Phnom Penh: The Prime Minister and President of the Cambodian People's Party, Hun Sen, said that under the dictatorship of Pol Pot from 1974 to early 1979, the Cambodian people completely lost their rights and lived waiting for their deaths. He said that without the "January 7" rescue, the Cambodian nation would face irreversible destruction.

Addressing the Commemoration Ceremony of the 44th Anniversary of the January 7 Victory Day, PM Hun Sen recalled the coup d'état overthrowing Prince Norodom Sihanouk by General Lon Nol, the victory of Pol Pot against Lon Nol, the hardships of the Khmer people under the leadership of the Khmer Rouge, and the journey towards national liberation of PM Hun Sen, Heng Samrin, and Chea Sim, as well as several other Khmer resistance groups forming a force to overthrow the Khmer Rouge.

The Prime Minister said: "These resistance movements create the opportunity to establish the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation on December 2, 1978, the only political organization representing Cambodian people. The Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation, which has the support of the people, received timely and effective support from the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and overthrew the genocidal regime on January 7, 1979."

PM Hun Sen added that the January 7 victory ended the dark era and opened a new era for Cambodia with independence, freedom, democracy, and social progress, saving the lives of millions of people and giving them a new life.

PM added: "Without the victory day on January 7, there would be no Cambodia today." "This is a historical fact that no one can distort and destroy. Only those who support the genocidal regime will hate the January 7 victory."