Cambodia holds state funeral for CPP party chairman Chea Sim.

According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Cambodia, on the morning of June 19, a state funeral was held in Phnom Penh for Mr. Chea Sim, President of the Cambodian Senate, President of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), and Vice President of the Cambodian National United Front for National Salvation, who passed away on June 8, 2015, at the age of 83.

The coffin of Mr. Chea Sim was carried through the streets of Phnom Penh to the crematorium. (Photo by VNA).

Attending the state funeral were King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia, Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, Mahayana Buddhist monk Tep Vong, Theravada Buddhist monk Bour Kry, Prime Minister Hun Sen, Senate President Sai Chhum, National Assembly President Heng Samrin, and numerous high-ranking officials from the Royal Family, Senate, National Assembly, and Royal Government, along with approximately 30,000 people from Phnom Penh and other provinces and cities across the country.

Attending the funeral were Mr. Le Thanh Hai, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; diplomatic delegations and international organizations in Phnom Penh.

According to the Cambodian National Funeral Organizing Committee, from June 8-18, hundreds of domestic and international delegations, including a delegation from the Vietnamese Party and State led by Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, paid their respects to Mr. Chea Sim.

The body of Mr. Chea Sim, encased in a phoenix-shaped coffin decorated according to Cambodian national customs, left his home in the Chamca Mon district and was carried through major streets including Preah Norodom Avenue, past Independence Square, along Sihanouk and Sothearos streets before arriving at the crematorium at Wat Botum temple in central Phnom Penh.

In his eulogy at the funeral, Cambodian Prime Minister and CPP Vice President Hun Sen emphasized, “With the passing of Samdech Chea Sim, the country, the Cambodian people, and the CPP have lost a noble leader who dedicated his life to national independence and, in particular, overcame all obstacles to liberate the nation, build peace, achieve national reconciliation, protect, rebuild, and develop the Cambodian homeland.”

The eulogy emphasized that since his adulthood, Chea Sim had been involved in the Cambodian independence movement and, in particular, "in the mission of national liberation struggle, as Vice Chairman of the Cambodian National United Front for National Salvation, Samdech Chea Sim, together with Samdech Heng Samrin, Samdech Hun Sen, and other distinguished members, led the struggle for national liberation and the liberation of the people from the Pol Pot genocidal regime on January 7, 1979."

According to a circular issued by the Royal Cambodian Government and signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on the night of June 8th, on the national day of mourning, June 19th, all state and private offices and private residences will fly flags at half-mast; entertainment venues will temporarily cease operations; all state and private radio and television stations must stop broadcasting entertainment programs; and civil servants and members of the armed forces will be given the day off on June 19th to show respect and pray for Mr. Chea Sim.

Cambodian Military Police spokesman Eng Hy said that soldiers from the military police, in conjunction with the national police, were deployed to the funeral area and surrounding locations from June 18-20 to ensure safety and security for the state funeral of Mr. Chea Sim.

Previously, on June 9th, a day after the death of Mr. Chea Sim, the Cambodian Senate held an extraordinary session to elect Mr. Sai Chhum as the new President. According to an official announcement on June 20th, the CPP party will hold its 38th Conference to elect a new President and Vice President.

According to a CPP spokesperson, CPP Vice-Chairman Hun Sen is the sole candidate for the new CPP chairmanship, while several reliable sources indicate that Sai Chhum, Standing Committee member and head of the Standing Committee, and Sar Kheng, member of the CPP Central Committee, will be elected as co-Vice-Chairmen of the CPP.

(According to VNA/VN+)