MILNET: Cambodia

Cambodia (map)

Harkening back to the relatively easy early days of Prince Norodom Sihanouk, set on the throne of Cambodia by the French after World War Two, Cambodia became an independent country in 1953. Living in relative harmony for at least a few years since their independence, Cambodia became the target of Communists and by 1960 Pol Pot (aka Soloth Sar) began a struggle to take over the country. By 1968 this became an armed struggle as his Khmer Rouge began to terrorize the countryside, followed immediately by involvement in the Vietnam War next door. Lon Nol pushed out Prince Sihanouk, and forced the population of Cambodia into agricultural communes, totally redefining the social structure of the country. All private property was seized and practically anyone with an education or willing to speak out were killed. The Vietnamese war spilling into Cambodia didn't help and finally in 1979, the communist government of Vietnam took Phnom Penh, the capital. Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge fled into the jungles. Armed with weapons from China, a familiar tale in Asia unfolded as the communist guerillas began to flail away at the countries underpinnings, already weak and near collapse. As desperate as things looked, bidding his time was Sihanouk, as he watched his country in turmoil from abroad.

Finally, Prince Sihanouk, with help from the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) in 1982, who feared the spread of communism throughout Southeast Asia, established a new government which was later recognized by the United Nations as a peace accord was signed in October of 1991. And in 1993, Sihanouk resumed the throne as king. Eventually Pol Pot made his final mistake, and his Khmer Rouge split, eventually resulting in his death in April of 2000. But not so his organization. Sihanouk's son Prince Ranariddh was killed in a coup d'etat in 1997, led by Hun Sen, causing the U.S. to stop aid to Cambodia.

Today, tribunals are convening to prosecute remaining leaders of the Khmer Rouge, with some 1.7 million Cambodians thought to have been murdered by the organization's ministrations from 1975 to 1979 alone. Many of these were city workers, bankers, and administrators dumped without training and resources into the countryside only to perish as they could not quickly adapt to becoming farmers, most dying from starvation.

Opposition party leader Sam Rainsey said on the 25th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge takeover, "The only way to exorcise the ghost of Pol Pot and to allow Cambodia to start developing on a new and sound basis is to establish an international and independent tribunal to prosecute the main Khmer Rouge leaders and expose the truth..."

Recent Events

April 8, 2002 - Pailan, Cambodia is home to horrific vice where Khmer Rouge rebels used as a stronghold, from drugs and sex to gambling as well as provides entertainment to former Khmer Rouge members. The Cambodian government, of course, denies the existence of the area.
April 3, 2002 - Cambodia government accepts U.S. offer for asylum for 900 Vietnamese ethnic minority refugees currently sheltered in Cambodia cooperate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to offer continued protection to those who choose not to go to the U.S.
January 4, 2002 - King Norodom Sihanouk's return to Cambodia will ensure safe election, so says his son, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Sihanouk is also returning after leaving for medical treatment in Bejing, China.

A terrorist group said to be active (as reported by the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen) in the country today is the Cambodian Freedom Fighters, which consists of a few Cambodian Americans. A well established and funded pro-communist faction retains a large influence in Cambodia and the pro government Democratic Front of Khmer Students and Intellectuals provide the student demonstrations typical in today's Cambodia. The President of Cambodia, Chia Sim, was a former sub commander in Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge but later become an anti-Pol Pot leader. Some of the resistance leaders that overthrew Pol Pot and welcomed the Vietnamese Communist caretaker government are still in power, including the current Prime Minister, Hun Sen.

Terrorist Groups Thought to Be Active in Cambodia

The list of terrorist organizations thought to be active in Cambodia are:

The Party of Democratic Kampuchea ( Khmer Rouge ) - formerly the government of Cambodia 1975 through 1979, now a persistent, but outlawed terrorist group. While in power, were attributed to some 1.7 million deaths of Cambodians.
Cambodian Freedom Fighters - little information on this organization claimed to be active by the current government in Cambodia, while opposition leaders believe the group is a figment of the leadership's imagination. Readers should note the group is not recognized by the U.S. as a terrorist group, however, clandestine sources may say otherwise.
al-Qaida- Osama Bin Laden's international offshoot of the Islamic Jihad organization, this group is active in the Philippines due to its current goal is to "reestablish the Muslim state" throughout the world. Works with allied Islamic extremist groups to overthrow regimes it deems "non Islamic" and remove Westerners from Muslim countries.
Cambodian Freedom Fighters (CFF) - little information on this organization claimed to be active by the current government in Cambodia, while opposition leaders believe the group is a figment of the leadership's imagination. Readers should note the group is not recognized by the U.S. as a terrorist group, however, clandestine sources may say otherwise.

milnet@milnet.com