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Y Chhean (Photo: Rasmei Kampuchea)Former Pol Pot's chief bodyguard supports 7th January Day
Monday, 18 January 2010
Source: RFA
By Khmerization
A former Pol Pot's chief bodyguard has declared his support for the 7th January Day, a day the Vietnamese army toppled the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979, reports Radio Free Asia.
Mr. Ee Chhean (pictured), former Pol Pot's chief bodyguard and current Governor of Pailin province, said he supported 7th January Day wholeheartedly and scorned anyone who opposed the 7th January Day as not being Khmers. "We must be proud of the 7th January Day. There are some people who opposed the 7th January Day and other certain media had also opposed the 7th January Day. Anyone who opposed the 7th January Day are not Khmers", he said.
Mr. Ee Chhean, who is an ethnic Jarai from Cambodia's eastern province, an ardent supporter of the Khmer Rouge regime and once a sworn enemy of the Vietnamese, served as Pol Pot's chief bodyguard and fought the Vietnamese army until he defected to the government in 1996. He now considers 7th January Day as the second birth of the Cambodian people.
Mr. Yim Sovan, spokesman for the opposition Sam Raisy Party, said after the Vietnamese invasion from 1979-1993, Cambodia has faced destructive wars and misery. 23rd October 1991, the day of the Paris Peace Accords, is the second birth of the Cambodian nation, he said. He scorned Mr. Ee Chhean for labelling the opponents of 7th January Day as not Khmers. "Mr. Ee Chhean used to be a former leader of the Resistance Movement fighting against the Vietnamese invasion. I think that, both Mr. Ee Chhean and other Khmer Rouge leaders and Khmer Rouge fighters during that time were not from other racial groups , but they were all Khmers", he said.
Mr. Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, said Mr. Ee Chhean's comments are intended to restrict the freedom of expression of those who opposed the 7th January day. "7th January Day is a day that Vietnam came to colonise Cambodia", he said.
Mr. Ee Chhean (pictured), former Pol Pot's chief bodyguard and current Governor of Pailin province, said he supported 7th January Day wholeheartedly and scorned anyone who opposed the 7th January Day as not being Khmers. "We must be proud of the 7th January Day. There are some people who opposed the 7th January Day and other certain media had also opposed the 7th January Day. Anyone who opposed the 7th January Day are not Khmers", he said.
Mr. Ee Chhean, who is an ethnic Jarai from Cambodia's eastern province, an ardent supporter of the Khmer Rouge regime and once a sworn enemy of the Vietnamese, served as Pol Pot's chief bodyguard and fought the Vietnamese army until he defected to the government in 1996. He now considers 7th January Day as the second birth of the Cambodian people.
Mr. Yim Sovan, spokesman for the opposition Sam Raisy Party, said after the Vietnamese invasion from 1979-1993, Cambodia has faced destructive wars and misery. 23rd October 1991, the day of the Paris Peace Accords, is the second birth of the Cambodian nation, he said. He scorned Mr. Ee Chhean for labelling the opponents of 7th January Day as not Khmers. "Mr. Ee Chhean used to be a former leader of the Resistance Movement fighting against the Vietnamese invasion. I think that, both Mr. Ee Chhean and other Khmer Rouge leaders and Khmer Rouge fighters during that time were not from other racial groups , but they were all Khmers", he said.
Mr. Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, said Mr. Ee Chhean's comments are intended to restrict the freedom of expression of those who opposed the 7th January day. "7th January Day is a day that Vietnam came to colonise Cambodia", he said.
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