Education for Peace and Development, and Vice Versa
My wife and I would like to express our respect and appreciation to the efforts made by our graduates and as I said if it were not without your personal efforts, no knowledge of several subjects could have been gained. I also remind the importance of the efforts made by professors and leaders of the Universities. What is also key is the fact that our country has enjoyed peace, development and because we have a correct policy on education. I hope you all will make further efforts to go on with your studies and do not take the graduation today as your end of the study efforts.
I have listened to the report of the University leaders about the difficulties the University has gone through. It is true that to establish a university is difficult but to make it work is another level of difficulty. However I would like to share your achievements and sustainable operation so far and to the future. It is indeed a development that the University has extended its branches to Kompong Cham, etc. I hope that the leadership of the Western University will take more efforts to improve the education accreditation as well.
Good Education, Job Demand
I have the wish to share my joy that according to the report by the University about 75% of those taken their studies here have had jobs to do. This has indeed proven that education quality has been attained. In the world, it is so common to see that at the end of the school year, contacts have been made in every university to get the best students for their job demands.
Of course having the good education and job demand is the two poles that interact on one another but also we have to put into perspective the fact that if we were to have no peace all would be good for nothing.
Released from Death and Distress to Freedom
It is to my understanding that good things have been analyzed in the report of the Rector on the three periods of Cambodia – the time of war, the time of Pol Pot genocide and the time of peace and development. Many people have involved in the three stages of the country’s history. Today is May 20 – what we call the day of hatred against the genocide. It was set as the date that aims to stop the return of the Khmer Rouge. No one ever thought that they could be released to freedom. Not only our people but also I myself, Their Majesties, who at that time were under house arrest in the Royal Palace, would all have thought the same thing.
Hope has now come true. Some of us today have had negative impact from the time. A well known singer does not know who his parents are. HE Mok Maret, Minister for Environment still has one child listed as missing, more like Chem Sgnuong, Hor Nam Hong, Long Visalo … Some could not even recognize own child even if they met. This tragedy should not be left unconcerned. I had the distressful feeling when my own child addressed me as uncle instead of dad. One of my children died then that I was not allowed to see for him a proper burial.
An Illogical Denial of January-7 Victory
As the election campaign is about to start, some politician have blamed the January-7 and December-2 dates and they want the people to forget those dates. How could Cambodian pin their hopes on those politicians? If we were not to observe January-7 as the victory day over the genocide, why should we then have to organize the Extraordinary Chamber in the Court of Cambodia? We always take our past glory to tell our identity – Angkor period and every generation of our beloved and famous Kings.
It is clear in the history of Cambodia that our King was under a lot of pressure in making decision for the country. Take for instance Preah Baat Ang Duong made great efforts to pass the throne to Preah Baat Samdech Preah Norodom. Facing with the fact that the country was encroached upon by both the western and eastern sides, HM had to call for help from the French. We have to cope with the truth on both counts – prosperous and declining. It was a great example that the Heroic King father led the crusade for independence from France. After that the country was under Lon Nol, then Pol Pot, then Heng Samrin – that is how our country is being governed in this segment of the long history.
Those who demand that January-7 and December-2 be removed from the Cambodian history are cowards. January 7 is enemy to no one but the genocide of Pol Pot but why they, who survived the genocide because of the event, have denied the event or Janaury-7? They also have claimed that in Cambodia now there is only one real opposition party and I would rebuke this statement that there are three real opposition parties (Funcinpec, Sam rainsy and Human Rights) – the people could chose among the three against the Cambodian People’s Party. One party used to be in power in the coalition but now has become the opposition again.
I would say that if Funcinpec could not get a seat, CPP will rule alone. Some of the defecting members of the Sam Rainsy Party have now been appointed to some Government posts. I would take the human resources but I do not take the Party because doing so is an imperialist style.
Historical and Logical Concepts
I would summarize for you that in the course of my actions that have proven to be victorious is from the fact that we have to blend between two concepts – historical and logical – before making a decision. We have to look into its history and therefore understand the main cause. The two concepts are primary before making decision and setting plan for the coming time. On May 29 we will organize the national conference to review the rectangular strategy and because we have to know from where we started, and then we can see what else that needs to be done./.
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