The Ta Moan Senchey Pagoda, located in Banteay Ampil district, Oddar Meanchey province, was destroyed by the Thai military. - Interior ministry
PHNOM PENH: Senate president Hun Sen has used the occasion of today’s Jan 7 Victory Day to reiterate Cambodia’s commitment to achieving its primary goals: ending the suffering of its people, preventing destruction and continuing along the path toward peace, just and lasting solutions.
He noted however, that no concessions will be made regarding its sovereignty or national dignity, as he marked today’s 47th anniversary of Victory Day in a special message.
Hun Sen, who also serves as president of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, highlighted that while Cambodia has achieved numerous accomplishments across all sectors through the implementation of political programmes and Phase 1 of the Pentagonal Strategy of the Royal Government, led by Prime Minister Hun Manet, the country continues to face complex developments in the international situation, global economic uncertainty and the weakening of the rules-based international order.
Each of these factors has affected Cambodia’s development process, he noted, particularly, Thailand’s aggressive violation of the Kingdom’s territorial integrity, under the pretext of protecting Thailand’s security and sovereignty.
During these violations, he added, Thai armed forces launched attacks on Cambodian troops stationed within Cambodia’s sovereign territory and indiscriminately struck civilian targets using modern heavy weapons, across land, sea and air. These violations caused massive devastation to civilians who had been living peacefully in those areas.
“Such actions constitute the most serious violations of Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, breach the UN Charter, violate the Asean Charter and disregard the spirit of the Asean Community. Moreover, these actions represent grave violations of international humanitarian law and international obligations to protect civilians, national cultural property and world heritage,” he emphasised.
In response to these violations, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces exercised their inherent right to self-defence. In this grave situation, the Royal Government of Cambodia maintained a position of restraint, goodwill and sincerity, striving to resolve border issues with Thailand peacefully through all mechanisms and in accordance with international law.
Hun Sen noted that while Cambodia strictly adhered to the ceasefire agreed upon on July 28 and the Kuala Lumpur Joint Statement of October 26, the Thai side expanded its attacks, failed to respect the ceasefire and the statement, thereby worsening the situationand causing greater suffering for the peoples of both countries.
Cambodia is continuing to implement the ceasefire of Dec 27, 2025, in order to restore peace for both countries, as well as to promote peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region, he added.
Moving forward, Hun Sen called upon all compatriots to continue strengthening their spirit of patriotism, self-reliance, perseverance and sense of national ownership, in order to ensure the defence and development of the nation.
“Based on the great power of unity and a strong patriotic spirit, we will surely overcome all obstacles, no matter how great they may be… Unity means survival; unity means victory. No force can destroy our will,” he said.
“We remember this history; we remember the crimes that destroyed our cultural heritage — the soul of the nation; we remember the insults and aggression committed against our nation, our homeland and our people,” he added.
He appealed to Cambodians everywhere to continue uniting as one under the national motto of Nation, Religion, King, and to stand united around the Royal Government with firm belief in Cambodia’s just cause.
He described Victory Day, Jan7, 1979, as a historic event that saw the overthrow of the genocidal Pol Pot regime, saved the Cambodian nation and people, restored life to the country, and opened a new era for Cambodia — an era of independence, freedom, democracy and social progress.
Hun Sen affirmed that Cambodia commemorates this historic day to permanently remember the heinous crimes committed by the brutal Pol Pot regime against the homeland and the Cambodian people for more than three years.
In addition, it is a tribute to the souls of millions of innocent compatriots who were unjustly killed under that regime. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
