For more than half a century, King Norodom Sihanouk has been at the center of Cambodia’s turbulent politics, but his role as constitutional monarch has made him the revered Cambodian King who “reigns but does not rule.”
However, in recent months King Sihanouk has undertaken a prolific letter-writing campaign taking aim at several issues of importance to both the government and the Cambodian people.
The King’s letters—dealing with, among other things, deforestation, poverty, Cambodia’s borders and, more recently, the arrests of students suspected of involvement in the Jan 29 anti-Thai riots—have cast the monarch’s shadow once again over the national political scene.
The re-emergence of the King’s authoritative voice from the Royal Palace has been noted by foreign diplomats, Cambodian politicians, Hun Sen’s government and the country’s largest-circulation newspaper, Rasmei Kampuchea (Light of Cambodia).
In a rare analysis article, the newspaper noted the number of times in recent months that the King had referred to his own predicament of being the “powerless King” who “holds the throne but does not hold power.”
The article questioned if the King’s comment indicated he was unhappy with his position and its inherent powerlessness, and wanted to become more involved in seeking solutions to current issues of national importance.
An “unnamed analyst” ended the article with a recommendation for the King to bow out of politics in the interest of peace and stability.
“The King sacrificed his political life to hold the throne in order to achieve national reconciliation and peace for his country,” the analyst said.
In a statement received on Thursday, the King congratulated Prime Minister Hun Sen on the likelihood of his future election victory, but noted that some worrying questions still remained for Cambodia, including the plight of landless farmers, poor and starving villagers and the pillage of the country’s antiquities.
King Sihanouk said he has received thousands of letters that were piling up in the palace from poor people seeking assistance.
“[During the SRN] each time I appeared in their towns, districts and villages these compatriots never asked me for anything and, on the contrary, offered me all kinds of presents,” the King wrote.
The King closed his letter lamenting the deterioration of Cambodian society.
An Asian diplomat said last week that the tacitly increasing political role of King Sihanouk has been acknowledged by Cambodian politicians over the past several months.
The King’s quiet intervention through letters could not go unnoticed by Hun Sen, the diplomat said.
The only individual capable of asking questions of Hun Sen’s recent years of unmatched, political omnipotence is King Sihanouk, the diplomat added.
But what goals the King’s behind-the-scenes politicking and letter writing campaign are meant to achieve is unclear, the diplomat said.
While it could be suggested that the King is seeking a greater role in Cambodian affairs, his increased activity could also be prompted by his sense of responsibility as the undisputed “father” of a nation he fears is declining.
Following the slaying of top Funcinpec adviser Om Radsady on Feb 18, and widespread worry about political instability ahead of the July 27 election, the King delayed his departure for medical treatment in China last month.
The political situation has now apparently cooled, but the King has not yet announced when he intends to renew his trip, the diplomat said.
King Sihanouk’s continued presence is likely to be baneful for Hun Sen, who may feel his power is being somewhat checked by the King, if only in symbolic terms, the diplomat said.
King Sihanouk’s unique, surprise appearance on national television station TVK last Friday in an hour-long musical performance added further color to the political machinations at work in Phnom Penh.
A senior CPP official conveyed his surprise at the King’s television appearance, and voiced his wonderment as to the monarch’s motives for broadcasting the performance that featured Prince Norodom Sirivudh on electric guitar.
King Sihanouk stated the rare, and well-received performance was conducted to welcome in the 2003 new year.
Two Funcinpec RCAF generals said the King’s recent actions are likely designed to show the Cambodian people and Hun Sen’s government that despite the constraints of the monarchy, he is not an “outdated” politician.
“He can sing in English, French and Spanish, so all of this is modern…. He is strong and healthy,” one of the generals said.
“He shows to everyone that he can still be involved in politics…. He does these strange things to surprise [the government],” he added.
Funcinpec parliamentarian Ok Socheat said on Wednesday that in a meeting with the King in Beijing last year the monarch said he was determined not to sign any agreements that he felt would lead to Cambodia losing more of its border territory to neighboring countries.
“I think the King raises these issues because he is not happy about the border…. He does not want history to place the mistake on him,” Ok Socheat said.
Similarly, he said the King’s recent offer to step down as the chair of the Supreme Council of Magistracy—a position bequeathed to him in the Constitution—likely stems from his frustrated attempts to affect real change through such a position.
“The King wanted to give amnesty to the students [who were arrested following the riots], but he could not. In the Constitution, the King has the right to grant amnesty, but [last week] his request was rejected,” Ok Socheat said.
“[The King] wants [the government] to follow what is stipulated in the Constitution, nothing else,” he added.
Chea Vannath, director of the Center for Social Development, noted that the prime minister is required to report to the King on a periodic basis regarding the working of the government.
That process is not followed frequently enough, Chea Vannath claimed, adding that as a result the King and the prime minister resort to penning letters to each other, and only about half of the monarch’s requests to the government are granted.
But the weight King Sihanouk would bring should he choose government over the throne would deprive Cambodians of one of the few constants in the country’s otherwise confused political equation.
“My opinion is that if the King remains he can help the people in many ways. He is a shade for the people. But if he became a politician he would bring too much complication,” she said.
