POIPET - The Khmer Rouge guerrilla faction does not want to prolong its fight

with the government in Phnom Penh but has to defend itself from attack,

guerrilla fighters here said.

Comrade Jia, a Khmer Rouge field commander,

said on April 26 his soldiers are like other people who love peace and not war,

but are forced to fight because of attacks from Phnom Penh.

"What have we

got from war? Thousands of our children do not have chances to learn, schools

cannot be open because the teachers have their duties in the battle fields,"

said the 32-year old commander and father of two.

Comrade Jia on Wednesday

criticized Western countries who supported the government with weapons and

money.

"As long as they support them you won't see real peace in

Cambodia," Jia said.

Jia's deputy Comrade Tap ridiculed the new

government forces as he cleaned his AK-47.

"They are so weak, not like in

the past when they fought along with the Yuon [Vietnamese]", he said.

The

guerrillas said their superiors had ordered them to retake the northwestern

towns of Poipet and Sisophon within one month. -Reuters