Chronology of Cambodian History

NINTH NATIONAL CONGRESS

Opening Speech

By H.R.H. Prince NORODOM SIHANOUK

In accordance with custom, as President of the National Congress and of the Sangkum Reastr Niyum, and as holder of the office, which you have placed in my trust, I am happy to welcome you and to put before you an account of the Sangkum between the Eighth and Ninth Congresses.

(At this point the Prince outlined the major projects completed between the two Congresses and gave an account of the work of various Ministries.  Readers of French will find detailed information in the handbook which has been distributed *)

I should like to make the following comments on this report.  Since the last Congress there have been two major events which clearly show the strength of our unity and the neutrality of our nation against which storms have raged in vain.  We have had to contend with the criminal activities of traitors and with the hostility of certain foreign governments who seek to destroy our independence, our unity, our internal peace, our prosperity and our progress, all of which stem from the principle of neutrality; this they have attempted to replace with division, anarchy, insecurity, the splitting up of our territory and even war.

I need hardly recall the criminal activities, which we have had to deal with.  You yourselves are aware of the evils caused by these activities, which can lead only to the ruination of our country.  However our strong sense of duty, patriotism and unity have protected us from this danger.

Thanks to this protection we have been able to carry out project in every field.  We can pride ourselves especially on the extent of our progress in the year1959.  Such progress is the result of:

1)   The efforts made by our voluntary workers, whose methods, experience and enthusiasm have enabled us to construct121 km of roads, 1167 km of tracks, 124 dikes and small dams, 3 large dams, 1520 reservoirs, 2806 well, 40 irrigation canals, 152 bridges, 127 schools, etc.

2)   The strength derived from greater participation by the Royal Khmer Armed Forces in social and economic projects.

3)   A change in the outlook of our young people who, under the guidance of the Royal Khmer Socialist Youth, are now turning to productive activity and towards industry in particular.

4)   An overhaul of governmental machinery in order to cut down paperwork and argument and produce higher efficiency and better results.

5)   Reliance upon public services rather than private enterprise for our major projects.

6)   An improvement in the foreign aid policy of the great powers friendly to us, who have agreed to modify certain conditions and have increased their aid in the field of production and public services (public works, national education, public health).

Our achievements and progress have been criticized by certain foreign newspapers on the grounds that Cambodia is attempting to deceive the great powers of both blocks with her policy of neutrality, whereby, great powers vie for the honor of giving her aid and equipment.

The Khmero-American Friendship Highway, the port at Kompong Som, the airport at Pochentong, and the factories built with Chinese aid and the Soviet hospital, etc.  Are often quoted as evidence of this.

I should like to take this opportunity to point out that Cambodia has never attempted to deceive anybody and has faithfully adhered to her policy of loyalty and sincerity.  Cambodia does not stand aside and wait for a foreign country to achieve her progress for her, as certain foreign newspapers have hinted.   We have, in very respect, made the greatest personal sacrifices in this work of construction   Manual labor is not a pastime but an economic force.

I would also point Budget has contributed fully to the financing of the major national projects.  To the generous aid of the great, friendly powers, Cambodia has added a financing contribution, a part of the equipment and almost the entire labor force.  We must once again express our profound gratitude to these great powers who are our friends for their generous aid and assure them that we have never looked upon this as a means of a voiding personal sacrifices of the towards national consolidation of peace and the furthering of friendship among the people of the world.

I must now consider the work, which is still outstanding and the obstacles, which we may have to face.

The most important task before us now is the implementation of the Five Year Plan. It is imperative that we should make the necessary effort to achieve the aims of the Plan.  It demands a purely national contribution of 5,500 million riles from the national budget.  We hope that our foreign friends will agree to contribute towards the 2,500 million riles which we still need.  Nevertheless, in spite of our excellent relations with our foreign friends we must not take such a considerable sum for granted; after all, these countries themselves might encounter difficulties, which would prevent them from helping us to the extent anticipated.  In order to complete the Five Year Plan, we ourselves shall have to obtain a credit of about 6,000million riles.  To this end we must, at all costs, stamp out corruption, dishonesty and anything detrimental to the economy of the State.  Furthermore, we must increase productivity in every field and prevent wastage.

