Unofficial Translation
|
An
Open Letter of |
| The
Royal Government of Cambodia |
|
œ œ œ |
The Camodian people, represented by four
factions, who are the signatories of the 1993 Paris Peace Agreements, have endorsed
pluralistic democracy, by which a free and fair election is the main process to address
problems of governance of their homeland.
In view of the 1993 election brokered by
the United Nations Transitional Authority of Cambodia (UNTAC), the outcome of the July
1998 election commissioned by the National Electoral Committee (NEC) was deemed free and
fair, and credible by the national and international communities. The inspired result was
mainly credited to the will of the voters and the responsibility of the Royal Government
of Cambodia steered by Samdech Hun Sen, who strived for the electoral process to be free
and fair.
It is unfortunate for the Cambodian people.
Democracy, peace, and political stability in Cambodia were subverted by the terrorist acts
and assassination attempts. For just one day after the election, while the ballots were
being counted, and the polls showed the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) was leading,
Samdech Hun Sen has since been the targets of ceaseless flagrant insults, a threat of U.
S. missiles attacks, and two assassination attempts.
On September 7, 1993, three grenades were
hurled into his residence in the middle of Phnom Penh, the Capital of Cambodia. And on
September 24, 1998, in Siem Reap city, while Samdech Hun Sen was being on the way to the
swear- in- ceremony for his second five year term as a newly elected Member of Parliament,
he was fired at by B 40 rockets. They missed him. Thank to Lord Buddha.
The above mentioned savageries of terrorist
group must not be tolerated. To save Cambodia and her people from being murdered again by
the genocide, we, the people of the so-called once island of peace, ought to absolutely
deny the opportunity for the remnant of the dissintegrating Khmer Rouge to be blessedly
resurrected.
The Cambodian people, who were godlessly
victimized by duress, starvation, deseases, and loss of loved ones during the genocidal
Khmer Rouge regime, witnessed and remembered well who and how they were liberated in
January, 1979. The apparatus of the Khmer Rouge was then completely destroyed. Presently,
there
are a handful of Khmer Rouge sympathizers,
who tireleesly spend their energies and money to purposely recultivate the genocide in
Cambodia.
They use variuos schemes to plot against
Samdech Hun Sen and to undermine the will of the people by ignoring the results of the
July 26 election, while they are indiscriminately lending their supports to the decaying
Khmer Rouge to return to the society. Recently, a few American officials, who are close
associates of the leaders of the two Camobodian oppositions, have worked very hard to
undermine the democratic process, the July election, in Cambodia. Furthermore, they
mounted their absurd charges against Samdech Hun Sen, who sacrificed his life to liberate
Cambodia and her people from the genocidal regime.
The Cambodian self-processed election in
July has elapsed for three months. The new National Assembly has yet made headway.
Subsequently, a new government could not be formed in order to substitute the present one.
Eventually, Cambodia faces a poltical dilemma.
The campaign promises by the oppositions to
sail Cambodia to millenium were abruptly aborted. The leaders of the oppositions packed
their bags and briskly left Cambodia. Their irresponsible acts were left to Samdech Hun
Sen alone to shoulder. They drummed up for their financial and political supports from
foreign soil for their own appetite, which is to falsely charge Samdech Hun Sen with
violation of humanity laws. Those few American officials should undoubtedly question the
motive of the oppositions, for which it was raised in the unfavorable circumstances
against the democratic process and the will of millions of people, who confidently casted
their votes for them.
Speaking on the history of Cambodia during
the cold war, and blaming Samdech Hun Sen with fictitious evidence by the few American
officials would not address the hardship Cambodia presently confronts. Unconscionably,
they perpetrate illusions and mistrusts amongst the Cambodian people. Their motives seem
intended to sap the July election, and to divert the national and international attentions
from the manipulations of political situations by the Cambodian opposition leaders.
The Royal Government of Cambodia is
convinced that while the democracy of Cambodia is being in its infancy, the Cambodians
urgently need the encouragement and the support especially from the United States of
America in carrying out democratically their obligations to ensure the sustainability of
the state affairs, peace, and political stability. Regretfully, those few American
officials, who lack visions, are poisoned by the unethical propaganda, and the incitement
of the opposition leaders. They went on in a differnt direction, and blindly contested the
judgement of the international community on the result of the July election. They
intentionally moved Cambodia back to the pre - 1987 era, when the historical meetings
between His Majesty the King Norodom Sihanouk and Samdech Hun Sen took place.
