By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
About 300 people coming from various states in the US, who are supporting the CPP, including Sea Kosal, the Cambodian representative at the UN, and a number of other Cambodian diplomats, celebrated the 29th anniversary of 07 January in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The celebration took place on Saturday 05 January, 2 days prior to the official celebration organized by the CPP in Phnom Penh city.
Sea Kosal, the official representing the CPP, said about the meaning of 07 January: “Today, we are gathering to remember and celebrate the 07 January victory, which is a day that gave us our second birth, because, without 07 January 1979, we all wouldn’t be present here, and our country during that time, would be completely destroyed already.”
For the CPP supporters, 07 January is considered as a liberation day from the yoke of the Pol Pot Khmer Rouge killing, however, the opposition parties consider 07 January as the day of the aggression and invasion of Cambodia by the Vietnamese army.
Som Kealey, the representative of the CPP branch office in Philadelphia, said that 07 January is not an evil day like the opposition claim. Som Kealey said: “This day is the super victory of our (Xmer?) brothers who came from various states and Canada, New York, etc… to participate in the celebration of 07 January, the super victory day of (Vietnam over) Cambodia.”
Mayarith: How do you consider 07 January?
Som Kealey: 07 January is a day that Cambodians won because they were saved from the Pol Pot’s regime danger.
The celebration of 07 January in Pennsylvania takes place every single year. During this year celebration, the event seems to be participated by numerous foreigners also.
The celebration took place on Saturday 05 January, 2 days prior to the official celebration organized by the CPP in Phnom Penh city.
Sea Kosal, the official representing the CPP, said about the meaning of 07 January: “Today, we are gathering to remember and celebrate the 07 January victory, which is a day that gave us our second birth, because, without 07 January 1979, we all wouldn’t be present here, and our country during that time, would be completely destroyed already.”
For the CPP supporters, 07 January is considered as a liberation day from the yoke of the Pol Pot Khmer Rouge killing, however, the opposition parties consider 07 January as the day of the aggression and invasion of Cambodia by the Vietnamese army.
Som Kealey, the representative of the CPP branch office in Philadelphia, said that 07 January is not an evil day like the opposition claim. Som Kealey said: “This day is the super victory of our (Xmer?) brothers who came from various states and Canada, New York, etc… to participate in the celebration of 07 January, the super victory day of (Vietnam over) Cambodia.”
Mayarith: How do you consider 07 January?
Som Kealey: 07 January is a day that Cambodians won because they were saved from the Pol Pot’s regime danger.
The celebration of 07 January in Pennsylvania takes place every single year. During this year celebration, the event seems to be participated by numerous foreigners also.
