DOCSLIB.ORG

`Cobra Uerrillas Said to Harass Khmer Rouge

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
`Cobra Uerrillas Said to Harass Khmer Rouge . THE WXPosi: 197 5 `Cobra uerrillas Said to Harass By Chhay-Born Lay how successful the resistance Associated Press is. BANGKOK, Aug. 20—Refu- "The United States has fin- gees from Cambodia say that ished with Cambodia, and WASHINGTON POST Thursday, August 21,1975 A 3 several armed resistance Thailand wants good relations groups are continuing to fight with the Khmer Rouge govern- ment," In Tam s aid. "We E against the Communist-domi- would need arms and aid to nated Khmer Rouge govern- succeed." ment in at least four parts of the country. In Tam said the potential Khmer Rouge for a Cambodian resistance They say that the resistance Movement is reinforced by Two refugees who said they groups, operating in western what he termed resentment at Cambodia, have ambushed food shortages, forced labor, were former sergeants who Khmer Rouge patrols, have killings, harsh treatment and escaped across the Thai bor- captured weapons and have der Aug. 5, said they heard in the forced exodus of civilians a Khmer Rouge meeting that freed soldiers and officials of from the cities after the the former American-sup- Khmer Rouge took over. an hour-long firefight erupted ported government. during the last week of July The newly arrived refugees between "cobra" and Khmer For their part, Khmer all come from central and Rouge troops continue to be a Rouge units near the ancient western Cambodia. Of the ruins of Angkor. threat to refugees. Two Cam- eastern half of the country, They said they had been bodians, who crossed into under insurgent domination Thailand today said Khmer working in the rice fields of a for most of the five-year Cam- I nearby forced-labor camp at Rouge troops opened fire on bodia civil war, nothing is their group of 37 while they known. the time and had heard gun- were cooking rice, and as they fire and seen flames and fled they saw at least 12 of Refugees from several areas smoke rising. their companions lying appar- ently dead. The fate of the re- reported hearing the crackling maining 23 was unknown. of rifle fire and the crump of Hak Sum, 25, and Hak Sa- mortars almost every night. ley, 25, said the shooting took Most said they had learned of One group of eight refugees the capital, with Kompong the resistance from the place earlier in the day in a said they witnessed two day- Son, the country's only deep- western district of Battam- Khmer Rouge themselves. water seaport. One refugee who said he light "cobra' raids, one at the bang Province near the Thai end of July about 12 miles In the 1950s Chan Rangsei's border as the refugee group slipped through to Thailand last week said a friend ap- east of Sisoihon and a second, base area in the Cardamom was preparing to cross into fiercer, battle 20 miles west of Mountains around Kirirom Thailand. peared in -his village one night, clad in a black pajama- the rice capital of Battambang was virtually autonomous, and One band of Cambodian reb- like uniform like Khmer in early August. he defended it against the Vi- els calls itself "cobra," after Rouge clothing except for a In the Kirirom and Kom- etminh, the French, the snakes that infest Cambodia's "cobra" badge on his collar pong Speu area southwest of Khmer Rouge and Sihanouk's paddy fields and forests, the and white stripes down the Phnom Penh, Gen. Chan Free Khmers. refugees say, and another sides of his trousers. Rangsei, described as a rela- There had been rumors that band is reported to be led by a The friend was part of tive of Prince Norodom Siha- he had been killed after the prince whose private army has a "cobra" recruiting party, the Khmer Rouge took Phnom been battling for autonomy nouk, titular head of state in refugee said, but the party Cambodia, was reported still Penh April 17. against all corners since the melted into the darkness when 1950s. fighting for his ancestral Asian analysts agree that some Khmer Rouge came lands. the diehards cannot hope for The resistance reports can- around and were not seen af- enough support and supplies not be positively authenti- Refugees said Khmer Rouge terward. authorities told them during a to carry on much longer. cated, but they come inde- "They usually operate in public meeting that members Communist-dominated Viet- pendently from dozens of ref- small groups, of about 12 men nam and Laos lie to the east ugees living in camps along of Chan Rangsei's 13th Bri- each," the refugee said. gade have been attacking and north, and Thailand, on the Thai-Cambodian border. the west, would risk North Vi- highway outposts and ambush- Some refugees report that He said Khmer Rouge au- ing truck convoys along Route etnamese reaction if it helped the Khmer Rouge look on for- thorities talked a lot about the 4, which links Phnom Penh, the resistance. mer Cambodian Premier In resistance forces, about Tam as leader of the resist- "suicide squads" in the areas ance. In Tam himself, living in of Battambang and Siem Reap exile in the Thai border town in northwest Cambodia and of Aranyaprathet, denies this, about attacks by night on however. and casts doubt on Khmer Rouge outposts in lonely villages. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Cambodia: Human Rights Before and After the Elections
