State, Factories Owners, Workers Are Triangular Angles for Development
Please allow me to express my warm welcome for workers, trade union leaders, and factories owners. I am taking this opportune moment to covey to you the best wishes and merits from the peace blessing ceremony for the Kingdom of Cambodia organized in Siem Reap days ago for you workers and participants. Wish you all the five Buddhist blessings, peace, and progress. State, workers, and factories owners are triangular triangles for development of our country. State represented by the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training. Factories represented by the private sector and thirdly, workers and you are representing it. The three cannot lose one another, and the key one among the three is the state. Should the state crumble, or lose stability, two other angles could not last […]
2 December – Founding of National United Front for Salvation of Kampuchea
… In December, there are many historic events. Thirty-nine years ago, I was in military uniform to lead a fight to overthrow the regime of genocide of Pol Pot. People could have seen battalions of the army that I founded and presented on the day of the proclamation of the National United Front for Salvation of Kampuchea. In archives, people could see Samdech Heng Samrin, Samdech Chea Sim, and me, visited our troops. I was then only 26 years old. This was a story from 39 years ago. At that very moment, we were keeping abreast with events concerning our troop movements in their fights into the country.
2 December 1987 – Sihanouk-Hun Sen Peace Negotiation at Fere-en-Tardenois
In another 2 December event, HE Senior Minister Cham Prasidh was with me then. This year is the 30th anniversary of the Fere-en-Tardenois Sihanouk-Hun Sen Peace Negation on 2 December 2017 […] 2 December we conducted negotiation for settlement of the Cambodian problem and to seek peace for younger generations. As you can see I was then at the front with our army and then at the forefront in our peace negotiation efforts so that Cambodia is no longer making war.
2 December 1998 – Issuing Triangular Strategy
Also on 2 December, in 1998, (I) put out this triangular strategy, which, up to this moment, is already 19 years. After the Cambodian People’s Party’s election victory in 1998, on 2 December 1998, we convened the first Cabinet meeting and I proclaimed the triangular strategy. The first angle was to secure peace in the whole country. Samdech Pichey Sena Tia Banh, Minister of National Defence and other army leaders had made great efforts to secure final stage of peace to bring former top leaders of the Khmer Rouge – Khieu Samphan, Nuon Chea and others to my house […]
Angle 2 of the triangular strategy in that stage was to ensure early integration of Cambodia into international community. We had made a great success in reoccupying the Cambodian seat in world bodies, which many Cambodian factions had been fighting for after the coup in 1970 that overthrew Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk […] we had secured the seat at the United Nations. We also made a quick entry into ASEAN, Asia-Europe, and other international bodies, which included also a successful negotiation conducted by Senior Minister HE Cham Prasidh for accession to the World Trade Organization […]
Angle 3 of the triangular strategy was to benefit from the previous two angles’ favorable conditions – both internal and external by mobilizing every effort to reduce poverty of the Cambodian people. Was it not a vision? It was not a leadership by chance. You can see the truth in life of your grandparents, or parents, how they have changed theirs. At this time, it is your lives too. Before reaching the rectangular strategy phase, we had secured successes for the triangular strategy both the internal and external angles, and gathering moments and efforts to reducing poverty, and devoting for the country’s socio-economic development.
Everything We Have Today Come from 2 December Events
These should help you to see efforts that we are making, not in one day, one month, or one year, and not only making empty voices. They are real actions and their fruits have become your picks today. Our country as anyone can remember was desperate and poor before we have come to what we are today. You may ask your parents, grandparents, or senior citizens, how they lived their lives. Not only that they did not have jobs, they had had to displace themselves from native places too. Stripped off their belongings, people had nothing to survive on, not to mention demanding higher salary. It was not just me that this revival had been a miracle but your parents’ and/or grandparents’ contribution had been crucial to restore the country from heinous destruction […] that is not campaigning bragging at all but a narrating of real actions. It is in this conviction that I have the feeling that your cordial and friendly presentations to me reveal your knowledge and understanding of what I have been doing for the country […]
To Receive Cambodian Prisoners in and Post-1994 Immigrants to the US
… We also have one unfortunate issue that concerned us Cambodians. We have an agreement with the United States of America and we will see to it. We have made points of humanitarian and human rights grounds but we have not neglected our commitment to implementing the agreement. We have conducted interviews with Cambodians imprisoned and will be sent back to Cambodia. Some of them are sick. We are asking the US government to provide them treatment before sending them back to Cambodia. We also have received a request from the US to receive back Cambodians who have sought resettlement in the US after 1994 […]
I have told Samdech Krola Haom Sar Kheng that we must take the matter into consideration and can reach an agreement with the US to receive them back to Cambodia. I must take this chance to send a message to our people who already live in the US and/or those who have planned to do so to see risks that are waiting for them […]
The other day I had meal with Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull and I asked him about the agreement on sending refugees to resettle in Cambodia. He said the point is no one wants to come live in Cambodia. It is true. They wanted to go live in Australia, not in Cambodia. We had offered our gesture though to receive some of them to the country. He told me that the Australian opposition said that should they win in the forthcoming elections, they would allow them all to go (from refugees centers – one in Papua New Guinea) live in Australia […]
As Prime Minister, I am declaring that we are to receive our people back to Cambodia. The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia can now start negotiating with the US administration on that matter. However, I am calling on the US side to consider some issues. Cambodia cannot afford air tickets. We will see them at the Phnom Penh International Airport at Pochentong. They should also provide them with some start-up money to survive the first months of year […]
Secondly, those arrived and lived in the US after 1994. We also are to receive them but we also have to negotiate on matters concerning repatriation, early resettlement fund, etc. The Royal Government of Cambodia has a part of responsibility to see that they can make their living but the US administration also has to consider providing them with some resources in their resettlements and reintegration into their families back here […]
Report: Cambodia Out of Poverty
… What you have today is not because someone makes a noise but from efforts made by your grandparents, parents, in support of the Cambodian People’s Party, and my leadership […] Thirty-nine years ago, when I was 26 years of age, I monitored the liberation. Thirty-nine years later, I have had this wonderful chance to meet and talk to our workers […] I have seen news report on CNC yesterday and I could not verify it yet. Quoting World Bank as source, the report said that Cambodia is among countries that are out of poverty. Is it true? If the news is true, it is a satire for those who campaigned abroad that “Cambodia is in a state of having not even rice to eat.”
