7th January, 2010
Op-Ed by Khmerization
“7th January, 1979 is both a combination of a liberation and an invasion. Miss Theary Seng, former executive director of Centre for Social Development, called it a liberation through invasion, while Dr. A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, former professor of the University of Guam, called it a day of infamy and deliverance.”
The controversy surrounding the glorification or the celebration of January 7, 1979 has been hotly debated between the proponents of the Vietnamese intervention and its opponents since day one. Today marks the 31st anniversary of the invasion of Cambodia by the Vietnamese forces and debates are again raging, as happened every year, as to whether this date should be celebrated as a liberation day or an invasion day.
Proponents of the Vietnamese intervention in 1979 celebrate 7th January as a liberation day. They believe that without the Vietnamese intervention of 1979, the whole population of Cambodia would have been wiped out by the Khmer Rouge genocide, while opponents of the Vietnamese intervention believe that it should be remembered as an invasion day.
Opponents of the Vietnamese intervention have instead called for the celebration of the Paris Peace Accords of 23rd of October 1991 instead of 7th January, 1979. On the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Vietnamese intervention of last year, Mr. Khieu Kanharith, Minister of Information and government spokesman, was adamant that 7th January was a more important date than the Paris Peace Accords. He said and I quote: “if there were no 07 January 1979, there wouldn’t be 23 October 1991 either.” By saying this, he seems to believe that 7th January, 1979 is the cornerstone that has laid a foundation for the Paris Peace Accords of 23rd October, 1991.
Mr. Kanharith statement seems to resonate an admission of 7th January as an invasion day. By saying that without 7th January, the day of the Vietnamese invasion, and that there wouldn’t be 23 October 1991, the day that Cambodia achieved peace, Mr. Kanharith is unconsciously admitting that 7th January, 1979 is an invasion day because if there wasn’t any invasion, there wouldn’t be a need for any peace accords.
Opponents of the Vietnamese intervention, on the other hand, are adamantly and vehemently insisting that 7th January is an invasion day. They have accused Vietnam of abetting the Khmer Rouge to take powers in Cambodia on 17th April, 1975 and aiding the massacres of 1.7 million Cambodians. They believe that Vietnam did not voluntarily invade Cambodia solely for the purpose of liberating the Cambodian people from the Khmer Rouge genocide, but rather Vietnam invaded Cambodia because the Khmer Rouge has turned down its overtures of subordination to Vietnam and because of border clashes due to Vietnamese border encroachments. They also accused that, after the 1979 invasion, the killings of the Cambodian people continued unabated through the so-called “K-5 Plan” and that the Vietnamese army had plundered the Cambodian wealth and resources by transporting them back to their country.
Opposition parties also insisted that 7th January is an invasion day. They consider that it is a product of the 17th April, 1975, the date of the Khmer Rouge takeover and the beginning of the Cambodian genocide, aided and abetted by the present leaders of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), because the majority of them, like PM Hun Sen, Senate President Chea Sim and National Assembly Chairman Heng Samrin, are important ex-leaders of the Khmer Rouge.
Mr. Sam Rainsy, an arch-opponent of the 7th January, in a letter to The Cambodia Daily in January 2009, said and I quote: “But it is worth realizing that without April 17, 1975, there would be no need for January 7, 1979.” Mr. Sam Rainsy’s statement seem to concur the above statements which consider that both dates (7th January, 1979 and 17th April, 1975) as the by-products of the Vietnamese creations, aided and abetted by the present CPP leaders who were important ex-leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime.
In conclusion, for me personally, 7th January, 1979 is both a combination of a liberation and an invasion. Miss Theary Seng, former executive director of Centre for Social Development, called it a liberation through invasion, while Dr. A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, former professor of the University of Guam, called it a day of infamy and deliverance.