    May 1993 Vol.5 No.10 CAMBODIA: HUMAN RIGHTS BEFORE AND AFTER THE ELECTIONS I. INTRODUCTION Cambodians will go to the polls on May 23 in an atmosphere of political and ethnic violence and renewed civil war. The elections are the culmination of a 17-month United Nations presence, the largest, most ambitious and most expensive peace-keeping effort ever, which was supposed to bring about an end to the conflict. Instead, Cambodia is faced with as much fighting as when the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) entered the country in March 1992, and a spiralling level of serious human rights abuses. The "neutral political environment" that was supposed to be the precondition for elections is entirely absent. The five permanent members of the Security Council and other drafters of the 1991 Paris peace accords, formally known as the Agreements on a Comprehensive Political Settlement of the Cambodia Conflict, are determined to go ahead with the elections regardless. But what happens on May 23 is almost less important than what happens in the days after the results are announced. Asia Watch believes that an analysis of the missteps that led to the current human rights situation is critically important to determining how, or perhaps whether, human rights of Cambodians can be protected under whatever government comes to power then. The reasons for the deterioration in the human rights situation in late 1992 and early 1993 are complex. None of the parties to the conflict has a history of respect for human rights and one, Democratic Kampuchea, better known as the Khmer Rouge, has one of the worst human rights records in modern history.
    [Show full text]
  • Sihanouk Is W
    THE NEW YORK TIMES, THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1975 Sihanouk Is W ling to Pass Up Cambodian Rule NYTimes AP-K-2-4 19 Dispatch of The Times, London in Cambodia because the leader on the Communist death Khmer Rouge victorCIN,consti- list has fled to Thailand, leav- PEKING, April 23—Prince tuted "the only valid popular ing only two of the seven Norodom Sihanouk has said unaccounted for. that he will not be upset if the verdict." victorious Khmer Rouge did It -was the leaders of the Thai officials said that for- Khmer Rouge themselves who mer Premier In Tam fled across not abide by their offer to let asked me to remain as chief him return to Cambodia as' the border Saturday with three of state of Cambodia until my other persons as they were chief of state. death," Prince Sihanouk said. being fired on by Communist In a statement circulated "If one day these leaders here, the Prince said that he soldiers. The officials said that change their minds about me I the four men were in police did not want to return to shalj not be upset in the least custody in Prachin Burl Prov- Phnom Penh, which had "bad since the only goal of my life memories" for him and would ince, near the border. has been already achieved: the Mr. In Tam headed the gov- instead ask the Khmer Rouge total and irreversible liberation to restore the airport near the ernment in Phnom Penh in of Cambodia and the restoration 1973 while. President Lop Nol ancient capital of Angkor.
    [Show full text]
  • Witness Describes Later Stages of Khmer Rouge Rule by Mary Kozlovski
    Prosecutor Tarik Abdulhak completed his questioning of witness Norng Sophang at the ECCC on Tuesday. “Everyone Was Insecure”: Witness Describes Later Stages of Khmer Rouge Rule By Mary Kozlovski On Tuesday, September 4, 2012, trial proceedings in Case 002 involving the accused Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, and Khieu Samphan, resumed at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). The prosecution and civil party lawyers concluded their questioning of witness Norng Sophang, whose testimony focused on communication under the Khmer Rouge regime. The hearing was adjourned at midday. Ieng Sary monitored proceedings from a holding cell, while Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan were in court for the morning session. Prosecution Continues Examination of Witness Norng Sophang International Senior Assistant Co-Prosecutor Tarik Abdulhak resumed the prosecution’s examination by continuing to present the witness with Democratic Kampuchea (DK) era telegrams, beginning with: • Telegram – April 10, 1978; No. 324; copied to Grand Uncle; Grand Uncle Nuon; Grand Uncle Van; Grand Uncle Vorn; Office; Archive; date of receipt April 11, 1978; signed by “Se”; “respectfully sent to beloved Committee 870.” In response to Mr. Abdulhak, Mr. Sophang said he did not know Se, and he saw the annotation in the top left-hand corner that read “Uncle Nuon.”1 Mr. Abdulhak quoted from the telegram about the situation along the Thai and Lao borders: The base of these traitors is on the Dangrek Mountain. We have a plan to search and destroy it. Ah In Tam group previously used the traitors in Sector 103 whose leader was Ah Hang. 2 He was their supporter.
