Years ago, when I was reading the Cambodian newspaper Nagara vatta, I remember seeing articles that showed the kinds of problems that the Cambodian elite discussed in the late 1930s when this newspaper first started to be published.
I just came across one such article. It is called “The Protectorate of Cambodia” (Protiktorat Krong Kampuchea ប្រូតិកតូរ៉ាត់ក្រុងកម្ពុជា) and it was published on February 19, 1938. This article talks about another article, one that was published in La Presse Indochinoise entitled “Cambodia for the Cambodians” (Cambodge aux Cambodgiens), and in doing so, it discusses various issues that were of concern for the Cambodian elite at that time.
I haven’t been able to locate that original article. If La Presse Indochinoise has been digitized somewhere (I didn’t find it in Gallica), please let me know.
I’m going to provide a translation of this article below. I’ve highlighted various words, such as French terms that are transliterated in the text, as well as some Khmer terms. I don’t know an official system for transcribing Khmer, but hopefully what I’ve written makes sense. I’ve placed these highlighted words in brackets [] so that they will not be confused with some terms that appear in parentheses () in the original text.
Khmer and Vietnamese people in this article are referred to as “cheat” ជាតិ. This is a modern term that was used to refer to such Western concepts as “race,” “nationality,” etc. I need to read more articles in this newspaper to get a better sense of what was in the minds of the people who used it at this time. For now, I’m just translating it as “people,” in the sense of a “nationality.”
So, this article mentions “Khmer people” (cheat Khmer ជាតិខ្មែរ) and “Vietnamese people” (cheat Yuon ជាតិយួន). The term used for Vietnamese is “Yuon,” a term that can have a derogatory sense, but in this article it seems to be used as a neutral term.
Finally, there are different territorial terms that appear. For instance, Cambodia is referred to as “Krong Kampuchea” ក្រុងកម្ពុជា and “Srok Khmer” ស្រុកខ្មែរ, while French Indochina is referred to as “Prades In-do-sin” ប្រទេសឥណ្ឌូស៊ីន.
“Krong” literally means “city,” but by extension, it means the most important city, which in turn can stand for an entire country. “Srok” is more like “domain,” but it also can mean “country.” And “prades” is the common term for “country” today, but it is a modern term (like cheat) that was used to indicate a “country” or “nation-state.”
That you have all of these terms appearing together is a sign of how modern various concepts about the nation-state are, and in the case of this article, they also show how premodern and modern terms (and to some extent probably the concepts behind them) were used simultaneously in this period. In the translation below, I do not translate “krong” in “Krong Kampuchea,” but instead, just refer to “Cambodia.” As for “srok,” I translate it as “domain,” and for the one time that “prades” appears, I translate it as “state.”
There is a lot that can be said about this article, particularly about French rule in Cambodia, but I’ll save that discussion for later. Here now is the article, “The Protectorate of Cambodia.”
