First Published: Getting Together, Vol. VIII, No. 11, November 1977.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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Thousands of workers, peasants and soldiers gathered in Phnom Penh, capital of Kampuchea (Cambodia) to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) on September 27th. In his address, leader of the Communist Party Pol Pot made the existence of the CPK public to the country and the world.
The people of Kampuchea, Comrade Pol Pot stated, have a long history of struggle against exploitation and foreign domination. But it was only after the founding of the Communist Party, applying the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism to the concrete practice of the Kampuchean revolution, that the people were able to win complete liberation.
The first congress held in September 1960 was an historic turning point, in which the CPK charted a correct path for the Kampuchean revolution, concentrating the forces of the entire nation against imperialism, especially U.S. imperialism, to fight for independence, sovereignty, and to overthrow the feudal landlords and exploiters.
During the period of national democratic revolution, the CPK went deep among the masses in the countryside. They built base areas and bringing all positive factors of the masses into play, used the countryside to encircle the cities, seizing power by armed force. Under the leadership of the party, the Kampuchean people fought valiantly and skillfully and defeated U.S. imperialist aggressors and their lackey, the Lon Nol clique.
The national liberation war lasted five years and proved that the people of a small nation can defeat big power aggression. “In the concrete revolutionary struggle of our country,” Pol Pot stated, “we creatively and successfully applied Mao Tsetung Thought – from the time we had only empty hands down to April 17, 1975 when we thoroughly defeated U.S. imperialism. Our people and the revolutionary people of the world deeply believe that Mao Tsetung’s Thought is always efficacious, sharp, and victorious.”
The CPK continues to lead the Kampuchean revolution in the present period of socialist reconstruction. After the devastating war launched by U.S. imperialism, Kampuchea was faced with great hardships. Cattle were dead, large tracts of arable land were ruined, and western observers and revisionists claimed that Kampuchea could not feed its seven million people.
Yet in just two years, Kampuchea no longer needs to import rice from abroad and has already achieved self-sufficiency in food grains. Taking agriculture as the foundation, large numbers of people in the cities went to the countryside after liberation to solve the problem of a labor shortage. Livestock breeding was developed, and now Kampuchea has over a million head of cattle.
Nation-wide movements for agricultural cooperation have been launched. Illiteracy has been wiped out by 80 to 90 percent.
The basic reason why the Kampuchean people are winning victory after victory is that they are led by a staunch Marxist-Leninist party with a correct line.
Kampuchea is winning friends far and near on the five continents. In his commemoration speech, Pol Pot said, “We stand resolutely and always on the side of the oppressed peoples of the world and especially on the side of the peoples of the non-aligned and Third World countries for the people’s revolutionary cause of national liberation and for defense of independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to decide their own destiny.”
The militant unity between Kampuchea and China, in particular, was manifest on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of the birth of the Communist Party of Kampuchea and on the eve of the 28th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, when the Kampuchean party and government delegation visited China. China and Kampuchea are both developing socialist countries belonging to the Third World and stand together with other Third World countries in the struggle against imperialism and hegemonism. The Kampuchean people recently hailed the victory of the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and Chairman Hua Kuo-feng, in smashing the “gang of four.”
Speaking for the Kampuchean delegation in China, Pol Pot said: “As for our Kampuchean revolution, the most precious aid provided by Chairman Mao, the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people has been Mao Tsetung Thought... Our two parties, two governments and two peoples have maintained a fundamentally identical, correct Marxist Leninist stand ... We are determined to work hard to protect, consolidate and develop this great militant unity and this fraternal revolutionary friendship, so that they may last forever.”