The Montagnards of Vietnam and other Political Refugees

Coming to Cambodia

by

NORODOM SIHANOUK

_________________

Phnom Penh, 3^rd September 2003

We (Second Kingdom of Cambodia) possess a Constitution (1993) establishing in our country a liberal democracy and not a false "democracy". And we have signed a number of United Nations Conventions concerning Human Rights, etc…

We should not, therefore, send back to the countries from which they escaped, those oppressed people requesting asylum in our country.

The great friendship uniting our country with this or that foreign power should be enhanced but we (Khmers) should not be disloyal to the letter and the spirit of our Constitution (1993) and the United Nations Conventions to which we have adhered. It is for us a question of honesty, honor and a moral obligation, including the Buddhist moral obligation.

Post Script: In January 1979, after my mission to the UN Security Council, I asked for political asylum to Uncle Sam. The latter informed me that this asylum was not granted to me but that I could remain in the United States as long as I wanted and that the State Department would take care of my accommodation and meals in a luxurious hotel. I then requested political asylum in France. The French government said "Yes", but it fixed at the same time for me the following behaviour while residing in France: no contacts with the French mass media; I cannot make politics. Finally, I returned to the People's Republic of China, which even gave me money to travel, as a free man, to the USA, France and the rest of the world.