Selected Comments Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Conversation with Residents in the Angkor Area Who Voluntarily Relocate to the New Settlement at Run Ta Ek Village, Banteay Srey District, Siem Reap Province [Unofficial Translation]

CNV:

(1) Preah Borom Ratanakaod Initiated Designation Request Since 1991 for Angkor Wat to Be Listed as a World Heritage Site

Today is the third day of our (fifteen) religious rites and a day when our people can come together here. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our people for understanding what we are doing what we should […] I would like to thank […] our officials, whom we have up to nearly 2,000 men to work together to tackle the fundamental issues. We can no longer sit blowing the smoke. We must put out the fire […] the people themselves cannot expand their ownership right or housing construction […] I should speak on this matter to explain to the people here as well as those who living elsewhere so that to understand (about what we are doing here) and to avoid (believing) the unfortunate propaganda of a small group of people who are always against everything that the Royal Government has done […]

I should mention that “our Angkor Wat is a World Heritage Site.” I should recall a bit about that background. His Majesty King Father Norodom Sihanouk, Preah Borom Ratanakaod, has worked very hard since the beginning of the Supreme National Council (SNC) era. In onwe of our meetings in Pattaya, he called on every delegation […] he came to visit me and my colleague, who are SNC members from the State of Cambodia in my own room. “Excellency! We should make our Angkor temples a World Heritage Site,” at that time, he consulted […] through his efforts and the understanding of our friends, especially UNESCO, Angkor was declared a World Heritage Site in 1992.

Since then, in terms of the structure of governance, during the transition period of the Paris Agreement up to the elections and the Constitutional Assembly, to the formation of a new government […] SNC represents the independence and sovereignty of Cambodia and is considered […] the only source of power. However, they also recognized the (importance of) administration on the spot. That is why Khieu Samphan was very disappointed. They only read the part about SNC being the only source of power, but they forget to look at the annex about administration in place […] I reiterate that this is the Royal Wisdom that began with His Majesty the Father of the Nation. Now his son is reigning, our King Norodom Sihamoni, with the Royal Government that I am the Prime Minister to carry on up to now […]

To be inscribed on the World Heritage List, we must accept the conditions set by UNESCO. We must respect the conditions. If we do not address this, Angkor Wat will be removed from the World Heritage List because it loses its properties. Illegal settlements in the area and at certain infrastructural locations make it impossible for us to meet technical requirements […] (if not resolved) […] Cambodia (Angkor Wat would) lose its World Heritage status (and may face) eviction […] that will be the loss of our nation. The fact that we have access to the cultural heritage of humankind allows us to receive financial and technical supports from foreign friends to repair, maintain and preserve the World Heritage-listed temples […]

(2) Support Given to the One Who Can Lead CPP, Who Can Lead Cambodia

We are working on today’s settlement to provide a political framework solution. It is not a settlement on an ad-hoc basis. I will set a policy so that after me, the next generation will continue to deal with that according the set policy, or even in my era as I have not gone yet […] even if I step down, there is no party other than the CPP that will rule the country. It is a fact that Manet was born to be my child. Let me affirm that even if Hun Manet were not born to be my son, would have supported Hun Manet because he has sufficient qualification. I am not supporting my own son. I am supporting anyone who can lead the CPP or who can lead Cambodia […]

(3) Two Benefits – Protection of Ancestors’ Heritages and Owning Land Legally

From the beginning, we did not have a specific policy […] our people in the areas banned by UNESCO conditions cannot build and/or extend their homes even when they have their children married […] I will put out today a policy guideline that will also help deal with this matter at a later date. Even when I will not be here, the successor must continue to deal with this way. This solution is beneficial in both directions. The first is that the whole nation will benefit from the protection of the heritage that our ancestors have for thousands of years ago built and left them for us, and that we have had it put into the World Heritage List and helped by the international community. As for the people, who had lived illegally in the banned area, they have now their own land as legal property […]

Siem Reap had just finished fighting in 1993. There was an attack on UNTAC (United Nation Transitional Authority in Cambodia) fortress in 1993. When the Khmer Rouge stormed from the airport to Siem Reap city, Yasushi Akashi (UNTAC Chief) called for the State of Cambodia army to intervene. My reply was that if you could not control Eric Falt, the UNTAC spokesman, I would not send my troops out. As the Khmer Rouge attacked us, Eric Falt said, “the Khmer Rouge and the State of Cambodian violated the ceasefire agreement.” We were the victim of the attack, they put the blame on both sides […] so later the 4th Military Zone army fought to drive the Khmer Rouge out of the city. That was what happened in the history. The Khmer Rouge did not know if they were damaging the world heritage site of Angkor Wat […]

(4) Five Policies and One Appeal for Run Ta Ek and Peak Snaeng Resettlements

Regarding policy issues, […] firstly, on transportation, we need to help transport people and their properties from the old place to the new place. I would like to entrust this task to the 4th military region and the 2nd Division to use the means to help transport. Where is the Commander of the 2nd division […], the order is transporting them in when the land is ready. If it is not, do not do it […]

Secondly, for the first step, we are providing cash aid and assistance […] whereas today’s donation is a sack of 50 kg of rice, one large box of instant noodle […] one large box of canned fish […], 200,000 Riels, plus one million Riel as contribution to each family efforts to build a house […] and 30 sheets of corrugated zinc […] Oknha Leng Navatra helped provided a certain amount of corrugated zinc […] and we have to buy more to have enough for everyone […]

Thirdly, all those who agree to leave the illegal place to the legal place must receive a card proving their poverty and a pregnant woman card. I order the Minister of Social and Veterans Affairs, to include all the people to receive the poverty proving cards and the cards from which they are entitled to financial assistance during the Covid-19 era […]