I believe it is a liberation day in the sense that, whether it was an intention of Vietnam or not, millions of Cambodian lives have been saved from the Khmer Rouge regime. I also consider it as an invasion day because it was an invasion: pure and simple, because I believe that Vietnam had helped the Khmer Rouge to take powers in 1975 and aided and abetted in the subsequent massacres of 1.7 million Cambodian lives. I also believe that the Vietnamese intervention in 1979 was not born out of any sympathy for the Cambodian people, but rather Vietnam had taken that course of actions because of a breakdown of relations with the Khmer Rouge and because of border clashes resulting from border encroachments by Vietnam.
So, is 7th of January, 1979 a liberation day or is it an invasion day? The answer is both, depending on who we are talking to. Or, as Miss Theary Seng puts it, it is a liberation through invasion.
“7th January, 1979 is both a combination of a liberation and an invasion. Miss Theary Seng, former executive director of Centre for Social Development, called it a liberation through invasion, while Dr. A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, former professor of the University of Guam, called it a day of infamy and deliverance.”
The controversy surrounding the glorification or the celebration of January 7, 1979 has been hotly debated between the proponents of the Vietnamese intervention and its opponents since day one. Today marks the 31st anniversary of the invasion of Cambodia by the Vietnamese forces and debates are again raging, as happened every year, as to whether this date should be celebrated as a liberation day or an invasion day.
Proponents of the Vietnamese intervention in 1979 celebrate 7th January as a liberation day. They believe that without the Vietnamese intervention of 1979, the whole population of Cambodia would have been wiped out by the Khmer Rouge genocide, while opponents of the Vietnamese intervention believe that it should be remembered as an invasion day.
Opponents of the Vietnamese intervention have instead called for the celebration of the Paris Peace Accords of 23rd of October 1991 instead of 7th January, 1979. On the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Vietnamese intervention of last year, Mr. Khieu Kanharith, Minister of Information and government spokesman, was adamant that 7th January was a more important date than the Paris Peace Accords. He said and I quote: “if there were no 07 January 1979, there wouldn’t be 23 October 1991 either.” By saying this, he seems to believe that 7th January, 1979 is the cornerstone that has laid a foundation for the Paris Peace Accords of 23rd October, 1991.
Mr. Kanharith statement seems to resonate an admission of 7th January as an invasion day. By saying that without 7th January, the day of the Vietnamese invasion, and that there wouldn’t be 23 October 1991, the day that Cambodia achieved peace, Mr. Kanharith is unconsciously admitting that 7th January, 1979 is an invasion day because if there wasn’t any invasion, there wouldn’t be a need for any peace accords.
Opponents of the Vietnamese intervention, on the other hand, are adamantly and vehemently insisting that 7th January is an invasion day. They have accused Vietnam of abetting the Khmer Rouge to take powers in Cambodia on 17th April, 1975 and aiding the massacres of 1.7 million Cambodians. They believe that Vietnam did not voluntarily invade Cambodia solely for the purpose of liberating the Cambodian people from the Khmer Rouge genocide, but rather Vietnam invaded Cambodia because the Khmer Rouge has turned down its overtures of subordination to Vietnam and because of border clashes due to Vietnamese border encroachments. They also accused that, after the 1979 invasion, the killings of the Cambodian people continued unabated through the so-called “K-5 Plan” and that the Vietnamese army had plundered the Cambodian wealth and resources by transporting them back to their country.
Opposition parties also insisted that 7th January is an invasion day. They consider that it is a product of the 17th April, 1975, the date of the Khmer Rouge takeover and the beginning of the Cambodian genocide, aided and abetted by the present leaders of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), because the majority of them, like PM Hun Sen, Senate President Chea Sim and National Assembly Chairman Heng Samrin, are important ex-leaders of the Khmer Rouge.
Mr. Sam Rainsy, an arch-opponent of the 7th January, in a letter to The Cambodia Daily in January 2009, said and I quote: “But it is worth realizing that without April 17, 1975, there would be no need for January 7, 1979.” Mr. Sam Rainsy’s statement seem to concur the above statements which consider that both dates (7th January, 1979 and 17th April, 1975) as the by-products of the Vietnamese creations, aided and abetted by the present CPP leaders who were important ex-leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime.
