Phnom Penh (FN), Oct. 15 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet highlighted the government's swift action to thwart extremist groups that exploited public concerns over land issues to incite conflict on 18 August 2024, speaking on Tuesday (Oct. 15) during the 30th founding anniversary of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces’ (RCAF) Brigade 70 in Phnom Penh.

"The army has played a crucial role in ensuring peace and stability by preventing any attempts to divide the country. The most recent example is the 18 August event, which was fuelled by a small number of extremist groups seeking to exploit citizens' concerns about territorial issues related to the CLV-DTA. Their aim was to push the country into conflict [...] We cannot afford to let this happen. A small group of people could disrupt national unity by taking advantage of such opportunities," Samdech Thipadei underscored.

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet also underlined that the armed forces were instrumental in preventing the country from being divided again by the plans of extremist opposition groups. He expressed gratitude to all relevant authorities for their efforts in enforcing the law and preventing national division, thus ensuring the stability of the people. He urged them to continue upholding their responsibilities.

It should be noted that extremist groups had been planning to cause social unrest, particularly by organising a demonstration on 18 August 2024, against the CLV-DTA cooperation project. However, the government's firm commitment to safeguarding against illegal activities prevented these plans.

During the attempted illegal demonstration on 18 August, many individuals were arrested. Some were found guilty but later released, while the masterminds were sent to court for legal proceedings.
=FRESH NEWS