ក្នុងសារពណ៌ដ៏មានឡ ប្រើស្សវណ្ឌស៊ីណូវ៉ាស៍(la Press Indochinoise) ពីថ្ងៃ ១៤ ហ្វេររីយរនេះ មានសេចក្តីសំខាន់មួយរឿងហៅថា “Cambodge aux Cambodgiens ក្រុងកម្ពុជាជារបស់ជាតិខ្មែរ” ដែល អ្នកនិពន្ធឈ្មោះខេមរៈបុថា (ខេមរៈបុត្រា) ដំណាលអំពីលោកគួវិរណើរដែនកូសាំងស៊ីន ទើបនិងចេញប្រកាសបញ្ញត្តិក្នុងសារពណ៌ដ៏មាននានា ឲ្យមានប្រឡងបន្ថែមពួកសឺក្រេទែរ(លេខានុការ) គ្រប់ក្រសួងក្នុងស្រុកនោះ យកសុទ្ធតែជាតិយួនដែលមានកំណើតកើតជា នៅស្រុកកូសាំងស៊ីន ហើយសូមលោកធំបូដូរេស៊ីងដត៍សុប៉េរីយើរ តំណាងរេពុយពិ្លកបារាំងសែសនៅក្រុងកម្ពុជា មេត្តាគិតគួររឿងនេះនិងលោកអធិបតីប្រទេសឥណ្ឌូស៊ីន ឲ្យបានស្រុកខ្មែរមានរបៀបតាមបេបនេះ គឺថានៅស្រុកខ្មែរត្រូវឲ្យរើសយកសុទ្ធតែគជាតិខ្មែរ ធ្វើការក្នុងក្រសួងរាជការផ្សេងៗដូចគ្នា ដ្បិតស្រុករបស់ខ្មែរ ។
In the publication La Presse Indochinoise, dated February [hver-ri ហ្វេររី] 14 of this year, there is an important article titled “Cambodia for the Cambodians: Cambodia belongs to the Khmer people [cheat Khmer ជាតិខ្មែរ],” written by an author named Khemara Botha (Khemara Botra). It narrates about Mr. Governor [Kou-vir-nœr គួវិរណើរ] in the territory [daen ដែន] of Cochinchine [Ku-sang-sin កូសាំងស៊ីន], who recently issued an announcement in various publications of a regulation calling for additional exams for secretaries (seu-kre-daer សឺក្រេទែរ] (assistants) in all ministries in that domain [srok ស្រុក], and for selecting only Vietnamese people [cheat Yuon ជាតិយួន] born and raised in the Cochinchine domain.
Furthermore, His Excellency Resident Superior Thibaudeau [lok thom Bou-dou re-seung-dat seu-bae-ri-r លោកធំបូដូរេស៊ីងដត៍សុប៉េរីយើរ), representing the French Republic [Re-puy-pleuk Ba-rang-saes រេពុយពិ្លកបារាំងសែស] in Cambodia, was kindly requested to consider this matter with the supreme leader of the state of Indochine [lok athippadey prades In-do-sin លោកអធិបតីប្រទេសឥណ្ឌូស៊ីន] to ensure that the Khmer domain has a system that follows this model. That is, in the Khmer domain, only Khmer people must be selected to work together in the various ministries of the royal administration because it is Khmer territory.
យើងយល់ថាសេចក្តីសុំរបស់ខេមរៈបុថានេះ ជាគួរគប្បីមែន គួរលោកដំណាងក្រុងបារាំងសែសនោវក្រុងកម្ពុជាមេត្តាសម្រេចឲ្យបានធុតឆាប់ដូចប្រាថ្នា កុំបីឃ្លៀងឃ្លាតឡើយ ដ្បិតនៅក្រុងកម្ពុជាជាតិខ្មែរកាន់តែចូលចិត្តរៀនសូត្រច្រើនណាស់ហើយៗក្នុងប៊ុយរ៉ូផ្សេងៗក្នុងរាជការក្តីក្នុងជំនួញក្តី សុទ្ធតែជាតិយួនធ្វើការពេញ ខ្មែរមានតិចណាស់។
We believe that the petition of Khemara Botha is indeed reasonable and appropriate. We hope the French [Krong Ba-rang-saes ក្រុងបារាំងសែស] representative in Cambodia [Krong Kampuchea ក្រុងកម្ពុជា] will kindly approve it as soon as possible, without delay or deviation from the request. This is because in Cambodia, the Khmer people are increasingly eager to pursue education. However, in various offices, whether in the government or in commerce, it is entirely the Vietnamese who dominate the positions, while the Khmer hold very few.
