This Week In Cambodian History- June 11-17
On June 11, 1928, the French authority searched two adult schools of Kompong-Trach and Kampot looking for Kuomintang (Chinese nationalist) propaganda, after reports that several teachers had ‘recently arrived from China’. The French seized numerous pamphlets, and teachers and Chinese who were believed to be taking part in Chinese nationalist activities were expelled.
On June 11, 1954, US Secretary of Stare John Foster Dulles gave an address outlying plans for peace in Indochina.
The situation in Indochina is not that of open military aggression by the Chinese Communist regime. Thus, in Indochina, the problem is one of restoring tranquillity in an area where disturbances are fomented from Communist China, but where there is no open invasion by Communist China. This task of pacification, in our opinion, cannot be successfully met merely by unilateral armed intervention. Some other conditions need to be established. Throughout these Indochina developments, the United States has held to a stable and consistent course and has made clear the conditions which, in its opinion, might justify intervention. These conditions were and are (1) an invitation from the present lawful authorities, (2) clear assurance of complete independence to Laos, Cambodia, and Viet-Nam; (3) evidence of concern by the United Nations; (4) a joining in the collect five effort of some of the other nations of the area; and (5) assurance that France will not itself withdraw from the battle until it is won.…..
Your Government wants peace, and the American people want peace. But should there ever be openly launched an attack that the American people would clearly recognize as a threat to our own security, then the right of self-preservation would demand that we– regardless of any other country-meet the issue squarely. READ MORE
On June 11, 1969, Norodom Sihanouk resumed diplomatic relations with the United States, who promised to respect Cambodia’s independence.
On June 11, 2019, Cambodia beat Pakistan in the World Cup qualifiers. Goals from Sath Rosib and Reung Bunheing made the score 1-2 in Doha. Cambodia had won the first leg in Phnom Peng 2-0, and went away with a 4-1 score on aggregate. It was the last match the Cambodian national side have won to date.
On June 12, 1970, the body of Gerald Miller, a reporter producer at CBS was found. Two other bodies also were exhumed with that of Mr. Miller, were believed to be those of Ramnik Lekhi, a C.B.S. camera man from New Delhi, and Sam Leng, a Cambodian driver. They had been killed in an ambush of a jeep in Cambodia on May 31 about 34 miles west southwest of Phnom Penh. They were buried close to where the body of George Syvertsen, another CBS correspondent, was found June 3. The men disappeared May 31 after passing a Cambodian checkpoint while en route to the town of Takeo. Five other newsmen — including Welles Hangen of the National Broadcasting Company—also en route to Takeo were believed captured by the North Vietnamese and Vietcong.
On 12 June 1992, UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali relayed to the Security Council that Phase II of the Cambodian ceasefire depended critically on the cooperation of all parties. However, despite the lack of cooperation from PDK (Khmer Rouge), it was concluded that Phase II should commence on 13 June as scheduled. In his view, any delay would result in a loss of momentum and would jeopardize UNTAC’s ability to organize and conduct elections by April or May 1993.
On June 12, 1997, following the killing of senior Khmer Rouge leader Son Sen by Pol Pot on June 10, the movement split into factions. Former Eastern Zone commander Ta Mok ‘The Butcher’, ordered troops loyal to him to arrest Pol Pot. A frail Pol Pot escaped with his family and bodyguards on foot from Anlong Veng- the former leader of Democratic Kampuchea was in such a poor condition he had to be carried.
On 13 June, 1992, Phase II of the Cambodian ceasefire- the cantonment, disarming and demobilization phase began. The Force Commander took this step in consultation with the four Cambodian parties and after having obtained from each of them assurances that it would grant freedom of movement to UNTAC personnel, vehicles and aircraft; mark minefields in the areas under its control; provide to UNTAC (by 20 May) information on troops, arms, ammunition and equipment; and adhere to the Paris Agreements, in particular not interfere with troops moving to regroupment and cantonment areas, and inform its troops of the plan for regroupment and cantonment. The PDK (Khmer Rouge) leadership objected to the plan and refused.
On 12 and 13 June, 1993, there were anti-UNTAC demonstrations and a number of attacks against UNTAC personnel and property in Kompong Cham, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng. UNTAC began to withdraw its non-essential civilian personnel . The Special Representative requested Prince Sihanouk to cooperate with UNTAC in calming the situation, and also contacted the leaders of CPP and FUNCINPEC. On 12 June, the Prince made an appeal for the peaceful settlement and normalization of the situation. The Special Representative also encouraged a dialogue between the State of Cambodia (CPP) and FUNCINPEC.
