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Web-only Exclusives
November 30, 2000

From Our Correspondent: Hirohito and the War
A conversation with biographer Herbert Bix

From Our Correspondent: A Rough Road Ahead
Bad news for the Philippines - and some others

From Our Correspondent: Making Enemies
Indonesia needs friends. So why is it picking fights?

Asiaweek Time Asia Now Asiaweek story

Bleeding the Khmer Rouge

A mass defection adds to its growing woes

By Dominic Faulder / Bangkok


IN AUGUST, IENG SARY, heavyweight in the bloodstained Democratic Kampu-chea regime, joined some key Khmer Rouge commanders in breaking with hardliners in the Maoist guerrilla movement. Soon after, Cambodia's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, told Asiaweek that Ieng Sary's departure would spark widespread defections and reduce the Khmer Rouge's numbers by as much as 80%. But the unraveling seems to be occurring even faster than Hun Sen's most optimistic estimate. Last week, eight divisions, totaling nearly 2,500 fighters by some counts, went over to the government side.

The mass defection came on the heels of other bad news for the Khmer Rouge leadership. In the weeks before, a major weapons dump and supply base at Samlot, in western Cambo-dia near the border with Thailand, had been easily overrun by Ieng Sary's forces.

After the collapse of Samlot, topline Khmer Rouge figures Nuon Chea and Son Sen, along with commanders Ta Mot and Ta Tit -- the son-in-law and son respectively of Pol Pot's infamous lieutenant Ta Mok -- were reported to have fled into Thailand. Despite official requests for their arrest and deportation to Phnom Penh, the Thais followed their normal policy of disarming feuding Khmer factions and pushing them back across the border.

If more evidence were needed that all is far from well for the remnant Khmer Rouge, the group's clandestine radio took to the air with an unprecedented panel discussion about the need to stick together. The seven speakers inclu-ded Khieu Samphan, the Khmer Rouge's nominal leader. It proved he is not being held a prisoner against his will, and that he does not intend to try and follow Ieng Sary's path. For now.


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