"Dap Prampi Mesa Moha Chokchey" (Khmer: ដប់ប្រាំពីរមេសាមហាជោគជ័យ, UNGEGN: Dâb Prămpir Mésa Môha Choŭkchoăy) was the national anthem of Democratic Kampuchea from at least January 1976. Although the anthem may have been in use in the "liberated zone" much earlier, it was proclaimed the national anthem in article 18 of the Constitution of Kampuchea which was promulgated on 5 January 1976. Supposedly, the Khmer Rouge and/or Pol Pot himself wrote the piece, but its origin remains unknown.[1]
After Vietnam militarily intervened and forced the Khmer Rouge out of most of Cambodia, the People's Republic of Kampuchea was established and used a new anthem. However, the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea continued to use "Dap Prampi Mesa Moha Chokchey" as its state anthem in exile. Since the Coalition Government was recognized as the legitimate government of Cambodia by many Western nations and the United Nations, its state anthem continued to be presented as the national anthem of Cambodia in the West until the restoration of the monarchy in 1993.[citation needed]
The bright scarlet blood
Flooded over the towns and plains of our
motherland Kampuchea,
The blood of our great workers and farmers
The men and women who fight for our revolution.
Their blood produced a great anger and the courage
To contend with heroism.
On the 17th of April, under the revolutionary banner,
Their blood freed us from the state of slavery!
Hurrah! Hurrah!
For the glorious 17th of April!
That wonderful victory had greater significance
Than the Angkor period!
We are uniting
To construct a Kampuchea with a new and better society,
Democratic, egalitarian and just.
We follow the road to firmly-based independence.
We absolutely guarantee to defend our motherland,
Our fine territory and our magnificent revolution!
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah for the new Kampuchea!
A splendid and democratic land of plenty!
We guarantee to raise aloft and wave the red banner of the revolution.
We shall make our motherland prosperous beyond all others,
Magnificent and wonderful!