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Self-Sufficiency of a group of the Khmer Issarak Movement

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Tha Leang Ang,

History Department
Royal University of Phnom Penh
Phone: (855) 92 833 664
E-mail: leangang_tha@yahoo.com

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Until recently the Khmer Issarak Movement (Free Khmer), a right wing
nationalist movement, established in the 1940s, had not received any serious study
or the attention of researchers. Consequently, what research that existed was often
superficial and/or prejudiced. Some researchers and many Khmers regarded the
movement unfavourably, without having studied it in depth. This study aimed to
understand and explain the vision of the Khmer Issarak Movement that led the
members to retreat to the countryside and take up the fight against the French. To
realize their vision, what kinds of missions did they define? And how could they, the
Khmer Issarak deal with financial problems and where did the financial resources to
support the movement come from? And, how did they manage on the battlefield?
These were some of the unanswered questions.
This paper documents research in the form of oral history and provides some
of the answers to the questions. The key informant for the research was Mr. Ny
Vanthy a member of the Khmer Issarak Movement sixty years ago. He gave a
number of interviews recalling his experiences. Varied interview techniques were
used. The interview data were verified and strengthened by checking with other
documents and publications. The research resulted in new and clearer findings about
the movement which will give Cambodians and other readers a better understanding
of the Khmer Issarak Movement. Some of the findings also clarified aspects of
contemporary history and provided insights into the present politics of Cambodia.

(Y)