    [Show full text]
  • Cambodia, July 2004
    Description of document: US Department of State Self Study Guide for Cambodia, July 2004 Requested date: 11-March-2007 Released date: 25-Mar-2010 Posted date: 19-April-2010 Source of document: Freedom of Information Act Office of Information Programs and Services A/GIS/IPS/RL U. S. Department of State Washington, D. C. 20522-8100 Fax: 202-261-8579 Note: This is one of a series of self-study guides for a country or area, prepared for the use of USAID staff assigned to temporary duty in those countries. The guides are designed to allow individuals to familiarize themselves with the country or area in which they will be posted. The governmentattic.org web site (“the site”) is noncommercial and free to the public. The site and materials made available on the site, such as this file, are for reference only. The governmentattic.org web site and its principals have made every effort to make this information as complete and as accurate as possible, however, there may be mistakes and omissions, both typographical and in content. The governmentattic.org web site and its principals shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information provided on the governmentattic.org web site or in this file. The public records published on the site were obtained from government agencies using proper legal channels. Each document is identified as to the source. Any concerns about the contents of the site should be directed to the agency originating the document in question.
    [Show full text]
  • Sangkum Reastre Niyum of King Norodom Sihanouk 1955-1970
    [email protected] The History of Cambodia from 1st Century to 20th Century [10] Sangkum Reastre Niyum of King Norodom Sihanouk 1955-1970 SLK 11/12/2008 Prince Norodom Sihanouk who built so many schools everywhere in Cambodia for his Khmer children to enjoy learning whatever they wanted to, but mostly they learnt only how to irrigate water into the fields. His Khmer children were not allowed to learn any political sciences…. However, his ordinary people seemed to enjoy their lives under his Sangkum Reastre Niyum Regime, even if his country was also completely under siege being already engulfed in wars with the two young-warmongering nations-Siam and Yuon again. And, his people seemed being kept in a dark pond like a frog that knew nothing what was happening during his reign of Sangkum Reastre Niyum? His ordinary Khmer people did not also really know much about any Vietnamese secret agents/Vietcong living in Cambodia during a little dictatorial Sangkum Niyum of his? Why did he become a little dictator who gave a drastic order to his secret police to secretly kill his own Khmer educated men? SLK v.2 [10] Sangkum Reastre Niyum of King Norodom Sihanouk 1955-1970 Absolute Monarchy ABSOLUTE monarchy is an idealized form of government, a monarchy where the ruler has the power to rule his or her country and citizens freely with no laws or legally-organized direct opposition telling him or her what to do, although some religious authority may be able to discourage the monarch from some acts and the sovereign is expected to act according to custom.
    [Show full text]
  • 1983 Tragedy of Kampuchea
    Alternatives IX (19831, 251-270 Document THE TRAGEDY OF KAMPUCHEA Introductory note The Kampuchea InqUiryl Commission was established in Helsinki in October 1980 to study the political, social and economic development of Kampuchea and the subsequent legal implications and repercussions on international politics, especialty in light of the events of the 1970s. The Commission has worked as an autonomous research body independent of any Finnish or international organizations or institutions and was made up of 22 special- ists - mainly academics - in international affairs. The Commission has been assisted by five separate research groups at the Universities of Helsinki, Tampere and Turku and at Abo Akademi. A delegation of the Commission carried out a trip to Kampuchea, Vietnam and Thailand from 15 February to 16 March, 1982. During the trip the dele- gation met with over 100 representatives from various states, international organizations, international relief groups, political movements and civic organizations spanning the spectrum of the parties to the Kampuchean conflict. The purpose of the inquiry was to study as objectively as possible what really happened in Kampuchea during the 1970s. The Commission had decided to adhere to a position of strict neutrality with AO preconceived goal or ambition, and with no intention to place blame a priori on any party or parties. The purpose instead has been to examine, with a view to future international crises, the historical, political, regional, social and ideological fac- tors which combined to bring about the catastrophe. Stress was laid on the as- pect of human rights in the examination of the events. The Inquiry Commission published its final report, “Kampuchea in the Seventies,” in December 1982 in Helsinki.
