21 January 2008By Lim Pisith Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
On Monday, Prime minister Hun Sen called, from the former hot battlefield in Cambodia’s northwest, for a stronger national unity.
Hun Sen made this declaration during an inauguration of a new building for the army region No. 5, based in Battambang province, on 21 January, by drawing parallel with the security situation in Thailand and in other countries in the region.
Hun Sen said: “However, in each country, peace is predominant … but, in southern Thailand, only in the past week, 3 days (of unrest) took place. On Monday, 8 soldiers were killed in the south (of Thailand). In this case, teachers were escorted by soldiers to their schools, they (Thai insurgents) attacked the soldiers directly. On another day, there was an explosion in one of the cities, then on another day, another explosion took place in another city. Therefore, problems take place like this … in The Philippines, Sri Lanka, once here, once there. That’s why we all must preserve it (national unity), this is a good opportunity, even though now we don’t have it, but at least we are not running away from it.”
Hun Sen’s declaration was welcomed by Sam Rainsy, the leader of the largest opposition party in Cambodia. Sam Rainsy applauded the issue raised by Hun Sen and he asked that peace and social justice be instituted.
Sam Rainsy said: “I also call on Cambodia people from all political affiliations, to unite in order to defend peace and stability in Cambodia, and I want a national reconciliation, so that Cambodian people do not oppose each other as what happened in the past. However, in order to guarantee peace, there must be social justice. Peace without social justice has no meaning, and this peace wouldn’t be strong either.”
According to Hun Sen, Cambodia suffered national discord and territorial split between 1959 and 1998, before the Democratic Kampuchea regime (or Khmer Rouge regime) finally ended.
This is the first time, during the last few days, that Hun Sen addressed the public and former KR army commanders in Cambodia’s northwest. His speech comes at the heel of a meeting held by KR Tribunal officials in Pailin to allay fears of arrest among former KR leaders.
Hun Sen made this declaration during an inauguration of a new building for the army region No. 5, based in Battambang province, on 21 January, by drawing parallel with the security situation in Thailand and in other countries in the region.
Hun Sen said: “However, in each country, peace is predominant … but, in southern Thailand, only in the past week, 3 days (of unrest) took place. On Monday, 8 soldiers were killed in the south (of Thailand). In this case, teachers were escorted by soldiers to their schools, they (Thai insurgents) attacked the soldiers directly. On another day, there was an explosion in one of the cities, then on another day, another explosion took place in another city. Therefore, problems take place like this … in The Philippines, Sri Lanka, once here, once there. That’s why we all must preserve it (national unity), this is a good opportunity, even though now we don’t have it, but at least we are not running away from it.”
Hun Sen’s declaration was welcomed by Sam Rainsy, the leader of the largest opposition party in Cambodia. Sam Rainsy applauded the issue raised by Hun Sen and he asked that peace and social justice be instituted.
Sam Rainsy said: “I also call on Cambodia people from all political affiliations, to unite in order to defend peace and stability in Cambodia, and I want a national reconciliation, so that Cambodian people do not oppose each other as what happened in the past. However, in order to guarantee peace, there must be social justice. Peace without social justice has no meaning, and this peace wouldn’t be strong either.”
According to Hun Sen, Cambodia suffered national discord and territorial split between 1959 and 1998, before the Democratic Kampuchea regime (or Khmer Rouge regime) finally ended.
This is the first time, during the last few days, that Hun Sen addressed the public and former KR army commanders in Cambodia’s northwest. His speech comes at the heel of a meeting held by KR Tribunal officials in Pailin to allay fears of arrest among former KR leaders.
