Newsletter:
Cambodia in review
A publication of the Royal Embassy of
Cambodia to the United States
September 1998
Vol. III No 31
The Royal Embassy of Cambodia would like to publish in its entirety the Statement of H.E. Samdech Chea Sim, Chairman of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, issued on September 13, 1998, as in the following:
During the past two weeks, demonstrations have disrupted law and order, stability and security in Phnom Penh. These demonstrations have raised serious concern in as much as they have, with each passing day, escalated from peaceful to violent demonstrations, from an orderly respect for law and order into uncontrollable anarchy. It was only reluctantly that the authorities intervened to disperse demonstrators and subsequent clashes between the government forces and demonstrators have caused some regrettable loss of life and a number of injuries to demonstrators, including Buddhist monks, foreigners and government forces in charge of restoring public order.
In the face of this deplorable situation, His Majesty the King has repeatedly appealed to His children, grand-children and great grand-children and asked them to try to resolve the complaints and disputes in a peaceful manner, through friendly talks among Cambodians by avoiding violence which can cause the destruction of life to our innocent people, bring about national dishonor and plunge the country into a new conflict.
Along with this very highest appeal from His Majesty, our Monarch, the loyal Government, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Information, competent authorities and Cambodian political leaders, in unity with the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and governments of friendly nations have separately issued their appeals seeking to end these disputes which caused the demonstrations and to return to the negotiating table with the aim of calling the meeting of the new National Assembly and the speedy formation of the new Government according to the democratic process which will reflect the will of the Cambodian people and the results of the independent, free and fair election of 26 July 1998.
In spite of these public statements and appeals, some politicians and Cambodian fellowmen did not agree to end the demonstrations. They have instead looked for new poisonous means to fuel revenge, incite retaliation and racism, and to enlarge division among Cambodians and fan the fire of hatred to create new crises. These attempts have increased the number of difficulties which in turn cause members of the society to tear each other apart, to annihilate each other because of the political colors and races; while at the same time these politicians repudiate virtue, national dignity, tradition and national identity which have co-existed peacefully, in families, in love, in mutual assistance and in sincere friendship.
The present situation has pointed out that the "democratic process" which these politicians and some of our fellowmen have understood and have adopted is one which has gradually departed from the constitution and from other laws in force in Cambodia. This sort of "democracy," as defined by these politicians and some of our fellowmen is plunging our nation into great confusion with the inevitable consequence of producing bloodletting, tear shedding and destruction.
In the face of these burning events and their negative influence caused by abuses of democracy and amidst the confusion caused to our country, and as chairman of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, I wish to launch the following appeal:
(1) I ask all our countrymen, all laymen and members of the Buddhist clergy, to please stop immediately all demonstrations and counter-demonstrations. The struggle to voice your opinion will not reach your real goals through such an avenue. On the contrary, the real results of using democracy through marches in public places and on the streets as these marches have been so unwisely organized, motivated by hidden and dark agenda, will bring only accidents, injuries, the loss of life and of your own properties and those of the public, the loss of time for your work, the loss of time from schools, and the great loss of time for the construction of the country. Concerns and complaints must be addressed by our political leaders through immediate negotiations acceptable to all concerned, in line with the advice and wisdom provided by His Majesty, our Monarch, and along with the numerous requests from the international community.
The time between the 13th and the 24th of September 1998 has a very significant meaning for our nation to successfully resolve the opening of the meeting of the National Assembly in the Second Legislature and the formation of the new Government. It is also a very significant occasion for our people who will celebrate the Festival of the Dead according to the Buddhist traditions of our nation.
Eventually, the calm manifested by our people from this time on, by following the Lord Buddha and His teaching, the Dharma and in practicing it in our heart in our soul and in our action in order to negate anger, arrogance and ambition, is vital for the resolution of political conflict acceptable to all political parties and to everyone. This is a valuable contribution to the progress of democracy, which we all wish to have.
(2) I ask political leaders of our nation to show that they have prepared concrete plans to follow the very highest advice of His Majesty, our Monarch. Especially the plans for the meeting and negotiation at the highest level of all the three distinguished leaders of the three political parties which have won seats at the National Assembly, in the Second legislature, and the formation of a new Government.
Any further delay in endorsing the result of the election by certain parties which have won seats in the National Assembly and any delay in the opening session of the National Assembly will bring pain and suffering to the innocent people of Cambodia and will bring great shame to all of us and make all of us look like lamentable losers. On coping with the ideals of our nation and the wishes of our citizens, politicians of this country must have respect for the people, must have great courage and great sense of responsibility in making decisions, and must all be prepared to make sacrifices and concessions, in humility and gentleness, in sincere friendship, and in the true spirit of national reconciliation.
I firmly believe that our fellowmen and our political leaders will pool their resources again together, in order to preserve the social stability of our land and reconstruct this land with the dignity it deserves, toward prosperity and a bright fixture for a great lawful nation. At this time, more than any other, we have to contribution our part to our society and avoid catastrophic destruction from which no one can escape alone and over which no one can declare himself the winner.
