March of the Khmer Republic
| English: Song of the Khmer Republic | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the Khmer Republic | |
historical anthem of  Cambodia | |
| Adopted | 1970 |
| Relinquished | 1975 |
The Song of the Khmer Republic (Khmer: បទចំរៀងនៃសាធារណរដ្ឋខ្មែរ) was the national anthem of Khmer Republic from 1970 to 1975. The song is often attributed to groups of students, led by Hang Thun Hak, at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phenom Penh, but academic sources say it was written and composed by the Buddhist monk activist Khieu Chum, a student of Hem Chieu.[1] The song was adopted as the national anthem of the newly founded Khmer Republic on 9 October 1970 after the overthrow of the monarchy. After the end of the Republic due to the Khmer Rouge victory in 1975, the song ceased to be the national anthem and was officially replaced in 1976 by the Khmer Rouge anthem "Victorious 17th of April".
The "enemy" in the first line of the second stanza is a reference to the invasion of Cambodia by the North Vietnamese communists that began on 29 March 1970, just eighteen days after the coup, at the request of the Khmer Rouge's second in command, Nuon Chea, and had completely overrun the northeast of Cambodia by the time the Republic was declared that October.
Lyrics
| Khmer | IPA Transliteration | English translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ជនជាតិខ្មែរ ល្បីពូកែមួយក្នុងលោក ខ្មែរក្រោកឡើង ខ្មាំងរំលោភ |
cɔən ciət kʰmae lbəi puːkae muəj kʰnoŋ loːk kʰmae kraok laəŋ kʰmaŋ luk coul |
Khmers are famous for its singular skill in the world Khmers, rise up! The enemy is invading Cambodia, |
References
- ^ Harris, Ian (2010). Buddhism as an Element in Cambodian Political Conflict: the Overthrow of Norodom Sihanouk (PDF). Religious Dimensions to Southeast Asian Conflicts Panel, EUROSEAS Conference, University of Gothenburg. Retrieved 30 May 2014.