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US Burma/Cambodia
Key Cambodian leader sees US sanctions on Burma key to Human Rights
Struggle for Cambodian Democracy on the verge of collapse, Sam Rainsy,
respected former finance minister, speaks of his fears to Peter
Montagnon
APRIL 25 1997
Financial Times (UK) (the worlds largest business news daily)
Everybody is afraid to die," says Mr Sam Rainsy, Cambodia's opposition
leader, who is fighting the
collapse of democracy in his country. "But we have to overcome our fear
and do what we think is right."
It is a long way from the killing fields of Cambodia
to
the comfort of a small hotel in London where Mr
Rainsy
was to be found yesterday. His words have an awesome
ring of truth just the same.
Mr Rainsy was almost killed on Easter Sunday when a
demonstration he was leading in Phnom Penh was broken
up
by a gang throwing grenades. Official inquiries have
failed to reveal the identity of the culprits, but
the
presence at the scene of special military units of
the
Cambodian People's party (CCP) suggests involvement
by
the former communists who form one of the two
government
parties, Mr Rainsy says.
Now he is on a world tour to try to persuade donor
governments, which give Cambodia about $600m (£370m)
in
aid a year, to make the preservation of democracy and
human rights a condition of further help.
His message is a stark one, resting on the premise
that
moves to democracy, launched with UN-sponsored
elections
in 1992, have failed. But it is one that carries some
weight.
Slight of build and unassuming, but lucid in
argument,
Mr Rainsy has a reputation for integrity that gained
him
wide international respect as finance minister in the
early days of the new government.
"It is not only democracy which is in danger," he
says.
"It is the whole country which is running the risk of
falling apart. Cambodia is heading for civil war,
chaos
and political destruction."
At the problem's heart is the creeping hold on power
of
the CPP, led by Mr Hun Sen. Power sharing has
collapsed
between the CPP and royalist Funcinpec party, which
formed a joint government after 1992 elections.
After he was ousted first from the cabinet and then,
two
years ago, from the National Assembly, Mr Rainsy's
Khmer
National party has formed an alliance with Prince
Norodom Ranariddh, Funcinpec's leader, to oppose the
CPP
in local elections scheduled for this year and
national
ones next year.
But it is uncertain whether the elections will take
place. So dangerous has the climate become that the
National Assembly, which needs to pass the enabling
legislation, cannot function, says Mr Rainsy.
The attack on the Easter Sunday demonstration was a
clear attempt on his life, he says. "Four grenades
were
thrown very close to me." Mr Rainsy says he managed
to
crawl away, but was saved only by a fallen motor
cycle
from straying into the path of the last grenade.
The CPP denied involvement in the attack. Mr Hun Sen
blamed the demonstrators for provoking violence but
an
attempt to have Mr Rainsy arrested was thwarted only
by
the intervention of Prince Ranariddh. Against such a
background there appears little prospect of free
elections.
Whether the message will be heard by western donors,
which cover 60 per cent of Cambodian government
expenditure, is moot. Having invested $3bn in
bankrolling democratisation, some donors are
reluctant
to admit failure. Mr Rainsy is being received not by
ministers but by senior diplomats on his present
tour.
But he believes the Clinton administration's decision
to
impose sanctions against Burma indicates a greater
willingness to act on human rights.
Asean, the Association of South-east Asian Nations,
must
make up its own mind whether to go ahead with plans
to
admit Cambodia later this year, though he hopes for
delay.
"Cambodia is going to be a headache for Asean because
there is not a single government. The two prime
ministers do not talk to each other," he says. "Asean
does not give aid, only lessons, and their lessons
are
sometimes questionable when they talk about the style
of
democracy, placing economic development before human
rights."
It is an uncomfortable message both for its challenge
to
western donors and to those closer to home who
believe
Asian values are superior, but Mr Rainsy is
determined
to keep up the fight when he returns to Cambodia in
May.