Opposition groups issued statements criticising 7th January Day

Friday, January 09, 2009

Mr. Sourn Serey Ratha.

Radio Free Asia
By Mao Sotheany
8th January, 2009
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

In a statement released yesterday, Mr. Seng Huot, secretary-general of the Sam Rainsy Party in Finland, stressed that 7th January is a day that the leadership of the Cambodian People's Party feel very proud with the Vietnamese army which had toppled the Khmer Rouge regime.
It is a day that Vietnam has invaded Cambodia that make Cambodia to lose its independence and democracy.

He added that every Khmer people should celebrate 23rd October (1991) because it is a day that all Khmer warring factions agreed to end the war.

In relation to 7th Jay Day, Mr. Sourn Serey Ratha, chairman of the Cambodian Actions and Committee of Justice and Equality, based in America and Mr. Dy Kareth, vice-chairman of the Cambodian Border Committe based in France, have issued statements separately which described 7th January as a day of the great victory of the Vietnamese colonialism over Cambodia and accused Vietnam of controlling Cambodia candidly and openly for 30 years behind the scene. This is a great danger that has caused the Cambodian nation and to the Khmer people to lose their soverignty, territorial integrity and their national indentity, the statements said.

Mr. Khieu Kanharith, government spokesman and Minister of Information, considers the groups that are opposed to 7th January Day as those who wanted to whitewash their shame for not being part of the liberation of the Cambodian nation.