The historical 1970 and 1998 events in
Cambodia are marked by numerous tragedies. They must be truthfully and honestly
characterized. Presently peace and political stability in our beloved nation are openly
threathened by the opposition conspiracies. Today, Cambodia is vigorously carrying out the
principles of the Paris Peace Agreements. It strongly requires the democratic electoral
process and the adherence to the state of laws to be a formula for the solution to the
problems of governance of the country. By giving a wrong assessment on the eventuality,
Cambodia would be once again doomed by similar 1970 and 1975 tragedies. How tragic would
it be? It seems no one knows. Then the question is, who is responsible for it ? One may
anticipate for sure that the nation and its people are the usual victims of circumstances.
When the international community and the
five big powers well known to embrace the high standard of democracy, particularly America
with hindsight, turned and walked away from the Cambodian people, who were tragically
being inflicted by the genocidal policies of the so-called Democratic Kampuchea (the Khmer
Rouge), Samdech Hun Sen courageously stood up and mobilized Cambodian patriots to liberate
their fellow countymen from the genocidal Khmer Rouge. Was Samdech Hun Sen wrong by his
action to save lives of his countrymen? Was his action considered the violation of
international humanity laws?
The Khmer Rouge mercilessly killed more
than three million Cambodians, when it ruled Cambodia. Later, it was overthrown from
power. For Buddha's sake, the Cambodian people may cease the golden opportunity to
peacefully rebuild their lives from ashes. But unfortunately, the so-called Democratic
Kampuchea (the Khmer Rouge) was somehow awarded the seat of Cambodia at the august
international body, the United Nations. From 1979 to 1989, with international status, the
Khmer Rouge comfortably enjoyed multiple facets of foreign assistance. The war of Khmers
killing Khmers led by the Khmer Rouge has since continued.
The oppositions have not condemned the
killing fields of Pol Pot-Ta Mok. In fact, the abolition of the Law of Outlaw the Khmer
Rouge was publicly presented by the oppositions to the Cambodian people during their 1998
electoral campaign. In this case, would the Khmer Rouge and its allies or Samdech Hun Sen
be considered the violators of the international humanity laws?
For the economic front, in 1984, Samdech
Hun Sen initiated the economic reform of privatization. Since 1987 , he has also been an
active leader of the Cambodian People's Party for the application of the national
reconciliation policy. In the pacification process of the Cambodian People's Party,
Samdech Hun Sen personally involved at the negotiation forum in order to seek peaceful
solution to the comprehensive settlement of the Cambodia conflict. The peace agreements
were finally signed on October 23, 1991, in Paris, France.
In the spirit of respect and readiness to
implement the peace agreements, the Cambodian People's Party decided on April 30, 1989 to
change the country's name, the People's Republic of Cambodia to the State of Cambodia; and
on October 17-18, 1991, it amended the Constitution by adopting the regime of free market
economy and the political system of pluralistic democracy. However, His Majesty the King
Nordom Sihanouk and Samdech Hun Sen took five years of hard works from 1987 to 1991 to
achieve the Paris Peace Agreements, have they been considered to be the violators of the
international humanity laws?
The 1993 election sponsored by UNTAC was
conducted with numerous irregularities. Even UNTAC willingly admitted its mistakes. At the
time, Samdech Hun Sen, in his capacity as then Prime Minister, skillfully extinguished the
hostile tensions caused by the refusal to recognize the result of the election and by
strong protests in certain districts. He also successfully prevented a secessionist
movement from taking roots in some parts of the country.
The process of pacification and the
national reconciliation policy undertaking by Samdech Hun Sen were once again succeeded by
his win-win policies. On August, 1996, a mass defection of Khmer Rouge forces was
integrated into the society. By the end of 1996, he was duly decorated by the World Peace
Award. The success of his policies was conducive to the 1998 nationwide elections.
