harass and to terrorize Cambodian villagers who lived near the border area. Many houses were burned down. Female as young as twelve years old were forced at the gun points to have all the cloths striped off while cooking and servicing food to the soldiers. The South Vietnamese troops forced relatives of these villagers at gun points to watch the other soldiers rapping them. Men were forced to watch their wives and their daughters being rapped. Many villagers were killed when they tried to escape, to disobey order, or to fight back.
At the same token, the Americans did nothing. The Americans knew damn well what was happening on to these villagers, just as like today as Thai troops invading Cambodia and killing unarmed Cambodians at the borders. The Americans are remaining silent as ostrich burying its head in the sand when knowing the elephant is in the room. This is one of the major failures in the U. S. foreign policies continue to this day, since the Vietnam War. The Americans are playing double standard by permitted its allies committed the atrocity against unarmed civilians, while lecturing other about human rights. American policy makes it very clear, it is either you are with us or against us. There is no such thing as independent and neutral.
Prince Norodom Sihanouk was furious and blamed the South Vietnam troops and accused the CIA, who was funding the operation of committing crime against Independent and Neutral Cambodia. The relationship between Prince Norodom Sihanouk and President Ngo Dinh Diem got bitter. It is the same kind of a bitter relationship between Prime Minister Hun Sen and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva as we are seeing today on a similar matter.
Prince Norodom Sihanouk, unlike Prime Minister Hun Sen, was looking for quick fix to the situation at the border as more and more human right violation keep occurring to his citizens. When he began secretly talking to Ho Chi Minh, Cambodia was no longer independent and Neutral. He believed enemy of his enemy is his friend. He was wrong. The birth of the Khmer Rouge began. Vietcong started to move to the Cambodian country side to help and to organize Cambodians fighters, who were eager for revenge, to push out the South Vietnamese troops. The relationship between Prince Norodom Sihanouk and President Ngo Dinh Diem got uglier. Politics between the two men were no long business as usual. It got more and more personal when a South Vietnamese agent sent a parcel bomb to have Prince Norodom Sihanouk assassinated. However, Prince Vakrivan was killed instead when he opened the mail for Prince Norodom Sihanouk.
Let us look at what happen today and yesterday, so that we can make some comparisons. Prime Minister Hun Sen prefers to have border resolved by the Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai party. Is the enemy of his enemy is actually his friend? We have to wait and see. However, a few things which make Prime Minister Hun Sen different from Prince Norodom Sihanouk, is he rebuilds his arm forces very fast, and not depend on anyone like Uncle Ho to rescue Cambodia. Prime Minister Hun Sen also holds on to one of the cards which he dose not like to play if it is not necessary. He did not aid the Muslims who are fighting in the South of Thailand. I believe history will still repeat itself if the full scale-war between the two countries, Thailand and Cambodia, occurs. Thailand might have to fight a snake with two heads like the South Vietnamese regime.
This time I am deliberately writing an article, not a short comment. Perhaps, it is a little longer than I expected. My point is to make a comparison between two events, the past and the present, the Southern border and the Northern border. Yes, I do agree with some analysts who have said Cambodia is being sandwich between Vietnam and Thailand. I am welcome other people’s point of views or comments, which might allow us to make better comparisons.
As the French lost the battle at Dien Bien Phu, the French begin to retreat from South East Asia. The Americans begin to move into the region to farther prevent the advance of the communist influence. Americans quickly begin to arm South Vietnamese, while Cambodia declares itself as independent and neutral state. Prince Norodom Sihanouk refused to enter the war to support the South Vietnam president Ngo Dinh Diem against the North Vietnam as long as the South Vietnam regime refuses to recognize the border treaty with Cambodia. The South Vietnam regime was no different from Thailand today. The South Vietnam regime wanted to have the Mekong River, just as the Thai wanted and referred to watershed as the natural the boundary between the two countries and refuse to organize and disregard those border posts which was left by the French.
