Top: Former Young King Norodom Sihanouk(right) with Choun Nat (center) the Cambodian Buddhist Ptriarch and the most famous Cambodia literature expert.
Bottom: Former King Norodom Shinanouk(center) with his wife(left) and his son(right) who is the present king of Cambodia.
Thursday, 10 November 2011
By Nguon Serath
October 31, 1922: Prince Norodom Sihanouk was born to Prince Norodom Suranarit and Princess Sisowath Kossamak Nearireath. His Majesty King-Father Norodom Sihanouk reigned as King of Cambodia until he announced his abdication on October 7, 2004 and is now “King Father Norodom of Cambodia”, a position in which he retains many of his former prerogative as king.
During Cambodia’s turbulent history, since the 1940s, he has helped so many positions that the Guinness Book of World Records identifies him as the politician who has occupied the world's greatest variety of political offices. These included two terms as king, two as sovereign prince, one as president, two as prime minister, and one of Cambodia’s non-titled head of state, as well as numerous positions as leader of various government in exile.
Since his abdication, his official Cambodian title (short version, the most used) is “Preah Karuna Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk Preah Mâhaviraksat” literal meaning of the title is : Preah (“sacred”, a Buddhist concept , see Karuna) Preah (“sacred”) Bat (“foot”) from Sanskrit pada, cognate of Latin pes, pedis, French pied). The word “father” does not appear in Cambodian title, but in western languages his title is translated as “His Majesty King-Father Norodom Sihanouk”, to distinguish from the title of his son the new king, which is “His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni”.
Despite the great ritualism surrounding the Cambodian monarchy, King Sihanouk has always favored informal relations with the Cambodian people, and when addressing him, or talking about him, they most often call him Sâmdech Euv, which literally means “Prince Dad”, “My Lord Dad” (French: “Monseigneur Papa”) .
EARLY LIFE
His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk received his primary education in a Phnom Penh primary school, the École François Baudoi. He pursued his secondary education in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam at “Lycée Chasseloup Laubat” until his coronation and then later attended Cavalry military school in Saumur, France. When his maternal grandfather, King Sisowath Monivong, died on April 22 1941, the Crown Council selected Prince Sihanouk as king of Cambodia. His Coronation took place in September 1941. Rumors abounded during this period that the influence of France (the regional colonial power) accounted for his accession. His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk is well-known for leading what some have termed an extravagant lifestyle, and being an unabashed “ladies’ man ” He married his sixth wife, Neak Moneang Monique Izzi, an Italian –Cambodian , in 1952 .
LEADERSHIP TURMOIL
After World War II and into the early 1950s, His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk’s politics became more nationalistic and he began demanding that the French grant the country independence and departed, echoing the sentiments of many nation in Indochina, including Vietnam, and Laos. He went into exile in Thailand, then in Seam Reap (it was the autonomous zone governed by the war lord Dap Chhuon (Chhuon Mchul Pich) by May of 1953 and refused to return until independence was granted. He returned when his overtures met with success and Cambodia became independent on November 9, 1953. On March 2, 1955, King Sihanouk abdicated in favor of his father, taking the post of prime minister a few months later. Following his father’s death in 1960, he gained election as head of state, but received the title of prince rather than king. In 1963, he forced a change in the constitution that made him head of state for life. While he had officially abdicated as king, he had created a constitution officer for himself that was exactly equal to that of the former kingship.
While the Vietnam War raged, Prince Norodom Sihanouk promoted policies he claimed would preserve Cambodia’s neutrality. Alternately taking sides with the People’s Republic of China, supporting the United States and espousing Third Way policies. In the spring of 1965, he made a deal with China and North Vietnam to allow the presence of permanent Vietnamese bases in eastern Cambodia and to allow military supplies from China to reach Vietnam by Cambodia ports. Cambodia and Cambodian individuals were compensated by Chinese purchases of Cambodian rice crop by China at inflated prices. He also at this time made any number of speeches calling the triumph of Communism in Southeast Asia inevitable and suggesting Maoist ideas were worthy of emulation .
In 1966 and 1967, Prince Norodom Sihanouk unleashed a wave of political repression that drove many on the left out of mainstream politics. His policy of friendship with China collapsed due to the extreme attitudes in China at the peak of the Cultural Revolution. The Combination of political repression and problem with China made his balancing act impossible to sustain. He had alienated the left, allowed the Vietnamese to establish bases within Cambodia and staked everything on China’s good will.
On March 18, 1970, while he was traveling out of the country, Lon Nol, the prime minister, convened the National Assembly which voted to depose Prince Norodom Sihanouk as head of state and give emergency powers to Lon Nol. Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak, a royal prince who in 1941, had been passed over by the French government in favor of his cousin Norodom Sihanouk’s leadership role, retained his post as Deputy Prime Minister. Prince Norodom Sihanouk fled to Beijing and began to support the Khmer Rouge in their struggle to overthrow the Lon Nol government in Phnom Penh. When the Khmer Republic fell to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975, Prince Norodom Sihanouk became the symbolic head of state of the new régime while Pol Pot remained in power.
