Prime Minister Hun Manet displays the textbook in question as he addresses a February 19 graduation ceremony at the Asia-Europe University. STPM
Prime Minister Hun Manet has responded to public criticism of the cover of a 6th grade history textbook, explaining that the inclusion of the Win-Win Monument on the cover art does not imply that Cambodia should be grateful to Vietnam. He noted that the textbook does not attempt to distort history in any way.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony at the Asia Euro University on the morning of February 19, he clarified that while the monument shares some design elements with the stupas of some other counties, including Vietnam, it is not intended to express gratitude to the neighbouring nation.
The Vietnamese military joined the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation (KUFNS) to topple the Khmer Rouge in 1979, bringing an end to the deadliest genocide of the late 20th century.
Recently, some members of the public have voiced their disagreement with the inclusion of the Win-Win Monument on the cover of the “Khmer and the Path to Prosperity history textbook”, instead of a different Khmer cultural heritage site.
The prime minister suggested that many who criticised the book on social media had probably not actually read it.
He explained that the controversy primarily revolves around concerns regarding the content and the presence of the "Win-Win Monument" on the cover.
“As soon as they see the Win-Win Monument, they assume it is a Vietnamese stupa. This is why they think that the textbook is meant to express gratitude to Vietnam – just because the cover features a monument that looks similar to some in Vietnam,” he said.
Manet warned that misunderstandings like this could lead to internal conflict among Cambodians over historical matters, while neighbouring countries remain unaffected.
He urged the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport to publish the textbook in digital format and share it on social media.
“If it's available digitally, publish it online so people can see for themselves whether the claims are true or not. Let them read the content and determine whether there is any suggestion that Cambodia must be grateful to anyone,” he said.
He explained that the textbook covers Cambodia’s liberation from French colonial rule, the Khmer Rouge genocide, and the country’s post-war reconstruction.
“Those accusing us of writing this book to show gratitude to Vietnam are wrong. There is barely any mention of Vietnam in the book, except for one sentence on page 41 and another on page 42. It only briefly mentions how the Cambodian National United Front for National Salvation collaborated with Vietnamese volunteer forces to overthrow the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime and subsequent reconstruction efforts,” he said.
“That is an undeniable fact. Other than that, the book focuses entirely on Cambodia, including the achievements of our ancestors, the search for peace, and the painful experiences we've endured to ensure they never happen again. It is about Cambodia as a whole,” he added.