ដូចជាក្នុងសាលារៀនសោត ក៏មិនត្រូវឲ្យជាតិយួនធ្វើគ្រូលើជាតិខ្មែរទេ ដ្បិតមានគ្រូខ្មែរចេះដឹងច្រើនដែរដែលអាចនិងពន្យល់គ្នាងាយស្ដាប់ ជាជាងជាតិយួនដែលខុសជាតិគ្នា គឺថាបើពន្យល់ជាបារាំងមិនចូលចិត្តត្រូវពន្យល់ជាខ្មែរ ទើបបានសិស្សខ្មែរងាយស្លាប់រៀនក៏ឆាប់ចេះផង ។
បើជាតិយួនធ្វើគ្រូខ្មែរ កាលណាពន្យល់ជាបារាំងពុំចូលចិត្ត តោងពន្យល់ជាយួន ខ្មែរពុំចេះយួនកាលណាស្ដាប់បាន បើទុកជាត្រូវយួនចេះខ្មែរក៏ចេះពុំសព្វគ្រប់ដូចជាជាតិខ្មែរចេះខ្មែរដែរ ។
Similarly, in schools, Vietnamese people should not be allowed to be teachers over the Khmer people. There are many Khmer teachers who are knowledgeable and capable of explaining things in a way that is easier for Khmer students to understand compared to the Vietnamese, who are a different people [khoh cheat ខុសជាតិ]. That is to say, if explanations in French are not effective, then they should be provided in Khmer so that Khmer students can more easily comprehend and learn quickly.
If Vietnamese people become teachers for the Khmer, whenever they cannot explain in French, they will have to explain in Vietnamese. Since the Khmer do not know Vietnamese, how can they possibly understand? If it is the case that there are Vietnamese who know Khmer, they still do not know it thoroughly like Khmer people know Khmer.
សព្វថ្ងៃនៅប៊ុយរ៉ូរាជការប្រូតិកតូរ៉ាត់ឃើញសុទ្ធតែជាតិយួនធ្វើធំកាន់ការធំៗ សំខានៗ ហើយត្រួតលើខ្មែរទាំងអស់ ជាហេតុនាំឲ្យជាតិខ្មែរអប្បឱនជាងយួន ។ បើខ្មែរពុំចេះដូចម្តេចក៏មិនបង្រៀនឲ្យចេះឡើង ដូចពាក្យថា “ចេះតែពីរៀន” នេះឃើញខ្មែរមិនចេះមិនបង្រៀនឲ្យចេះធ្វើការ ទៅយកឯជាតិយួនឲ្យធ្វើការវិញ ធ្វើម្តេចនិងសមតាមពាក្យប្រូតិកតូរ៉ាត់
ឬអាណាព្យាបាលក្រុងកម្ពុជាបាន ត្រឡប់ទៅជាអាណាព្យាបាលក្នុងអាណ្ណាម ឬដែនកូសាំងស៊ីនទៅវិញ ។
Nowadays, in the offices [buy-rou ប៊ុយរ៉ូ] of the Protectorate’s government, it is entirely Vietnamese people who hold the major and important positions, overseeing all Khmer people. This has resulted in the Khmer people being lower than the Vietnamese. If the Khmer do not have knowledge, how can they be taught to improve? As the saying goes, “Knowledge comes from learning.” However, it seems that when the Khmer are uneducated, no effort is made to teach them to gain the skills needed for work. Instead, jobs are given to the Vietnamese to perform.
How can we follow the words of the Protectorate or the protected administration of Cambodia [aanaa pyiebaal Krong Kampuchea អាណាព្យាបាលក្រុងកម្ពុជា] and return to being a protected administration within Annam or the territory of Cochinchina again?
[This last sentence contains a transliteration of the French word, “protectorate,” as well as the Khmer term for a protectorate, “aanaa pyiebaal.” I have translated the Khmer term as “protected administration” to be able to differentiate it from the instances in this article when the French term “protectorate” is transliterated. In other words, this passage here is not talking about two separate administrations. Instead, it’s using both the French and Khmer terms.]
