Selected Comments Samdech Techo Hun Sen, in the Conversation with People Who Had Their Land Lottery Done to Relocate out of Angkor Wat Area to Resettle at the Village of Run Ta Ek of Banteay Srei District [Unofficial Translation]

CNV:

(1) Two Decisions – (a) Running Water for Further Development of Resettlement at Run Ta Ek and Pak Snaeng and (b) Cambodia Does Not Support Annexation of Ukraine into Russia

[…] Our country now has a population of 17 million. In 1979, the population of Cambodia was about 5 million. Laos also has a population of 5 million then. As of present, Laos has recorded a population of only 7 million, while Cambodia has up to 17 million […] I have traveled a lot (in the past week). From the gathering last time, I made a journey to New York, the United States, to work at the United Nations. After that, I went to visit Cuba […] and continued to Tokyo, Japan […] upon arrival in Cambodia, yesterday there was also an Interfaith Conference on Human Trafficking. There are also many documents that are waiting for me […]

[…] I woke up early this morning to see two documents. Firstly, (a document) related to further development – the water supply problem – in the area of Pak Snaeng. Secondly, in relation to foreign affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seeking advice related to the annexation of Ukraine into Russia […] I have already announced that we do not support it. We oppose the establishment of a separatist state, the use of force or the threat of force. If a resolution drafted by the United States and Albania does not pass through the Security Council, it will definitely go to the General Assembly. At the UN General Assembly, Cambodia had no other choice. If out of the blue, some country send in the army to cooupy Siem Reap, and then, through a referendum, Siem Reap separates into an independent state, will we accept it? We really cannot accept […] the same thing, Kosovo in Europe, created by NATO and Europe to this day, we do not recognize […]

I thank HE Chea Sophara, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, on behalf of the Royal Government, for coming and providing guidance on the resettlement process. The report shows the progress related to the construction of the Run Ta Ek area, and finds appropriate solutions for relocating people who do not live in accordance with the UNESCO designation that we have placed Angkor Wat as a World Heritage Site […] should we leave these buildings as they are and/or some would seek to expand it, Cambodia will lose a great opportunity, because Angkor Wat would lose its World Heritage Site status […]

(2) More Temples to Seek Listing as World Heritage Sites; World Heritages to Attract Tourists, Create Jobs, Generate Incomes

[…] When I flew abroad, I read a book written by Keo Ba Phnom that downloaded into my iPad […] and I also ordered publication […] I observed a point and that point is true. The first meeting took place in Fère in Tardenois on December 2, 3 and 4, 1987, His Majesty the late King and HLuong Mey (the Queen Mother) now and the late Prince Norodom Ranariddh at that time met and discussed ways to prevent hostilities in the Angkor area […] the national heritage […] we have been paying attention to Angkor Wat temple and other temples since (when) the (country was still at) war. The only thing I objected was that Son San proposed to designate the entire heritage site as a demilitarized zone. He was too smart. We objected […]

HM was pleased with the absence of hostilities in heritage areas. In 1992, (we) propose to support the designation of Angkor Wat as a World Heritage Site […] we have placed the temple of Angkor Wat, then to the temple of Preah Vihear, then to the temple of Sambor Prei Kuk, and now we are placing subsequently more temples […] as the world heritages […] our ancestors built many temples for us to maintain. If we lack care, it is the destruction of our ancestral heritages. I used to say that “we must not kill the hen just to have one delicious meal, but saving the hen will allow us to get the eggs and offspring.” We use the existing heritages (to) attract tourists, create jobs, generate income for our people, it is better than leaving them in ruins […]

(3) Encouraged by All Institutions’ Efforts; Resettlement Requires Highest Decision-Making Power; 1986-87 Moved People out of Angkor Area Once

[…] Encouraged by all institutions’ efforts – drinking water, electricity, telephone systems, infrastructure to be built […] although it is not yet ready, but it has begun. Just on the way, I saw a hospital under construction […] it will not be long as this engineering unit is the unit I allowed to build schools across the country […] I should accept my shortcomings (as) I happened to solve problem sporadically using the lower level means and authority. Therefore, the effectiveness of solving is not enough. Such a settlement requires those with the highest decision-making power. For example, this morning I decided […] to provide an additional US$ 6 million (for the project). Who would have the right to decide (to release) money like this? […] only the Prime Minister has the right to decide […] because we apply a unified mechanism of one commander in chief and one general staff […]

