Bastille Day: The invitation of the Cambodian PM, a former Khmer Rouge, is hard to swallow

Hun Sen (L) and Bernard Kouchner, French minister of Foreign Affairs (Photo: Boris Horvat, AFP)

15 July 2009
By Corrinne Callebaut
20minutes.fr
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

Diplomacy – Hun Sen and Hor Nam Hong, his minister of Foreign Affairs, were invited by Paris to attend the national Bastille Day parade...

He would have been completely unnoticed, at least among the French news media. However, the Cambodian community noted their arrival because Hun Sen, Cambodia’s PM, is also known for his Khmer Rouge past and he is regularly pointed out by International organizations for repeated violations of human rights perpetrated by his regime. Hun Sen was present at the presidential podium, near Nicolas Sarkozy, under the latter’s invitation, during the 14 July Bastille Day parade.

“France maintains excellent relationships with Cambodia. In 1991, it (France) co-presided the Paris Accords which initiated the reconstruction process of this country, and since then, it constantly supported Cambodia’s prosperity through its cooperation actions,” the press communiqué from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated to justify Hun Sen’s presence in Paris.

Victims Indignation

Later in the French communiqué, “political discussions” were also brought up. These discussions “will be opportunities for exchanges over the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, a jurisdiction that France had constantly supported politically and financially.” This remark enraged the Cambodian diaspora in France which counts a large number of Cambodians who were victims of Pol Pot’s regime.

“As President of the Association for the Victims of the Khmer Rouge Genocide, I find Hun Sen’s visit upsetting, furthermore, I let Preisdent Nicolas Sarkozy know about this issue in a letter sent to him in the name of all the victims,” [Billon] Ung Bun Hor indicated. “We cannot do anything against this, he was invited by the French government. On the other hand, what hurts us most is the fact that France welcomes Hor Nam Hong, the minister of Foreign Affairs. If Hun Sen was a Khmer Rouge, he was not part of the Angkar (organization, apparatchik), and quite to the contrary, [Hor Nam Hong] his minister was responsible for a concentration and torture center. This man should be on the list of the accused at the Khmer Rouge trial. Today, he is shaking hands with the French president. We are profoundly shocked.”

Letter sent to Nicolas Sarkozy

Numerous associations expressed the same feeling of sadness and indignation. The “Khmer M’Chas Srok,” a movement for the defense of human rights of the Khmer people, underscored in its open letter to Nicolas Sarkosy “the disarray of the Khmer People” which stems “from a poignant feeling of being orphans, deprived of good governance, deprived of social protection, and deprived of all dignity…”. The Cambodia’s Border Committee (CBC), in a letter sent to Sarkozy and signed by Dy Kareth, its vice-president, hopes that “human rights and rule of law issues” will be raised “in the spirit and with the positive contribution of France…”.

Hope to become a great nation nevertheless

In spite of their strong feeling on this issue, the Cambodian community in France also noticed that, through the presence of Cambodia’s PM at the official celebration, Cambodia will find its place on the world map again. “At least this is positive,” [Billon] Ung Bun Hor said. “Cambodia is on the talk and the kingdom starts to have an international representation again,” she added. Malay Phcar, the founder of the Cambodge-vision website who lost three brothers and sisters, as well as both of his parents under Pol Pot’s regime, finds it “shocking to welcome Hun Sen … Nevertheless, it is important to preserve the strong Franco-Khmer friendship.”

Thus, Hun Sen, Cambodia’s Strongman, was able to shine his lackluster image among the international community nevertheless, exiled Cambodians still have a bitter outlook on him, while still maintaining a strong hope for their country’s future.

Hun Xen demands the condemnation of Khmer Republicans for starting the war

Hun Sen said that during the uprising movement, nobody was more important than him. He was the commander of an army battalion.

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22 June 2009
Rasmei Kampuchea
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media

Prime minister Hun Sen asked why there are so many veterans in Cambodia? “We must not forget those who initiated the 18 March 1970 coup d’état, we must not forget to condemn them, if there was no coup d’état to topple Samdach Preah Norodom Sihanouk, the legal State leader, there wouldn’t be any war and there wouldn’t be the genocidal (KR) regime either. We must condemn the [Khmer] Republicans because, if there were no 18 March 1970, there wouldn’t be such tragedy in our Cambodia either,” Hun Sen said.

Hun Sen made these comments during the second anniversary of the Veteran Day to be held on 21 June 2009. Hun Sen’s comments were made on 20 June 2009 at the Chaktokmouk conference center, an event that was attended by 800 veterans.

Hun Sen added: “It is fortunate that in our country, there is no grudge held, all sides can live with each other.”

Hun Sen also reminisced about the formation of the national movement to liberate people from the genocidal Pol Pot regime [in which Hun Sen was a commander], and this movement started on 21 June 1977, i.e. 30 years ago, Hun Sen fled to Vietnam with a group of armed men, leaving behind his lovely wife. Hun Sen reminisced about some facts on the travel to Vietnam, such as his imprisonment in Vietnam.

Hun Sen added that in the uprising movement, nobody was more important than him. He was the commander of an army battalion. It was not until 02 December 1978 that the National United Salvation Front was formed with the joining of 5 parties: the eastern region led by Chea Xim and Heng Xamrin, the northeastern region led Bou Thang, Seuy Keo, and the southwestern region led by Say Puthang and Tea Banh (Koh Kong), as well as the troops under Hun Sen’s command.

Hun Sen also raised about the sufferings and the tragedy created by the KR on him and his family, and he said that if he were to make to wrong decision, he wouldn’t be alive right now. He said that his correct decision was when (1) his firstborn son was dropped from the hands of a KR delivery nurse, the child bled through his mouth and died on the spot. When he asked to take his son to bury and he wanted to take care of his wife, the KR commander did not allow him, this made Hun Sen very angry and he wanted to pull his gun to kill the KR commander, but he stopped himself on time (it should be noted that when he was recounting this story, Hun Sen choked and the participants were saddened by the bitter past under the genocidal regime which lasted 3 years, 8 months and 20 days). (2) His second decision was made when Hun Sen wanted to free his friends who were called in by Angkar (the party) for re-education, during that time, re-education meant being killed.

Hun Sen said that he is very fortunate with the people in the liberation of the country, the construction of the country, the prevention of the return of the Pol Pot regime, and also for bringing leaders in the Pol Pot regime to face justice. “Therefore, whatever the mean, whatever the price, we should not lose peace which we earn with great difficulties. We have many veterans because our country fought wars, therefore, we must prevent the return of the genocidal regime, and prevent those who want to start the war to come back. We must condemn the [Khmer] Republicans because if there were no 18 March 1970, there wouldn’t be tragedy in Cambodia either,” Hun Sen claimed.

Hun Sen added that he recognized he is hot-headed, but that he never made any wrong political decision yet, and this also included his decision to order the army on 15 July 2008 [date of Thai troops invasion of Cambodia in Preah Vihear], if he made a wrong decision, war will start all over again, this is not a small affair.

Hun Sen also criticized a small group of people who consider themselves as democrats or father of democracy, because they never made any decision regarding the policy of the country of yet. He said that even decisions within their small party were not done properly, and this led their members to almost all leave the party. He said that they should not demand to topple others, and they shouldn’t consider others as communist. Just using the word communist alone shows that they are not democrats anymore.