    [Show full text]
  • Front Matter
    Conboy_The Cambodian Wars 4/15/13 3:31 PM Page v © University Press of Kansas. All rights reserved. Reproduction and distribution prohibited without permission of the Press. Contents List of Maps and Illustrations vii Preface and Acknowledgments xi List of Acronyms xv 1. Springtime in Cambodia 1 2. Finger in the Dike 16 3. Finger on the Pulse 41 4. Requiem 65 5. Arrested Development 90 6. Trading Places 115 7. Fratricide 134 8. Parity 154 9. Pyrrhic Victories 176 10. Event Horizon 197 11. Dry Rot 215 12. Détente 232 13. Limelight 245 14. Phnom Penh Spring 263 15. White Pigeon 277 16. Paradigm Shift 296 17. Parting Shots 308 18. Aftermath 321 Notes 335 A Note on Sources 393 Index 395 v Conboy_The Cambodian Wars 3/29/13 12:03 PM Page vi © University Press of Kansas. All rights reserved. Reproduction and distribution prohibited without permission of the Press. Conboy_The Cambodian Wars 3/29/13 12:03 PM Page vii © University Press of Kansas. All rights reserved. Reproduction and distribution prohibited without permission of the Press. Illustrations Maps The Khmer Republic 7 Thai provinces bordering Cambodia 29 The Phnom Penh capital region as of 1973 51 Noncommunist resistance camps on the Battambang border 145 The northwest quadrant of Cambodia 207 Location of key battles in Banteay Meanchey province 288 Photographs U.S. Ambassador to Laos G. McMurtrie Godley reviews the first battalion of Cambodian troops at PS 18, circa September 1970 27 Lieutenant General Robert Cushman, deputy director of the CIA, reviews Cambodian troops at PS 18, circa
    [Show full text]
  • Considerations on the History of Cambodia Early Stage to the Period
    ERN>00498220</ERN> ~~ 16 Considerations on the History of Cambodia From the Early Stage to the Period of Democratic Kampuchea By Khieu Samphan Chapter 5 Democratic Kampuchea As they always say now there are very many problems concerning the Khmer Rouge issue this also makes me very depressed and upset It is true that our country must now face the inheritance of serious grudges and fear as a result of a revolution that changed in unpredictable ways to become the most absolute of revolutions one that caused a profound upheaval of society the likes of which have never before been seen However we should also ponder whether a revolution like the Khmer Rouge revolution that had once broken the greedy ambitions of major and intermediate great powers could have been an act committed by a single person or a small group of people That certainly could not be true Many tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of people followed this revolution and they did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives for the revolutionary cause So then probably there was something they had been lacking something for a long time something they needed very much in order to live So the question that arises is Why did this revolution occur like that and at that time To me the answer is obvious Revolutions occur after decisive historical events in reaction to historical problems They bring about killing but they arise from previous killing As for the previous killing when we just look at Samlaut we understand General opinion both Cambodian and international says “If it had
    [Show full text]
  • Thailand's Response to the Cambodian Genocide
    Thailand’s Response to the Cambodian Genocide Puangthong Rungswasdisab Independent Researcher Introduction In January 1999, Cambodian Prime Minister Hen Sen proposed that the Khmer Rouge’s foreign backers be brought to justice. His proposal was an act of retaliation against the international community who condemned his warm welcome of two defected Khmer Rouge leaders, Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea. His remark prompted the Thai leaders to distance the country from its past involvement with the murderous regime. The then Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai asserted that Thailand was not involved and had even objected and disagreed with the genocide. He reiterated that a trial was a matter for Cambodia alone. But the Cambodian problem was rarely regarded by its neighbors as an internal affair. The rise of the communist regime in Cambodia, together with those in Laos and Vietnam in 1975, was perceived as a threat for Thailand. But ironically, soon after its fall, the Khmer Rouge became Thailand’s military ally in fighting against the Vietnamese and the new Cambodian regime. Later on, a new dimension was added to the relationship between Thailand and the Khmer Rouge. Though a policy of turning Indochina from a battlefield into a market place of the Chatichai Choonhavan government was initially aimed at breaking a decade-long impasse of the Cambodian conflict, the Thais nevertheless enjoyed having the Khmer Rouge as their business partner. This chapter examines the development of Thailand’s policy towards the genocidal regime between 1975 and the mid 1990s. And as the friendly relationship with the regime was widely supported by the Thais, this chapter also sheds light on the perspectives of various Thai political groups on the crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge.
