JAKARTA — Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian Senate, President of the Cambodian People's Party, and former Prime Minister, has reaffirmed Việt Nam's vital contributions to Cambodia’s liberation from the Pol Pot genocidal regime.

Speaking at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) in Jakarta on May 6 as part of his official visit to Indonesia from May 5–7, Hun Sen delivered a speech on "Peace and national reconciliation in Cambodia: Lessons for Southeast Asia.”

Hun Sen recalled the historic moment in 1977 when he came to Việt Nam to seek support to liberate Cambodia from the Pol Pot regime. Without Việt Nam's support at that time, no country could have helped Cambodia overthrow the bloody Pol Pot genocidal regime, he said, adding that "We must protect this historical truth so that such atrocities will never be repeated."

The Senate President noted that over the past four decades, there have been accusations against Việt Nam and extremist tendencies that deny the genocide committed under the Pol Pot regime. He called for the resolute protection of the historical truth, stressing the enduring value of peace and the vital role of historical awareness in preventing future conflicts.

Last year, Cambodia marked the 45th anniversary of the overthrow of the Pol Pot regime (1979–2024). During its more than three years in power from 1975, the regime led by Pol Pot and Ieng Sary was responsible for the deaths of over 3 million innocent people. — VNA/VNS