Cambodia's ruling party celebrates 38th anniversary of victory over the Khmer Rouge regime
Record ID:
163391
Cambodia's ruling party celebrates 38th anniversary of victory over the Khmer Rouge regime
- Title: Cambodia's ruling party celebrates 38th anniversary of victory over the Khmer Rouge regime
- Date: 7th January 2017
- Summary: HUN SEN WALKING TOWARDS PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) THE RULING PARTY CHAIRMAN AND PRIME MINISTER HUN SEN SAYING: "We are celebrating this historic victory anniversary by always remembering the countless number of combatants and compatriots who had joined with the December 2, 1979 of liberation front and solidarity of Cambodia and the Vietnamese army who stood up, fought resolutely, and sacrificed their lives heroically in the course of toppling the Pol Pot regime and defending the survival of Cambodia." VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS LISTENING AND CLAPPING STUDENTS HANDING PIGEONS TO HUN SEN AND HENG SAMRIN RELEASING OF PIGEONS BALLOONS FLOATING TO THE SKY PEOPLE LEAVING CPP HEADQUARTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) A CAMBODIAN PEOPLE'S PARTY MUSLIM MEMBER, SORAH HYMAN, SAYING: "I am really proud of the Cambodian People's Party because they saved me and my family members from the killing regime." PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH SECURITY GATES (SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) PARTY SUPPORTER AND A DEPUTY DEAN OF THE UNIVERSITY IN PHNOM PENH CITY, SOK KUNTHY, SAYING: "Today is the most important day for all of us who could survive from a regime which the world have never met before and we think that it is the second birth for all of us." CPP'S VICE PRESIDENT SAY CHHUM WATCHING HUN SEN GREETING THE SUPPORTERS HUN SEN TAKING SELFIE WITH HIS SUPPORTERS EXTERIOR OF THE CPP
- Embargoed: 22nd January 2017 05:44
- Keywords: Cambodia Khmer Rouge anniversary celebration victory 38th Hun Sen Prime Minister
- Location: PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
- City: PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
- Country: Cambodia
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0035Y2ZHAD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of Cambodian People's Party (CPP) supporters and survivors of the Khmer Rouge "Killing Fields" marked 38 years on Saturday (January 7) since the fall of Pol Pot's ultra-Maoist regime, which is blamed for the deaths of 1.7 million people.
About 10,000 people gathered at the ruling party headquarters to watch performances and listen to Prime Minister Hun Sen's speech.
The celebration started with monks chanting, traditional Khmer dancers, drummers, and blessing of flowers in front of CPP senior officials.
Hun Sen said the day should always be remembered with gratitude.
"We are celebrating this historic victory anniversary by always remembering the countless number of combatants and compatriots who had joined with the December 2, 1979 of liberation front and solidarity of Cambodia and the Vietnamese army who stood up, fought resolutely, and sacrificed their lives heroically in the course of toppling the Pol Pot regime and defending the survival of Cambodia," he said.
Supporters say they firmly support this party and think that this day is the second birth.
"I am really proud of the Cambodian People's Party because they saved me and my family members from the killing regime," said Sorah Hyman, a long-time supporter.
"Today is the most important day for all of us who could survive from a regime which the world have never met before and we think that it is the second birth for all of us," said Sok Kunthy, another supporter.
After fleeing into the jungle along the Thai border, the remnants of Pol Pot's black-shirted guerrilla army resisted the Vietnamese and Hun Sen until their final surrender in 1998, the same year the movement's 'Brother Number One' died.
Surviving leaders of the Khmer Rogue have been indicted by a United Nations-led tribunal handling cases related to the deaths of as many as two million Cambodians. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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