The next years, on April 4, 1976, the Khmer Rouge forced Prince Norodom Sihanouk out of office again and into political retirement. During the Vietnamese attacks, he was sent to New York to speak against Vietnam before the United Nations. After his speech, he sought refuge in China and in North Korea.
The Vietnamese attack of Cambodia in December 1978 ousted the Khmer Rouge. Although claiming to be wary of Khmer Rouge, Prince Norodom Sihanouk was more than willing to again join forces with them in order to provide a united front against the Vietnamese. In 1982, he became president of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK), which consisted of his own Funcinpec Party, Son Sann’s KPNLF, and the Khmer Rouge. The Vietnamese withdrew in 1989, leaving behind a government under ex-Khmer Rouge cadres to run the People’s Republic of Kampuchea (PRK) RESTORATION
Peace negotiations between the CGDK and the PRK commenced shortly thereafter and continued until 1991 when all sides agreed to comprehensive settlement which they signed in Paris. Prince Norodom Sihanouk returned once more to Cambodia on November 14, 1991 after thirteen years in exile. In1993, Prince Norodom Sihanouk became once again king of Cambodia. During the restoration, however, he suffered from ill health and traveled repeatedly to Beijing for medical treatment.
Prince Norodom Sihanouk’s leisure interests include music (he composed songs, in Khmer, French, and English) and films. He has become a prodigious filmmaker over the years, directing many movies and orchestrating musical compositions. He became one of the first heads of state in the region to have a personal Website, which has proven a cult hit, drawing more than a thousand visitors a day, a substantial portion of his nation’s Internet users. Royal statements are posted there on a daily basis.
King Sihanouk went into self-imposed exile in January 2004, taking up residence in Pyongyang and later in Beijing. Citing reasons of ill health, he announced his abdication of the throne on October 7, 2004. The constitution of Cambodia made no provision for such a move. Samdech Chea Sim , the president of the Senate assumed the title of acting Head of State (a title he has help many times before), until the throne council met on October 14 and appointed Prince Norodom Sihamoni, one of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk’s sons, as the new king.
The nation Assembly voted to grant the retired King and Queen $5.6 million per year from the national budget to allow them to continue their charity works.
Bottom: Former King Norodom Shinanouk(center) with his wife(left) and his son(right) who is the present king of Cambodia.
Thursday, 10 November 2011
By Nguon Serath
October 31, 1922: Prince Norodom Sihanouk was born to Prince Norodom Suranarit and Princess Sisowath Kossamak Nearireath. His Majesty King-Father Norodom Sihanouk reigned as King of Cambodia until he announced his abdication on October 7, 2004 and is now “King Father Norodom of Cambodia”, a position in which he retains many of his former prerogative as king.
During Cambodia’s turbulent history, since the 1940s, he has helped so many positions that the Guinness Book of World Records identifies him as the politician who has occupied the world's greatest variety of political offices. These included two terms as king, two as sovereign prince, one as president, two as prime minister, and one of Cambodia’s non-titled head of state, as well as numerous positions as leader of various government in exile.
Since his abdication, his official Cambodian title (short version, the most used) is “Preah Karuna Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk Preah Mâhaviraksat” literal meaning of the title is : Preah (“sacred”, a Buddhist concept , see Karuna) Preah (“sacred”) Bat (“foot”) from Sanskrit pada, cognate of Latin pes, pedis, French pied). The word “father” does not appear in Cambodian title, but in western languages his title is translated as “His Majesty King-Father Norodom Sihanouk”, to distinguish from the title of his son the new king, which is “His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni”.
Despite the great ritualism surrounding the Cambodian monarchy, King Sihanouk has always favored informal relations with the Cambodian people, and when addressing him, or talking about him, they most often call him Sâmdech Euv, which literally means “Prince Dad”, “My Lord Dad” (French: “Monseigneur Papa”) .
EARLY LIFE
His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk received his primary education in a Phnom Penh primary school, the École François Baudoi. He pursued his secondary education in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam at “Lycée Chasseloup Laubat” until his coronation and then later attended Cavalry military school in Saumur, France. When his maternal grandfather, King Sisowath Monivong, died on April 22 1941, the Crown Council selected Prince Sihanouk as king of Cambodia. His Coronation took place in September 1941. Rumors abounded during this period that the influence of France (the regional colonial power) accounted for his accession. His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk is well-known for leading what some have termed an extravagant lifestyle, and being an unabashed “ladies’ man ” He married his sixth wife, Neak Moneang Monique Izzi, an Italian –Cambodian , in 1952 .
LEADERSHIP TURMOIL
After World War II and into the early 1950s, His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk’s politics became more nationalistic and he began demanding that the French grant the country independence and departed, echoing the sentiments of many nation in Indochina, including Vietnam, and Laos. He went into exile in Thailand, then in Seam Reap (it was the autonomous zone governed by the war lord Dap Chhuon (Chhuon Mchul Pich) by May of 1953 and refused to return until independence was granted. He returned when his overtures met with success and Cambodia became independent on November 9, 1953. On March 2, 1955, King Sihanouk abdicated in favor of his father, taking the post of prime minister a few months later. Following his father’s death in 1960, he gained election as head of state, but received the title of prince rather than king. In 1963, he forced a change in the constitution that made him head of state for life. While he had officially abdicated as king, he had created a constitution officer for himself that was exactly equal to that of the former kingship.
