Sam Rainsy urges Cambodians to overthrow Hun Sen-Hun Manet regime

Exiled Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy has called on the country’s military and citizens to rise up and topple the Hun Sen-Hun Manet regime.

In a statement issued today, in the name of the ‘Independent Cambodian Government of October 23rd’, Sam Rainsy claimed that there are two clear and undeniable reasons for the removal of the Hun family from Cambodia.

Firstly, he claims that the family has used Cambodian soldiers and civilians as human shields, allowing the Thai military to launch attacks on Cambodian territory, while Hun Sen and Hun Manet ordered Cambodian troops not to fight to defend themselves or Cambodian people and territory.

“Is there any leader or commander of any nation who restricts front-line soldiers from using weapons to defend themselves against foreign aggression? We see that only the leaders of the Hun family have done this,” the statement reads.

The statement also states that, “This strategy of exposing our people and forces to easy foreign attacks has occurred many times already, causing many Khmer soldiers and civilians to lose their lives unjustly. Khmer soldiers and the population must not allow leaders to sacrifice the lives of their brothers and sisters in target practice for the neighboring country’s weapons.”

Sam Rainsy also accuses the Hun family of actively protecting transnational scam networks, which have plunged Cambodia and its people into crises in every sector, including an economic crisis and loss of work opportunities, severe damage to the people’s livelihoods, debt traps, social insecurity and injustice.

“When the leaders of the Hun family protect criminals, it is clear that they have made the Cambodian people their enemy,” said Rainsy.