News of the murder of the three foreign hostages by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia has sent shock waves around the world. But many, including Dr HELEN JARVIS from the Australia Cambodia Support Committee and the Campaign to Oppose the Return of the Khmer Rouge — Australia (CORKR), are left wondering why it has taken this long for world leaders, and in particular Australian foreign affairs minister Gareth Evans, to admit that the Khmer Rouge have not changed their spots. Jarvis spoke to Green Left Weekly in Sydney.
How serious a threat is the Khmer Rouge today?
It seems that five Cambodians — three ethnic Vietnamese and two Khmers — captured with the hostages from the train to Kampot on July 19 were also killed with them several weeks ago. Of the six other foreigners captured this year by the Khmer Rouge, only one has been seen again, while in various parts of the country the Khmer Rouge continue to re-enact, on a small scale, the murderous policies they implemented between April 1975 and January 1979.
In the last month alone Khmer Rouge actions have destroyed the lives and livelihood of thousands of their country people. On October 20, seven ethnic Vietnamese were murdered, including three small children. Also in October two Cambodian mine clearers were killed when their vehicle hit a mine on a previously cleared stretch of road. A train was attacked, killing more people.
Tens of thousands have been forced to flee their villages in the north-western provinces. Many of these people had spent years in refugee camps in Thailand before returning to Cambodia as part of the UN-brokered peace plan; now they are refugees once again, seeking shelter among people who themselves have nothing and whose lands are too dangerous to work.
How does the situation in Cambodia today compare with the period before the peace treaty was signed?
Unfortunately, today it is worse. In 1991 there was an intact government and social structure; this has now deteriorated. Whatever criticisms one might have had of the Cambodian government, then headed up by second Prime Minister Hun Sen, it was a functioning government with majority support. It was a grave mistake to dismantle it.
The current government, a very fragile coalition of parties that were previously at war with each other, was brought to life by the United Nations and, not surprisingly, is much less capable.
Is it possible to stop the Khmer Rouge? What should the Australian government and the international community be doing now?
Decisive action must be taken to seal the border with Thailand and to divest the Khmer Rouge of their assets (they have amassed considerable wealth in Thailand from Cambodian logging and gems). It is also possible to take legal action, for instance, to invoke the Genocide Convention of 1948.
It is important to establish that the Khmer Rouge have committed crimes against humanity. This can be proved (there is a huge amount of documentation of the murderous role of the Khmer Rouge), and they should be brought to justice.
Until very recently, they have been given political legitimacy. In particular, after the elections last year, Evans argued that the Khmer Rouge should be included in the new government, even though they refused to participate in the elections. Evans' strategy was wrong from the start. We are seeing the price to be paid for that now.
What about material aid?
Now is not the time to cut off aid to Cambodia. The United Nations, with the enthusiastic support of Australia, dismantled the previous government and established Cambodia's present fragile coalition. Support must be given to help it overcome the daunting tasks of rebuilding Cambodia and protecting the population against the continuing ravages of the Khmer Rouge.
CORKR is demanding that the Australian government continue, and even increase, humanitarian and development assistance and even military supplies to Cambodia. Development is the country's greatest long-term weapon against the Khmer Rouge.
Of course we agree with Evans' call for the Khmer Rouge commanders who executed David Wilson to be brought to trial. But the call rings hollow while the Australian government does nothing about the Khmer Rouge's mass murders. Australia should take action regarding the Khmer Rouge's clear breaches of the Genocide Convention.
In July the Cambodian National Assembly voted to outlaw the Khmer Rouge, and the US Congress established a Cambodia Genocide Investigation Office. Australia should express a clear position in support of such legal measures. The Cambodian government has to be helped to put an end to the Khmer Rouge threat.