Issues relating to the Angkor area requires me to connect myself here with the staff that came down here […] with the participation of relevant institutions. The Apsara Authority, under the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, must also act consistently. Other supporting institutions, including the transports and public works, telecommunications, electricity, industry related to water supply, environment, agriculture related to the development of tourism, and cult must play their parts. We must all work together […]

While the governor of Siem Reap, who oversees the territory and the people here. The Apsara Authority does not specialize in managing the population, but governs the development of the area. Managing the people and protecting the security and social order are the jobs of the authority – the village, the commune, the district – that is responsible through these specific efforts and policies […]

[…] (the number of relocating families) has grown to more than 4,000. We still have more people to leave (the Angkor area), but as long as they leave, we have to make their leaving easier […] the infrastructure related to our Angkor resort requires its regular development and maintenance. Looking back on the past, 1986, 1987, 1988, I told people to leave the area in front of Angkor temple. It is called the Veal village. After the national reconciliation, however, they all went back […]

I did not just think of the issue today […] you may remember that there were two hotels in front of Angkor temple. Just across the street from Angkor […] there were two small hotels. I did not agree on the request to rebuild. Later, Nov Sam became the provincial governor, he moved the people out. But when Ton Chay became the governor, he allowed people to go back. Well, that has violated the rules set by UNECO […]

I would like to remind the Apsara Authority from now on to work hard. It is not true that I could not grasp whatever happened here in the past. Just to remind you. Some houses you allowed them to build. Not the current team of Apsara. It was the previous Apsara team. They let people build homes […] do not think that the Prime Minister had no knowledge of what was happening. Today I am in charge […] I have not gone anywhere yet […]

(4) Hun Sen Has the Supports of People Inside the Country and Abroad; People know Hun Manet; Attacks Make Hun Manet Know How to Protect Himself

Even though I am to no longer be the Prime Minister, I am still the President of the ruling party, I still have the right to give an opinion […] you complained that Hun Sen has been in power for too long. If Hun Sen walks away and gives the job to Hun Sen’s son, what problem could you have with that. (It happens because) people vote. It is up to the people to vote for him or not to vote for him. My son is an eligible citizen. I brought two granddaughters along to the United Nations […] I posted a selfie on Facebook, they quickly commented that it confirms the Hun family’s ruling […] that will be up to the people. It is not a lineage […] but the more you say, the more I do […]

[…] If you are sure that (Hun) Manet is not up to the task, you should be happy because then he (will not) be elected […] but on the contrary, you are afraid clearly […] because his father, Hun Sen, has had the supports of people inside the country and abroad. Should we transfer the power to Hun Manet, people also know him. So, these people (in the opposition) are really scared. If you are not, you should let Hun Manet do it so that you can easily beat him (in the election). I should thank you […] the reason I am thankful is that (while you attack him, Hun) Manet has to know how to protect himself […] he would not wait until his father is no more to know how to protect myself […] it is my way to educate my children (if ever they) fall, I never give my hand to get them up. They have to try to get up themselves […]

(5) The Cabinet’s Decision on Run Ta Ek Resettlement; 7 Points Policy and Details on Resettlement

Last time I instructed issuance of a notification letter […] today I reconfirm and add more to the six points I listed the other day. Let us issue a notification letter of the decision of the Prime Minister regarding the Run Ta Ek resettlement, because what I decided today is considered as a result of the Cabinet meeting […]

Firstly, I still confirm and make it clear that the task of transporting the people who came to settle in this place was handed over to the 4th Army Division and the 2nd Division […] and the clearing of land for the house was handed over to Techo Engineering […] and the land where they will move in to settle must be cleared and leveled […] Yesterday, I ordered Gen. Kheng Samet to add 400 to 500 more equipment for land work and management […]

Secondly, (with) the first phase of support, today we are providing some more. For some cases we are providing the same items and for some cases we are providing more […]

Thirdly […] I have to deal with this a policy package (for) all of you who volunteer to move from the old living area to the Run Ta Ek area and other areas besides Angkor, such as Pak Snaeng and possibly other places, for people to get Poverty I card […] (between) Poverty I card and Poverty II Cards, the Poverty I card receives more money […]