The well armed South Vietnamese soldiers consisted of the element of the Khmer Kroms, who understand the Cambodian language fluently, entered Cambodia to harass and to terrorize Cambodian villagers who lived near the border area. Many houses were burned down. Female as young as twelve years old were forced at the gun points to have all the cloths striped off while cooking and servicing food to the soldiers. The South Vietnamese troops forced relatives of these villagers at gun points to watch the other soldiers rapping them. Men were forced to watch their wives and their daughters being rapped. Many villagers were killed when they tried to escape, to disobey order, or to fight back.
At the same token, the Americans did nothing. The Americans knew damn well what was happening on to these villagers, just as like today as Thai troops invading Cambodia and killing unarmed Cambodians at the borders. The Americans are remaining silent as ostrich burying its head in the sand when knowing the elephant is in the room. This is one of the major failures in the U. S. foreign policies continue to this day, since the Vietnam War. The Americans are playing double standard by permitted its allies committed the atrocity against unarmed civilians, while lecturing other about human rights. American policy makes it very clear, it is either you are with us or against us. There is no such thing as independent and neutral.
Prince Norodom Sihanouk was furious and blamed the South Vietnam troops and accused the CIA, who was funding the operation of committing crime against Independent and Neutral Cambodia. The relationship between Prince Norodom Sihanouk and President Ngo Dinh Diem got bitter. It is the same kind of a bitter relationship between Prime Minister Hun Sen and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva as we are seeing today on a similar matter.
Prince Norodom Sihanouk, unlike Prime Minister Hun Sen, was looking for quick fix to the situation at the border as more and more human right violation keep occurring to his citizens. When he began secretly talking to Ho Chi Minh, Cambodia was no longer independent and Neutral. He believed enemy of his enemy is his friend. He was wrong. The birth of the Khmer Rouge began. Vietcong started to move to the Cambodian country side to help and to organize Cambodians fighters, who were eager for revenge, to push out the South Vietnamese troops. The relationship between Prince Norodom Sihanouk and President Ngo Dinh Diem got uglier. Politics between the two men were no long business as usual. It got more and more personal when a South Vietnamese agent sent a parcel bomb to have Prince Norodom Sihanouk assassinated. However, Prince Vakrivan was killed instead when he opened the mail for Prince Norodom Sihanouk.
Let us look at what happen today and yesterday, so that we can make some comparisons. Prime Minister Hun Sen prefers to have border resolved by the Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai party. Is the enemy of his enemy is actually his friend? We have to wait and see. However, a few things which make Prime Minister Hun Sen different from Prince Norodom Sihanouk, is he rebuilds his arm forces very fast, and not depend on anyone like Uncle Ho to rescue Cambodia. Prime Minister Hun Sen also holds on to one of the cards which he dose not like to play if it is not necessary. He did not aid the Muslims who are fighting in the South of Thailand. I believe history will still repeat itself if the full scale-war between the two countries, Thailand and Cambodia, occurs. Thailand might have to fight a snake with two heads like the South Vietnamese regime.
This time I am deliberately writing an article, not a short comment. Perhaps, it is a little longer than I expected. My point is to make a comparison between two events, the past and the present, the Southern border and the Northern border. Yes, I do agree with some analysts who have said Cambodia is being sandwich between Vietnam and Thailand. I am welcome other people’s point of views or comments, which might allow us to make better comparisons.
