A Change of Guard

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Sunday 19 February 2012

The Khmer Rouge had considered killing Sihanouk

By Khmerization
18th February, 2012

Of late, many local media reported that Mr. Khieu Samphan, head of state of the Khmer Rouge regime, has allegedly accused ex-King Sihanouk (pictured) of ordering the executions of two leftist Khmer Rouge leaders Hou Youn and Hu Nim during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Kong Sam Onn, Mr. Khieu Samphan's counsel, has outright rejected the allegation and Mr. Julio Jeldres, official biographer and advisor to Sihanouk, has also repudiated the allegation in a letter to the Phnom Penh Post which was also published in Khmerization.

Now, Mr. Bora Touch, a Cambodian-born lawyer from Sydney, has joined the fray in defending the ex-king with convincing evidence: The Minute of the Meeting of the Khmer Rouge Permanent Committee. Here is his message sent to Khmerization and his academic friends:

Gentlemen,

Hou Youn was killed sometime in late 1975 and Hu Nim in May 1977. I have [Hu] Nim's confessions (he wrote his confessions, in part, in poetic, phonoaesthetic form). [Hu] Nim was implicated by previous Tuol Sleng victims. His death had nothing to do with HRH Sihanouk. [Hou] Youn's death is still rather controversial. In my "chats" with Khieu Samphorn and Nuon Chea in 2005, both suggested he was not killed by Angkar. Both suggested that his bodyguards killed him. Of note, after his death, official documents still referred to him in friendly comradeship terms, suggesting that he was not regarded as a traitor to the revolution. You would have heard contemptible references such as ah Hu Nim, ah Sao Phim, after they were killed. These guys were "traitors" to the revolution.

Of note, HM had already resigned in March 1976, over a year before Hu Nim was arrested and killed. Talks/decisions by the CPK (Communist Party of Kampuchea) Standing Committee/Politburo about what to do with the Prince, including killing Prince Sihanouk, took place on 11-13 March 1976 in the Meeting of the Committee in which Khieu Samphorn (Hem) attended and discussed about the issue (first and last pages of the Minute is attached).

Nuon Chea, when asked about [Hou] Youn's death, recently stated in court that Hou Youn had "problems with his bodyguards".

regards Bora-

Mr. Bora also included the Minute of the Meeting of the Khmer Rouge Permanent Committee, which at the time, considered a number of options, including killing Sihanouk after he had resigned as the head of state. Here is the minute of that meeting:

KR wanted to kill Sihanouk2-Minute of 11 Mar 1976 Meeting of CPK Poliburo 2-4
[Unofficial translation by Bunsou Sour; edited by Prof. David Chandler]

MINUTE OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE THE FRONT
11 March 1976

PARTICIPANTS: COMRADE SECRETARY GENERAL [Pol Pot]
COMRADE DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL [Nuon Chea]
COMRADE VORN [Vorn Vet]
COMRADE KHIEU [Son Sen]
COMRADE HEM [Khieu Samphan]
COMRADE DOEUN ( Seu Doeun or Seu Vasy)
COMRADE TUM
COMRADE TOUCH (note taker)

AGENDA: SIHANOUK'S RESIGNATION FROM HIS POST

I. Report on the Resignation of Sihanouk

Comrade HEM reported to the Standing Committee on the resignation of Sihanouk. Sihanouk has sent two letters written in French:

· The first letter conveys his resignation and explains the important reason for which he is resigning. In particular, he emphasizes his various health problems, which do not allow him to continue his work.
· The second letter is a statement addressed to the people of Democratic Kampuchea informing them that he wishes to resign from his post before the 20th March 1976. During his meeting respectively with the Ambassadors of Mauritania and Senegal, Sihanouk has also indicated that he categorically resigns. But during his meeting with the Chinese Economic Delegation he grumbled about his illnesses...

II. Angkar's Opinion

1. Reason for his Resignation.

There are two: in the long term and in the short term.

A. In the Long Term: it is the difference of "classes", the difference between the grass roots of the Revolution and his own person and family. He cannot live with us. If in the past he was able to remain with us, it was simply because of his strategy. As we no longer go along with his strategy, he can onlyremain provisionally with us. It is not the first time that Sihanouk has resigned. He did that in 1971 already.

