A local newspaper published a harsh attack on King Norodom Sihanouk on Sunday, a day after his 76th birthday.
The article by Damneung Thmei (New News) accused the King of spearheading the Khmer Rouge regime that led to nearly
2 million deaths by starvation, illness, torture and execution.
The newspaper, known for supporting Second Prime Minister Hun Sen, included seven photos of then-Prince Sihanouk—dressed in peasant clothing with a checked scarf—with Khmer Rouge leaders, including Pol Pot, in 1973. At the time, the Khmer Rouge was fighting the US-backed Lon Nol regime, which had ousted Sihanouk.
The article comes two weeks before a UN team is to arrive in Cambodia to investigate the Khmer Rouge regime. The article also seemed aimed at deflecting attention from Hun Sen, who was recently attacked for his role in the Khmer Rouge by US politician Dana Rohrabacher.
“A group of political analysts have said that the allegation on Samdech Hun Sen as a Khmer Rouge chief is completely distorting the truth,” the article stated. “In fact…[according to] many documents and photos of the 1970s at the time Prince Sihanouk was leading the Khmer Rouge organization against the Lon Nol regime.”
Khek Sysoda of the Royal Palace said Monday that she hadn’t seen the newspaper article. But when told about it, she said that it sounded totally unjust. “Why are they again attacking his Majesty the King?” she asked. “Please, help find justice for His Majesty.”
Sieng Lapresse, the Information Ministry’s undersecretary of state, said he believes anyone who would publish such an attack must have “brain problems.”
“Those photos are not evidence to substantiate he was actually shooting or killing anybody,” he said. The article “is only to disgrace the King….The article is totally incendiary.”
Information Secretary of State Khieu Kanharith said Monday he will call a meeting after the holidays to discuss possible measures against the newspaper, such as a warning or suspension.