នៅក្រុងកម្ពុជារាធិការអាណាព្យាបាលរបស់ក្រុងកម្ពុជាត្រូវតែទំនុកបំរុងបង្ហាត់បង្រៀន ជាតិខ្មែរអ្នកស្រុកកម្ពុជាឲ្យចេះដឹងឡើង, ពុំគួររាជការស្រុកទំនុកបំរុងជាធិជូនអាណ្ណាម, ពុងកីងនិងកូសាំងស៊ីនឲ្យចំរើន, ចេះដឹងថ្កើងជាជាងជាតិខ្មែរនោវស្រុកខ្មែរទេ, ដ្បិតជាតិយួនទាំងបីនេះ សុទ្ធតែមានរាជការអាណាព្យាបាលរាល់ស្រុកស្រាប់ហើយ, គួរណាស់តែរាជការរស្រុកខ្មែរទំនុកបំរុងជាតិខ្មែរឲ្យ ថ្កើងរុងរឿងក្នុងស្រុក. កុំចាំបាច់ទំនុកបំរុងឲ្យយួននោវស្រុកខ្មែរ ថ្កុំថ្កើងកាត់មុខរាជការស្រុកយួនផ្សេងៗដែលបានទំនុកបំរុង ជាតិយួនឯណោះស្រាប់ហើយ ។
In Cambodia, the government [reachkar រាជការ] of the protected administration of Cambodia must focus on assisting and educating the Khmer people, the people of the domain of Cambodia, to become more knowledgeable.
It is not appropriate for the government of the domain to focus its efforts on advancing Annam, Tonkin, or Cochinchina, making them more developed and knowledgeable than the Khmer people in the Khmer domain.
This is because the Vietnamese people in those three regions already have governments of protected administrations in those places. It would be most appropriate for the government of the Khmer domain to focus on assisting and training the Khmer people so that they can prosper and flourish in the domain.
It is not necessary to assist and train the Vietnamese in Cambodia, to bring more prosperity to the government of the Vietnamese domain which has already assisted and trained the Vietnamese people.
នគរវត្តសូមរាជការប្រូតិកតូរ៉ាត់ក្រុងកម្ពុជាជួយគាំពារជាតិខ្មែរឲ្យថ្កើងរុងរឿងនៅស្រុកខ្មែរ តាមសញ្ញាត្រេតេដែលក្រុងបារាំងសែស និងក្រុងកម្ពុជាសន្យាគ្នាទៅវិញទៅមកថាព្រមសុខចិត្តមកកាន់កាប់ទំនុកបំរុងស្រុកខ្មែរឲ្យថ្កើងរុងរឿង ។ ក្នុងសញ្ញាត្រេតេនោះឥតនិយាយពីរាជការបារាំងសែសស្រុកខ្មែរត្រូវទំនុកបំរុងជាតិយួននៅស្រុកខ្មែរឬមកពីស្រុកយួនផ្សេង ៗ លាយគ្នាជាមួយនិងជាតិខ្មែនៅស្រុកខ្មែរផងទេ ។
Nagara vatta requests that the government of the Protectorate of Cambodia provide assistance to the Khmer people so that they can prosper in the Khmer domain in accordance with the treaty [tre-te ត្រេតេ] agreements in which France and Cambodia mutually agreed that the French would take responsibility for assisting and training the Khmer domain so that it could become prosperous. In that treaty, there is no mention that the French government in the Khmer domain must focus on assisting and training the Vietnamese people within the Khmer domain or those from other Vietnamese domains who have mixed together with the Khmer people in the Khmer domain.
In case you are working on something related to nationalist revolution in Cambodia, this article about such events in Europe might be of interest: Charles Tilly, “States and Nationalism in Europe 1492-1992,” Theory and Society 23, 1 (1994).
Email me from whatever address you typically use, if it’s not the UH one. Wondering where you are.
Really interesting piece, thanks. We’d like to refer to your blog on our platform Angkor Database, http://www.angkordatabase.asia, can you provide more information about your background? Many thanks.