PEACE-MAKER
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, the longest-serving leader in Asia, is stepping down from his position to give way to his eldest son, Hun Manet, who won his seat in parliament in last Sunday’s general election.
Many younger lawmakers are also said to be appointed to ministerial posts in the new government.
The 45-year-old Hun Manet is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy West Point and earned a master’s degree in economics from New York University and a doctorate in economics from United Kingdom’s Bristol University. He joined the Cambodian military in 1995 and heads the National Counter-Terrorism Special Forces and the Prime Minister’s Bodyguard Unit.
Hun Manet is reportedly popular among younger Cambodians.
Some observers have correctly pointed out that taking over the role from his father is a tough challenge. For Premier Hun Sen has played a crucial role in shaping Cambodia’s modern history. He helped liberate his country from the atrocious Khmer Rouge regime, which killed more than two million Cambodians. He played a pivotal role in the Paris Peace Agreements, which brokered peace in his country. Under his leadership, his country enjoyed sustained peace, political stability, and economic development.
He served as his country’s foreign minister at the age of 26, then prime minister at 32, which he has held for some 38 years, since 1985.
Hun Sen’s decision, and timing, to hand over the reigns of power to his son and the new generation of Cambodians demonstrate his visionary leadership as well as his remarkable political acumen and survivor instincts.
Premier Hun Sen has been our indefatigable ally in promoting peace, understanding, and cooperation in Asia and the international community through the platform and network of our International Conference of Asian Political Parties and the Centrist Asia Pacific Democrats International.
We are also delighted that Prince Norodom Chakravuth, the eldest son of our old friend, the late Prince Norodom Ranariddh, has won a seat in parliament. Prince Chakravuth is also president of the royalist Funcinpec Party.
The late Prince Ranarridh, son of the late legendary King Norodom Sihanouk and brother of the current King, Norodom Sihamoni, served as co-prime minister of Cambodia, with incumbent Prime Minister Hun Sen, from 1993 to 1997, and later as president of the National Assembly. He was a good friend of the Philippines, for he worked vigorously in strengthening political, socio-economic, cultural, as well as parliamentary ties between our country and Cambodia.
We are honored to have met a few times the revered King Norodom Sihanouk, who became Cambodia’s reigning monarch in 1941, at the age of 18. In between his rule as King, he served as his country’s prime minister, president, foreign minister, and ambassador to the United Nations.
Under Sihanouk as prime minister and later as president, from 1955 to 1970, Cambodia experienced relative peace and prosperity while many countries in Asia were experiencing political upheavals.
We are also privileged to have been received by the current King, Norodom Sihamoni, and the Queen Mother, half-French Norodom Monineath, at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh some four years ago.
The renowned King Norodom Sihanouk visited Manila in 1969. Some Filipino historians noted that the first king who visited the Philippines was King Sihanouk’s grandfather, King Norodom I, in 1872.
We are also pleased that Suos Yara, who is like a son to us and wife Gina, has been reelected in parliament. He serves as chairman of the committee on foreign affairs, international cooperation, and media and information in the National Assembly. He is also spokesman of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party and chairman of the Asian Cultural Council, a subsidiary organization under the 352-member International Conference of Asian Political Parties.