SBY offers condolences on death of Sihanouk

Bagus BT Saragih, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | World | Tue, October 16 2012, 11:01 AM

Paper Edition | Page: 10

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed condolence for the demise of former Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk, who he referred to as a “true statesman” who became “Indonesia’s close friend”.

“On behalf of the government and the people of Indonesia, I hereby convey our sincere condolences for the death of king Norodom Sihanouk,” Yudhoyono said in a press conference at the Presidential Office on Monday.

“King Norodom Sihanouk is remembered by the Indonesian people as a leader who played a significant role in maintaining Cambodia’s unity and fought for the development of the country,” the President said, adding that he had also sent letter to Sihanouk’s successor, King Norodom Sihamoni, and Prime Minister Hun Sen concerning the death.

Yudhoyono said Sihanouk had “very good relationships” with his predecessor, Indonesia’s first president Sukarno and former president Soeharto. “[Sihanouk] was the key in the robust relationship between Indonesia and Cambodia,” Yudhoyono said.

The Associated Press reported that Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Sihanouk died early Monday of natural causes in Beijing, where he had traveled for medical treatment earlier this year. He was 89.

Prince Sisowath Thomico, a royal family member who was also Sihanouk’s assistant, said the former king had suffered a heart attack at a Beijing hospital.

“His death was a great loss to Cambodia,” Thomico said, adding that Sihanouk had dedicated his life “for the sake of his entire nation, country and for the Cambodian people”.

Sihanouk was a key figure in Cambodian politics for six decades but abdicated in 2004, citing poor health, and was succeeded by a son, Norodom Sihamoni.

Sihanouk had been in China since January, and had suffered a variety of illnesses, including colon cancer, diabetes and hypertension.

Kanharith said arrangements were being made to repatriate his body for an official funeral in Cambodia.

In January, Sihanouk requested that he be cremated in the Cambodian and Buddhist tradition, asking that his ashes be put in an urn, preferably made of gold, and placed in a stupa at the country’s Royal Palace.

Sihanouk saw Cambodia reel from colony to kingdom, US-backed regime to Khmer Rouge killing field and foreign-occupied land to guerrilla war zone — and finally to a fragile experiment with democracy.

Sihanouk was a feudal-style monarch beloved by his people. But he was seldom able to deliver the stability they craved through decades of violence.