Khmer Rouge Ambassador In So-pheap, the faction's current representative
in Phnom Penh, gave an interview to the Post on 8 March. He articulated
the KR position on these issues to Nate Thayer:
Peace talks: They
[the government] have no support from the people. They are very weak.
Their only resource is military means. All their stock is in military means.
Their aim is to destroy the five point peace plan. They do not want peace. The
five point peace plan means the unity of all the forces in the government. That
means Cambodia will be run by the four parties and a truly national
government....only national reconciliation on the basis of the five point peace
plan can solve the problem. Because they cannot win and we cannot win because
the western countries will never let the DK win the war like in 1975, but the
Vietnamese and the two headed government cannot win either.
Western powers: Their [government] soldiers are fighting against their
will. This war is financed by western powers. What we call the "entente". They
give money. When you give money and the money goes to fighting, that is
supporting the war. The so-called humanitarian assistance like demining - all
this is for fighting against Anlong Veng and elsewhere. About medical
assistance, it is also for the fighting. The blood banks are used for the
fighting....they cannot win militarily or politically so, one day when the
"entente" sees there is no way out, they will accept the five point plan. We
hope they will realize this sooner rather than later...who can put pressure on
Funcinpec but the western powers? Only the CPP wants the fighting. The majority
of Funcinpec do not want it. So why do they fight? Because there is pressure
form the "entente". In the "entente" we cite three countries - the United
States, France, and Australia.
Funcinpec: It is not to late for HRH Prince Ranariddh and Funcinpec to
come to the five point peace plan. If they support it our people will support
them. But if they continue this way our nation and people will not have peace
and also they will have no political future. If Ranariddh chooses to follow the
CPP path of fighting he will not be very popular. Peace is always popular.
Foreign Aid to Cambodia: The donor countries can do very very good
things for our people, if they use their aid to put the pressure on the
two-headed government to make peace. But to help a government you should make
peace. But if they just give money, what percentage of that money do they use to
buy armaments to fight? There is no money to increase the salary of teachers,
they say themselves that 20 percent of the people have no housing, but they
spend money on fighting.
