Tens of thousands of people, waving Cambodian flags and portraits of Sihanouk (AFP, Khem Sovannara).
PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Tens of thousands of Cambodians thronged the streets of Phnom Penh on Sunday to mark the 20th anniversary of their beloved former king Norodom Sihanouk's return from exile.
Crowds of people waving Cambodian flags and portraits of Sihanouk -- who turns 89 on October 31 -- gathered outside the royal palace to see the ailing ex-monarch, who vowed to stay in his country despite health problems.
"I am very happy to inform all compatriots that from now on, even though I still have health problems... we have decided not to leave the country, but will stay with our compatriots in Cambodia forever," Sihanouk said.
The former king, who returned home on Thursday from Beijing where he spent nearly three months receiving medical treatment, said he would ask China to send doctors to look after him in Cambodia.
Twice exiled and twice returned to the throne during a life almost as turbulent as his country's history, Sihanouk abruptly abdicated in 2004 in favour of his son, King Norodom Sihamoni, citing old age and health problems.
Sihanouk was placed on the throne in 1941 at the age of 18 by French colonial authorities.
Twelve years later he gained Cambodia's independence and shortly after quit the throne for the first time in favour of his father Prince Norodom Suramarit to pursue a career in politics.
Sihanouk served as premier half a dozen times, repeatedly leaving the post with a characteristic flash of angry theatre over perceived slights, until finally becoming "head of state" following the death of his father in 1960.
He was toppled in a US-backed coup by one of his own generals, Lon Nol, in 1970.
Sihanouk aligned himself with communist guerrillas who later emerged as the Khmer Rouge and used him as a figurehead before putting him under house arrest in the royal palace with his family during their 1975-79 reign of terror.
He survived because China, a key backer of the Khmer Rouge, wanted him alive and fled to Beijing after the communist regime crumbled, living there and in North Korea -- another of the monarch's allies -- for the next 13 years.
PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Tens of thousands of Cambodians thronged the streets of Phnom Penh on Sunday to mark the 20th anniversary of their beloved former king Norodom Sihanouk's return from exile.
Crowds of people waving Cambodian flags and portraits of Sihanouk -- who turns 89 on October 31 -- gathered outside the royal palace to see the ailing ex-monarch, who vowed to stay in his country despite health problems.
"I am very happy to inform all compatriots that from now on, even though I still have health problems... we have decided not to leave the country, but will stay with our compatriots in Cambodia forever," Sihanouk said.
The former king, who returned home on Thursday from Beijing where he spent nearly three months receiving medical treatment, said he would ask China to send doctors to look after him in Cambodia.
Twice exiled and twice returned to the throne during a life almost as turbulent as his country's history, Sihanouk abruptly abdicated in 2004 in favour of his son, King Norodom Sihamoni, citing old age and health problems.
Sihanouk was placed on the throne in 1941 at the age of 18 by French colonial authorities.
Twelve years later he gained Cambodia's independence and shortly after quit the throne for the first time in favour of his father Prince Norodom Suramarit to pursue a career in politics.
Sihanouk served as premier half a dozen times, repeatedly leaving the post with a characteristic flash of angry theatre over perceived slights, until finally becoming "head of state" following the death of his father in 1960.
He was toppled in a US-backed coup by one of his own generals, Lon Nol, in 1970.
Sihanouk aligned himself with communist guerrillas who later emerged as the Khmer Rouge and used him as a figurehead before putting him under house arrest in the royal palace with his family during their 1975-79 reign of terror.
He survived because China, a key backer of the Khmer Rouge, wanted him alive and fled to Beijing after the communist regime crumbled, living there and in North Korea -- another of the monarch's allies -- for the next 13 years.
10 comments:
yes, he is the Khmer killer. He killing it own people and still look good why???? because many older generation support him. but he is killing poor uneducated Khmer. because many Khmer and older generation uneducated he easily passed the test. younger generation like many Khmer kids today know who the mastermind behind the Khmer Rouge. Many of my family member, too wipe out. I am not hesitate to pull a trigger right between his .... face.
ITS BECAUSE OF LON NOL THAT CREATED KHMER ROUGE NOT THE KING. IS THERE WAR AT THE TIME HE FIRST BECAME KING. BUT LON NOL FIGHT THE YUON,KHMER ROUGE FIGHT THE YUON THEN HOW COME IT END UP KILLING OUR OWN PEOPLE AND CONGUEOR US BY THE YUON. I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY KHMER WANT TO BECOME LEADER JUST TO KILL THIER OWN PEOLPE. I STILL SUPPORT THE KING. YES MY FAMILIES WERE KILL BY THE KHMER ROUGE TO. JUST THINK IT THIS WAY. WHO STOLE OUR LAND,WHO WANT TO GET RID OF US,WHO CONGOEUR US,WHO WANT TROUBLE WITH US,WHO MANIPULATE US,WHO WANT TO STOP OUR PROGRESS, WHO WANT TO SEE US FIGHT EACH OTHER, WHO LOOK DOWN ON US, WHO WANT CONTRLOL US, WHO WANT TAKE AWAY OUR EDUCATION AND CULTURE????? THE BIG PICTURES NOW IS THAT WE AS KHMER NEVER BLAME OUR KHMERS AS AN ENEMY. BUT WE CAN DISGUISE FOR THE BETTER. USE THE HATRED AND KILLING IS JUST REPEAT YOUR MENTALLITY TO GENERATION TO GENERATIONS OF HISTORIES.YOUNG ONE SHOULD BE SMARTER NOT VIOLENT TO HELP SROK KHMER!
Hahaha I see an older generation here to defend the king. I said kill the king let the new generation do the job. I agree with the second post. only Khmer king do playboy, movie and karaoke. no other king in the world do that. the king was with pol pot all the way.
take this kller king to trial he is 001 002 003 004 005
Blame all the great misery that Khmers endured in the 70 to 2000 on the authors of "ពុទ្ធទំនាយ,ឥន្ទ្រទំនាយ,ឥសីទំនាយ,ព្រះរោងទំនាយ....."....etc.
Rumors has it that King SN was really fascinated with those literature and wanted so badly that the prophesy fulfilled. The King consulted with the Venerable Samdech Chhuon Nath for real clue. The Sangharaj was a no nonsense guy who scolded SN of believing such trashes. Their relation was not smoothy over those issue. Finally the great Monk said
"Do whatever you want but after my death!".
Prophecies were usually fulfilled by the willing and committed actors. George W. Bush took pride upon himself as the Bible fulfiller for the Babylonian prophecy. May be GWB and SN were God instuments!
A lot of idiots on this planet did nothing to resolve the problem, but used a lot of time to blame or attack others for this and that.
You like or not, but please keep your hate-red feeling for yourself and let other people enjoy this small peace and freedom that they now have.
zero king
Just put one bullet in the king head like they did on Gaddafi. Yes, I said Kill the king
You can tell how barbaric these people still are by their comments. They did not realize that without monarchy,Cambodia will be worst. Deep hatred runs through their veins generations after generations just like their ancestors of wild tribe that assimilated to be Khmer in just this last century.
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