In the upcoming election, the CPP is to make no promises of so much salary for the elderly. But the CPP government, however, has been doing this for years among 700,000 families with the elderly/children in it. The pregnant woman receives more money (Samdech has a conversation with the people), and support until the child is 2 years old […] the CPP […] has been implementing a set of issues for both the elderly and pregnant women for years without making any promises. In terms of budget, we have already spent more than US$ 20 million on (supporting) pregnant women from poor families […]

Fourthly, according to the report, to prepare the Pak Snaeng area about 4,700 lots or nearly 5,000 lots more […]

We want to restore the eastern Baray (reservoir) to catch more water. (the estimated catch is about) 30 million cubic meters, just half of this figure is good. HE Chea Sophara continues to work with the people. We must prepare a detour of this section of national road that is crossing this area […] the water system must go one step ahead […] we already have land ready for work. It is necessary to plan for secondary schools and hospitals. There must be similar infrastructural arrangement as we provided here (for Run Ta Ek) to ensure that the people find it acceptable for their settlement and receive the same regimes as those living in Run Ta Ek. However, we must concentrate on making the Run Ta Ek resettlement successful first […]

Point fifth […] the infrastructure must continue to be completed, but I would like to confirm that General Kheng Sameth, in addition to the road, is trying to clear land for them. Soon the ground will be dry, the machinery will be able to enter […]

Point 6 – I continue to call on microfinance to look into providing low-interest microfinance to people who volunteer to live here so they can start a business […]

Point 7 – I must confirm to all the monks, as well as the pagoda committee and all the Buddhists under the pagoda that for the 35 existing Buddhist pagodas, they are to remain as are […] but,

There are two requests – firstly, all pagodas are not to build more stupas or cemeteries. Of course, for the head monks and first and second assistant head monks, […] we allow […] but what we are asking for is people who go from far away to do it […], secondly, there are shops in the temples, please be clean and tidy. The pagoda in this area is combined with the management by (Apsara Authority) with the authority in this area and the cult (and religion) […]

(6) Meticulousness Enable Me to Lead from Five People to the Whole country; Hun Sen Will Go On Until Hun Sen Wishes to Continue No More

People and monks are clear now that the 35 Buddhist pagodas in the zone one and zone two of the Angkor site are not to be demolished. Some political parties are too bad and even worse on the point that we have not made clear interpretation, they will attack immediately. Hun Sen is also one of the politicians who has given attention to meticulous consideration. The pagodas are not to be demolished. They cannot take that as the subject for the 2023 election campaign. I also hope that the people here that I have been trying to solve all the problems for them will turn out to vote and will not vote for others […]

For the arrangement of event for me later, do not forget about water […] some people say that that the Prime Minister attends to such matter is meticulous. Please do not underestimate the meticulous things. If you do not think in detail, you will not be able to do great work. Some of them are blaming me about why should the Prime Minister have a headache over such trivial thing. It is because of my meticulousness that I have been able to lead from five people to the whole country, for the longest time in the world […]

[…] the greatest benefit of all is that our Angkor Wat is considered by the international community, especially UNESCO, as a World Heritage Site, and our friends will join us in protecting Angkor, protecting the heritage in the Angkor area. Through this Angkor heritage, tourists come to Angkor, from which tricycles drivers get money, four-wheelers get money, two-wheelers get money, vendors get money […] when tourists come in, […] we have products for the tourism sector. On the other hand, if we were to lose the status of a World Heritage Site and tourists disappear, we can sell nothing. Now that tourism is showing a recovering sign. China will soon be able to wrap up the zero Covid-19 policy, and when the Chinese tourists come back into Siem Reap, we have a new airport […] that can land any giant plane […]

[…] Some said that Hun Sen would be stuck wherever he goes. I have not seen that coming. I went from the UN in the United States to Cuba, to Japan, and now I am here, I am not stuck. I am busy with the country’s works. Hun Sen will go on until Hun Sen wishes to continue no more. Even when he does not want any more, he could take longer time before doing so or very soon […] it was up to Hun Sen because the people voted for the CPP […] Hun Sen is the president of the CPP. When Hun Sen stops wanting to be the Prime Minister, he can transfer to someone else. Well, it is matter of Hun Sen and of the Cambodian People’s Party […] if my family was not any good, they would not be harmonious until now. If someone cannot even keep their family together, how could s/he do it for the country […] many of the top members of the CPP are here today […] in the course of being in power for almost 44 years, the CPP has never been shaken. Some problems arose but that was the normal process of democracy in the party, and it is not a conflict like theirs […]./.

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