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Official Final Result Of The Elections In Cambodia
On September 1, 1998, the National Election Committee in Cambodia issued a Decision (No. 09.1828.98 NEC) on the allocation of seats among the political parties receiving the highest number of votes in the July 26, 1998 general election held to choose members of the National Assembly for its second legislative term.
Of the 122 parliamentary seats: Sam Rainsy party won 15 seats; Funcinpec party won 43 seats; and CPP won 64 seats.
The allocation of parliamentary seats for the political parties winning seats in the July 26, 1998 election to choose the members of the National Assembly in the second legislative term among the 23 constituencies is as follows:
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Respect The Will Of The People
"Japan urges all Cambodian political leaders to respect the will of the Cambodian people as expressed in the general election held in July," said a statement issued on September 11, 1998, by the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan on the situation in Cambodia.
"Japan is concerned about the situation in the city of Phnom Penh during the past few weeks. Japan strongly opposed every kind of violence, particularly that which is motivated by racial discrimination, and calls upon the Cambodian Government and all Cambodians to exercise self-restraint," the statement further said. "Japan strongly hopes that all Cambodian political leaders will cooperate among themselves under King Norodom Sihanouk, who is given 'the august role of arbitrator' under the Cambodian Constitution, in order to achieve peace, stability and development in their country.
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ASEAN Position Towards The Elections In Cambodia
On September 4, 1998, after the release of the final result of the elections in Cambodia by the National Election Committee, the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) issued a statement, which reflected the official stance of ASEAN towards the elections in Cambodia with the following content:
ASEAN extends its felicitations to the Cambodian people for the successful nation-wide elections for the Cambodian National Assembly held on 26 July 1998. The enthusiastic participation of around 90% of registered Cambodian voters in the election is a clear manifestation of their desire to decide their political future by exercising the right to choose their leaders through popular elections.
ASEAN acknowledges the contribution of the Royal Government of Cambodia in helping to create conditions which allowed for the holding of elections in which all political personalities and parties participated, through the creation of the National Election Commission, the Constitutional Council and the Council of Magistracy. ASEAN also acknowledges the decision of the Royal Government of Cambodia to allow the monitoring of the electoral process by international observers and to invite the international community, including ASEAN and the "Friends of Cambodia", to participate in the Joint International Observation Group (JIOG), w which was coordinated by the UN Electoral Assistance Secretariat.
ASEAN – through the ASEAN Troika on Cambodia – has been engaged in efforts to assist in the restoration of the political stability in Cambodia over the past twelve months, at the request of the Cambodian Government. It maintained open and regular dialogues with His Majesty King Sihanouk, Second Prime Minister Hun Sen, HRH Prince Norodom Ranariddh and other leading political personalities and high officials of Cambodia, and held consultations with the United Nations and other countries, and in particular the "Friend of Cambodia", with the objective of the facilitating the holding of free and fair elections and fostering national unity. The election that took place on July 26, 1998 was a major step in restoring political normalcy in Cambodia.
ASEAN notes the evaluation of the JIOG as set out in its statement dated 27 July 1998, which was re-affirmed in its statement dated 29 July 1998, that the polling and counting process was "free
and fair to an extent that enables it to reflect, in a credible way, the will of the Cambodian people". ASEAN supports the JIOG observation on the polling and counting process.
At this juncture, ASEAN encourages all parties concerned in Cambodia, particularly the contending candidates, to resolve their differences in the spirit of national reconciliation and unity so that a new National Assembly could soon vote on a new government. ASEAN also pays tribute to the important and ongoing role of His Majesty King Sihanouk as Father of the Nation in advancing the cause of national unity and stability in Cambodia. ASEAN looks forward to that time in the near future when Cambodia could focus on the vital tasks of reconstruction and economic development with the help of the international community, when it could be embraced by its ASEAN brothers into their fold and restored in its rightful place in the international community.
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Australia And New Zealand: The Result Should Stand
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer released the report of the Australian and New Zealand observers in mid September, 1998, saying that the last July's Cambodian election was a step forward for democracy and that the result should stand.
"The Cambodian people were able to cast their votes in secrecy and have them counted without significant distortion," said the report.
The report said there was no evidence of fraud or intimidation on the polling day. Despite the claims of the opposition leaders, the observer report said the problem over the votes did not distort the outcome of the election.
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Twenty Six MP's Response to Rep. Rohrabacher
On September, 1998, 26 Members of the National Assembly of Cambodia sent a letter to The Honorable Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House of Representatives and The Honorable Richard Gephardt, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives in response to the draft Resolution submitted by Congressman Rohrabacher on September 11, 1998.
