Phnom Penh (FN), Nov. 23 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that Samdech Techo’s integrity earned the trust of the Khmer Rouge army, leading them to join the Royal Government.
The premier spoke on Saturday (Nov. 23) during the closing of the 32nd National Congress of Buddhist Monks at the National Institute of Education.
Samdech Thipadei underlined, "I told the ICAPP president and vice president that trust is the cornerstone of implementing the three political agreements. Without trust and action, these agreements hold no value. When the Khmer Rouge surrendered, we uncovered pits filled with thousands of AK and B bullet rounds—remnants of the conflict. If, in 1998, we had failed to act responsibly or honor commitments, and instead betrayed the trust of the surrendered forces—arresting their brigade commanders and putting them on trial—the conflict would have reignited, with no resolution in sight."
Samdech Thipadei continued, "Dharma, truth, and forgiveness are, I believe, the foundations of the win-win policy. This is what the world seeks to learn from us. Forgiveness and integrity are the values that unite us. Samdech Techo once said that before the International Court of Justice and the Khmer Rouge tribunal took shape, there were many debates and advocacy efforts. During that time, Samdech Techo took a clear stance, stating, 'I would rather let the Khmer Rouge tribunal to fail than risk the country going to war again.'
“I met separately with the president and vice president of ICAPP and explained that within the Khmer Rouge, there were both political leaders and central leaders alongside various brigade commanders. Samdech Techo's first DIFID strategy was to create a division between political leaders and lower-level leaders. Once the lower-level ranks began to join the peace process, the war ended. This was because if the military leaders stopped fighting, the political leaders would follow suit. However, if the military leaders stopped fighting, even if the political leaders wanted to continue, they could not. This principle was key to achieving peace,” the premier added.
Samdech Thipadei confirmed that he had met with a former commander of the Khmer Rouge Division, who shared that it was Samdech Techo's integrity and political trust that ultimately convinced him to lay down his weapon. Despite initial doubts and the possibility of continuing the fight at the time, his belief in Samdech Techo's integrity led to his decision to cease hostilities.
The win-win policy marks the end of the war without bloodshed or victims, ensuring that all Cambodians emerge as winners. Samdech Techo has already revealed the key components of this strategy. First, guaranteeing life; second, ensuring career opportunities and livelihoods; and third, safeguarding private property for all parties involved in the conflict. Thanks to this peace, Cambodia has achieved the progress and stability it enjoys today. Such a unique and effective approach to ending war is exceptionally rare in a world where conflicts continue to rage in many regions.
=FRESH NEWS
