(Photo: Reuters)Hun Xen pushes for the telling of Cambodia’s true history
Monday, August 24, 2009
Kampuchea Thmei newspaper
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media
Hun Xen is pushing for a general telling of Cambodia’s true past history. He indicated that it is better that there is no fear in telling the truth about history.
On 21 August, Hun Xen said in a forum held in a thatched roof building located in the middle of rice fields in Bakan district, Pursat province, that “historical truth cannot be hidden, and even Duch said in court that tamarind leaves shouldn’t be used to hide a dead elephant,” Hun Xen added that: “04 April 1970 was the date I entered the resistance movement, through the appeal made by then-Prince Sihanouk, to fight the aggression, and it was this aggression that begot Pol Pot. If there were no aggressors, no Lonnolians and their coup d’état to topple Prince Sihanouk, maybe our country would not be damaged like it is.”
Hun Xen said that: “A number of people who do not know history well, they never dare to speak out because they are afraid the US will cut their aid. But, for me, I don’t need to be afraid because this is the truth.” Hun Xen added: “Who didn’t know that the US brought in their troops to Cambodia? Who didn’t know that “Ah” [derogatory] Thieu-Ky [of South Vietnam] came to Cambodia? A number of ASEAN countries came to Cambodia also: they were Thailand, the Philippines, they came to Cambodia. We are not afraid to talk about this issue. Even today, the remains of the dead US soldiers cannot all be found yet, why should we hide historical facts?”
Hun Xen added: “Don’t be afraid to tell the historical truth that, indeed, Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1979, but we must also talk about why the US came? Why South Vietnam came? And why France, Japan came to Cambodia in the past?” Hun Xen declared: “I want to talk about history because some are very scared, they do not dare, when it affects the US, they always say that they are independent, but in their true nature, they are not independent.”
Hun Xen added: “Some foreigners wrote strategy to advise me, but don’t assume that I don’t have people near me, gentlemen. I am naming them directly: a German man wrote the strategy for a political party, a US man also wrote the strategy for a political party as well. As I used to say, these [foreigners] are not worth it.” Hun Xen added: “They rely on the US, on the West, but they are worthless.”
On 21 August, Hun Xen said in a forum held in a thatched roof building located in the middle of rice fields in Bakan district, Pursat province, that “historical truth cannot be hidden, and even Duch said in court that tamarind leaves shouldn’t be used to hide a dead elephant,” Hun Xen added that: “04 April 1970 was the date I entered the resistance movement, through the appeal made by then-Prince Sihanouk, to fight the aggression, and it was this aggression that begot Pol Pot. If there were no aggressors, no Lonnolians and their coup d’état to topple Prince Sihanouk, maybe our country would not be damaged like it is.”
Hun Xen said that: “A number of people who do not know history well, they never dare to speak out because they are afraid the US will cut their aid. But, for me, I don’t need to be afraid because this is the truth.” Hun Xen added: “Who didn’t know that the US brought in their troops to Cambodia? Who didn’t know that “Ah” [derogatory] Thieu-Ky [of South Vietnam] came to Cambodia? A number of ASEAN countries came to Cambodia also: they were Thailand, the Philippines, they came to Cambodia. We are not afraid to talk about this issue. Even today, the remains of the dead US soldiers cannot all be found yet, why should we hide historical facts?”
Hun Xen added: “Don’t be afraid to tell the historical truth that, indeed, Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1979, but we must also talk about why the US came? Why South Vietnam came? And why France, Japan came to Cambodia in the past?” Hun Xen declared: “I want to talk about history because some are very scared, they do not dare, when it affects the US, they always say that they are independent, but in their true nature, they are not independent.”
Hun Xen added: “Some foreigners wrote strategy to advise me, but don’t assume that I don’t have people near me, gentlemen. I am naming them directly: a German man wrote the strategy for a political party, a US man also wrote the strategy for a political party as well. As I used to say, these [foreigners] are not worth it.” Hun Xen added: “They rely on the US, on the West, but they are worthless.”
