(Jakarta): Cambodian Senate President, Samdech Techo Hun Sen stated that we must have the courage to speak the truth that ASEAN played a part in prolonging Cambodia’s civil war due to its support for the Khmer Rouge. However, he also expressed appreciation to ASEAN for its later role in helping rebuild peace in Cambodia.

Samdech Techo delivered his policy speech at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, on Monday (May 5) to commemorate the 26th anniversary of Cambodia’s membership in ASEAN.

Samdech Techo underlined that Southeast Asia was once clearly divided into two distinct blocs including the ASEAN-5 and the Indochina bloc.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen underscored, “ASEAN did contribute to prolonging the war in Cambodia. This is a truth we must acknowledge. I can say that if ASEAN had not supported the Khmer Rouge, the regime might have collapsed sooner, and the Cambodian conflict could have ended more quickly. But through certain actions including the use of ASEAN territory to establish the tripartite Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea that helped legitimise the Khmer Rouge at the United Nations, the war was extended. Looking even further back, we must also acknowledge that during what was known as the Indochina War or the Viet Nam War, some ASEAN countries became military bases for foreign powers, which led to the bombing of Cambodia, Viet Nam, and Laos.”
=FRESH NEWS