8 comments:
This is very good analysis. Thank you for the history lesson. I think it is less likely that there will be full scale war because both Thai-Cambodian governments are more focus on making the money from oil discovery and tourist attractions. PM Hun Sen is more cautious than Prince Sihanouk. PM Hun Sen has many smart and reliable advisors then Prince Sihanouk and he is much calmer now. He has been schooled of the past history. We are in the new mellenium; economic war is the more popular choice then outright bloodbath if it could be avoided but we cannot ruled out bloodbath either since Thailand continues to pressure Cambodia with their violence tactics committed against innocent Cambodian civillians. Actually, I am more concerns of internal conflict more than outside invaders because this is more reality after listening/read the opposition view points. Cambodia is more wiser now; it knows how to utilize the court system and international community to their advantage. China won the heart of Cambodian leaders from the past and possibly the present time while America pratice double standard policy as mentioned by the author. Different turn in history; it is quite interesting to see America joined Vietnam and Phillipine to do military excercise and warn China regarding the spratly islands dispute. Only time will tell how it will play out, my guess is any body guess. Could the USA and China play the cold war tactics again to dominate Southeast Asia?
What do you mean, the well armed South VietNamese soldiers consisted of the element of the Khmer Kroms who understand the Cambodian language fluently, entered Cambodia to harass and to terrorized Cambodian villagers?
Do you understand Khmer Krom People are Khmer?
Do you Know Khmer Krom Speak Khmer Language?
If you were Prince Norodom would you support the south Vietnam president Ndo Dinh Diem? And why?
Khmer Kroms are Khmer and Khmer Lers are Khmer, but they also have taken role of killing Cambodains. In 1979, Thai troops consisted of the element of the Khmer Ler killed many Cambodian refugees at Preah Vihear.
Good analysis. Do you know any book writing about the conflict between Cambodia during Sihanuk Regime and South VN goevrnment?
The choice of allowing Viet Kong to enter Cambodia and used our land as the base to fight south was wrong, stupid decision. If we hadn`t help Viet Kong, may be took more time to win and the south must declined, no power to invade Cambodia any more.
You compared the situation then with Preah Vihea, it is not 100% the same case. And the situation, world affairs are different. No more cold ware.
Of course both damn countries are ugly, they using the policy, use khmer to kill khmer. But we should blame ourself of bad management, nepotist, never thinking about our own people. The politician just thinking about their families, want to become rich and mistreat our poor people. Khmer Surin and Kmher Krom hate Thai n Viet, but they cann`t proud to be khmer.
1201 you were right. all of you were right. now we need to implement our mind to help srok khmer by sided with our present government. i even sided with pol pot eventho he have feared too much that he kill 2 million of us cus we were not working together to fight to the end to our enemy. next time we dont kill but put them in jail cus you never know who are the enemies if we act hastedly. we need to obey small stuff like our traffic laws is the start and move up as we do try and error and get better.
How do you know they can't proud to be Khmer?
We must be proud of who we are (Khmer)if not we are not calling ourselves as the Khmer Krom or Khmer Ler!
Khmer Krom or Khmer Ler are been kills by the Viet and Thai and their home lands have been robbed by these two enemies.
Prince Shianouk has always made bad choices. Just because the south is doing horrible things and the American ain't doing nothing about it does not mean your first choice would be siding with your true enemies.
It's great that we can sit here and examine the past. Everything still point to his failure as head of state. He chose the short term instead of long term. Choosing to use his emotion instead of reasoning.
It is horrible what the south, east or north do and currently do to our people. Hun Sen survive by being rational on what he choose to do so that he remain in power. That include turning a blind eye to the border killings of Khmer perpetrated by the Thais.
Thank you very much for your comment back.
YOu asked me how do I know they can`t proud to be khmer. I ask you do you ever met young Khmer Surin outside Thailand? Will they openly tell everyone that they are khmer? I met many young Khmer Leu but they hide their identity of khmer descendant. Old people probably still. You know Korean people in Japan??, even 3rd, 4th generation totally more than 500,000 still bear Korean passoprt and keep korean nationality. The government also actively in making network, assist them, prevent them from discrimination, human right abuse. What about our government? will we allow Khmer Krom to establish association in Cambodia. VN easily can establish.
If our leader alway thinking of the people, may be dare to sacrify personal benefit, dare to leave. China and VN are not democratic but they alway change the leader going along with the world situation.
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