Updated date: 07/01/2024 17:45:20
On the morning of January 7, at the Opera House, Hanoi, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations chaired and coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Hanoi People's Committee, and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to solemnly organize the 45th Anniversary of the Victory Day of the War to Protect the Southwestern Border of the Fatherland and the victory of the Cambodian army and people over the genocidal regime (January 7, 1979 - January 7, 2024).
Art program at the celebration (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)
Attending the ceremony were comrades: President Vo Van Thuong; Politburo member, Permanent member of the Secretariat, Head of the Central Organization Commission Truong Thi Mai; Central Party Secretaries: Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai; Head of the Central External Relations Commission Le Hoai Trung.
Also attending were leaders of the Party and State, former leaders of the Party and State; representatives of leaders of ministries, departments, branches, central organizations, socio-political organizations, mass organizations, research institutes, universities; leaders of Hanoi city and provinces bordering Cambodia; representatives of all walks of life, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, former experts, former Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who performed international duty in Cambodia and students representing the young generation...
President Vo Van Thuong with delegates attending the ceremony (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)
On the Cambodian side, there were members of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Cambodian People's Party, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia Neth Savoeun and a high-ranking Cambodian delegation; the Cambodian Ambassador and officials of the Cambodian Embassy in Vietnam; and Cambodian students studying in Vietnam.
Also attending the ceremony were Ambassadors, Charge d'Affaires of Embassies of Southeast Asian countries, and representatives of the United Nations in Vietnam.
The 45th anniversary of the victory of the war to protect the southwestern border of the Fatherland and the victory of the Cambodian army and people over the genocidal regime is an opportunity for the Party, Government and people of the two countries to review the history of the struggle to protect the fatherland and coordinate the fight against the common enemy of the army and people of Vietnam and Cambodia. |
After the victory in 1975, the Vietnamese and Cambodian people earnestly desired to live in peace to restore and develop their countries after many years of war, sacrifice and hardship.
However, immediately after taking power in April 1975, the Pol Pot group took advantage of the revolutionary achievements, betrayed the Cambodian people and established the so-called “Democratic Kampuchea”, implementing a genocidal regime that plunged Cambodia into a terrible disaster unprecedented in history, thousands of schools and hospitals were closed, millions of innocent people were brutally murdered. In just 3 years, 8 months and 20 days, more than 3 million Cambodians and tens of thousands of Vietnamese people were brutally murdered.
Along with that, the Pol Pot group mobilized most of its main military power to invade the southwestern border, seriously violating the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Vietnam, distorting history, provoking and inciting national hatred, trampling on the good values of the traditional friendship and good neighborliness between the two peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia.
In that context, the Party, State and People of Vietnam have made efforts to preserve the friendly neighborly relationship and the achievements of the entire process in which revolutionaries and patriots for the people of the two countries stood side by side to fight for national independence through proposals for bilateral peace negotiations, support from the international community, including the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations, but the Pol Pot group still madly pursued its policy, continued to invade, massacred the Vietnamese people in localities along the border of the two countries and committed genocide against the Cambodian people in the country.
Party Central Committee Secretary, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai reads a speech at the ceremony (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)
Responding to the urgent call of the Cambodian People's National United Front for National Salvation and to protect the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland, to protect the lives and property of the Vietnamese people, the Party, State, army and people of Vietnam exercised their legitimate right to self-defense, crushed the acts of aggression, and together with the armed forces and people of Cambodia overthrew the brutal genocidal regime on January 7, 1979.
This is a legal and ethical action, demonstrating a noble, pure, righteous, and devoted international spirit, ready to sacrifice blood and bones for the long-standing, loyal relationship between the Party, State, and People of the two countries; and continuing the tradition of solidarity in the fight against the common enemy of the two peoples.
After many years of trial, on November 16, 2018, the Special Court of Justice of Cambodia under the auspices of the United Nations officially issued a verdict that the former leaders of the Pol Pot group had committed genocide and crimes against humanity. This verdict restored justice to the innocent victims murdered by the Pol Pot genocidal gang and once again affirmed the shining righteousness, selfless and pure assistance of the Vietnamese expert force and volunteer soldiers.
Speaking at the ceremony, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, comrade Le Minh Khai emphasized: This historic victory is a common victory of the people of the two countries, firmly protecting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia and Vietnam, closing the darkest page of Cambodia's history; saving the Cambodian people from the disaster of genocide; opening a new era of development in independence, freedom, peace, neutrality and prosperity. The victory over the Pol Pot genocidal regime also contributed significantly to maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia and the world. After the liberation day, thousands of experts and tens of thousands of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers continued to stand side by side with the Cambodian people to carry out the national revival and prevent the return of the genocidal regime.
Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai stated: Inheriting the tradition of solidarity and heroic spirit of January 7, 1979, the solidarity and mutual assistance, Vietnam and Cambodia continue to develop the relationship of "good neighbors, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, long-term sustainability" to a new height. Accordingly, deepening political relations, considering this as the foundation for orientation in the cooperative relationship, consolidating the pillar of defense-security cooperation, closely coordinating in foreign affairs, improving the effectiveness of economic, cultural, educational, scientific-technical cooperation....
On behalf of the Party and State leaders, comrade Le Minh Khai sent his deepest gratitude and warmest regards to war invalids, sick soldiers, former experts, former volunteer soldiers, and families whose relatives fought and died on the Cambodian battlefields during different periods.
Comrade Le Minh Khai affirmed: Consistently, Vietnam always attaches importance to and gives high priority to continuously consolidating and enhancing the good neighborly relationship, traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world...
First Deputy Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia Neth Savoeun speaks (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)
At the ceremony, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun emphasized: The 45th anniversary of the Victory Day of the war to protect the southwestern border of the Fatherland and the victory of the Cambodian army and people over the genocidal regime has many profound meanings. The victory on January 7, 1979 has penetrated deeply into the hearts of the Cambodian people, closing a bitter era, opening a new era for Cambodia, considered the second birthday of the Cambodian nation. Without the victory on January 7, 1979, there would be no Cambodia today.
Expressing his feelings and respectfully bowing to commemorate the millions of Cambodian and Vietnamese compatriots and soldiers who sacrificed their lives to help Cambodia escape the dark regime, Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun affirmed: The victory on January 7, 1979 is a good historical lesson for future generations to remember the heroic example and solidarity and mutual assistance of the army and people of Cambodia and Vietnam in the cause of defending the country.
Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun expressed his delight at the recent developments in the valuable relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam under the motto: Good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability. The Cambodia-Vietnam relationship is a typical example of the loyal affection between the two neighboring countries…
The Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that Cambodia gives high priority to preserving and strengthening the traditional friendship, solidarity and mutual assistance between the two countries.
According to SONG LINH (NDO)
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