Selected Comments of Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, at the inauguration of the Ote Thipadei Dam, Sen Sokdom Dam and Sen Monorom Dam in Mondulkiri province [Selected Translations]

Selected Comments of Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, at the inauguration of the Ote Thipadei Dam, Sen Sokdom Dam and Sen Monorom Dam in Mondulkiri province [Selected Translations]

CMF: 24/10/2024

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(1) Stability and peace, regional and international integration, and reduction of poverty

Mondulkiri province has plenty of natural resources potential […] what are those favorable factors? After the successful implementation of the win-win politics, which ended the war, our country has been freed from territorial division for the last 500 years, and realized full national unity in 1998, ushering in an opportunity for a national development strategy. However, to put those natural resources potential into effective use requires ensured peace and the correct policy […] Samdech Techo, Prime Minister of the Royal Government at that time, had to pay attention to three major tasks. The first one is to strengthen trust so that peace can last to avoid distrust in one or two years, which could bring about divisions, and returning to infighting in different areas. The second point is the integration of Cambodia into the regional and international arenas, and the third point is the introduction of a poverty reduction development policy through the 1998 Triangle Strategy […]

(2) The country’s development requires own resources and assistances from international partners

We have worked together to reduce people’s poverty and to develop, not only in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, which have the (existing) potentials but throughout the country, including the Northeast […] which has been sparsely populated compared to other provinces or regions across the country. We still have a lack of infrastructure. We have natural resources potential in this area, but moving out of war, the Northeastern provinces had many limitations. Firstly, the population was small. Fortunately, there are now more people than in 1998. Secondly, the connectivity infrastructure was difficult […] it was due to the fact that both the people need development and the infrastructure were difficult, […] in 1999, Samdech Techo responded to the initiative to establish a framework for cooperation in the development of the triangle area (which is bordering on the three countries – Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam) […] the Northeastern provinces as far from Phnom Penh […] whereas the development of the country requires two resources – our country’s own resources or national resources and assistances from international partners […]

(3) In the 25 years of the triangular development cooperation, the Royal Government and friendly countries had invested heavily in the four provinces

It is for these reasons that (Cambodia) has been included in the development triangle mechanism. It was not (for the Northeast or the whole country) to lose land, to lose sovereignty, to make these four provinces undeveloped. Instead, this effort was set to encourage the Northeast to make more progress. In the 25 years of the triangular development cooperation, since 1999, the Royal Government had invested heavily in the four provinces, but also with the support of friendly countries such as Japan, Germany, and many international development partners […] people in Ratanakkiri, Mondulkiri, Kratie, Stung Treng can see the actual development of the past 25 years […] although we have now ended the participation of Cambodia, we could say that what we had done in the framework of CLV-DTA had not destroyed or cut out the country or the province to anyone […]

(4) Disjoining CLV-DTA to keep the Cambodian people off resentment incited by extremist circles into worrying about the loss of territory

It is ironical that even though we have confirmed, as you know, that the Royal Government stopped participating (in the triangle cooperation), some politicians continue (to make propaganda lying) that the government does not actually withdraw from the CLV-DTA. The truth is not what they said. There will be no further cooperation within the framework of the development triangle. In fact, Cambodia would have hosted a meeting of the three countries in the framework of the development triangle in December from the 5th to the 6th […] but since Cambodia decided to stop participating in this cooperation, such a meeting or this cooperation or framework would not happen […] Cambodia decided to stop (participating in this cooperation framework) so as not to cause resentment among the Cambodian people, especially when some groups of extremist circles intimidate the people into worrying about the loss (of territory) […] as some politicians continue to incite our brothers abroad to continue to protest […]

(5) Is it the integrity when an old politician encourages youngsters into what happened on August 18?

(In fact, let me remind you that) the one who inspires them (to protest on Cambodia’s participation in CLV-DTA) also sat in the parliament at that time […] while this agreement entered into force, and his representatives attended the CLV meeting. They did not say anything. Why now suddenly it’s wrong and bad. Let me ask them “when you are in the parliament, when you have power in the legislature, why you don’t protest it?” […] I am calling on those of you abroad, who have been tricked by these politicians, ask them at once why they did not say a word in the parliament? What is the secret that has just come (announced) now? […] was it because the fact that the agreement at that time did not (serve the interests of the opposition at the time). As they have now discovered that there is a misunderstanding (caused among the people like this), it could raise their (advantages), they decided to add more fuel. One may ask (whether it is an) integrity as a long-served politician to ask children to act like they did on August 18, and were ready to put the country into flame based on (reasons) that are not true […]

(6) Superpowers or small countries – Cambodia makes relations in the spirit of respecting sovereignty, independence and respect for each other’s interests

These politicians want to mislead (the understanding of the national opinion) that (it ould be safe) only when the Royal Government ends relations with Vietnam and Laos in all areas. The word CLV refers to Cambodia, Loas, Vietnam, where the relationship between the three countries in all fields have been there for a long time […] the people shall understand that the Royal Government has never had the idea to lose sovereignty or make our provinces some other countries’ satellites. On the contrary, the Royal Government works to strengthens territorial integrity and sovereignty, and the people by maintaining peace, stability, avoiding division, promoting greater development in the region, and strengthening the law for mutual respect with neighboring countries […] whether with Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Singapore, the United States, or China – superpowers or small countries – Cambodia is making (relations) in the spirit of respecting sovereignty, independence and respect for each other’s interests […]

(7) Demographic growth and economic development are the goals of the Royal Government for the past 40 years