    [Show full text]
  • Key Points on the Political History of Cambodia Before 1975
    KEY POINTS ON THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF CAMBODIA BEFORE 1975 Donald Jameson, US Foreign Service Officer Retired Legacy of the Past Cambodia has a long tradition of authoritarian rule dating from the time of Angkor and before. In this system the king’s power was in theory absolute. Everything in the kingdom was his property and the word for govern also meant to eat or consume. There was no corresponding notion, as in the West or some other Asian countries, of the king acting as the servant of the people. Absolute power flowed downward onto a powerless population Khmer society under the monarchy was rigidly structured. The population was seen as a collection of subjects subservient to the king. It was divided between those who gave orders and those who paid homage. This was reinforced by the advent of Theravada Buddhism after the fall of Angkor. Buddhism held that those in power had their positions because of merit earned in previous lives. There were no legal restraints on those in power nor peaceful methods for replacing them. When a king died struggles for succession were often fierce and the losers were routinely killed. This reflected a winner take all mentality where compromise was absent and the idea of a loyal opposition did not exist. However, beneath the symbolic aura of absolute power the king’s authority was limited by the rivalry of quasi independent regional officials, high ranking courtiers and members of the royal family. Thus there was constant competition for influence among the king’s entourage, not unlike the behavior of Khmer politicians following independence.
    [Show full text]
  • Small State Diplomacy: Cambodia's Foreign Policy Towards Viet Nam." by Thearith Leng
    Small State Diplomacy: Cambodia’s Foreign Policy Towards Viet Nam Thearith Leng A thesis in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Humanities and Social Sciences The University of New South Wales, Canberra March 2018 Thesis/ Dissertation Sheet Surname/Family Name : Leng Given Name/s : Thearith Abbreviation for degree as give in the University calendar : PhD Faculty : University of New South Wales Canberra School : Humanities and Social Sciences Thesis Title : Small State Diplomacy: Cambodia’s Foreign Policy Towards Viet Nam Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) This thesis is a case study of how Cambodia as a small state managed its relations with Viet Nam, a larger state. A review of the literature on small states in general and Cambodian foreign policy in particular identified three major state strategies – balancing, bandwagoning and hedging. The literature review also revealed that there was wide divergence among specialists about the specific instruments used by small states to pursue their chosen strategy. Field work was carried out in Cambodia and Vietnam to access archives and library holdings of pertinent documents and publications to supplement library research in Australia. Interviews were conducted in Cambodia and Vietnam with government officials and subject matter experts to supplement these primary and secondary source materials. This thesis examined Cambodia-Vietnam relations in seven historical periods from 1620 to 2017 during which Cambodia experienced marked changes in regime type from a weak pre-colonial state (1620-1863), French protectorate (1863-53, independent kingdom (1953-70), republic (1970-75), communist/Khmer Rouge (1975-79), occupied client state (1979-89) United Nations supervision (1990-93), coalition government (1993-97) and one-party state (1997-17).
    [Show full text]
  • Ready Been Forced to Marry
    10qñaMEsVgrkkarBitedIm,IkarcgcaMnigyutþiFm’³1997-2007Ten Years of Independently Searching for the Truth: 1997-2007 mCÄmNÐlÉksarkm<úCaDocumentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) P.O. Box 1110, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Tel.: + 855 (23) 211-875 Fax.: + 855 (23) 210-358 E-mail: [email protected] Homepage: www.dccam.org A HISTORY OF DEMOCRATIC KAMPUCHEA (1975-1979) Rbvtþisa®A History of sþkm<CaRbCaFibetyü¬1975-1979 Democratic Kampuchea 1. Cambodia-History-1975-1979 I. Dy, Khamboly II. Chandler, David III. Cougill, Wynne Funding for this project was generously provided by the Soros Foundation's Open Society Institute (OSI) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). Support for DC-Cam's operations is provided by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). Disclaimer: The views expressed in this book are those of the author only. This text was submitted to the Government Working Commission to Review the Draft of the History of Democratic Kampuchea. On January 3, 2007, the Commission decided that, "the text can be used as supplementary discussion material [for teachers] and as a base to write a history lesson for high school students.” Copyright © 2007 by the Documentation Center of Cambodia. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Concept and book design: Stacy Marchelos, in conjunction with Double Happiness Creations, Inc., and Youk Chhang. Cambodians working on an irrigation project. Dam "January 1st," Chinith River, Kampong Thom Province, 1976.
    [Show full text]