[Vietnamization: Military] Hun Sen again warns of chaos

The prime minister after speaking yesterday at a school in the provinces. Supplied

Hun Sen again warns of chaos

 Khmer Times | 1 March 2017

Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned again that Cambodia would be in chaos if there is any change in leadership, urging the armed forces and citizens to protect peace at whatever cost.
 

At the inauguration of a new building at Hun Sen Boeng Kok secondary school in Kampong Cham province yesterday, Mr. Hun Sen said the change to the Lon Nol regime caused chaos in the country from 1970 to 1975 and many people were killed. 

 

He called on people not to believe the promises of another party that says it will increase the monthly salary of civil servants, decrease the price of electricity and provide monthly income to the elderly. 
 

Be careful of the party’s promises, which will destroy livelihoods and result in chaos, he added.
 

“Do you remember the change of the Norodom Sihanouk regime to the Lon Nol regime when war occurred? How many people were killed? Then there was the Pol Pot regime,” he said. 
 

“Before, there was Hun Sen to end the war, but there is no Hun Sen anymore as I am old and don’t have the energy to fight. 
 

“We will not leave it to these serious situations [war] anymore. We have to understand that peace is very hard to find after generations of citizens were used and killed.” 
 

The prime minister then talked about Iraq, Libya and Syria, asking his audience how many people were killed in those wars and how new Saddam Husseins and Muammar Gaddafis were born out of those conflicts.
 

“They wanted to overthrow the Assad regime. So how many Syrian people were killed?” he asked. 
 

“Now they want to kill and overthrow Hun Sen. What will happen in the future? This is a question to ask themselves whether they can have stability like these days.” 
 

On Saturday in France, Ly Poeung – the CNRP president in the French city of Lyon – gave a speech, calling on Cambodian citizens and party supporters to rise up against the Cambodian government, an action the ruling CPP was quick to condemn. 
 

The CPP issued a statement, saying Mr. Poeung’s speech undermined the reputation and dignity of the CPP and its leaders. It also caused incitement to discrimination between Cambodians, serious chaos to society and society disunity that threatened peace in Cambodia.
 

The CNRP issued a statement yesterday disallowing Mr. Poeung from making any statement or appeal on behalf of the party. 
 

“The CNRP wishes to condemn those who use rude speech to insult, threaten or incite in any form that creates national division,” it said.
 

“[We] call on all levels of opposition leaders, activists and party supporters inside and outside the country to respect the spirit of party directives responsibly.” 
 

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Tea Banh said on Saturday that the army has a moral obligation to safeguard the nation against any attempts or  causes that result in a reduction in peace and affects national security. 
 

“When developing countries, even in times of peace, are influenced by politics, economics, culture and information from people who have more power, it’s sometimes positive and sometimes negative, which changes reality and facts,” he said. 
 

“It’s dangerous if there is no timely management.”