"Now that Samdech Sihanouk decided to go and pay homage to the Viet invaders, an unbecoming conduct of a Khmer Kshatrya, he should consider returning all previous titles given him by the office of the Monarchy back to the Kingdom, to include the “Varman” lineage title. He should travel to Vietnam as “Comrade Sihanouk” not as a former Khmer king, nor as a Khmer dignitary. The office of the Khmer Monarchy shall have no business pleasing, nor honoring the arch enemy of the Khmer. If he so desires he can go by his own means and methods not at our expense, with royal standard, parasol, nor with any minute symbol of the Monarchy that would give the enemy the impression that a Khmer King pays them tribute in the name of the Khmers. Better yet Comrade Sihanouk and his immediate entourage should consider getting themselves a one-way ticket on this trip."
Friday, June 18, 2010Op-Ed by Neay Krud'th
Before voicing his protest over His Majesty Former King Sihanouk Varman’s planned pilgrimage to the territory of Khmer’s arch enemy east of the border, this author would like to clarify two concepts which all Khmers must be able to distinguish ― the Persona of a King, and the Institution or the Office of the Monarchy.
To avoid head-on collision with our Khmer tradition namely the duty to uphold, honor, and faithfully protect and defend the office of the Khmer Monarchy, the author will stay away from this realm out of respect for the spirit of our ancestors who have made ultimate sacrifice throughout our history to ensure the perpetual existence of the Khmer Kingdom and the Monarchy which we all inherited. As much as he personally would rather see it go away, the author understands that it is not his call and would rather leave it to the Khmer people to decide.
The author would like to ask the readers to examine the old photograph above. On the right, two rows of Baku Purohita (Brahmins) are performing series of rituals during a royal ceremony (Water Festival/Bon Om Touk in this instance) at the royal pier on the Tonlé Chatumuk (in front of the Palace) as prescribed by the Vedas scripts of Brahmanism custom and tradition of the Khmer Royal Court handed down since ancient time. The water, the royal pier, and the Brahman priests represent the office of the Khmer Monarchy.
The person on the left is to occupy the office of the Monarchy and fulfill the role of a “Divine Kshatrya” (God King and Warrior) which in most cases for life, where he should live his life in accordance to the Brahmanism precepts of kingship. He is supposed to rule over the land with the guidance of the council of Brahmans and Buddhist scholars, to include organizing collective infrastructure and water work, mobilize the population for war of expansion and/or in defense of the kingdom against all enemies, maintain peace and prosperity, justice, law and order. Requirements of the job includes ruling with wisdom and to have dashing courage in time of war and be willing to make ultimate sacrifice for the sake of his kingdom and his subjects ahead of his army. This person is a Persona of the Monarchy who assumes the public role with lofty character, honesty, integrity and quality of a leader worthy of praise, inspiration and respect of all people, at home and abroad.
Unfortunately, after more than half a century of Samdech Sihanouk’s authoritarian rule and involments as king and as political figurehead, Khmers have seen disunity, internal strife, genocide, Communist Vietnam invasion, and utter misery. Many Khmer people woke up too late from his sweet lullaby of demagoguery to realize that the “King Father” has been nothing but a scam and a fraud. Patriots and courageous servants who dared oppose his warped ideology, especially his collusion with Communist Viets, have been viciously branded as “traitors” and brutally eliminated from the political scene. This man believes he owns the country and every single soul in it, that he was entitled to pawn the destiny of the Khmer as he pleases, without their consent. He has used and continues to use the office of the Monarchy to satisfy his egotistical excess despite of the terrible consequence on the lives of millions of ordinary Khmers. He has sold and resold the Khmer people down river to the Communist Viets many times over without the slightest regret, just to get even with his nemeses. His criminal record is as long as the Khmer Rouge clique and the Communist Viets themselves. He has been steadfastly sided with Communists and Khmer enemy for so many years. Now on top of the misery we Khmer have to endure, he is going to kick us in the chin by stamping his own seal of approval on the Viets’ long-term plan of keeping their choke-collar around our neck.
The author would like to ask the readers to look back in time to the old way in which our predecessors defined the office of the Monarchy and the Persona of a Kingship.