In conclusion, for me personally, 7th January, 1979 is both a combination of a liberation and an invasion. Miss Theary Seng, former executive director of Centre for Social Development, called it a liberation through invasion, while Dr. A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, former professor of the University of Guam, called it a day of infamy and deliverance.
I believe it is a liberation day in the sense that, whether it was an intention of Vietnam or not, millions of Cambodian lives have been saved from the Khmer Rouge regime. I also consider it as an invasion day because it was an invasion: pure and simple, because I believe that Vietnam had helped the Khmer Rouge to take powers in 1975 and aided and abetted in the subsequent massacres of 1.7 million Cambodian lives. I also believe that the Vietnamese intervention in 1979 was not born out of any sympathy for the Cambodian people, but rather Vietnam had taken that course of actions because of a breakdown of relations with the Khmer Rouge and because of border clashes resulting from border encroachments by Vietnam.
So, is 7th of January, 1979 a liberation day or is it an invasion day? The answer is both, depending on who we are talking to. Or, as Miss Theary Seng puts it, it is a liberation through invasion.
17 comments:
Yes agreed with you. And khmerization please remember the wiseman never associat with naive and the naive can't associate with wiseman too. ..so please cut them completely off ...nerver heard them never see them and never think about them. ..it just purify your great life with enthusiastic people and those positive winner. ..if you could do so you will make dramatically chang in your happy life. ...put them aside and walk past by them. ..they just a parasites in thise unfair world. And if possible switch off your blog if you work with snake one day it will bite you anyway why don't you cut off or turn your blog to business insider or else but not raincy sokha crap cheater. ..and if you expect these two clown will recognize you or gratitude to you .. yousshould expect one day fish climbing the tree too. .it'snature of cheater no ggratitude at all. ..now you clearly know it yourself. .aren't you? .they think all of us are dumb naive and free tools..Right. fired the thug. ... Mike
Khmerization you could be a hero for millions people if you focus on the perfectly right subject. ..Please be a life changer for khmer I see we gotgiant ggarbage in our society need to be clean off.....Most people 69 percent are lazyness and useless. Right. ? . 85 percent do not have business mindset. ..Right. ? And 95 percent do not like to read or write a book. Right? . What you expected from them ...All are great ffollowers. ..a bager and a victim of thug. ... Right. ? Could you please be a life changer turn your blog to library where people using it as their based for education and life enlightene. ...Pleases sir in 10 years times you will be the most respectfull by million. ...kick headach out. .. Mike
I am with you and appreciate your fairness sense of responsibility.
You have gut to say the truth. May God of unuververs lord bless man who say the truth. ..
It is painful to have an evil neighbor like Vietnam.
Wishing this evil Vietnam go to hell to join the devil Ho Chi Minh !!
Where Sam Rainsy big mouth always critical of January 7. Why all sudden he seems to be quiet to speak out againt 01/7.
I am not quite sure what is it, but I did celebrate 7th Jan. 1st time with my inlaw and neighborhoods. After a couple zips of angkor beer I cracked up a Q. to one of my neighbor about Jan. 7th....... I did not pay much attention of what they said because the bottle of beer with Angkor pict on it seem more interesting than the meaning Jan 7th. Lol!