On June 13, 2009, 62 Khmer-Krom and Khmer-Krom Buddhist monks were arrested in Bangkok by Thai authorities. On July 3, 2007 56 out of the 62 were deported by the Thai immigration police to Cambodia.
On June 13, 2013, Prime Minister Hun Sen officially opened Cambodia’s new National Olympic Committee headquarters in Phnom Penh. NOC President Thong Khon told the media that it was a “historical event for the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia that has its own modern headquarters.”
On June 14, 1927, a royal ordinance was promulgated, which placed the royal ballet corps (which had been under control of the palace until the death of Sisowath in April) under the direct control of the Directeur des Arts cambodgiens. Reforms were made to the manner in which members of the troupe were chosen, conditions of training and employment, and remuneration, which had previously had been at the discretion of the king.
On June 14, 1940, German forces occupied Paris- soon putting Indochina under control of the ‘Vichy’ government.
On June 14, 1960, Prince Sihanouk was sworn in as head of state following constitutional amendments of his own design.
On 14 June 1993, the recently elected Constituent Assembly began work with Son Sann as President. At the inaugural session, it adopted a resolution to make Prince Sihanouk Head of State retroactive to 1970, thus making the coup d’état of 18 March 1970 null and void. The Assembly gave the Prince full powers as head of State. The following day, Prince Sihanouk proposed the formation of an Interim Joint Administration (GNPC) with Prince Ranariddh and Mr. Hun Sen as Co-chairmen.
On June 14. 2013, Sou Met, the former Khmer Rouge air force commander died of diabetes and kidney failure in Battambang province. He was accused of crimes against humanity, homicide and torture, but was never formally charged.
On June 15, 1946, Thailand formally submitted its border dispute with Indochina to the UN Security Council. On July 27, 1947, a five nation mediation commission in Washington took six weeks of deliberations and ended by rejecting Thailand claims to territory in Indochina (including northwest Cambodia).
On June 16, 1952, King Norodom Sihanouk dismissed the cabinet and National Assembly and assumed full control of the government the following day.
On June 15, 1961, the US Ambassador in Saigon sent a telegram despairing about the breakdown in the relationship between Sihanouk and President Diem in Saigon.
On 15 June 1962, the International Court Court of Justice passed judgement on the Preah Vihear temple dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. The court noted that a Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1904 provided that, in the area under consideration, the frontier was to follow the watershed line, and that a map based on the work of a Mixed Delimitation Commission showed the Temple on the Cambodian side of the boundary. Thailand asserted various arguments aimed at showing that the map had no binding character. One of its contentions was that the map had never been accepted by Thailand or, alternatively, that if Thailand had accepted it, it had done so only because of a mistaken belief that the frontier indicated corresponded to the watershed line. The Court found that Thailand had indeed accepted the map and concluded that the Temple was situated on Cambodian territory. It also held that Thailand was under an obligation to withdraw any military or police force stationed there and to restore to Cambodia any objects removed from the ruins since 1954.
On June 15, 1978, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Le Duan and Le Trong Tan, deputy chief of the Joint Staff, made a secret trip to Moscow to discuss a friendship and cooperation treaty between the USSR and the SRV. With official support from the Politburo in Moscow, the Vietnamese began to assert that “the forthcoming dry season can be effectively used for powerful attacks on the Phnom Penh regime”.
On 15 June, 1993, The Security Council endorsed the results of the elections by resolution 840 (1993). It also expressed full support for the newly elected, 120-member Constituent Assembly, which was to draw up a constitution and then transform itself into a legislative assembly to establish a new government for all Cambodians.
On 16 June 1954, Ngô Đình Diệm met with the last Viet emperor Bảo Đại in France and agreed to be the Prime Minister if Bảo Đại would give him military and civilian control. Diệm’s turbulant relationship with Sihanouk lasted until his assassination in 1963.
On June 17, 1884, French authorities forced King Norodom to sign a treaty which consolidated their position in Cambodia by forcing him to give up control of public revenue, customs taxes and public works. Norodom resisted but with French gunboats anchored outside the Royal Palace he had no choice but to sign. The French actions cause widespread anger throughout the country.
On June 17, 1997, following four days of radio silence from the Khmer Rouge station, a broadcast was made denouncing Pol Pot. The announcement accused him of unspecified “betrayals,” which they said had “ended”. Following a day of speculation, confirmation of his capture by Ta Mok’s Khmer Rouge faction close to the Thai border was given on June 18.