B. In the Short Term: It is a strategic difference together with the grass roots difference. An example was the case when we dispatched our Ambassadors abroad without consulting him. The incident has no importance but he would have thought that we no longer have any need for him. Thus the wrangle over position continues. But the situation has evolved more thoroughly than before. Outside the country, Sihanouk can work with us. While inside the country he feels completely lost without any future. He is very frustrated. He lacks work, he is bored and the environment that surrounds him, in particular his wife who cries constantly, pushes him to the point that he cannot endure any longer. In the case that he decides to remain with us, that cannot last either, at the most l or 2 years. As he wishes to leave, his leaving now is the best.

2. POSITIVE and Negative aspects of his Resignation

A. Positive Aspects for our Revolution:

· All the people of Kampuchea will feel a huge surge of relief. The same applies to all our cadres and military. As far as the world is concerned, there won't be any problem.
· We can resolve the problem of the nomination in our State Organisation easily. And under these conditions we can work peacefully without any obstacles.
· Our work in External Affairs will thus be improved because henceforth we will make the decisions ourselves, we will express our position by ourselves. Without Sihanouk we are clean-cut.

B. Negative Aspects for our Revolution

· On the one hand, Vietnam attacks us and treats us as being too far to the left. Sihanouk has helped us, so why should we drop him? Vietnam will point out to others, saying something bad about us, but good about themselves. But it is a provisional problem only. If in the final analysis we remain very close to them, we shall certainly have no problem.
· On the other hand, the enemy is about to attack us, but we should let them be for say half a month. But even if Sihanouk had not resigned the enemy will always attacks us, their spies still exist. If the enemy does not cease attacking us, are we going to suffer? No, because they cannot isolate us.

3. MEASURES to be Taken: two directives

A. First directive: We don't reject him. We ask him to remain in the same position. If he wishes to remain with us, he could remain for 5 months, l or 3 years, as long he would like. If he cannot resist, it is not because of us, it is not our fault. In fact he won't be able to remain with us. He and his family can see very well that they won't have well-being We don't give him any choice, if he does not wish to remain, too bad for him.

Thus we must go and see him and ask him to excuse us for being unable to pay him visits as often as we would like, because we were very busy. We SHOULD acknowledge reception of his letter. That is why we come together to see him. The Situation of our country is very difficult, very poor, the country must face tremendous difficulties. We must resolve all the problems with national dignity. It is in this way that we can be truly independent. Our position, including that of the government, is of always recognizing his noble contribution, HIS deeds and efforts for the country, in particular in the international arena.

The [Khmer] Nation owes him its gratitude for his highly patriotic contribution, something which our Assembly has already noted in its resolutions. We respect a lot [our] collective decisions once they have been adopted. But we request that he remains with the people. The people will preserve his nationalist undertakings and we also will congratulate him and will do our utmost to implement the resolution of our extraordinary session of the National Assembly.

B. Second Directive: in the event that he insists on resigning. We thank him. In the recent past we fought together, shoulder to shoulder. We very much regret his resignation. We shall convoke a meeting of the Council of Ministers to take a decision. If he resigns we won't allow him to leave the country. His departure will render the situation complicated to China. The enemy does not cease to condemn and criticize us. If we refuse to allow him to leave, the enemy can criticize us at least for one month. Certain reasonable attitudes of Sihanouk show a patriotic spirit, but his wife has no patriotic spirit at all. Consequently, if we are not clear in solving this problem, it is possible that unresolved questions will complicate our tasks later on. Thus we should go for the first solution and if that does not work, adopt the second one.

III. ANGKAR'S OPINION (meeting of 13 March 1976)

Comrade HEM made several reports to the Standing Committee on the Sihanouk problem. He has made a categorical decision to resign. He asks Angkar that it TAKE PITY ON him. HE lowers and humbles himself only requesting Angkar that it accepts his resignation. This resignation is not against us...

Comrade Secretary General pointed out that it is an important question to be decided by the Central Committee of the Party. But Comrade Secretary General has already prepared a number of ideas, which WERE supported by the Standing Committee:

1. To forbid Sihanouk from leaving the country is the first measure to be taken.
2. It is necessary to call a meeting of the Council of Ministers to submit to it reports on the matter, in order for the latter to make a decision and, then, to meet Sihanouk once again, with the presence of Penn NOUTH

It is necessary that arrangements be made to record the conversation with Sihanouk. It is necessary to speak to him in such a way for him to keep UP his hopes and allow the recording of his conversation. It is for our documentation.

3. To dispatch telegrams to the sons of Sihanouk asking them to return as soon as possible, pointing out that they must come for the New Year and the National Day celebration. We must solve this problem once and for all. We must also solve it for the interests of our revolution.