Fourthly, I have said something already from the beginning that we are prepared to offer similar policy for those who will leave their parents families to build their own […] these people, when they are separated, will receive assistance according to the same policy. Once we have no more land at Run Ta Ek, we have to prepare a plan for Sieng Nam area (at Peak Snaeng) […]

Fifthly, we will take up issue of infrastructure. The two kilometers road leading to this settlement, at least to the hospital location, must be paved as a first step […] and be ready before Khmer New Year […] we will proceed to do more in the resettlement area […] as for clean water […] I would entrust (Minister of Industry and Innovation) His Excellency Cham Prasidh the study for source of water supply […] as we have water pipe running from Siem Reap to the new airport via the Angkrorng market, which is 17 kilometers from here, I have approved connection water pipe of clean water to the resettlement place that we would make Run Ta Ek a town in the near future […]

As roads are being built and water will be piped, electricity will be wired in (from about one km distance). HE Keo Rattanak will have to see that done because we are going to provide the whole village with electricity […] As for education, we are going to […] build a secondary school in this place that has a high school to ensure that our children will not have to travel far for their high school education […]

As for health service, we will set up a three-roof section health center, one roof of which is for general illness, one for maternity wards and the other for a 20-room dormitory […] apart from that, there is this eight-roof sections Run Ta Ek market […] whereas The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications is responsible for providing Telephone and Internet service […]

Finally, I call on the owners of microfinance to help provide loans to the people who have come to live in the area of ​​Run Ta Ek with low interest rates and favors, because these thousands of families may need some capital to create a business […] I do not have the right to order (them) though I have the right to order things that are in my jurisdiction, such as ordering to get money out buying land, building roads, piping water supply, building schools, hospitals […]

(5) Even Leaving the Post of Prime Minister, as President of the CPP, Will Control the Activities of the Prime Minister and Ministers

I call on political parties not to use what Hun Sen is addressing here, which is a national need, as a weapon against Hun Sen in the future. I understand about you. You always do this before the election […] this is not a political matter, but a national need […] this policy that I set out is not for random actions. It is a long-term policy process. I would like to set a time frame 10 years for this policy. I hope that in the event that I leave the post of Prime Minister, the successive ones coming from the CPP will continue to implement this policy. Even though I left the post of Prime Minister, I still am the President of the CPP. I have the right to monitor the activities of the Prime Minister and other ministers. If they are not working according to the line set by the Party, they will be removed. Being removed by the party president is what will conclude. Some would say that I am prepared to order the successive Prime Minister. Well, in Cambodia, people voted for the party, and the party has to appoint the prime minister […]

(6) Strengthen Ability to Attract and Develop Northern Rising Star Hub; Will Not Let People and HM the King Disappointed; Khem Veasna and Supporters Should Respond to Accusation; Whoever Is Against PM Bodyguards Is Trying to Stage a Coup; Hope People Continue to Vote for the CPP on July 23, 2023

Let us just consider that I came today to strengthen the ability to attract and develop in the northern rising star area. We have rising stars in the southwest that cover Kampot, Kep, Sihanoukville, Koh Kong, but we also have stars in the north, where Siem Reap stays in the centre, which also cover the provinces of Uddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom […]

I will not be in the country to celebrate (the Buddhist ritual of) Pchum Ben this year because from the 21st (of September, which falls on the 11th Pchum Ben day) I will be (conducting an official visit) in Cuba […] this year, it is because we have achieved (multi dose) blanket vaccination […] people can celebrate the Khmer New Year […] because our brothers and sisters all over the country have saved their lives last year […] if life cannot be protected, do not talk about democracy or human rights. The greatest right is the right to life […]

I will not let the people be disappointed by the election of the CPP for Hun Sen to be the Prime Minister, and I will not let the King, who appointed me as the Prime Minister and bestowed me the title of Techo to have a disappointment on their decision. I need to find real peace for the people, to keep this peace, and to develop the country. In the Covid-19 time, whatever cost it may be, I will seek out for vaccines for the people […]

Let me send a message to His Excellency Khem Veasna, who is posing as Brahma. There have been questions as to why I do not order arrest and jail him when he attacks me. Some said that he can meditate in jail. They advise me to arrest Khem Veasna. They wanted me to use force. It is just a matter of superstition. I would not use force on that misbelief […] some said I was behind whatever Khem Veasna does. Therefore, His Excellency Khem Veasna should respond […] I am calling on His Excellency Khem Veasna and his supporters to respond to such accusation that I am ordering Khem Veasna to create this event […]

Hun Sen chooses to use armed force only against whoever wants to overthrow (the Royal Government). Whoever do that must suffer a reaction from the armed forces. Since you wanted to topple me, why would I leave the issue undealt with […] some said it is wrong to have a bodyguard force for defending the Prime Minister. I would like to warn you, whoever is against the bodyguards defending the Prime Minister is tantamount to trying to stage a coup […] If the Prime Minister is not protected and lost, the country will be in chaos immediately […] I went through many coups and attempted assassinations. In one of the army anniversary I reminded that I was under house arrest because of a coup, through three coups, and an attempted assassination on the 24th September 1998 in Siem Reap. That is why I am determined that as long as Hun Sen is in office, no one will be allowed to stage a coup […]

Thank you very much for your attention and support for the Cambodian People’s Party. I hope that all of you here will continue to vote for the CPP (in the forthcoming general elections), which will be held on July 23, 2023. Would you vote or not to vote (for CPP)? Thank you for your continued support and I will continue to do this work and even after I step down, there are still people who take turns to continue my work. They will not destroy it. They may do better […]./.

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