"We recently became aware of a resolution by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher that the Second Prime Minister of our country, H.E. Samdech Hun Sen, be placed on trial before the International Criminal Court. The proposal preposterous as it is officiously insulting to Cambodia. The Congressman has presumed for himself the role of inquisitor and grand jury in charging crimes which are, in the first instance, firmly within the domestic jurisdiction of another country. And he levels charges against the chief executive of a nation with which the United States maintains friendly relations," said the letter.
"But most importantly, Mr. Rohrabacher is quite wrong in his accusations. For example, the idea that H.E. Hun Sen led an armored column in 1993 in a coup attempt has absolutely no basis in fact and is a sheer fabrication. The Congressman does not let facts get in the way of making outrageous accusations," continued the letter. "In his description of the current political situation in Cambodia, Rep. Rohrabacher blames the Second Prime Minister for violence after the July 1998 elections. In fact, H.E. Hun Sen repeatedly called for calm and non-violence, as he had all year, and pleaded for dialogue between political parties. Second Prime Minister ordered the security forces to exercise the maximum amount of restraint, and they did so."
So what made the demonstration turn violent? the blame squarely rests with Sam Rainsy, a politician whom Mr. Rohrabacher has expressed great admiration and from whom the congressman apparently gets a great deal of his "information". Mr. Sam Rainsy, and his allies who created the conditions for bloodshed:
Who incited the passions of the demonstrators so that they bludgeoned and killed innocent civilians in Phnom Penh? Mr. Sam Rainsy did. Who engaged in the rhetoric of racism, agitating a mob to the point where they beat to death two Cambodian citizens of Vietnamese heritage outside of the Funcinpec Headquarters? Mr. Sam Rainsy did. Who provoked the crowed to destroy public property. Mr. Sam Rainsy did. Who called on the soldiers of the armed forces to turn their guns on the Second Prime Minister? Mr. Sam Rainsy did. Who requested the U.S. Government bomb the house of Samdech Hun Sen? Mr. Sam Rainsy did.
With this type of violent talk, is it any wonder that Mr. Hun Sen's house was the target of a grenade attack? Yes, it was Mr. Rohrabacher's associate who incited racism and violence and who has blood on his hands. With Sam Rainsy intentionally whipping up demonstrators with constant racist demagoguery, the authorities had no choice but to restore order. What had begun as a protest against recent elections had turned into anarchy, with angry mobs hurling stones and rocks at the police. In this situation, the Royal Government was left no other choice: first duty of any government is to ensure the safety and the security of the population. The situation had became so ominous that the United States Ambassador was compelled to publicly disavow Sam Rainsy's suggestions that the United States would take military action.
In fact, as a young man, the second Prime Minister rallied to Prince Sihanouk's appeal to join the National United Front, of which the Prince was the titular leader, and opposed the Lon Nol Regime. Thousands of Cambodian citizens also responded to the Prince's call to arms, only to discover too late that the successor regime was to be controlled by the Khmer Rouge and that the Khmer Rouge were committed to the mass murder of the Cambodian people. It is true that Samdech Hun Sen served as a battalion commander during the war, but unlike Mr. Rohrabacher's implication, H.E. was not part of the genocidal activities of the regime that followed. Revolted by the excess of the Pol Pot regime, H.E. Hun Sen fled and subsequently joined the Vietnamese-sponsored Cambodian nationalist movement to oust the Khmer Rouge. Even Cambodian Scholar Steven Heder, who is extremely critical of Hun Sen on most critical matters, has stated that there is no credible evidence that the Second Prime Minister played any role in the genocide. We also are struck by the fact that, in his indictment, Mr. Rohrabacher continues to trace the alleged crimes of Hun Sen through the period of the People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK: 1979-1989) and the State of Cambodia (SOC: 1989-1993). He has accused the Second Prime Minister of being party to horrible events. Yet, when Mr. Rohrabacher had a meeting with Samdech Hun Sen on April 18, 1995 in Phnom Penh, the good congressman raised none of these issues.
"In fact, while the Second Prime Minister was fighting Pol Pot in the 1980s, Mr. Rohrabacher was serving in the US Government that voted to seat the representatives of the genocidal Khmer Rouge in the United Nations. Furthermore, while the Pol Pot was alive, successive governments in Phnom Penh wanted to try him for crimes against humanity, with precious little support from the international community. Nevertheless, the Royal Government is prepared to cooperate with an international tribunal of the remaining Khmer Rouge leadership," concluded the letter.
The 26 Members of the National Assembly of Cambodia are Say Chhum, Chea Soth, Heng Samrin, Men Sam An, Im Chhun Lim, Ney Pena, Bou Thang, Nguon Nhel, Math Ly, Chhour Leang Huot, Nin Saphon, Som Kim Sour, Keat Chhon, Cheam Yeap, Sar Kapun, Ai Khon, Phet Phanur, Suy Sem, So Khun, Hou Sry, Pen Pannha, Him Chhem, Chay Saing Yun, Som Sam Eng, Chuon Bun Thol, Mom Chim Huy.
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The Royal Embassy of Cambodia
4500 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20011