Monday, 05 January 2009
Written by Sam Rith
The Phnom Penh Post
Govt says suspects trying to disrupt January 7 celebrations
POLICE have identified two suspects in connection with Friday's foiled bomb plot that appeared to target the Defence Ministry and a state television station, officials say.
"[The perpetrators] placed these explosive devices to scare people from attending the anniversary of January 7," Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith told reporters Sunday, referring to the upcoming public holiday that celebrates the 1979 victory over the Khmer Rouge by Vietnamese-backed Cambodian forces.
He refused to comment further, saying that he did not want to jeopardise the ongoing investigation.
But Em Sam An, a secretary of state at the Ministry of Interior and president of the National Secretariat for Anti-Terrorism, said Sunday that police had yet to make any arrests and were continuing to investigate.
"It was not [international] terrorism," he added.
Around 50,000 people are set to participate in the celebrations at Olympic Stadium, he added.
Three explosive devices were found Friday in front of the Defence Ministry and near the TV3 offices. They were later disassembled and destroyed by mine clearance personnel.
Heng Ratana, deputy director general of the Cambodian Mine Action Center, told the Post on Sunday that the explosive devices were "improvised mines" - small bombs that had been placed in cans of mosquito repellent and small cooking gas containers.
Heng Ratana said the devices did not cause any significant damage when they were destroyed in controlled explosions since they contained no shrapnel.
But he warned that the bombs could still have wounded anyone passing by.
A similar incident occurred in July 2007 when three fertiliser bombs were found and detonated near the Vietnamese friendship monument in the park opposite Wat Botum.
Vietnam's role in Cambodia during the 1980s remains controversial, and Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian Chea Poch said he would not participate in this week's celebration.
"[January 7] was the day that Vietnamese troops came and invaded Cambodia, adding further misery to the Cambodian people."
POLICE have identified two suspects in connection with Friday's foiled bomb plot that appeared to target the Defence Ministry and a state television station, officials say.
"[The perpetrators] placed these explosive devices to scare people from attending the anniversary of January 7," Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith told reporters Sunday, referring to the upcoming public holiday that celebrates the 1979 victory over the Khmer Rouge by Vietnamese-backed Cambodian forces.
He refused to comment further, saying that he did not want to jeopardise the ongoing investigation.
But Em Sam An, a secretary of state at the Ministry of Interior and president of the National Secretariat for Anti-Terrorism, said Sunday that police had yet to make any arrests and were continuing to investigate.
"It was not [international] terrorism," he added.
Around 50,000 people are set to participate in the celebrations at Olympic Stadium, he added.
Three explosive devices were found Friday in front of the Defence Ministry and near the TV3 offices. They were later disassembled and destroyed by mine clearance personnel.
Heng Ratana, deputy director general of the Cambodian Mine Action Center, told the Post on Sunday that the explosive devices were "improvised mines" - small bombs that had been placed in cans of mosquito repellent and small cooking gas containers.
Heng Ratana said the devices did not cause any significant damage when they were destroyed in controlled explosions since they contained no shrapnel.
But he warned that the bombs could still have wounded anyone passing by.
A similar incident occurred in July 2007 when three fertiliser bombs were found and detonated near the Vietnamese friendship monument in the park opposite Wat Botum.
Vietnam's role in Cambodia during the 1980s remains controversial, and Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian Chea Poch said he would not participate in this week's celebration.
"[January 7] was the day that Vietnamese troops came and invaded Cambodia, adding further misery to the Cambodian people."
39 comments:
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Open Letter: My Concern of 7 January Celebration
Ladies and Gentlemen, Cambodian Compatriots:
My name's Khmer Young, a younger generation of Cambodia, I would like to express my heartbreaking and sadness to the continual mechanism to make Khmer divided under the controversial day of 7 January.
I am also one of the victim of the Khmer Rouge regime. Many relatives of mine were also starved, tortured and died during that period. Surely, it is not easy to forget this darkness in the history page of Cambodia. But to be a real young Khmer generation, I hold no revenge or hatred towards those mismanaging regime. I am surely realized that this extreme regime has been passed and will never come back again.
All Cambodians of both elders and youngers can see the same sight that Khmers should stop hatred among our own Khmer race, including the wilderness of the Khmer Rouge. This attitude perfectly reflects the heart of all Cambodians to forgive in order to gain the larger benefit and the brighter future. And as most Cambodian population are Buddhist, they has already learned to forgive in the way of clearing their path for the constructive past, intellectual present and brilliant successful future.