For almost five years, Samdech Hun Sen has
strived to building few thousands schools, hospitals, medical clinics, agricultural
projects, and development centers. He introduces Cambodian free market economy to private
investors. He endorses freedom of the press and freedom of associations. In today
Cambodia, there are 158 national and international newspapers and magazines, 374
associations, and 106 non-governmental organizations. Would these deeds of Samdech Hun Sen
be considered a violation of the international humanity laws?
The 1993 Royal Coalition Government went
well in accordance with the Paris Peace Agreements and with the bilateral agreements of
the two partners. In early 1996, the FUNCINPEC started to change its working concepts, and
abandoned its roles in the Royal Coalition Government. It concentrated instead on the
balance of forces in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF). Furthermore, it formed an
illegal movement, the so-called the National United Front (NUF) to challenge the
legitimate government. It violated the spirit of the Paris Peace Agreements. The above
predicaments were the actual causes, which provoked the July 1997 confrontation. The
allegation of the coup d'etat mounted by Samdech Hun Sen to oust Samdech Krom Preah
Norodom Ranariddh was unjust and baseless. Here are the following reasonings:
1. There is no power grab by Samdech Hun
Sen, the Second Prime Minister of Cambodia. He presently maintains the same position. And
other national institutions remain unchanged.
2. The preventive measures taken by the
Royal Government of Cambodia against coup d'etat were in conformity with the Constitution,
which ensures the national security, the safety of the citizens, the social order, and the
sustainability of the state affairs. Therefore, the July 1997 events were not a coup
d'etat presumably hacked by Samdech Hun Sen. He has been falsely alleged.
Althought, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
successfully and timely thwarted the anarchic clique, the July 1997 events have not
relinquished the economic and social instablity. Immediately and publicly, Samdech Hun Sen
issued his eight point measures to secure the welfare of the people, the social order, and
the normalcy of state affairs, and to breed a sound environment for a free and fair
election. The preparation for the July 26, 1998 election had been well proceeded as early
as late 1997. It yielded a democratic non-violent environment, successfully. Ninety nine
per cent of the eligible voters registered their names. The influx of ninety three per
cent of the registered voters with a happy smile confidently casted their ballots on July
26, 1998. Would the highly success by the Cambodian people be considered the violation of
Samdech Hun Sen on the international humanity laws?
The international electoral observers
approved the result of the July election as free and fair, and credible. The oppositions'
claims against the irregularities of the election were properly settled by the National
Electoral Committee (NEC). Their appeals were also properly addressed by the
Constitutional Council. In spite of exhaustive efforts of the concerned authorities to
satisfy their complaints, the opposition leaders have refused to recognize the outcome of
the July election until today.
The illigal demonstrations of the
opposition leaders shifted swiftly from the defiance of the result of the election to the
confrontation of the national institutions. They committed violence, social disorder,
vandalism, incitement, and racial hatred. Their evil acts caused three persons killed. In
addition, they urged Samdech Hun Sen to resign from his post, and insisted the United
States to lunch missiles attacks on Samdech Hun Sen's home in Toul Krasang; and for worst,
three grenades were tossed into the home of Samdech Hun Sen located in front of the
Monument of Independence. Coping with the anarchic hostilities, on one hand, the Royal
Government of Cambodia cautiously exercised its appropriate authority with patience,
tolerance, and restraint; and on the other hand, it firmly ensured freedom for all
citizens, stability, and social order.
To put it briefly, the history of Cambodia,
and the entire activities of Samdech Hun Sen for the past two decades have moved
steadfastly and inseparably. Cambodia has departed the gloomy era, and her eleven million
people have escaped from indiscriminate tragedies. They would recall his bravery and
struggles, by which Samdech Hun Sen unreservedly undertook to protect and to serve the
national causes and his countrymen. Likewise, he is the victim of the cold war.
Samdech Hun Sen and the entire Cambodian
population have been its victims for the past three decades. They would resist being the
future hostages of the unwarranted conflict. Any means or form of attacks, which are
attempted against Samdech Hun Sen, are unjust for him and his Cambodian people. They
intend to nullify the outcome of the July 1998 election, to decimate the will of the
voters, to abolish the young Cambodian democracy, to return Cambodia to the past two
decades, and to plunge the country into a new sea of genocide. In short, the recent
attempts to attack Samdech Hun Sen are purely concealed terrorist actions hidden behind
democratic rhetoric. Their sole purpose is to demolish Cambodia and her people.