While the Vietnam War raged, Prince Norodom Sihanouk promoted policies he claimed would preserve Cambodia’s neutrality. Alternately taking sides with the People’s Republic of China, supporting the United States and espousing Third Way policies. In the spring of 1965, he made a deal with China and North Vietnam to allow the presence of permanent Vietnamese bases in eastern Cambodia and to allow military supplies from China to reach Vietnam by Cambodia ports. Cambodia and Cambodian individuals were compensated by Chinese purchases of Cambodian rice crop by China at inflated prices. He also at this time made any number of speeches calling the triumph of Communism in Southeast Asia inevitable and suggesting Maoist ideas were worthy of emulation .
In 1966 and 1967, Prince Norodom Sihanouk unleashed a wave of political repression that drove many on the left out of mainstream politics. His policy of friendship with China collapsed due to the extreme attitudes in China at the peak of the Cultural Revolution. The Combination of political repression and problem with China made his balancing act impossible to sustain. He had alienated the left, allowed the Vietnamese to establish bases within Cambodia and staked everything on China’s good will.
On March 18, 1970, while he was traveling out of the country, Lon Nol, the prime minister, convened the National Assembly which voted to depose Prince Norodom Sihanouk as head of state and give emergency powers to Lon Nol. Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak, a royal prince who in 1941, had been passed over by the French government in favor of his cousin Norodom Sihanouk’s leadership role, retained his post as Deputy Prime Minister. Prince Norodom Sihanouk fled to Beijing and began to support the Khmer Rouge in their struggle to overthrow the Lon Nol government in Phnom Penh. When the Khmer Republic fell to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975, Prince Norodom Sihanouk became the symbolic head of state of the new régime while Pol Pot remained in power.
The next years, on April 4, 1976, the Khmer Rouge forced Prince Norodom Sihanouk out of office again and into political retirement. During the Vietnamese attacks, he was sent to New York to speak against Vietnam before the United Nations. After his speech, he sought refuge in China and in North Korea.
The Vietnamese attack of Cambodia in December 1978 ousted the Khmer Rouge. Although claiming to be wary of Khmer Rouge, Prince Norodom Sihanouk was more than willing to again join forces with them in order to provide a united front against the Vietnamese. In 1982, he became president of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK), which consisted of his own Funcinpec Party, Son Sann’s KPNLF, and the Khmer Rouge. The Vietnamese withdrew in 1989, leaving behind a government under ex-Khmer Rouge cadres to run the People’s Republic of Kampuchea (PRK) RESTORATION
Peace negotiations between the CGDK and the PRK commenced shortly thereafter and continued until 1991 when all sides agreed to comprehensive settlement which they signed in Paris. Prince Norodom Sihanouk returned once more to Cambodia on November 14, 1991 after thirteen years in exile. In1993, Prince Norodom Sihanouk became once again king of Cambodia. During the restoration, however, he suffered from ill health and traveled repeatedly to Beijing for medical treatment.
Prince Norodom Sihanouk’s leisure interests include music (he composed songs, in Khmer, French, and English) and films. He has become a prodigious filmmaker over the years, directing many movies and orchestrating musical compositions. He became one of the first heads of state in the region to have a personal Website, which has proven a cult hit, drawing more than a thousand visitors a day, a substantial portion of his nation’s Internet users. Royal statements are posted there on a daily basis.
King Sihanouk went into self-imposed exile in January 2004, taking up residence in Pyongyang and later in Beijing. Citing reasons of ill health, he announced his abdication of the throne on October 7, 2004. The constitution of Cambodia made no provision for such a move. Samdech Chea Sim , the president of the Senate assumed the title of acting Head of State (a title he has help many times before), until the throne council met on October 14 and appointed Prince Norodom Sihamoni, one of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk’s sons, as the new king.
The nation Assembly voted to grant the retired King and Queen $5.6 million per year from the national budget to allow them to continue their charity works.
2 comments:
Sihanouk is responsible for the Killing Fields and the mass executions same as Pol Pot is responsible...
He always was a stupid person, easily to get influenced by all kind of people and criminals.
When Sihanouk allowed the Vietnamese to use Srok Khmer for fighting against Saigon, he gave the starting signal for all the disasters to come to Cambodia: US-Bombings, Lon Nol coupe d´etat, civil war, Khmer rouge and Vietnamese colony Cambodia under Hun Sen today.
ECCC should impeech Sihanouk!
Case No ZERO!!!
5:44 PM
Before you blame someone else, you better spend time to hear the tape of the conversation of former US president Nixon(lately releas by the CIA).
Cambodia and the US Governement, both nations were the victime of Vietcong-Vietnamese agressors. Only one reason for the US Army able to go out of Vietnam, mean the US-Military needed to invade Cambodia.
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