5th January, 2009
Opinion by Khmerization
The controversy surrounding the celebration of January 7, 1979 has been hotly debated between the proponents of the Vietnamese intervention and its opponents since day one. As January 7, 1979 is approaching, debates are again raging as to whether this date should be celebrated as a liberation day or an invasion day.
Proponents of the Vietnamese intervention in 1979 celebrate 7th January as a liberation day. They believe that without the Vietnamese intervention of 1979, the whole population of Cambodia would have been wiped out by the Khmer Rouge genocide.
While others were calling for the celebration of the Paris Peace Accords of 23rd of October 1991 instead of 7th January, 1979, Mr. Khieu Kanharith, Minister of Information and government spokesman, seem to believe that 7th January, 1979 is the cornerstone that has laid a foundation for the Paris Peace Accords of 23rd October, 1991. He said and I quote: “if there were no 07 January 1979, there wouldn’t be 23 October 1991 either.”
Mr. Kanharith statement seems to resonate an admission of 7th January as an invasion day. By saying that without 7th January, the day of the Vietnamese invasion, and that there wouldn’t be 23 October 1991, the day that Cambodia achieved peace, Mr. Kanharith is unconsciously admitting that 7th January, 1979 is an invasion day because if there wasn’t any invasion, there wouldn’t be a need for any peace accords.
On the other hand, opponents of the Vietnamese intervention are adamantly and vehemently insisting that 7th January is an invasion day. They have accused Vietnam of training, arming and helping the Khmer Rouge to take powers in Cambodia on 17th April, 1975, which many of the present Cambodian leaders were part of. They also believe that Vietnam was complicit in the genocidal crimes against the Cambodian people when approximately 1.7 million people died tragically under the Khmer Rouge regime. Those opponents of the Vietnamese intervention believe that Vietnam did not voluntarily invade Cambodia solely for the purpose of liberating the Cambodian people from the Khmer Rouge genocide. Vietnam invaded Cambodia because the Khmer Rouge has turned down its overtures of subordination to Vietnam and because of border clashes due to Vietnamese border encroachments. They also accused that, after the 1979 invasion, the killings of the Cambodian people continued unabated and that the Vietnamese army had plundered the Cambodian wealth and resources by transporting them back to their country.
Opposition parties also insisted that 7th January is an invasion day. They consider that it is a product of the 17th April, 1975, the date of the Khmer Rouge takeover and the beginning of the Cambodian genocide, aided and abetted by the present leaders of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), because the majority of them, like PM Hun Sen, Senate President Chea Sim and National Assembly Chairman Heng Samrin, are important ex-leaders of the Khmer Rouge.
Mr. Sam Rainsy, an arch-opponent of the 7th January, in a letter to The Cambodia Daily, recently said and I quote: “But it is worth realizing that without April 17, 1975, there would be no need for January 7, 1979.” Mr. Sam Rainsy’s statement seem to concur the above statements which consider that both dates (7th January, 1979 and 17th April, 1975) as the by-products of the Vietnamese creations, aided and abetted by the present CPP leaders who were important ex-leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime.
In conclusion, for me personally, 7th January, 1979 is both a combination of a liberation and an invasion. It is a liberation day in the sense that, whether it was an intention of Vietnam or not, millions of Cambodian lives have been saved from the Khmer Rouge regime. I also consider it as an invasion day because it was an invasion: pure and simple, because I believe that Vietnam had helped the Khmer Rouge to take powers in 1975 and aided and abetted in the subsequent massacres of 1.7 million Cambodian lives. I also believe that the Vietnamese intervention in 1979 was not born out of any sympathy for the Cambodian people, but rather Vietnam had taken that course of actions because of a breakdown of relations with the Khmer Rouge and because of border clashes resulting from border encroachments by Vietnam.
So, is 7th of January, 1979 a liberation day or is it an invasion day? The answer is both, depending on who we are talking to.
Opinion by Khmerization
“Opposition parties also insisted that 7th January is an invasion day. They consider that it is a product of the 17th April, 1975, the date of the Khmer Rouge takeover and the beginning of the Cambodian genocide, aided and abetted by the present leaders of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP)”.
