DATE=3/4/99

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

NUMBER=5-42767

TITLE=CAMBODIA/AID/REACT

BYLINE=REASEY POCH

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

UN-VOICED AT:

// RE-ISSUING 5-42767, FROM FILE OF 3/4 W/.CHANGE IN THIRD

GRAPH OF TEXT, REQUESTED BY AUTHOR. //

///// ACTS AVAILABLE THROUGH ENGLISH BUBBLE. /////

INTRO: AT THE END OF THE CONFERENCE ON AID TO CAMBODIA IN TOKYO

LAST WEEK, DONOR NATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

PLEDGED 470-MILLION-DOLLARS IN AID THIS YEAR FOR THE POOR

SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRY. IN RETURN, CAMBODIAN PRIME MINISTER HUN

SEN PROMISED TO CARRY OUT VARIOUS REFORMS AND EVEN ASKED THE

DONOR COUNTRIES TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS. BUT TWO EXPERTS ON

CAMBODIA EXPRESSED DOUBTS ABOUT THE PRIME MINISTER'S PROMISES.

V-O-A KHMER SERVICE STAFFER REASEY POCH REPORTS.

TEXT: IN THE PAST, PRIME MINISTER HUN SEN HAS PROMISED HIS

GOVERNMENT WOULD STEM ILLEGAL LOGGING, FIGHT POVERTY, COMBAT

CORRUPTION, AND PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. BUT LITTLE

PROGRESS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED DURING HIS NEARLY SIX-YEARS AS

GOVERNMENT LEADER.

CAMBODIAN FORESTS CONTINUE TO BE CUT DOWN, THE AVERAGE INCOME OF

THE CAMBODIAN PEOPLE REMAINS ABOUT 300-DOLLARS PER YEAR,

WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION IS STILL REPORTED, AND IN ITS RECENT ANNUAL

REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES IN CAMBODIA, THE U-S STATE

DEPARTMENT POINTS OUT A LONG LIST OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES.

A CAMBODIAN-BORN DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT BASED IN WASHINGTON,

PRIME MINISTER'S PROMISES, UNTIL HE SEES RESULTS.

MR. EAR SAID IT IS GOOD THE PRIME MINISTER TOOK THE INITATIVE IN

PROPOSING INTERNATIONAL DONORS MONITOR THE USE OF THE AID MONEY.

/// EAR ACT ///

AFTER ALL THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY CAMBODIA'S MONEY. A

LOT OF IT IS BORROWED AND THE COUNTRIES THAT GIVE [IT]

SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH IT.

/// END ACT ///

THE DONOR NATIONS SAID THEY WOULD MONITOR THE REFORMS IN CAMBODIA

EVERY THREE-MONTHS AND TIE FURTHER AID TO PROGRESS.

TO SHOW DONOR COUNTRIES THAT HE IS SERIOUS ABOUT REFORMS, PRIME

MINISTER HUN SEN ORDERED THE CLOSINGS OF ALL CASINOS AS SOON AS

HE RETURNED FROM THE TOKYO TRIP. HE HAS ACCUSED THESE GAMBLING

ESTABLISHMENTS OF INVOLVING IN A RECENT WAVE OF KIDNAPPING FOR

RANSOMS. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTS HE HAS REPLACED SEVERAL

GENERALS IN THE FORREST AREAS.

DESPITE THOSE ACTIONS, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY ECONOMICS

PROFESSOR NARANKIRI TITH DOES NOT BELIEVE MR. HUN SEN CAN DELIVER

THE REFORMS HE HAS PROMISED THE DONOR COUNTRIES.

PROFESSOR TITH SAID THE PRIME MINISTER IS SURROUNDED BY MANY

LOYAL ARMY GENERALS WHO BENEFIT FINANCIALLY UNDER CURRENT

GOVERNMENT POLICIES ESPECIALLY IN LOGGING. THE PROFESSOR SAID

THEY WOULD TURN AGAINST MR. HUN SEN IF HE TRIES TO IMPLEMENT

REFORMS.

PROFESSOR TITH SAID HE BELIEVES THE CAMBODIAN PRIME MINISTER WILL

ACT JUST ENOUGH TO PLEASE THE DONOR COUNTRIES.

/// NARANKIRI TITH ACT ///

SO AFTER THREE MONTHS THEY, [THE DONOR COUNTRIES,] WILL

LOOK TO SEE WHETHER THE REFORMS WILL SUSTAIN OR NOT.

AND MY GUESS IS, EVEN IF IT IS NOT FULLY SUSTAINED, EVEN

IF IT IS ONLY A SMALL REFORM, THE DONORS WILL TRY TO

JUSTIFY IT, PARTICULARLY JAPAN.

/// END ACT ///

PROFESSOR TITH SAID TOKYO WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT VIETNAM-ALLY

HUN-SEN IN ORDER TO PLEASE HANOI AND PROMOTE JAPANESE BUSINESS

INTERESTS IN CAMBODIA'S NEIGHBOR.

PROFESSOR TITH SAID HE WANTS TO BE PROVEN WRONG ABOUT HIS

PESSIMISTIC VIEWS TOWARD CAMBODIA. HE SAID IF HE IS WRONG, THAT

MEANS CAMBODIA WILL BE BETTER OFF. (SIGNED)

NEB/RP/RAE

07-Mar-99 6:41 AM EST (1141 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America