Our economic and financial policy should be to restrict imports, particularly of luxury goods, and to increase the export of national products.  The Cambodia Communist newspapers, whose only contribution to the projects of our country is criticism, have actually congratulated us; the Observateur for instance, has done us justice to certain extent by recognizing that our progress is'' without precedent in Cambodia history''.

Nevertheless, we are still criticized for the ''poor results obtained in attempts to purge corruption'' and '' the economic policy of the Royal Government'', which, they maintain, has concentrated its efforts on industrial development and has overlooked the protection and agricultural products by allowing foreign imports.

The Sangkum Governments have always tried for the equipment to be used in the improvement of factories and cooperatives.  We have also taken effective measures in favor of our exports by raising the EFAC account rates and favoring local production by forbidding the use of foreign luxury goods or goods competing with our own national products.

Should the Nation Congress feel that other measures should be taken in the economic field, I shall ask the Ministers concerned to take them into consideration.

Finally I must express to my fellow countrymen my concern at the evolution of the international situation in this part of the world.  There is little indication of the relaxation of tension envisaged by Mr. Eisenhower and Mr. Krushchov and for which we all hoped.

The insecurity in certain neighboring countries is becoming more serious; at any moment the fire may spread and envelop us.  Moreover, there are foreign Governments which, embarrassed by internal troubles of their own, are inciting their allies to believe that that Sihanouk and his Cambodia neutrality are only responsible for aggravating the situation.

There is an ever-increasing threat of foreign aggression against our country.  The attempts made against us in the last few months are only too obvious proof.

On the other hand, the activities of traitors on our own soil have been firmly resisted by the people.  But the foreign masters of these traitors have just presented them with a radio transmitter, which is more powerful than our own national radio.  Now they will be able to increase their violent attacks against myself and against our national neutrality, which they picture as an alliance with the Communist block.

The storm clouds which are gathering on the horizon are a source of great anxiety; for more than anything else, we have to fear an end to the reign of peace and to the continued progress of our country.  We cannot ignore the fact that the cold war, which casts its shadow over our country, has no respect furor nationalism or our neutrality.

As for the Cambodia Communist movement, various documents have come into the hands of our National Defence and police departments showing that a secret meeting was organized at the end of 1959, that committees were set up with agents at the very heart of certain State services and organizations and national centers, (a number of these committees including one or two Viet Minh agents), and that these committees were developments to the advantage of the Communist.

I have discovered, from information and documents that have come to my notice, that the Cambodian Communist group has taken steps to profit by any disturbance which might occur in Cambodia.  My fellow-countrymen should therefore face the fact that my days may be numbered.  Realizing this, I have given much thought to the policy our country must pursue in order to avoid the catastrophe planned by the traitors and their foreign overlords.

Since our neutrality and our friendly relations with the Socialist countries and in particular with the Chinese People's Republic is a source of danger to us, I have wondered if, abandoning our neutrality and, like Thailand, allying ourselves with the “Free World”, our people might achieve that peace and happiness they so richly deserve.  I have weighed the pros and cons; there can be no answer to this question but No! By abandoning our neutrality and falling in step with the West, we should inevitably aggravate dangers.  Certain prominent figures in Thailand have pointed out that their country has never asked Cambodia to give up her neutral policy.  Thailand, they say, merely hoped that Cambodia neutrality would be real and sincere.  However, they add, Cambodia is not genuinely neutral.

In consequence I have been at pains to discover the reason for these accusations and, in the Bangkok press, I find that their origin is in the question of the Chinese People's Republic.  Going further into the matter, I have come to the conclusion that certain government of the "Free World" will not accept our neutrality as sincere unless we follow the examples of various countries whose "neutrality" is "pro-Western" and who refuse categorically to enter into relations with the Communist World.

Within our own country, on the other hand, there is a group which favors "pro-Eastern" neutrality and reject the friendship of the West.

To conclude, we must realize that there is only one way in which Cambodia can defend her independence and her national unity, can safeguard the very life of the nation and prevent herself from being wiped off the map of the world.  That way is the way of nationalism and neutrality.  We must therefore close our ranks and strengthen our national unity and when it is necessary, make any sacrifice to ensure the honor and freedom of our country.

LONG LIVE CAMBODIA!

*Les Cahiers du Sangkum No.5, published by the Ministry of Information.

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Source: Cambodian Commentary - Review of Khmer Opinion.  March 15, 1960.