The controversy surrounding the celebration of January 7, 1979 has been hotly debated between the proponents of the Vietnamese intervention and its opponents since day one. As January 7, 1979 is approaching, debates are again raging as to whether this date should be celebrated as a liberation day or an invasion day.
Proponents of the Vietnamese intervention in 1979 celebrate 7th January as a liberation day. They believe that without the Vietnamese intervention of 1979, the whole population of Cambodia would have been wiped out by the Khmer Rouge genocide.
While others were calling for the celebration of the Paris Peace Accords of 23rd of October 1991 instead of 7th January, 1979, Mr. Khieu Kanharith, Minister of Information and government spokesman, seem to believe that 7th January, 1979 is the cornerstone that has laid a foundation for the Paris Peace Accords of 23rd October, 1991. He said and I quote: “if there were no 07 January 1979, there wouldn’t be 23 October 1991 either.”
Mr. Kanharith statement seems to resonate an admission of 7th January as an invasion day. By saying that without 7th January, the day of the Vietnamese invasion, and that there wouldn’t be 23 October 1991, the day that Cambodia achieved peace, Mr. Kanharith is unconsciously admitting that 7th January, 1979 is an invasion day because if there wasn’t any invasion, there wouldn’t be a need for any peace accords.
On the other hand, opponents of the Vietnamese intervention are adamantly and vehemently insisting that 7th January is an invasion day. They have accused Vietnam of training, arming and helping the Khmer Rouge to take powers in Cambodia on 17th April, 1975, which many of the present Cambodian leaders were part of. They also believe that Vietnam was complicit in the genocidal crimes against the Cambodian people when approximately 1.7 million people died tragically under the Khmer Rouge regime. Those opponents of the Vietnamese intervention believe that Vietnam did not voluntarily invade Cambodia solely for the purpose of liberating the Cambodian people from the Khmer Rouge genocide. Vietnam invaded Cambodia because the Khmer Rouge has turned down its overtures of subordination to Vietnam and because of border clashes due to Vietnamese border encroachments. They also accused that, after the 1979 invasion, the killings of the Cambodian people continued unabated and that the Vietnamese army had plundered the Cambodian wealth and resources by transporting them back to their country.
Opposition parties also insisted that 7th January is an invasion day. They consider that it is a product of the 17th April, 1975, the date of the Khmer Rouge takeover and the beginning of the Cambodian genocide, aided and abetted by the present leaders of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), because the majority of them, like PM Hun Sen, Senate President Chea Sim and National Assembly Chairman Heng Samrin, are important ex-leaders of the Khmer Rouge.
Mr. Sam Rainsy, an arch-opponent of the 7th January, in a letter to The Cambodia Daily, recently said and I quote: “But it is worth realizing that without April 17, 1975, there would be no need for January 7, 1979.” Mr. Sam Rainsy’s statement seem to concur the above statements which consider that both dates (7th January, 1979 and 17th April, 1975) as the by-products of the Vietnamese creations, aided and abetted by the present CPP leaders who were important ex-leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime.
In conclusion, for me personally, 7th January, 1979 is both a combination of a liberation and an invasion. It is a liberation day in the sense that, whether it was an intention of Vietnam or not, millions of Cambodian lives have been saved from the Khmer Rouge regime. I also consider it as an invasion day because it was an invasion: pure and simple, because I believe that Vietnam had helped the Khmer Rouge to take powers in 1975 and aided and abetted in the subsequent massacres of 1.7 million Cambodian lives. I also believe that the Vietnamese intervention in 1979 was not born out of any sympathy for the Cambodian people, but rather Vietnam had taken that course of actions because of a breakdown of relations with the Khmer Rouge and because of border clashes resulting from border encroachments by Vietnam.
So, is 7th of January, 1979 a liberation day or is it an invasion day? The answer is both, depending on who we are talking to.
21 comments:
It is an invasion day, pure and simple. if vietnam came to liberate cambodia they wouldn't continue to kill more cambodians. if they came to liberate cambodia they would have left cambodia voluntarily in a few years time, not wait until the cambodian resistance fighters kicked them out 10 years later.