4. Is Our Decision TRUE TO Revolutionary Morality?

a. As the morality of the Revolution or the interests of the Revolution. The morality of the revolution must be based on the interests of the revolution. It is a gain for the revolution. To allow Sihanouk to leave is a loss for the Revolution. In reality, Sihanouk is a meek tiger, which only has its skin and bones left, without claws and the fangs. HIS beard has also been shaven. Thus all that remains is to wait for the day of his death. But if this old tiger is freed in the street, all the children would certainly be afraid of it. Certain old men that did not know this meek tiger would also be afraid.

b. Sihanouk participated with us in our Revolution despite his differences with us. That is the reason why our Party decided that Sihanouk should become President of Democratic Kampuchea. But Sihanouk refuses. Thus it is up to him, he can remain or not, it is his problem.

We consider him as a Senior Personality. We shall not kill him. But vis-a-vis the people and the Nation, Sihanouk must also be punished for his fault of having massacred the people.

Thus our decision is reasonably taken in every respect. We shall not change it. But if he continues to resist us, we shall take measures to liquidate him.

5. Direction of the Evolution of our Revolution:

Consequently, it is necessary to put an end to feudalism. We have reached this stage. The whole feudal regime has been destroyed and definitively dismantled by the Revolution. The Monarchy existing for over 2000 years has finally been dismantled. We do not have any other alternatives. Reactions will certainly take place, but we must follow the path of the Revolution in order to win.

6. Another Measure to be Taken:

Henceforth, Sihanouk shall not be allowed to meet foreign diplomats. We shall give them valid reasons to explain the situation.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

SO IT WAS THE KING THAT DO THE KILLING OF ITS OWN PEOPLES. THE KING MUST BE BURN IN HELL AND BURY NEXT TO POL POT.

Anonymous said...

18 February 2012 7:00 PM,

You don't understand. Just shut your mouth up. There are more behind the Killing Fields.

Pol Pot was different from Sihanouk. Maybe death of Sihanouk would be buried next to you when you are dead.

Just do research and understand something before you spill your stink mouth pieces.

Khmerization said...

Dear Readers,

Please show respect and debate in a civilised manner and avoid using offensive language against one another and stop calling each other names.
I will, this time, delete any comments deemed offensive. thank you.

Khmerization

Anonymous said...

This evidence just goes to prove that this Ex-King was the one allowing the 2 millions to be exterminated before his eyes. Dont forget this Ex-King was the one working with Pol Pot and the Vietnamese opposing Lon Nol. In the end, Lon Nol was killed before this Ex-King.

The traitor Ex-King should be burned and sent back to China, where he has hidden for the majority of his life.

COWARD RAT!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for posting the article Khmerization. Personally, I found it preposterous that these so-called leaders continue to manifest their greed and insanity, and deny responsibility despite mounting evidences against them. All these individuals had the opportunity to modernize the Nation; instead they wrecked it – all because of their insatiable greed and power-hungry.

Anonymous said...

Most Cambodian are largely prejudice (AKKATEH)! They do not accept the reasoning, here the author tried to show that King Sihanouk was not the one who killed Hu Nim and Hu Yun, but the reader still want to imply that it was King Sihanouk...

Anonymous said...

how creditable is this evidence when pages 2,3, and 4 are missing? No matter what some people might try to prove that sihanouk is innocent, he still betrayed khmer people and got khmer into the war (vietnam/us war) resulted in the us bombing of cambodia then cambodia fall under the khmer rouge. Lost and affected millions of innocent lives because of this self proclaim "playboy" of cambodia "useless" king.

KampujNeadh-កម្ពុជនាថ said...

My dear Khmer compatriots,be nice, open minded and objectively educated.Even then we will never know the whole truth. Here is the link that everyone should go and take a look:
http://www.archive.org/stream/SelectedDocumentsOfTheKhmerRouge/KRdocs#page/n0/mode/2up

Anonymous said...

Would you think that the commie Chinese would allow the KR to carry out their wish. I don't think so.

Anonymous said...

EVERYTHING IS THE KING FAULT. BECAUSE HE IT THE KING HE SHOULDN'T DENIED ANY INVOLVEMENT. ONLY CAMBODIA KING DENIED HIS FAULT ANY OTHER COUNTRY KING THERE ARE RULES. "EVERYTHING IS THE KING FAULT" TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND SUCK IT UP TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY LIKE ANY OTHER KING DOES AH SIHANOUK.