The Bayon bas-relief above illustrates the office of the Monarchy and the Persona of the King in action. The ancestors meant to tell us that when the Persona of the king properly discharge his duty within the spirit, precept and code of conduct of the office of the Monarchy, a dynamic power is created for the benefit of the state and its citizenry. Here the office of the Monarchy is represented by foot soldiers with shields and spears, cavalry of elephants, troops carrying multiple golden parasols, royal standard, military guidons, and battlefield signaling flags, accompanying the decorated war elephant driven by the courageous Mahout (elephant driver). The Persona of the Warrior King is battle-stationed on the elephant riding platform, bow and arrow drawn. Traditionally, Khmer king and his warriors crossed the enemy threshold not for paying homage, nor offer apology to the opponents, nor kiss -and-make-up, but strictly to inflict casualties and claim victory for the kingdom. Khmer warriors have not been known to be “diplomatic” when they follow their king into enemy territory. All eyes are on the two characters riding the office of the Monarchy elephant. The outcome of the battle depends on the experience, knowledge, judgment, decision and gallantry of the Mahout and the King as they both scan the battle landscape looking for the path-of-least-resistance to ram the elephant through, and breach the enemy frontline. Note that the Mahout is given a Java Rhinos horn (which was believed to possess magical power to deflect arrows and spear from a warrior’s body) headgear for his protection. As for the King himself no additional protection was needed ― he is “Divine” and is always protected by the various deities until his “time is up”. These two brave individuals must have had tremendous gut and nerves of steel to be aloft without much in a way of body protection just to be the center of gravity of the friendly combat formation. They lead the charge through raining salvos of arrow and spear faithfully fulfilling the duty and responsibility of King and warrior. Similar theme from the bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, bear many such powerful reminders for all Khmer descendents not to bow down in front of any aggressors.
Now that Samdech Sihanouk decided to go and pay homage to the Viet invaders, an unbecoming conduct of a Khmer Kshatrya, he should consider returning all previous titles given him by the office of the Monarchy back to the Kingdom, to include the “Varman” lineage title. He should travel to Vietnam as “Comrade Sihanouk” not as a former Khmer king, nor as a Khmer dignitary. The office of the Khmer Monarchy shall have no business pleasing, nor honoring the arch enemy of the Khmer. If he so desires he can go by his own means and methods not at our expense, with royal standard, parasol, nor with any minute symbol of the Monarchy that would give the enemy the impression that a Khmer King pays them tribute in the name of the Khmers. Better yet Comrade Sihanouk and his immediate entourage should consider getting themselves a one-way ticket on this trip.
To avoid head-on collision with our Khmer tradition namely the duty to uphold, honor, and faithfully protect and defend the office of the Khmer Monarchy, the author will stay away from this realm out of respect for the spirit of our ancestors who have made ultimate sacrifice throughout our history to ensure the perpetual existence of the Khmer Kingdom and the Monarchy which we all inherited. As much as he personally would rather see it go away, the author understands that it is not his call and would rather leave it to the Khmer people to decide.
The author would like to ask the readers to examine the old photograph above. On the right, two rows of Baku Purohita (Brahmins) are performing series of rituals during a royal ceremony (Water Festival/Bon Om Touk in this instance) at the royal pier on the Tonlé Chatumuk (in front of the Palace) as prescribed by the Vedas scripts of Brahmanism custom and tradition of the Khmer Royal Court handed down since ancient time. The water, the royal pier, and the Brahman priests represent the office of the Khmer Monarchy.
The person on the left is to occupy the office of the Monarchy and fulfill the role of a “Divine Kshatrya” (God King and Warrior) which in most cases for life, where he should live his life in accordance to the Brahmanism precepts of kingship. He is supposed to rule over the land with the guidance of the council of Brahmans and Buddhist scholars, to include organizing collective infrastructure and water work, mobilize the population for war of expansion and/or in defense of the kingdom against all enemies, maintain peace and prosperity, justice, law and order. Requirements of the job includes ruling with wisdom and to have dashing courage in time of war and be willing to make ultimate sacrifice for the sake of his kingdom and his subjects ahead of his army. This person is a Persona of the Monarchy who assumes the public role with lofty character, honesty, integrity and quality of a leader worthy of praise, inspiration and respect of all people, at home and abroad.
