Dear fellow compatriots and friends,
Like many of you, I am deeply saddened by the passing of
His Majesty King Father Norodom Sihanouk, and respectfully wish to extend my
deepest condolences to Her Majesty Queen Mother Norodom
Monineath Sihanouk, His Majesty King
Norodom Sihamoni and the Royal Family.
Below and attached, please find an article I wrote as a
tribute to HM's memory.
Truly,
By Davan Long
Over the past few days, the nation has mourned the loss of its
most influential public figure in the last seven decades of its history.
Citizens from all walks of life spontaneously come together with a heavy
heart to pay tribute to their former King whose reign brought so much pride,
happiness and sadness to their lives. It is a truly emotional
manifestation of the profound love and affection that people of different
generations, old and young, hold toward the late Sovereign.
Deep down in their hearts, the majority of Cambodians will
remember the late Sovereign as the champion of national independence, a Khmer
Rouge prisoner, an instrumental peace broker for the Paris Accord, and most
importantly an iconic symbol of national unity.
Cambodians will also remember His Majesty as a king who upon
ascending to the throne at the very young age kindly reached out to and stayed
connected with his people, especially the quiet and often-forgotten ones in the
countryside. For them, His Majesty was a ruler whose aspirations would
transform the country into a prosperous kingdom and an envy of South East Asia had they not been derailed by regional and
global dynamics overwhelmingly beyond his control.
The passing of His Majesty gracefully marks the end of a
political dynasty, and sadly leaves behind a deep sense of loss and emptiness.
In due course, history may judge His Majesty unkindly for certain tragic
events occurring during his reign, but all in all it can never deny that facing
world turbulences and unpredictable future His Majesty did what he wholeheartedly believed was right for his country;
and that His Majesty was steadfastly there
ready to serve when his country needed him. On that note, His Majesty
King Father Norodom Sihanouk will be dearly missed by all his subjects,
believers and opponents alike.
May His Majesty’s soul forever rest in eternal peace.
Davan Long
Montreal, Canada
October 17, 2012
Montreal, Canada
October 17, 2012
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