Government officials and armed forces condemned anti-Cambodia-Lao-Vietnam Triangle Area (CLV-DTA) activists and pledged to suppress any activities initiated by the “extremist opposition groups” based overseas who are “attempting to overthrow the government”.
Several thousand Cambodians protested in South Korea, Japan and Australia on Sunday to demand the government to withdraw from the CLV-DTA due to concerns of Cambodia ceding territory in the northeast province to Vietnam.
“Cambodia continues to support CLV as a way of losing territorial sovereignty. [W]hen citizens have suffered enough, it might erupt like Bangladesh,” a protester shouted in a rally in South Korea.
“We came here voluntarily […] if Khmer people do not join hands to protect our territory […] We would like to inform you that the current government has joined the CLV project which we think is not right. The government should have at least asked Khmer people before joining the CLV,” Chan Cheng said in a clip captured by RFA.
The National Assembly, ministries, government institutions, Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and the National Police issued statements to support the CLV-DTA and condemn the dissenters.
The National Police said a “small unconscionable extremist groups” abroad have recently persisted in their activities, employing tactics to cause unrest, and instigate the people and armed forces to carry out “rebellion” acts against the government.
“We are committed to making sacrifices in order to safeguard the legitimate Royal Government and implement stringent measures to prevent and suppress treacherous acts without exception, at all costs,” the National Police stated on Sunday.
National Defense Ministry spokesperson Chhum Socheat confirmed with CamboJA News that the RCAF supported the government with regards to the CLV-DTA and to eliminate “any groups” which have protested against the government.
“We have to crack down on groups that have protested against the government and the formation of rebellion organizations,” Socheat said. “We pledge to disallow any activities which provoke insecurity from happening.”
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is now Senate president, posted a special message warning protesters who suggested overthrowing the government in Cambodia like what happened in Bangladesh.
“At this point, you have to thoroughly think that if you fail [to overthrow the government] you will be in danger. This issue [like in Bangladesh] cannot happen,” Hun Sen said.
He pointed out that the words “joint development” and “cooperation” have been misunderstood by the public.
“The government has no right to share Khmer land with any country. We have no intention of making that area an autonomous region by cutting off part of Cambodia, part of Laos, part of Vietnam, for it to become an autonomous region or a country,” he said.
In July, Hun Sen explained that agreements were signed previously, including a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focusing on the promotion of commercial development triangle areas, commercial trade exchanges and land transportation along the Vietnamese border.
There was also an MoU on land transportation services with Laos and Vietnam, and other MoUs signed between government institutions, he said.
Additionally, in March this year, Commerce Minister Cham Nimul, and chairwoman of CLV DTA participated in the signing ceremony of the minutes of the 13th CLV Joint Coordination Committee, which was hosted in Lao.
The minutes were preliminary documents with the aim of continuously promoting social-economic development, economic cooperation and keeping a closer relationship for the heads of government of the three countries.
Last month, four Paris Peace Agreements activists were arrested and charged with incitement to disturb social security after posting a video alleging that “Cambodia ceded land to Vietnam”.
Government spokesperson Pen Bona told CamboJA News that the armed forces usually represented the military, police or military forces of the nation. They must protect the legitimate government which was elected by the people through an election.
Thus, they must protect the government from those who attempt to overthrow it by “illegal and undemocratic” means, he said.
Action will be taken by the armed forces on any extremist group that is trying to call on the people to stand up and overthrow the government by undemocratic means.
“The armed forces must prove that they protect the legitimate government from any extremist group that wants to change the country and destroy peace. Ensuring the well-being of the people is the responsibility of the armed forces,” Bona added.