ថ្ងៃ៥-៦កក្កដា១៩៩៧ (បទកាកគតិ)
ធ្វើរដ្ឋប្រហារ រៀបចំផែនការ កំចាត់ពួកស្តេច កំចាយអ្នកខ្លាំង ទើបបានសំរេច រៀបចំឲ្យស្រេច
មុនពេលបោះឆ្នោត។
ដាក់សុទ្ធគ្នាអញ ធ្លាប់បានស៊ីឆ្ងាញ់ បំផ្លាញអ្នកឆោត ឆ្នៃតាមតែចិត្ត មិនឲ្យរបូត អ្នកកាន់ចង្កូត
ស្រុកខ្មែរគឺអញ។
ហ៊ុនសែនជាស៊ីម នៅតែញញឹម កៅអីលឿងខ្លាញ់ លក់តទៅទៀត ដីឈើត្រីអញ រួចឆ្នៃប្រវញ្ញ
រកក្បាលខ្លឹមៗ ។
ចាប់ពង្រាត់មនុស្សឆក់ប្លន់ស្រស់ៗ កុំអស់សង្ឃឹម មានហុកឡងឌី រៀបចំតំរឹម ច្រឹបឲ្យស្មើត្រឹម
កុំឲ្យលូតបាន ។
ពួកក្រោមបង្គាប់ រកតាមលំដាប់ ដើរតាមលំអាន ជិះជាន់អ្នកក្រ អារកអ្នកមាន ប្រមូលលុយឡាន
ជាស្ពានពួកយើង ។
បក្សប្រជាជន មុខក្រាស់លោភលន់ តោងបុណ្យដូចឈ្លើង ជញ្ជក់ឈាមរាស្ត្រ វិនាសចូលភ្លើង ប្រឹងច្បាមខ្លាំងឡើង
តំកើងសាច់ញាតិ ។
ពួកប្រជាជន ពូកែឆក់ប្លន់ លួចលក់ទ្រព្យជាតិតាំងពីកំពូល រហូតដល់បាត លាងគូដមិនស្អាត
ដើរប៉ាតគូដគេ ។
ថ្ងៃ ២៤ កញ្ញា ១៩៩៧
ស.យ.មករា
No comment
http://amekhmer.free.fr/khcrucial-event/1special-khrouge/0-7jan05.pdf
http://amekhmer.free.fr/khcrucial-event/1special-khrouge/0-17april75-05.pdf
All khmer people from 1975 to 1979 they really need someone helping them,but no anyone beside CPP helping them just only CPP helping them to lived outside their lovely country.Why some policians said that day it meant nothing.I don't agree with them.If opposition said like that they will make Cambodia go back to the same pol pot regime again.
That's right If the YOUN came in for the good of its neighbor it should call in other countries to observe or look upon its invasion.
But Hanoi chose not to accept the 3rd party to come in.
That was a sign of invasion.]
Khmer PP,
Cambodia thanks Vietnam,
In March 18,1970 Cambodia was plunged into war. Then Sihanouk apeal to the Cambodian people to participate in the said war against the American Imperialists, Lon Nolist and it clique, called to join the struggle movement to liberate the Cambodia.
The great vitocty of April 17, 1975 the movement of Sihanoukist and Pol Potist were lead a movement to liberate Cambodia, then Sihanoukist and Pol Potist turn their policy into GENOCIDE.
One day there he comes, Another patriotic Movements together with the full support from the voluntary forces of our second Father, Mother, Brother and Sister of Vietnam, Cambodia was saved from Sihanoukist
and Pol Potist the GENOCIDAL REGIME on January 7, 1979.
Without January 7, 1979 there is no more Cambodia today. So, Cambodian never forget the full support from the voluntary forces of our second Father, Mother, Brother and Sister of Vietnam.
Thank you Vietnam!
Thank you God Angle Hun Sen!
Thank you the greatest Victory of January 7, 1979.
CPP Political Headquarter
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Only the hungry for power and money would believe or allow themself to believe that the Vietcong was a savior. Everyone knows that those viet people were aldready inside Cambodia long before January 1979. They were the one that caused trouble and great misery everyday. This leading to an endless arrest and execution of the Cambodian people up until whatever they said in 1979. By the end of 1978, their mask murdered case was discovered and unless, they took the opportunity to invade Cambodia in the name of rescueing our poeple, there will be no way in hell that they can get away with it.