In the recent year, Cambodian people of both elders and youngers have been silent about the 7 January day. This quietness doesn't mean that they agree or appreciate this day. Their silence means that all Cambodian people have moved forwards to welcome new period of globalization and capitalism particularly to see the brighter future rather than being lived in the trap of a divisive strategy of foreigner.
However, the CPP as a so-called information minister has deliberately spoken through the media to rationale the 7 January as well as to use the strategy of "dividing and conquering" to make 7 January day become more attractive and to make fear among Cambodian people.
As I am one of the younger generation of Cambodian people, I am not going to debate the advantage or disadvantage of 7 January day because doing so I am just one among those who are falling in the trap of Vietnam. Vietnam has been so smart in making troubling in our society in order to benefit from it. More debate about this controversial day, more division surely happens in Khmer society. And who will benefit from this? The CPP or other parties, or Cambodian people?
To stand strongly in celebrating this day by some few CPP's members are really inspiring. Of course, there are many CPP's prominent members and common supporters don't see any significant necessary to celebrate this day for the benefit of Cambodia or particularly for the benefiting of CPP party to win the vote during election period. CPP with huge budget and human resource can easily win other party rather than using this controversial day. They surely see this day is out of date, and when the Khmer Rouge has been disappeared, this 7 January day is appearing clearly as the day of foreigner intervention and occupation in Cambodia.
Dear all Cambodian compatriots, our don ta (ancestors) have been instructing us to unite and trust each other especially our same race, so any activity that leads to controversial and division among our compatriots, that activity must be condemned and named it as "treason or traitor".
Again, this letter humbly appeals to all Khmers to see the right thing in order to lead the navy of Cambodia in the right track to appreciate our next civilized advancement.
The recognition or celebration of the 7 January day will surely exacerbate our nation, it will not bring any better for Cambodia under the current change of the world.
With King Regards,
Your Very Truly,
Khmer Young
khmer Pm3 always stay with you
Khmer Angkor said:
(Niss bortt phuchhung lilear) ( leuk dory kapyear ) (chhear lbab taing hlaay)( lear orss lob tos samteay)( lear pheiy âondâoraay proatt preay praas knear)(khgnom kraab toul preah puthear)(preah heuy khgnom lear trânghna tucksork)(khgnom lear trâng kam-neut thork)( keut mork oss lok seuch deal sandaan)...
http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2008/04/un-chief-calls-for-speedy-cambodia.html
Ah Khmer-Yuon (3:41) loves to be controlled by the Khmer Rouge, but most Khmer (99.9%) preferred to be free from the Khmer Rouge.
Thanks to Vietnam and PM Hun Sen for liberating all of us (Khmers) from evils.
Dear Khmer young.
we are khmer and I am also young generation. I would thank for your sharing ur sadness. I cannot help anything but just say" sharing". and sad to hear that!
Kindest regards,
Khmer music
Hello all, it sounds sad for khmer people to hear like this.
I love and friendly to all but not give our Kati udom..
"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!!!
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
Attahi attano natho, ko hi natho paro siya. Buddha
'The self is its own refuge, for who else could be refuge?'
If we can't depend on ourselves, there is no way we can hope to depend on others.
dear 3.41pm,
well said, I totally agree with you, after these 30 years, our country still have so many things need to work on, poverty, health care, education, infrastructure, border issue...... all those need attention from all country men and women to work together to build up the economic for the country, it is outdated to bring the pass to be in the present and talk about it non stop, everyone should talk about how we going to handle our country in the economic crisis is better than talking about how to celebrate 7th Jan, i know it is a day that we come back to our to life so what????? do we need to be grateful to this day very year, if someone help us one time in our life, do we need to say thank you to them every year never end????
One thing remember this SPECIAL DAY: We gave you LIFE; without us, you're NOTHING.
UN ,BARACK OBAMA au secours!
Concentration Camp, I had lived through it and survived the atrocity of Pol Pot, Sihanoukist, and Vietnamization.
The OLDER GENERATION, DON'T YOU DARE TO PORTRAIT YOURSELF AS ANGELS WHEN YOU MASSACRE BABIES, OLDS, YOUNGS, AND INDIFFERENCE DURING YOUR POLITICAL GAMES.
Yes, Sihanouk, Hun Sen, Pol Pot, Sirimatak, etc. -- all playing games, political indeed. Who suffer from these idiots?
Remember one thing, OLD FOLKS! Vietnam NEVER stopped its EXPANSIONISM idealogy. Pol Pot and Hun Sen was/is supported by the Vietnamese; they played game -- the people loss their lives. The Vietnamese Liberation IS just a Mask to fool the public that the Vietnamese SAVED Cambodian people from the hand of KR.
