A performance at the ceremony in Phnom Penh on January 7 (Photo: VNA)Phnom Penh (VNA) – Tens of thousands of Cambodiansattended a ceremony in Phnom Penh on January 7 to celebrate the 41stanniversary of the victory over the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime.
The event was chaired by President of theCambodian People’s Party (CPP) and Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, andCPP Honorary President and President of the Cambodian National Assembly SamdechHeng Samrin.
Vietnamese Ambassador Vu Quang Minh also joinedhundreds of Cambodian and foreign guests at the event.
In his speech, PM Hun Sen affirmed that January7, 1979, witnessed a significant event which was the fall of the Pol Potgenocidal regime, ending a dark chapter in Cambodia’s history, helping thecountry to revive, and heralding an era of independence, freedom, democracy andsocial development.
He stressed that celebrating this day, peopleacross Cambodia always keep in mind the great services by the Vietnamesevolunteer soldiers, experts and cadres, and the Cambodian patriots whoheroically fought and sacrificed their lives to liberate the Cambodian peoplefrom the scourge of genocide and revitalise the nation.
The leader recalled a historic turning pointthat was the establishment of the Kampuchean United Front for NationalSalvation on December 2, 1978.
With the strong support from the Cambodianpeople, along with the enormous assistance by Vietnamese volunteer soldiers andpeace and justice lovers around the world, the front led the Cambodian peopleto topple the brutal genocidal regime, saving the lives of the Cambodianpeople, regaining the freedom rights that had been tripped completely under therule of the Pol Pot regime, and revitalising the thousands-of-years spiritualand material values of the Khmer people, he noted.
The PM hailed January 7 as Cambodia’s “secondbirthday”, adding that without this day, the country would not have had whatthey have today./.
VNA