… However, I am also calling on international financial institutions such as Asian Development Bank, the AIIB, etc., not to seek to increase interest rates on loans to Cambodia. Cambodia has not got out of difficult time to borrow at commercial interest rates yet […] please verify if it is true or not […] only the Ministry of Economy and Finance has a better understanding of this matter. However, whether the news is or is not true, Cambodia is not in hunger time like in Somalia, Sudan, or even Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh […]
Inciting Army Rebellion – A Treason
… Yesterday, there was a declaration from a treacherous person … for the army to rebel. Should the army rebel, what would happen? Let me send him a message that he has too little knowledge of Cambodia, the Cambodians, and its armed forces. People here are poor and in hardships but they love peace. They would not buy your incitements. Let us think for a moment. Should the army rebel, a war would be imminent, would you all continue to receive what you do now? Jobs, democracy, and development are not born in war but in peace […] to safeguard peace, jobs, political stability, and social order is to ensure your job security […]
I learnt that today the chief of general staff of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and other senior military officials would sue the person to the court on charge of incitement of the army to disobey commands. I would have his attention and others’ that that is what I have been saying that Cambodia would be facing war. It has become clearer now. We have taken measures to avoid war. Some people know only how to make war. We have ample reasons to justify legal measures taken and led to the dissolution and trial of treacherous persons. It is because of their treacherous acts, we are making it known to everyone that should they continue, there would be war. In 2011, he did it once and he is doing it again now […]
As Long As Hun Sen Is Here, No Concern of War
I wish to talk to the Cambodian people that as long as Hun Sen is present, you may have no concern about war. Hun Sen, together with other leaders of the Cambodian People’s Party is the sole guarantor of continued peace and development of the country. This man, with other leaders, has stood as a chief buttress since when we had to fight Pol Pot and prevented its regime from returning, and war that some had created endlessly. More importantly and lately, we have prevented color revolutions in late 2013 and early 2014 consecutively. An attack whatsoever on Hun Sen is not a bizarre thing because Hun Sen stands in the way of their march to power through perilous means. This has culminated a fact that the presence of Hun Sen is for peace and it is a truth. It is not a fake.
Freedom of Expression Not To Be Obstacles to Others
You must continue to contribute to keep peace. From here, I am seeking your consent – you present here or workers in the whole country, that freedom of expression should not become obstacles to others. In days now, there has been news that there would be a change of factories owners in one place and workers have taken their measures to close down the road. Blocking road is illegal and a discontentment to other people needing to use it. Take for instance, a woman in labor or an injured person that needs to go to hospital she/he would have suffered from closing roads action. It would not deal with just factories owners but cause sufferings and losses to those who would have to use the roads.
You should not let yourselves be incited by a few and take that desperate measures […] we must seek a solution. The one to stay and finalize issue up would be the one to pay you what the factories owned. There is person who takes charge, not only the factories owners but also concerned authorities. I ordered in the past to pay back million of USD to our workers at Takhmao in 2007/8 […] that is my request. Do not close the street […]
Similar Rules in Democracy and in Sports Competition
Let me clarify that competing in democracy and in sports require the same rules. Cambodia, in your absence, will continue to organize the Senate elections on 25 February 2018 and the general elections on 29 July 2018. In sports, any sportsmen committed fouls would get red cards that would not permit them to continue in the march. Committed serious mistakes some could receive a whole life ban […] it would be no different for sportsmen in every sports and/or games. In such case, would they dismantle the stadium? […] in democracy, liberal pluralism, we also pursue similar rule. If there will be no such party in the elections, there will be others […]
To Seek Premiership for Ten More Years At Least
Peace is invaluable. I have declared that I will seek premiership for the next at least ten years. My presence (in that position) would guarantee that the country evolves on a regular march of peace, liberal pluralism, and democracy. It will not be only liberal pluralism alone but one with rule of law. That will make our country developed and realize higher economic growth. In China, since this country has a huge market potential and we have negotiated on trade and tourism investment. Soon, China could become a number one country to have tourist arrival in Cambodia […] that would help in providing jobs for those involve in hotels, restaurants, and trades. Yesterday, we had good news from the Korean Republic ambassador that we can export mango to Korea now […] Cambodia now produces not only for local consumption but also for exports./.
