CAMBODIA: PHNOM PENH: MASS RALLY IN PHNOM PENH DEMANDS REPUBLIC

Record ID: 215547

  • Title: CAMBODIA: PHNOM PENH: MASS RALLY IN PHNOM PENH DEMANDS REPUBLIC
  • Date: 13th April 1970
  • Summary: 1. GV SUPPORTERS WITH BANNERS 0.05 2. GV & SV PAN WOKEN MARCHING PAST 0.13 3. CU CARICATURES 0.18 4. SV BANNER: "WE WANT A REPUBLIC" 0.21 5. CU GIRLS CHANTING 0.25 6. SV & GV GENERAL LON NOL ARRIVING (5 SHOTS) 0.53 7. CU CAMERAMAN 0.54 8. LV LON NOL ON PLAT-FORM WITH CABINET MEMBERS 0.58 9. GV GIRLS MARCHING PA
  • Embargoed: 28th April 1970 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
  • Country: Cambodia
  • Reuters ID: LVA7141903POQDBZO15BYDRZ5A5C
  • Story Text: IN PHNOM PENH, THE CAPITAL OF CAMBODIA, A MASS RALLY OF 70,000 HAVE DEMANDED AN END TO THE MONARCHY AND THE DECLARATION OF A REPUBLIC.

    THE DEMONSTRATIONS TOOK PLACE LAST SATURDAY AND MANY OF THE MARCHERS WERE STUDENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN JOINING THE ARMY IN THEIR THOUSANDS IN RECENT WEEKS TO FIGHT AGAINST THE VIETCONG WHO ARE ILLEGALLY BUT SOLIDLY ESTABLISHED IN THE EASTERN PROVINCES ALONG THE VIETNAMESE BORDER.

    THE DEMONSTRATORS SEEMED PARTICULARLY ANGRY AT PRINCE SIHANOUK, WHO WAS HEAD OF STATE UNTIL HE WAS DEPOSED BY GENERAL LON NOL A FEW WEEKS AGO. SIHANOUK, WHO HAS TAKEN REFUGE IN PEKING HAS BEEN CALLING ON THE CAMBODIANS TO TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST THE NEW GOVERNMENT AND TO COOPERATE WITH THE VIETCONG AND NORTH VIETNAMESE.

    GENERAL LON NOL, WHO HEADS THE NEW CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT, DID NOT DECLARE A REPUBLIC AS HE HAD BEE EXPECTED BUT IN A BRIEF SPEECH TOLD THE DEMONSTRATORS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR REPUBLIC SOON. BUT, HE SAID, IT WOULD BE DECLARED "WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE LAWS."
    DURING THE THREE-HOUR RALLY, REPRESENTATIVES OF EACH OF THE CAMBODIAN PROVINCES DENOUNCED PRINCE SIHANOUK AND THEY ALSO ALL UNANIMOUSLY DEMANDED THAT CAMBODIA BE TURNED INTO A REPUBLIC AND THAT THE VIETCONG BE THROWN OUT.

    CAMBODIAN AIR FORCE PLANES FLEW ABOVE THE CROWD SCATTERING LEAFLETS ON THESE SAME THEMES. CAMBODIA FACES A TROUBLED FUTURE.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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