The first few days of January.1979, one single tank and a few Vietnamese's soldiers came from Sisophon, cutting thru Phom Toch Phom Tom , Machba , Bung Pring and Thmor Kol ect.. Now how could a single tank? yes, a single tank and a few soldiers firing from it could get thru Battambang city? and declared victoty in just a few days? How??? It has to be someone from the inside showing them the rope or way and putting all the defences off. o.k. Not all the people are 3 years old and so we know that this was January 7th.1979 of Vietnamese recueing. No invasion is the correct word and the word anyone should always used.
good question! and educational one that is! here my view on it: if we consider the KR era which saw a third of cambodian people killed or perished and there was no freedom; and people only wear black and sandals made from tires, money, higher education, economy freedom, etc were all abolished or forbidden or you'll be killed by the order of angkar leu or their leadership organization and saw the entire nation of cambodia and khmer people were dying from hunger, diseases, starvation, overworked, abuse, execution, exhaustion due to inadequate food and drinking water supply, etc, etc, then, it is a liberation in that sense, given it happened 07 Jan 1979, post 17 april 1975. however, if we hated our historical enemies, the vietnamese or youn in the khmer langugae, then it was a foreign invasion. so, what is it for cambodia? i think we all should learn from this history lesson and move on to better things for cambodia. of course, don't forget that throughout our history, the world history, too, for that matter, changes are inevitable. please understand it. there are numerous, great civilization all over the world at one time in history, and these civilization come and go, naturally. it's called the cycle of civilization in sociology. so, man hasn't found a way to travel back to the past yet, nor travel to the future as well. so, the best thing any one nation, like cambodia, can do is to learn from this history lesson and move one to better ways and to improve and avoid at all cost the same stupid mistakes that past leadership have made; move away from that! every human being on the planet has only one life to live and i say please live it to the fullest by helping your country, and stop or think twice about trying to be self-destructive by making trouble for your country. i'm sure khmer people, by now, are so sick and tired of all these fighting and childish behavior from their leaders, and we, khmer people, expect more and better things from our leaders. so, if you want to have some personal time or whatever, please get a room, but don't expect khmer people to care about your own personal problem. cambodia can't afford that, especially after we gone through so much already. thank you.
I call it an invasion cause the youn did for their interests only, and that the youn havn't left cambodia.
Acutally, more and more of youns still ivading cambodia and running cambodian government!
This date cannot be recognized as liberation! This date should only be remembered as the end of khmer rouge and the beginning of vietnam invasion!
"ថ្ងៃ ៧ មករា ១៩៧៩ ជាថ្ងៃបរាជ័យ នៃរបបប៉ុល ពល និងជាថ្ងៃដែលកូនខ្មែរចេញពី របបកុំមុយនិស្ត ផ្តាច់ការមួយ (ប៉ុល ពត) ចូលទៅ របបកុំមុយនិស្តផ្តាច់ការ (យួនកាន់កាប់) មួយទៀត។ កូនខ្មែររស់ទ្រាំទ្រវេទនា ជាពិសេសក្រោមការកាន់កាប់ របស់យួនរហូតដល់ ថ្ងៃ ២៣ តុលា ១៩៩១ (សន្ធិសញ្ញាក្រុងប៉ារីស) ទើបបានស្គាល់ពន្លឺសេរីភាពខ្លះៗ។