What idiots believe the Vietnamese save us? Are we actually free from Vietnamization and Expansionism?
Dear Compatriots -
I am just amazed by how ungrateful and mean-spirited some people can be. If it were not for January 7, most of us would not be here writing back and forth on this forum.
If you or your parents lived through Pol Pot, do you actually believe that you or your parents would have survived even one more year under the Khmer Rouge? Think about it.
If April 17 means something to you, then so should January 7!
It's a day that marks the dawn of our new nation, rising from the ashes left by the imperialist Americans and genocidal Khmer Rouge.
So, I invite all Khmer patriots, both inside and outside Cambodia, to join me to honor and celebrate this glorious and momentous event in the history of our Fatherland.
January 7 is also a day to celebrate and strengthen regional peace and stability in the spirit of friendship and mutual prosperity.
Thank you for your cooperation!
- Khmer Patriot, Ph.D.
January 7th may be the best opportunity day to get away from the pol pot's regime, but did anybody the real know the price to pay for it? Here it is in the broad day light:
4 and more millions of viet citizen can set up their residents businesses and celebrate their nationality/ culture freely in Cambodia. Plus they have their right to vote choose our government the way that will and forever catering to their country. With Cambdoain citizenship? may be and may be not.
The viet governement is a master to the hun sen government to no end.
Cambodia must join the viet federation. Making vietnam greater and bigger by day. Would this make the Chinese nervous? Probably. Will anyone, presumably Japan or The US cares about ? Probably not. Go figure out China. The fact that you have done little or nothing to see the clue, it's your fault. Cambodian has the right to choose, but choosing you first is no better than choosing the vietcong. Might as well keep both.
Will Cambodia ever see the light of being free from your controlling viet? Keep dreaming the hun sen governement. You so far had already control almost of our every economic means in our country and collecting millions $$$ back to your country. You can feed your January 7th crap to the bird. Those price to pay is long over. We owe you nothing. Get at fuck out of Cambodia.
When we did not need the US army, they invaded us. When all of us needed their help after 1975, they were disappeared. One of the high ranking US officer, said "Fuck off Cambodia" . As a civilization Nation, we like or not like, the Khmer people still have to thank the Vietnamese.
By that time (the end of 1978), the evil deeds committed by Pol Pot regime was ripened enough and had to receive its consequences. There was no such a thing as the Liberation Movement conducted by the puppetic group. It was the game of the smart Yuons, who are always smarter than the Khmer bumb rulers who are greedy for power. The Yuons installed this puppetic group in power because they have given the Yuons tons of advantage. This dictatorial group have NO quality to be the Khmer leaders. There is NO appropriate reason for decent Khmers to honor the 7-Makara which is actually the vitorious day of the Yuons'invasion of Cambodia.
Vietnamese helped Cambodians to get rid of Pol Pet.
After this they start to begging Barang for help since 1993.
Now 16 Years later they still depend on the help of Barang.
Everybody know that Vietnamese are not friends of Chinese.
Why so many Chinese invest in Cambodia?
Please thing for yourself what is the true!
Cambodia IS IN NEED of a strong leader!!!
As long as people depend on begging money from other countries they should shut their mouth!!!
I believe Hun Sen is doing a good job!
Look at Funcinpec or Sam Rainsy members! Are this people who can rule a country.
The Yuons got a revenge of Pol Pot after Pol Pot sent his troop to massacre hundreds of Yuon villagers at Ha Tien in spring 1978.
pol pot regime was assisted by youn. khmer is still suffering nowaday due to youn running the cpp regime.
. . . and because some Khmers keep thanking the enemy, that's why this life-long enemy keep chopping pieces of our land gradually, and Hun Sen, since he is the one-eyed ruler, preteding not to see what the Yuons have done to our homeland as long as his families and cronies have the endless chance to rule Cambodia (I somehow admire him for being much smarter than some dumb PhDs). The Yuons are just like foxes; they have plenty of tricks to convince the Khmers to believe that they are the real saviors.
I acknowledge that 7 January was tainted by Vietnamese involvement, but how many of us would be alive today if were not for that day?
Would Sam Rainsy have come to liberate us? Would Kem Sokha? Would Thailand? The Chinese? How about your Uncle Sam...weren't they helping the KR even after the atrocities had become public knowlege?
The truth is Samdech Hun Sen couldn't have defeated the KR by himself. He needed whomever was willing to help. What happens after you ask someone for a favor? You return it; it's natural.
I see that some of you overseas Khmers are excited about going to war with Siams over Preah Vihear.