Unfortunately, after more than half a century of Samdech Sihanouk’s authoritarian rule and involments as king and as political figurehead, Khmers have seen disunity, internal strife, genocide, Communist Vietnam invasion, and utter misery. Many Khmer people woke up too late from his sweet lullaby of demagoguery to realize that the “King Father” has been nothing but a scam and a fraud. Patriots and courageous servants who dared oppose his warped ideology, especially his collusion with Communist Viets, have been viciously branded as “traitors” and brutally eliminated from the political scene. This man believes he owns the country and every single soul in it, that he was entitled to pawn the destiny of the Khmer as he pleases, without their consent. He has used and continues to use the office of the Monarchy to satisfy his egotistical excess despite of the terrible consequence on the lives of millions of ordinary Khmers. He has sold and resold the Khmer people down river to the Communist Viets many times over without the slightest regret, just to get even with his nemeses. His criminal record is as long as the Khmer Rouge clique and the Communist Viets themselves. He has been steadfastly sided with Communists and Khmer enemy for so many years. Now on top of the misery we Khmer have to endure, he is going to kick us in the chin by stamping his own seal of approval on the Viets’ long-term plan of keeping their choke-collar around our neck.
The author would like to ask the readers to look back in time to the old way in which our predecessors defined the office of the Monarchy and the Persona of a Kingship.
The Bayon bas-relief above illustrates the office of the Monarchy and the Persona of the King in action. The ancestors meant to tell us that when the Persona of the king properly discharge his duty within the spirit, precept and code of conduct of the office of the Monarchy, a dynamic power is created for the benefit of the state and its citizenry. Here the office of the Monarchy is represented by foot soldiers with shields and spears, cavalry of elephants, troops carrying multiple golden parasols, royal standard, military guidons, and battlefield signaling flags, accompanying the decorated war elephant driven by the courageous Mahout (elephant driver). The Persona of the Warrior King is battle-stationed on the elephant riding platform, bow and arrow drawn. Traditionally, Khmer king and his warriors crossed the enemy threshold not for paying homage, nor offer apology to the opponents, nor kiss -and-make-up, but strictly to inflict casualties and claim victory for the kingdom. Khmer warriors have not been known to be “diplomatic” when they follow their king into enemy territory. All eyes are on the two characters riding the office of the Monarchy elephant. The outcome of the battle depends on the experience, knowledge, judgment, decision and gallantry of the Mahout and the King as they both scan the battle landscape looking for the path-of-least-resistance to ram the elephant through, and breach the enemy frontline. Note that the Mahout is given a Java Rhinos horn (which was believed to possess magical power to deflect arrows and spear from a warrior’s body) headgear for his protection. As for the King himself no additional protection was needed ― he is “Divine” and is always protected by the various deities until his “time is up”. These two brave individuals must have had tremendous gut and nerves of steel to be aloft without much in a way of body protection just to be the center of gravity of the friendly combat formation. They lead the charge through raining salvos of arrow and spear faithfully fulfilling the duty and responsibility of King and warrior. Similar theme from the bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, bear many such powerful reminders for all Khmer descendents not to bow down in front of any aggressors.
Now that Samdech Sihanouk decided to go and pay homage to the Viet invaders, an unbecoming conduct of a Khmer Kshatrya, he should consider returning all previous titles given him by the office of the Monarchy back to the Kingdom, to include the “Varman” lineage title. He should travel to Vietnam as “Comrade Sihanouk” not as a former Khmer king, nor as a Khmer dignitary. The office of the Khmer Monarchy shall have no business pleasing, nor honoring the arch enemy of the Khmer. If he so desires he can go by his own means and methods not at our expense, with royal standard, parasol, nor with any minute symbol of the Monarchy that would give the enemy the impression that a Khmer King pays them tribute in the name of the Khmers. Better yet Comrade Sihanouk and his immediate entourage should consider getting themselves a one-way ticket on this trip.
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