Charles Bellan

A French administrative officer in the 1920s, Charles Bellan served as ​“Résident” (Governor-Delegate) of Kompong Speu Province, ​“Administrateur des Services Civils de l’Indochine” et ​“Résident de France” in Cambodia during 25 years.

He authored a novel, Fleur de Lotus (Lotus Flower), published in Paris in 1924. He also wrote on Khmer and Annamite linguistics and folk culture, as well as a political essay, Le Crime colonial, and another ​“Cambodian novel” (roman cambodgien), L’eau du serment. In 1921, Charles Bellan filed a complaint against Resident-General François Baudoin, whom he accused of prevarication, forgery and fraud, torture and even murder. He made his case in Vérité! Faux…, Tortures…, Assassinats…impunis en Indochine (affaire Baudoin, etc) [self-publication, 1924].