To save Cambodia, they may respect the
people's will, which was presented through the July 26, 1998 election. They entrusted
Samdech Hun Sen with confidence to continue building and developing their homeland. To
strengthen democracy in Cambodia, they may not encourage or give a bad exemples, their
undemocratic lessons in the recent past. To guide Cambodia to become the state of law,
they may assist Cambodia to respect the Constitution and other laws, and to avoid
distorting every issues into the so- called political issues.
After the Peace Agreements were signed in
Paris in 1991, Cambodia ceased to become the battlefield of the cold war, where the
Cambdian factions fought amongst themself. After the 1993 election was taken place,
Cambodia became a legitimate unified state. It has its Constitution, legitimate
institutions, and sovereignty in its own territorial integrety. As a result of that,
Cambodia may not be allowed to be a part of the secession of any individual.
The Cambodian politicians of every walk of
life living inside or outside of Cambodia must embrace national conscience and high
responsibility to find the solution to the national causes based on the framework of law.
They must not internationalize the Cambodian troubles. Cambodia is an independent and
sovereign state. It should freely determine its own destiny.
Samdech Hun Sen firmly endorsed the
November 7, 1998 statements of His Majesty the King Norodom Sihanouk of the Kingdom of
Cambodia, who introduced a keen and acceptable proposals to open up ways for the Members
of Parliament of the oppositions to return to Cambodia in order to break the recent
political deadlock. For that spirit, Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh and his
colleagues enjoyed indivisual and legal assurances for their full security protection,
while they were being accommodated in Phnom Penh.
For the popular causes, the present Royal
Government of Cambodia strongly believes that although, the new National Assembly could
not convene, the sustainability of state affairs has been assured by four constitutional
instututions: the King, the Royal Government, the Constitutional Council, and the
Magistracy Council. According to the article 7 of the law on the Organizational and
Administrative Structure of the Council of Ministers promulgated into law by the First
National Assembly on July 20, 1994, the present Royal Government of Cambodia pledges to
carry out its duty with great responsibility to look to the future of Cambodia and her
people, who urgently need the assistance to engage in the creating of economic values, of
goods, and of services, and to take care of their careers. To fulfill its pledges, the
Royal Government of Cambodia must achieve the fellowing steps:
1. It should ensure a good and stable
environment, so that the seven point measures initiated and publicly disclosed on October
22, 1998, at the Chaktomouk Hall by Samdech Hun Sen could be successfully implemented.
2. It should deter any form of attempts for
destruction of the result of the July election; and it should prevent the organization of
the re-election.
3. It should coordinate the winning parties
in order to break the present stalemate, so that the National Assembly could convene, and
the formation of a new government could soon take place based on the principle of the
state of law.
Phnom Penh, November 11, 1998
Names and signatures of the Members of the
Royal Government of Cambodia
| Sok An : (Signed) |
Sar Kheng : (Signed) |
| Thong Khon : (Signed) |
Van Molivan : (Signed) |
| Khiev Kanharidh : (Signed) |
Yim Chay Ly : (Signed) |
| Keat Chhon : (Signed) |
Ier Chou Kim Meng : (Signed) |
| Chhea Thang : (Signed) |
Cham Prasidh : (Signed) |
| Chem Snguon : (Signed) |
Mok Mareth : (Signed) |
| Suy Sem : (Signed) |
Em Sam An : (Signed) |
| Tram Ivtek : (Signed) |
Tea Banh : (Signed) |
| So Khun : (Signed) |
Chay Saing Yun : (Signed) |
| Ith Prang : (Signed) |
Ieng Moly : (Signed) |
| Sum Manith : (Signed) |
Ung Phan : (Signed) |
| Neuo Kanon : (Signed) |
|
| Nady Tan : (Signed) |
|
| Pou Sothirak : (Signed) |
|
| Tao Seng Hour : (Signed) |
|
| Chhea Song : (Signed) |
|
| Im Chhunlim : (Signed) |
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