Do you honestly think Cambodia would be able to take on the Siams, with its $120 million annual military aid from the U.S., without the help of others?
Who will be helping Cambodia? Your Uncle Sam? Not a chance...if anything, they will be killing us.
China? Probably not.
Vietnam? Bingo!
As a weak country we must avoid war whenever possible, because even when we win, we lose.
Think about it.
- Khmer Patriot, Ph.D.
It was not Hun Sen and his colleagues that sought the Yuons help; it was the Yuons'plan to manipulate the world opions. The Yuons recruited some deserted Khmer Rouge to be the figurehead of their movement to disguide it as a liberation movement, which was actually an invasion. But it's OK, for each of us is entiled to our own opinions.
Remember, "7 Makara 1979" is the day Yuon invaded Cambodia!
Remember!
ថ្ងៃ៧មករាជាថ្ងៃដែលយួនបានចូលឈ្លានពានកម្ពុជា។ពុំមែនជាថ្ងៃរំដោះស្អីនោះទេ។
Remember! 7 January 1979 is NOT the day Vietnamese invader, But, as The liberator of Cambodian from Sihanouk-Pol Pol Genocidal Regime.
A Student of Hun Sen College, Cambodia.
Wrong 4:26PM,
Wrong 4:53PM,
Wrong 7:15 PM,
Wrong Ph.D Viet salve @8:44 PM and 10:12 PM
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 8:44 and 10:12 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.
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 so daring...and see what Cambodia will become!
I have lived through it all include the Sihanouk, the Lon Nol, and the Khmer Rouge and the Vietcong occupation!
The Vietcong liberated nobody except their Vietnamese population in Cambodia and to make sure that the Vietnamese population has a foot hold in Cambodia and they began injecting over 4 million more Vietnamese populations into Cambodia during their 10 years occupation of Cambodia!
For those people who had seen how Iraq invaded Kuwait to plunder the Kuwaiti richness and it is the same in the case of the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia! The Vietnamese soldiers were too busy plundering Cambodia for 10 years that is why Cambodia has to start from nothing because the Vietcong soldiers steal everything! And on top of stealing and they began their ruthless oppression of Cambodian population too!
I have many family members died during the Khmer Rouge and I personally never like what the Khmer Rouge had done to Cambodian people! And even during the Vietnamese occupation and my family members still die of starvation!
It is so hopeless to see my own future during the Vietnamese occupation and my family members accept their loss and package their belonging and sell everything and escape Cambodia for a better future!
For those stupid Cambodian people who still want to live under the Vietnamese feet and drink the water from the Vietnamese armpit and let them have their way!
I have a burning question to why the Vietnamese would rather liberate Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge while still oppressing those million and million of Cambodian people called the Khmer Krom in Vietnam?
Only a Student of Hun Sen College, Cambodia can believe in a Vietcong theory and logic!
Leopard skin of 7 January is also conducting in the same tactic like recently bomb laid on the ground in order to blame innocent dissents...
Trick of invasion to manipulate as liberation...
The Vietcong liberation of Cambodia = The plundering of Cambodian richness by the Vietcong.
Happy Freedom day (Jan 7) to all!!!
AH ChkouT Ah Youn and Ah Chin not enemy they the fucking communist playing game to controle us!
May Mother earth take them lives!
How is it possible that the Viet are willing to give the Khmer in Cambodia a freedom on (Jan 7) but not to the million and million of Khmer in Vietnam?
If anybody welcome the (Jan 7) is only the Viet in Cambodia and their puppet and rightly so because the Viet in Cambodia enjoy more freedom than the Khmer in Vietnam!
Happy Freedom day (Jan 7) to all Khmer!
Thanks to Vietnam!
Thanks to PM Hun Sen!
To 10:12 PM Khmer Patriot, Ph.D.
The way you talk like you are some military expert! AHAHAHHAHAHAH
If the Siam leaders learn from history, why the Vietcong withdrew their troop from Cambodia after 10 of occupation!
The Siam try and the Siam will die!
JAN. 7 IS A SAD DAY FOR CAMBODIA....NO NEED TO CELEBRATE....WASTE OF TIME....THE YUON ...KILLED MANY CAMBODIAN...LIKE K5....ETC....
No, Jan 7 is the biggest joyous Khmer Holiday of all holidays because it is the day where all Khmer is freed from the Khmer-Rouge and his cronies (Ah Scam Rainxy and Ah Pleu-Oversea).
go kiss youn's (__0__) now ah 2:18 PM? Note it's real loose (__0__), don't you think?
8:44,
Still drunks! Ah Lop!Lop!
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