AKP Phnom Penh, May 20, 2026 --

On the occasion of Cambodia’s National Day of Remembrance observed on May 20, Acting Head of State Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen called on all Cambodians to work together to preserve lasting peace in the Kingdom.

In a message shared on his social media platforms this morning, Samdech Techo Hun Sen said May 20 remains a day that Cambodians can never forget, as it recalls the suffering endured under the Democratic Kampuchea regime, commonly known as the Khmer Rouge regime, which ruled Cambodia from April 17, 1975 to Jan. 6, 1979.

He described the regime as one of brutality and darkness that caused the deaths of more than three million people.

Samdech Techo stated that the National Day of Remembrance serves both as a tribute to the victims who lost their lives during that tragic period and as a reminder of the atrocities committed.

He noted that the vast majority of Cambodians clearly understand the suffering caused by nearly three decades of war, massacres, destruction, forced displacement, and forced labour.

Recalling the hardships endured during the Khmer Rouge period, Samdech Techo said many Cambodians died without access to medicine, adequate food, freedom, democracy, or even the fundamental right to life.

To prevent such tragedy from recurring, he stressed the importance of preserving peace, which he described as the essential foundation for social, family, community, and national development.

Cambodia commemorates the National Day of Remembrance every year on May 20 to honour the victims of the Khmer Rouge era and to educate younger generations about one of the darkest chapters in the country’s history.

By Heng Panha