ប៉ុន្តែ ថ្ងៃដែលកូនខ្មែរពិតជាបានស្គាល់សេរីភាពដំបូង គឺ ថ្ងៃ ២៣ ដល់ ២៨ ឧសភា ១៩៩៣ (ថ្ងៃបោះឆ្នោត រើសតំណាងរាស្រ្តលើកដំបូង ទូទាំងប្រទេសខ្មែរ រៀបចំឡើងដោយអង្គការ UNTAC តំណាងអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ) ហើយរាជាណាចក្រទី ២ ក៏បានចាប់បដិសន្ធិឡើង នៅឆ្នាំ ១៩៩៣ ដែរ"
នោះជាឃ្លាដែល កូនខ្មែរគ្រប់ជំនាន់ ត្រូវតែចងចាំជានិច្ច គ្មានភ្លេចមួយវិនាទី ព្រោះថ្ងៃ ៧ មករា ១៩៧៩ ជានិមិត្តរូប នៃលំហូរពួកយួន ចូលតាំងទី នៅប្រទេសខ្មែរ ក្នុងគោលដៅលេប យកប្រទេសខ្មែរ ដោយសន្តិវិធី ក្នុងអនាគតមិនយូរ, ក៏ជាថ្ងៃរំលឹកឡើងវិញ អំពើក្បត់ជាតិ របស់អាសំដាចម៍ក្បត់ជាតិ អគ្គមហាសេវាដៃចោរហ៊ុន សែនខូចសរសៃប្រសាទ (បើតាមសំដីរបស់ប៉ែន សុវណ្ណ, អតីតចៅហ្វាយរបស់ហ៊ុន សែន) កាត់ដីអោយយួន នៅឆ្នាំ ១៩៨០, ១៩៨៥, ១៩៩០, ២០០៥។
ឆ្នាំថ្មី ២០០៩, ជូនពរអាសំដាចម៍ហ៊ុន សែនងាប់តៃហោង ដោយរន្ទះបាញ់ដូចអាយួនហុក ឡងឌី ទៅហោង!!!
Khmerization,
Interesting article, but I disagree with the conclusion. January 7th, 1979 was a pure and full force invasion. If many lives of Khmer people were saved by that action, it was a mere coincidence. Vietnam would even be happy to delay the invasion several months, had it known that the KR were doing the mass killing.
Vietnam mobilize over one hundred thousand troops not to liberate Cambodia, but to get rid of KR regime because the latter became increasing dangerous to its borders.
To 12:57 AM , you’re incorrect. The Vietnamese troops only came in after the KR started fighting along the Eastern borders. All the killings were massively carried out by the KR cadres and militia. Don’t deny that the Pol Pot butchers did not kill Khmer people. Hope you’re not one of the ex-KR officials in Pol Pot's clan.
Wrong you people at CPP Political Headquarters at 12:36 AM there,
Dead wrong!
Yuon has been Khmer enemy for centuries. Yuon never stops nor has Yuon quit killing Khmer. There is a saying - A good Yuon is a dead Yuon!
Yuon plays many roles among which a killer and a pretender to save and ultimately conquer.
You 12:36AM and the rest of your clique CPP can deny all you want but the fact remains that Cambodia will be Yuon as commonly westernized with the word -Vietnamization, undoubtedly.
Knowingly or unknowingly and under the nose of that dumb ass one-eye gangster HUN SEN, Yuon kills Khmer every day from P. Penh all the way to the country side - just like that babarian HUN SEN said - if "you dare talking about the border or YUON, you are talking about "coffin"!
Currently the buz word is - Whoever dares poking his nose around to find out, will be dead!
Tell that dumb ass one-eye gangster Hun Sen of yours to let loose of Khmer people if he is so daring...and see what Cambodia will become!
P.s Headquarters is always written with an "S" at the end, don't be stupid, you CPP dumb ass!
Hi everyone...
First of all, I would like to thank all of you for conducting your discussion in a civilized way by not using bad language. Secondly, the answer to this 01/07/79 question depends solely on your personal experiences during that darkest period of Cambodia history. For our people who suffered so much under Pol Pot regime it is a liberation regardless the real intention of Vietnam. For example, when someone is dying he would do anything to get a second chance even it means an amputation. If the Vietnamese did not do it, who will? Americans wouldn't go back to fight the same war that they've just lost very badly. The West saw it as an outright invasion that's the reason why they sided with KR. Politic is somtines a very stupid game. The US hated KR and VN but; they hated VN more so they backed KR in the UN. So, Khmerization is right to conclude it as a liberation and also as an invasion... I'm a lucky few that did not have to go through that "Killing Fields" of the KR. I see this date 01/07/79 as both liberation first and invasion second.