Cambodia is an independent and sovereign state. Leaving the (Pol Pot regime), we had only some five million people. Now, there are 17 million people, and in about ten years, there will be more than 20 million people. It would be great if Mondulkiri had more children so the population could grow. The Cambodian land is for the Cambodian people to live. We need to have more children, build the economy, build favorable conditions for the people to prosper and this has been the main goal of the Royal Government in the last 40 years. In this seventh legislative term, we continue to make sure that the Cambodian people everywhere, including in the Northeast province, whether the economy, agriculture, industry, and trade must grow strong. Investing in health and education continues to make Cambodian children stronger, is the goal and commitment of the Royal Government […]

(8) Planted in 1993, growing well in 1998, the peace tree bears fruit for the people

We must ensure that the proactive factor for development is the factor of peace. Incitement (to create misunderstanding) of CLV-DTA can in part lead to the breakdown of national unity due to mistrust, which is a great danger. Let me speak of the factors of peace and the fruits of peace. Peace is like a tree. The fruit of peace is like the fruit that we have received […] October 23 is the 33rd anniversary of the peace agreement (October 23, 1991) for which the former monarch, His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk, the King Father of the Nation (and) Samdech Techo, together with leaders of all parties signed an agreement to plant a peace tree. The UN spent more than US$ 1 billion in 1993 to end the war, but […] it was not until 1998 that the tree began to bear fruit for the people […]

(9) The dam will be a tourist destination, community workplace, sports and clean water

I observe great potential (while walking through the dam). That we now have this dam here, there have been some resorts in place […] which could be used as multi-purpose tourist sites, community facilities, where people here can work together, and the community here can benefit from the growth. This place can also be part of a public park where people can come to relax and exercise […] this water reservoir is for use in agricultural irrigation and clean water for people. The Ministry of Industry also sets up a station here to produce clean water to supply the people of Mondulkiri […] as the war is over, the people can spread the potential to build infrastructure, and this place becomes even more a diamond for the nation and for Mondulkiri. The key is stability, peace and the correct policies […] without all of them (we cannot realize these achievements and visions) […]

(10) Hydraulic works for irrigated agricultural land, flood management and clean water supply

With this brief data from 1994 to 2004, we built many canals/irrigation systems. We already built 1,137 reservoirs, of which eight are large-scale. We built 2,366 irrigation systems, with irrigation capacity of more than 1.9 million hectares, spending a budget of more than 1,800 million dollars […] these dams ensure, firstly, irrigation of agricultural land throughout the country. Secondly, solve the flood. In some places, canal systems release water from flooding areas. Thirdly, the supply of clean water […] today, there are Sen Sokdom Dam, Sen Monorom Dam and Ote Thipadei Dam, of which, especially the two dams in the city, ensure clean water system for the people […]

We are building some other big dams, such as the Dontry Dam in Battambang province, which can store 163 million cubic meters of water at a cost of more than US$ 85 million. The Dang Kambit Dam, a large dam in Kampong Thom, costs more than US$ 166 million. The two can guarantee 165,000 hectares of irrigated land. We do all this to help farmers, to ensure water for irrigation – especially in the dry season, not to have water shortage, and in the rainy season, not to be flooded […] so that our people can use water to grow crops […] A perfect policy would yield, it may ensure 40 to 50 percent success […] what determines the real success is the actual results on the ground […]

(11) One year of the new legislative term, more or less, the government has made achievements for the people in all fields

A quarter of this decade is a period in which we are constantly moving forward. After we ended the war, (we started to develop the country) from the time when there were not many people to now there are many of them, there were not many roads to now there are more roads, there were no tertiary education to now there are, few kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools to now more even at the commune level, and there were few health centers and medicine, to now having more, with even ambulance to transport the sicks […] in just one year of the new legislative government, we have made a lot of achievements for the people. Of course, not all needs can be addressed, but we have not been silent. We have addressed all areas. More or less, we have been working together […] we continue to create more tangible achievements for the people. (We have been) making hopes and dreams come true, especially in Mondulkiri, the northeastern province, which is the fifth economic pole. Next year, we will launch a policy to promote investment development in the Northeast […]

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(12) A Bailey bridge for the people of Chey Mongkul and Serey Udom communes, Lumphat district, beware of land grabbing brokers, and online scams/duping

There are about 10,000 people in two communes, Chey Udom and Serey Mongkul, Lumphat district, Ratanakkiri province, that were flooded […] I sent HE Kheng Samet (of the military engineering team) and HE Chhay Rithi Sen to conduct a study […] now I am sending my decision through the microphone that I have decided to order the construction of a Bailey bridge for you […] the Ministry of Rural Development may take this decision and carry out the study to solve this matter […]

Another issue of importance concerns the land concession. The Royal Government announces that it will continue to make social land concessions […] the working group is preparing and will be announcing early next year. I have seen a posting on Facebook last night that there are brokers inspiring people to register for land concessions. I do not know whether they have paid the persons (or not). I would like to confirm that there is no (such case). I did not send a broker to inspire people to take the land concession. The registration would occur only through the state mechanism […] I urge the authority to check on this information in Pechreada district […] there are those who (lied and deceived the people) […]

Even the creation of funds to participate in the construction of border road infrastructure using the bank QR code, there have also nee fraudsters […] use of technology (has had many frauds). May the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunication […] and concerned expertise ministries take extra precautionary measures […] there are many online scams […] and people must be careful when using them […]./.