I LOSE 5 SISTERS AND ONE BROTHER AND A MOTHER, I HAVE NO HESITATE TO PULL A TRICK AND PUT A BULLET RIGHT BETWEEN YOUR EYES IN FRONT TRIAL. I AM ALLOW TO.

Anonymous said...

19 February 2012 6:53 AM

The commie Chinese knew very well what was going on. They supplied Pol Pot the weapons in returns for the rice.

Research history yourself, you will understand why the world allowed Pol Pot to kill 2 millions of its own people.

Answer = Viet Minh = Hun Sen.

Thats why Hun Sen is invincible. but Sihanouk still hids in CHina. Does Sihanouk or Hun Sen dare to sit in the KRT trials?

Anonymous said...

After reading through from the first line to this bottom line, I feel that there are quite controversial opinions among our Khmer compatriot. I do agree with most of opinions on the ex-King of Cambodia even they use impolite words. The ex-King always plays two different roles, a lovely and popular leader and a horrible leader if we remind about his atrocity motivation from the public kill of Preap In and other so-called traitor Free Khmer men since 1962. And during the dinner party for 17 April 1975 victory congratulation, I show on a rare movie clip, he cheers up his wine glass with Khieu Samphann and speaks that 'we can smile but we can also kill'. This exclamation influences very much on my mind to think that the King must know about the huge massacre on his citizen during that time. Apparently, after April 17th, 1975, he provided interviews with foreign journalists to claim that he has good relation with local leaders who leading Cambodia in Phnom Penh.

On another hand, I become hesitating in judging him if he did hold the real high position and political decision making power or not during the regime. Why his sons and daughters were mostly killed under the regime? Did he also allow KR killing his own children to be the evidence of his powerless in order to avoid from his historical condemn. Historically, he was a major element that caused the past disaster in Cambodia. However, I feel that he is a quite clever king who withdrew on time when showing the huge disaster that he had joined to establish approaching. Because most of Khmer people were ignorant and didn't see any successive regimes being better than his, those aged people are still loyal to him in 1980s and early 1990s, CPP fighting leader, Mr. Hun Sen decides pretending to be his absolute supporter for legitimizing his rule. So he becomes a hero of Cambodia again under the protection of CPP. If public opinion attack strongly again on him, the King will promote the CPP leaders other superior titles and medals again for appealing more protection.

Anonymous said...

19 February 2012 5:56 PM;

Can you tell that there are millions of illegal Yuon/Viet settles in Cambodia between 1079 and 2012?

Do you know the many people of Vietnamese followed the Ho Chi Minh's footstep like symbol sign anchor "CVPP=Cambodia-Vietnam People Party" in in Mekong Lake and Tunle Sap Lake. So,that means Cambodia will be swallowed step by step by Vietnam, from CPP to CVPP and then completely it will VPP in Cambodia. So, Cambodian is Vietnam.

Using the your thinking, why and how the Killing Fields happened that cost the millions of innocent Khmer lives.

So, the killers are Vietnamese secret agents from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, hiding among Khmer Rouges to make innocent Khmer people and foreigners think that Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouges inner circles Khmer Rouges Killers instead.

It is shocking the world.

Anonymous said...

I think this previous commenter view Khmer Rouge regime from abroad only. Killer who are still alive as such as the most cruel killer Duch, Huy and others I have known who are living at the countryside of Cambodia are Khmer and Khmer-Chinese descendant. Killers of Krang Ta Chan prison of district 105 or Tram Kak were real Khmer and Khmer-Chinese descendants the same. Why you try to accuse others why the stupid Khmer committed to make crime like this by their own mind and hands.

Anonymous said...

19 February 2012 6:48 PM,

Your education are very low! Need to question yourself, why the killers get orders from the top and what happened? I think you are still ever more stupid yourself.

Thanks for your feed back.

You need to us your background and how you ended up with your comment like this.

You are regarded as of many Yuon secret agents among Khmer Rouges. You are the one who took from the innocent Khmer people and committed the evil deed based on your comment, very educated!!!

Anonymous said...

6:39PM totally right!...I agree!! Cambodia has already became south vietnam#2, for the next 30 year cambodia will be officially Viet's state....I can see that very clearly people!

Anonymous said...

Ho Chi Minh's dream came true...

Anonymous said...

20 February 2012 1:23 AM,

That is exactly you understand it right. Some Khmer people should know it better and asked why they voted for CPP party and Hun Sen.

CPP is not only Khmer, but it is for Yuon/Vietnamese folks and cronies in Cambodia. Their Vietnamese goal is to control Cambodia as much as they can.