Dear 3:09AM,
Glad that you did not suffer through the KR. Like many of us, I was not that fortunate. Any way, the point I guess a lot of people want to make is that - yes they were saved by the invasion. But, it important to point out that the purpose of the invasion was not to liberate Khmer people. Vietnam did not have and never will have any interest of saving Khmer people or civilization. Au contraire, it will be happy to see Cambodia disappear from the map.
Vietnam propaganda machine wants us to believe that they came in to liberate us from KR. That's completely bogus.
If the Vietcong didn't invade Cambodia and why the hell Cambodia has a puppet government?
Who create the fucking puppet government? If not the Vietcong and who is it?
No doubt the invasion saved Khmer, but how many more light years are Khmer going to thank the yuons. I 'd have thught the debt had been repaid with stolen treasures by the yuon invading army. It was no different from a scenario: a thief stumbling on a killer in the act, and the latter scared by the former, escaped. Thus, the victim, thanks the thief.
3:09am, like you i wish to thank everyone for engaging in civilized debates. i agree with you also that vietnam invaded cambodia and, through that action, it saved millions of cambodians at the same time. vietnam did not invade cambodia because it wanted to save cambodian lives. not one iota. i agree with khmerization that vietnam invaded cambodia because of border issues with cambodia. but through that action many cambodian lives were saved. thus, in a sense, it is both a liberation and an invasion.
3:09am and 3:38am, i really like your sound discussion, here. you both sound fair and reasonable. yes, i think most khmer people who have lived through the KR period or even those who has had relatives and loved ones went through that dark period of our current history, will gladly say that it was a liberation, the rescue of some sort from the immenant death under the stupid, idiot KR regime. of course, there was no doubt at all that what the vietnamese armed forces did was an invasion of cambodia. however, cambodian people was glad to see the KR disappeared because they caused a lot of death and suffering for khmer people. let me put it this way, khmer people owed no one a gratitude, not even the invading vietnamese armed forces because if we analyze the cause of all of these atrocious, especially how it came about, it was not any khmer people's fault that the KR came about. simply put, it was the war in neighboring vietnam that was well-known all over the world as the "vietnam war" that created what happened in cambodia. so, although i and all of khmer people who suffered under the KR rule hated the KR for what their stupid, crazy policy did to cambodia, we must not forget how the KR came about either. question should be: how did the KR become such a political force that advocate killing its own khmer people, not just foreigners, but its own khmer people and almost completely destroyed the khmer civility, tradition, culture, way of life, not to mention the entire nation and identity of cambodia. cambodia was just a pawn of the vietnam war which spread into cambodia in the first place. it wasn't cambodia war, it was the vietnam war in which cambodia was unlucky because we are located next to vietnam, our ancient enemy! so, khmer people do have the right to hate the vietnamese and whoever was helping them in the 'vietnam war'.
all khmer people were really happy to be saved from death during the KR era; and of course, khmer people have a reason to celebrate because we escaped and survived the KR atrocity. that is a reason to celebrate or to mark this infamous period of our khmer history. however, the issue or view or argument that the vietnamese had invaded cambodia is another issue by itself. but do allow khmer people who appreciate living and surviving to mark this date; after all, we khmer people deserve this right and should be proud to overcome so much already. as the "viet invasion" issue, please leave it separation from how khmer people view this date. yes, liberation was how most khmer people feel, and the invasion was how politicians feel, so, please leave it separate from how non-politician people feel about it. that said, like most khmer people, i am by no mean love the vietnamese. it is also right for most khmer people to feel khmer because we are not the vietnamese; we are khmer, so we have the right to feel like khmer, too! god bless cambodia.
Happy Freedom day to everyone!
Thanks to Vietnam!
Thanks to PM Hun Sen!
correction from 12:57a.m
Please read last sentence : No rescueing. Invasion is the correct word and the word that everyone should always use.
To Khmererization,
Just because other Khmer people don't believe that Jan. 7th.1979 was a good rescueing day that doesn't mean they are Khmer Rouge. We just don't believe that vietnam came with good intention.. There was a string attached. A Kos tral to pay and 25 years contract and beyond to be their slave that what we cann't settle about. So please take it easy o.k.
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