Vietnam’s foreign ministry has refuted the unfounded and untrue information relating to the situation of Khmer people in Vietnam, affirming the Khmer population is an integral part of the community of over 50 ethnic groups in the country.

Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang made the statement on Thursday in response to the media's question about Vietnam’s reaction to the Khmer Kampuchea Krom organization’s recent false accusations regarding the Khmer people’s situation in Vietnam.

“We reject any groundless and fallacious information on the actual state of Khmer people in the country,” Hang stressed.  

The Vietnamese government always considers Khmer residents as an inseparable part of the community of 54 ethnic groups in the nation, and the Khmer population has been living in equality and harmony, contributing to the common cause of national construction and defense throughout the country’s history, the spokeswoman stated. 

She emphasized all Vietnamese ethnic groups are treated equally and the State of Vietnam ensures and creates conditions for development in all aspects in order to constantly improve the material and spiritual life of ethnic minorities, preserve national identity, promote good customs and practices, and contribute to strengthening the great national unity bloc.

Communities of Khmer people in Vietnam have long lived in the country’s southwestern part, with a total population of 1,319,652 people who belong to about 330,000 households living mainly in 488 out of 691 communes, wards and towns in the region, according to the data released by the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s General Statistics Office in coordination with the government’s Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs.

Among the southwestern localities, Khmer people are found the most in such provinces as Soc Trang, Tra Vinh and Kien Giang, with a population of about 404,000, 328,000 and 238,000 people, respectively.

Like us on Facebook or  follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!