Hun Sen, Hen Samrin and Chea Sim are fooled and they are just a piece of junks for Khmer people and nation.

Why some Khmer people ( beside Hun Sen, Hen Samrin and Chea Sim) still think everything is fine and peaceful in Cambodia today, especially the wealthy Khmer people?

They are just seeing or looking at the covers of books, but they don't read or they don't take time to study and understand logically and politically.

I used to think very low and not to worry about, but something happened and shock me about Cambodia in the future, wondering where Cambodia go from here when it comes to many problems under CPP regime such as corruption, poverty, political oppression, lack of freedom, failure of Khmer Rouges trials, bad Cambodia economy, highest unemployment, child labors, lack of accesses to education, lack of public information, lack of transportation (high ways, railway, waterway, airway, etc), slow development from 1979 until today, Khmer people living in fears, armed military polices adn forces attacking against unarmed innocent Khmer people and peaceful protesters, illegal evictions, illegal trade businesses, lawless traffics, uneducated rich people looking down on the poor people, land and property or real estate problems, so many road accidents, Tonle Sap Lake populations, forest destruction, illegal wild animal captures, fish shortages in Tonle Sap and Mekong Lake, trashes everywhere, illegal sex trafficking, fake Cambodian government under CPP (everything is Cambodian faults, but not Yuon/Vietnamese cronies faults), illegal vendors on the streets, many Khmer people living on the dirt and poor places, lack of health and services, lack of Cambodian organizations, many Khmer children having no education access and fun to learn, border issues with neighbors because of uneducated Khmer local leaders (under Yuon/Vietnamese CPP control and uneducated Hun Sen with fake PhD and beyond), and beyond the problems and so many political fears everywhere in remote countryside of Cambodia, so many illegal Yuon/Vietnamese settlers everywhere (towns, cities, farm, lakes, rivers, etc.)....

It is so unbelievable to see many bad things in Cambodia, but only people who have money can see only the growing and nice places in Cambodia, but not the issues or problems of country and people.

Why have some wealthy Khmer people and low-class Khmer people voted for CPP party which is part of Communist Vietnam influences and which is led by uneducated leaders Hun Sen, Heng Samrin, Chea Sim, etc along with CPP Yuon cronies in the administration?

That is why some Khmer people (majority) did not or have not listened to smart Khmer people who care about Khmer nation, natural resources, land, water, people and etc.

Khmer Yeurng

Anonymous said...

For the next 30 years, all old fart politics will die and Annaconda-Viet will officially swallow caambodia-rabbit.

Anonymous said...

Most Khmer people have concerned about the short future of Cambodia where is threatening by Vietnamese swallow like you all. But they cannot vote for change their leader while this group is holding all mass-media in their tight fit hand. I mean if most people don't vote for their party, they still announce to be winner of the election. Khmer people may remember about the result of election in 1993, CPP ordered UNTAC stopping the continuing broadcast of the result because their party was failed but UNTAC was independent and holding a Radio station beyond the so-called national radio and TVK. Then Hun Sen committed to reject the result and demanded for a 4 square meter land to bury his body if he dies because of the fight against UNTAC or other opposition forces. Now Nation Election Committee (NEC) dare not oppose the will of CPP. How can they announce the fact result?

Regarding the history of Khmer Rouge, I think the said commenter on 19 February 2012 6:39 PM is right because all or most of the Killers during the regime are Khmer and Khmer-Chinese descendants. And I do agree with him "Why they try to accuse or scapegoat to others when their own compatriot killed each others because of class anger mentality equipments, social class discrimination, purge policy and paranoia of the Angkar that composed by Khmers, Khmer-Chinese descendants and Khmer Krom too.

We do know from the history, the loss of Kampuchea Krom because of longtime Vietnamese trick and the weakness of Khmer kings and princes, they had asked Vietnamese helps for many times to win over their rival. Until the war in 1970s and 1980s, Vietnamese is still important for preventing Khmer rulers who want power and the governments that are pro-Vietnamese. I think all Khmer MUST initiate and develop the CULTURE OF RESPONSIBILITY. We must dare to confess if we did wrongly and guilty.

Yuon And Siam never allow Cambodia to be in peace over 30 year periods if we look back to our history from 1650s up. Our territories were lost to Siam and Yuon because of a social factor, Thai and Yuon migrant acceleration from time to time in those lands rather than violent invasions of these two neiboring governments as such as Chinese government over Tibet.

From Khmer Boran