Turboman
If you lived and worked in the campus you got the most talent most of your friends are lift you up. In contrary if you lived and worked with idiot you got drag down and they will destroy you at the later date right..? . We have no time to think small and to wast with messy naive. ...lLooke ten years from now ...if you continue to work with naive
. 1. You got Gigantic negative garbage
2. You got bunch of crook drunkard people drawing to you like magnetic.
3. You got ton of problem from idiot that lead to supper headach and depression.
4. You put your future at risk because all life saving was cheated left and right .
5. You have no time to be master at business or superior in your career.
6. You got to blame yourself for being used by idiot over and over again and again. ...Right? Aren't you ? ...Please turn your blog to library. ..Khmer people real issue is 1...chang their laziness habit to work hards individual. .2...habits of reading more book and 3.... habit of business initiative mind set. It'stake a litle time to reprogram people mind and slowly they will changtthemself. . And if you stay in thise blog long enough you will master of thise 3 things and the whole world will gave gratitude and thank to your effort in life changing...imagine every khmer got higher talent like Israely. !!! .Mike.
Khmerization you are the last resort for us if you keep turning your head to garbage pol pot lover I swear to you I never go back to srok khmer and never wish to rebirth in khmer again. ..Mike
From 1979 to 1991 UK Usa United nation support khmer rouge right. ? And why some pol pot lover said Un force ready to help khmer in 1978 even befor youn troops. ? Does we khmer happy to accept this cheater liar or we crush them off. ..Mike
Ah Mike stop rapping westerner's name; were you talking to yourself? All the comments in here mostly posted by one individual called Mike except Turbo dude!..
Ah Mike was so crazy/lunatic answering his own comments.I thought he was on the run with his boss Thong Sarath already.
Hey,doggy mike; Do you want left over bones from Yiekcong? I bet you do...!
Jan 7 is where my families were saved by the Yuon. Even how I distrust them or for whatever reasons they invaded, I have to say thank you for saving what left of my families after KR killed half of them. And don't give me the Yuon were behind KR. By 1975, most of the Yuon within KR were killed. My father was killed because they say he's Khmer with Yuon mind and that was not true. It was us killing ourselves out of distrust, fear and paranoia. We are our worst enemy.
8 January 2015 4:38 pm
Yuon Mike,
Are you Khmer like Khmer Thong Sarath aka Nguyen Van Bok ?
The author of the" killing Field and the the zoomin state" was written by HO Chi Minh.
The Khmer Rouge and the CPP have the same DNA, called Ho Chi Minh.
Those who believe in fake/cheated liberation and peace without justice and true democracy is like a young gazelle sitting on top of the hungry crocodile,believing that he is havine a good ride to the otherside of a murky river.
Wake up! History is repeating itself.
True Khmer
7 january is a day to be continue a deadly kill by hanoi and hun sen .
ONE WAY – AMONG MANY WAYS - TO SAVE CAMBODIA
Khmer people in the whole country should make peaceful demonstrations demanding the puppet government of Hun Sen to implement the 1991 Paris Peace Accord. As a result, the evil Vietnam – under heavy international pressure - will relieve its grip over Cambodia.
When the CNRP kept saying we don't want Khmer people to die during this crusade to liberate Cambodia from this evil Vietnam, then the CNRP should keep dreaming because such concept (Klach Ngorp) will never work with this evil Vietnam.
No sacrifice, no glory.
Our demonstration to obtain justice is peaceful, but we must not run when this devil one eye Hun Sen’s 3rd hand violently suppress us. This is the key to push for the 1991 Paris Peace Accord got implemented. We must help ourselves first before others can help us.
Khmer people during the Pol Pot's era did not want to die, but they got killed mostly by the brainwashed Khmer Vietminh.
This present Cambodia has a similar scenario. You don't want to see Khmer people die, but you and Cambodia will be killed through various tricks by this evil Vietnam in the future.
If some Khmer people are ready to sacrifice their lives by not running during the peaceful demonstration to support the movement for social justice to save Cambodia, then Cambodia will have a good chance to survive this devil Ho Chi Minh’s ambition.
Bun Thoeun
Bun Thoeun
9 January 2015 8:51 am
Asking for thousands and millions of Khmer to protest will not work. Huyen Xen will just order for more bloodied crackdowns and killings from his personal army as we have seen.
All we need is a good Youn who can do the bidding and aim for freedom.
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