More than 100 ethnic minority Khmer Krom monks and activists in Cambodia concluded their 5-day peaceful protest against a former Vietnamese diplomat successfully on Wednesday and vowed more protests in the future, a protest leader said.
PHNOM PENH, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) — More than 100 ethnic minority Khmer Krom monks and activists in Cambodia concluded their 5-day peaceful protest against a former Vietnamese diplomat successfully on Wednesday and vowed more protests in the future, a protest leader said.
On Wednesday, the group marched from the Freedom Park to rally in front of the Vietnamese embassy, which was fortified by riot- police and metal barricades.
During the five-day rally, protesters had burned Vietnamese flags, dong bills and leaf hats in front of the embassy. In addition, they marched to the parliament and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Office to Cambodia to call for support in their demand for an apology from Vietnam over comments made by a former embassy spokesman Trung Van Thong four months ago.
In June, then-Vietnamese spokesman Trung Van Thong commented on a radio program that South Vietnam, which was once part of former Kampuchea Krom provinces, belonged to Vietnam “long” before France ‘s official transfer of the land in 1949.
The protest aimed to urge the former spokesman to recognize the true history of Kampuchea Krom and to apologize to the Cambodian people. However, Vietnam has rejected their demand, accusing them of interfering in Vietnam’s internal affairs.
Thach Sitha, a protest leader and president of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Association, said Wednesday that the protest had come to an end successfully despite no apology from Vietnam.
“During the five-day of protest, no violence occurred,” he spoke to the rally in front of the Vietnamese embassy. “I will lead more protests in the future.”