Coziness between the neo-communist and the revisionist monarchist: A marriage of convenience

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(Photo: Sovannara, RFI)
(Photo: AP)

Renewed coziness between the palace and the government

03 April 2010
By Pen Bona
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Komping Puoy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Immediately after his return to Cambodia on Wednesday, King-Father Norodom Sihanouk gave a royal authorization to PM Hun Xen and his family to come and prostrate to him in the royal palace. In that meeting, Hun Xen and Sihanouk showed their intense coziness, and the event was also accompanied by speeches expressing their unwavering support for one another. This coziness has improved the relationship between the government and the royal palace, this after past differences that took place between the pair.

One day after his arrival in Phnom Penh, King-Father gave the royal authorization to PM Hun Xen and his family to come and prostrate to him in the royal palace. The meeting, which can be viewed on Friday’s evening broadcast of the TVK station, showed the intense coziness between the prime minister and the former monarch. Such coziness was never seen in the past few months because the ex-king was outside of the country.

Hun Xen claimed again that he and the children from the next generations are determined to defend the throne and the monarchy with unwavering loyalty. In response, the 84-year-old ex-king praised Hun Xen’s leadership, which he described as: “victorious in all fields.”

On 18 March, PM Hun Xen declared his defense to King-Father by condemning the 18 March 1970 coup d’état led by Marshall Lon Nol to wipe out the monarchy. To Hun Xen, the event was very tragic for Cambodia, and it was the source of the KR genocide. Hun Xen’s speech received immediate applause from King-father who was then under medical care in Beijing, the communist People’s Republic of China.

It should be noted that a few years ago, frictions always took place between Hun Xen and the King-Father, in particular, in relation to the writings made by Ruom Ritt, the “former childhood friend” of King-Father who always criticized Hun Xen without restraint. Ruom Ritt’s writings – which people suspected that it was originated from King-Father – always made Hun Xen angry.

However, all these frictions evaporated and instead, they are now being replaced the present coziness after King-Father decided to stop publishing Ruom Ritt’s writings on his website. Since then, King-Father and Hun Xen always openly and actively support one another.