The 35th anniversary of Cambodia’s victory over the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime (January 7, 1979) wasmarked in various places in Vietnam on January 7.
Addressing a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City, Lt. Gen. Pham Van Dy,political commissar of the Military Zone 7 High Command, recalled thecrimes the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot and Ieng Sari, had committed inthree years, eight months and 20 days, during which they killed morethan two million Cambodians, taking the country to the verge ofgenocide.
They also launched an invasion on Vietnam’ssouthwestern border region, he said, adding that between May 1975 andDecember 23, 1978, the brutal regime killed more than 25,000 Vietnamesepeople and injured nearly 5,000 others.
The invadersdestroyed many schools, hospitals, churches, pagodas and paddy fieldsalong Vietnam’s border with Cambodia, Dy said.
Tocounter the barbarous acts of the Pol Pot regime and in response to theurgent call made by the Cambodian people, the Vietnamese Party, State,army and citizens took action to exercise their legitimate self-defenceright and at the same time help the Cambodian people topple themurderous regime.
This was a desire shared by the twocountries’ people, in line with common sense and international law, theofficer noted.
The victory over the regime is of specialsignificance to the existence, development and prosperity of Cambodia, he said, stressing that the victory is also the joint triumph of thetwo peoples.
The armed forces of Military Zone 7 havefulfilled their missions of maintaining political security, protectingthe country’s southwest border region and helping Cambodia escapefrom the genocidal regime.
Vu Mao, President of theVietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association, said the historic victoryopened up a bright future for the relationship between the twocountries.
The same day, the Military Zone 9 High Command also organised a ceremony in Can Tho city to mark the victory.-VNA
Addressing a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City, Lt. Gen. Pham Van Dy,political commissar of the Military Zone 7 High Command, recalled thecrimes the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot and Ieng Sari, had committed inthree years, eight months and 20 days, during which they killed morethan two million Cambodians, taking the country to the verge ofgenocide.
They also launched an invasion on Vietnam’ssouthwestern border region, he said, adding that between May 1975 andDecember 23, 1978, the brutal regime killed more than 25,000 Vietnamesepeople and injured nearly 5,000 others.
The invadersdestroyed many schools, hospitals, churches, pagodas and paddy fieldsalong Vietnam’s border with Cambodia, Dy said.
Tocounter the barbarous acts of the Pol Pot regime and in response to theurgent call made by the Cambodian people, the Vietnamese Party, State,army and citizens took action to exercise their legitimate self-defenceright and at the same time help the Cambodian people topple themurderous regime.
This was a desire shared by the twocountries’ people, in line with common sense and international law, theofficer noted.
The victory over the regime is of specialsignificance to the existence, development and prosperity of Cambodia, he said, stressing that the victory is also the joint triumph of thetwo peoples.
The armed forces of Military Zone 7 havefulfilled their missions of maintaining political security, protectingthe country’s southwest border region and helping Cambodia escapefrom the genocidal regime.
Vu Mao, President of theVietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association, said the historic victoryopened up a bright future for the relationship between the twocountries.
The same day, the Military Zone 9 High Command also organised a ceremony in Can Tho city to mark the victory.-VNA
