Military Region 7 commemorates Victory Day over the genocidal regime in Cambodia.

On January 7th, the Command of Military Region 7 organized a ceremony to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the victory over the genocidal regime in Cambodia (January 7, 1979 - January 7, 2014).

Attending the ceremony were Lieutenant General Tran Don, Commander of Military Region 7; Mr. Vu Mao, Chairman of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association; Mr. Van Phal, Vice Chairman of the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association; along with generals, officers, soldiers of Military Region 7; and experts who had fought and worked in Cambodia during various periods.

Scenes from the anniversary celebration.

In his commemorative speech, Lieutenant General Pham Van Dy, Political Commissar of the 7th Military Region Command, recalled the crimes of the Pol Pot-Ieng Sary genocidal reactionary regime, which, in 3 years, 8 months, and 20 days, murdered more than 2 million Cambodian people, eradicated all social foundations, and brought Cambodia to the brink of genocide. The Pol Pot regime launched an invasion of Vietnam along the entire southwestern border.

From May 1975 to December 23, 1978, the Pol Pot regime killed more than 5,000 Vietnamese civilians, wounded nearly 5,000, and abducted and executed over 20,000 others. This does not include the destruction inflicted by the Pol Pot regime on numerous schools, hospitals, churches, temples, livestock, and farmland in the Vietnamese border region with Cambodia.

In response to the brutal acts of aggression and genocide by the Pol Pot regime, and in response to the urgent appeal of the Cambodian people, the Party, State, Army, and people of Vietnam exercised their legitimate right of self-defense to protect their sacred homeland and help the Cambodian people escape the genocidal regime. This was the burning desire of the people of both countries, in accordance with the conscience of humanity and international law.

Lieutenant General Pham Van Dy affirmed: The victory over the Pol Pot regime on January 7, 1979, was of paramount importance, first and foremost for the survival and prosperous development of Cambodia, and was a common victory for both nations.

Immediately after the end of the war against the US, the armed forces of Military Region 7 immediately embarked on the task of maintaining political security, protecting the Fatherland along the southwestern border, and carrying out international duties, working with friendly units to save Cambodia from the genocide. With 3 years of combat duty and 10 years of international duty in Cambodia, Military Region 7 affirmed its role as the "frontline" in a challenging and arduous context, successfully fulfilling the tasks entrusted by the Party, the Army, and the people.

At the commemoration ceremony, Mr. Vu Mao, Chairman of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association, stated: The victory over the Pol Pot regime in 1979 opened a bright future for relations between the two countries, promoting strong development in many fields. In the coming time, the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association will strengthen people-to-people friendship activities, including those aimed at the people in the border areas of the two countries, and assisting Cambodian students in Vietnam with their studies and scientific research…

* On the same day, at the Museum of Military Region 7 (Museum of the People's Armed Forces of the Southeastern Region) in Ho Chi Minh City, the Armed Forces of Military Region 7 inaugurated the photo exhibition "Armed Forces of Military Region 7 – Royal Cambodian Army: Unwavering Solidarity and Pure Affection," commemorating the 35th anniversary of the Victory Day in the war to defend the southwestern border and the 35th anniversary of the victory over the genocidal regime in Cambodia (January 7, 1979 – January 7, 2014).

The exhibition, held from January 7th to February 15th, displayed 150 photographs and 80 artifacts to commemorate the struggle and defense of the southwestern border by the Vietnamese and Cambodian people and army, ultimately defeating the genocidal regime. Through this, it expresses confidence in the development of the "good neighborly relations, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability" between Vietnam and Cambodia, and between the armed forces of Military Region 7 and the Royal Cambodian Army, as outlined by the high-ranking leaders of both countries.

According to news