Unoffical Translation of account of delegation of PCML to Kampuchea reports from October 1978 L’humanite Rouge series:

ONE THOUSANDS KILOMETRES THROUGH Democratic Kampuchea ___________________________________________________________________L'HUMANITÉ ROUGE n°945- Vendredi 6 Octobre 1978First French delegation to Kampuchea (Cambodia)

Wednesday, our delegation led by Jacques Jurquet, general secretary of Parti Communiste Marxiste-Léniniste and political director of our newspaper was back in Paris. They stayed for several weeks in China and travelled at the invitation of the Communist Party of Kampuchea for more than a week in Democratic Kampuchea. They visited several regions of the country, travelling over 800 kilometres and has seen the efforts of the people of Kampuchea under the leadership of his party, to build socialism and combat savage aggression of the Vietnamese invaders. Kampuchea, as in China, they had friendly talks with leaders of the communist parties of the socialist countries.

L’humanite Rouge series: ONE THOUSANDS KILOMETRES THROUGH Democratic Kampuchea

No. 949- Thursday, October 12, 1978: Democratic Kampuchea (Cambodia) (1)

F or the first time since the liberation of Phnom Penh in April 1975, a French delegation led by Jacques Jurquet, secretary of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party and political director of L'HUMANITÉ ROUGE went to visit Cambodia at the invitation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kampuchea. There they stayed eight days, from 9 to 16 September. They had long and rich interviews with Ieng Sary, member of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee and also Foreign Minister, and with Pol Pot, secretary of the CPK and Prime Minister. We start following the report of this exciting journey.

Au Kampuchea démocratique, Pol Pot, secrétaire général du Parti communiste du Kampuchea s'entretient avec Jacques Jurquet.

It takes five hours by plane to get from Beijing to Phnom Penh five hours that we often stayed nose pressed to the window to try to see the first images of Kampuchea. After the huge China, the Laos, the "Kingdom of a Million Elephants," mysterious dark mountains covered out of sight of a thick jungle that leaves nothing glimpse of life on the ground. Suddenly, we see a large yellow ribbon, winding, Mekong, we fly over to Phnom Penh. We discover with amazement its many ramifications, that indescribable mixture of land, islands and water intertwined arms. Soon, it becomes difficult to distinguish the earth. The Mekong is out of bed and a large mass of yellowish mud and motionless stretches out of sight. Cambodia, but also South Vietnam, are experiencing the worst floods for 72 years.

Planting rice in paddy fields (Photo HR).

But the plane loses altitude here and there appear isolated villages on a small promontory, surrounded by water, the complicated roof of a pagoda. The vegetation becomes more precise, lush, dominated by the tall figure in the range characteristic of sugar palms. And it was landing at Pochentong airport, a name so familiar to all who have closely followed the struggle of the Cambodian people, anger vibrating in his suffering and enthusiasm to his victories. On the runway Cambodian comrades welcome us. Among them, we are surprised and joyous emotion of finding a long-time friend, Ok Sakun, which was during the liberation war, the head of the mission GRUNK in Paris. And soon we are, rushing to Phnom Penh through a smiling suburb as a campaign. The city is amazing. Of course, by the very low traffic density and population, but also by the character of its colonial center: wide avenues lined with palm trees, opulent villas embedded in the green of its parks.

NATURE OF A CRAZY GENEROSITY

Impressions, emotions are sure to hit us throughout the duration of this short but dense stay. And first, the striking contrast between extreme wealth potential of this small country and the poverty of its economy. The nature in Kampuchea is a crazy generosity: water and earth abound, the waters are the richest in the world, the beautiful and exuberant vegetation. Fruits and vegetables are growing: bananas, mangoes, mangosteens, durian, Jacques, rival the green rice fields, cassava fields, enormous pumpkins, cotton fields and vast forests of valuable timber.

TRADEMARKS OF WAR

But the economy of the country was ravaged by war, cities and villages were wiped off the map, the few factories destroyed, chopped communication channels by bombs, fields dug deep craters still keep the scar despite the tropical vegetation that is quick to cover the ruins. On long lines stands the show coconut and beheaded sugar palms whose trunks still keep the brand of the impact of bullets and shrapnel. Yet wonders have already been completed in such a short time: the reconstructed factories, bridges and restored especially striking testimony of the effort, of unusual and impressive hydraulic achievement that will finally tame that in this country may be the best or the worst thing: water. Dams, wide channels of over 50 km, many branches of irrigation networks have transformed the face of a significant part of the country and allowed the rice thrive. And here, the rice that's life, the staple food, which in the past has always lacked either a period of the year. Today, there is rice sufficient for all men, women and children of Kampuchea and one can even begin to export to neighboring countries. Other images jumble strike us: the long rice fields, dikes under construction in a small space together tens, hundreds of people in a mess that seems only apparent and joyous animation, clusters of children gathered in a courtyard of the cooperative and who greet us cheerfully, archaic but so beautiful wooden carts cluttering the roads which we discover with surprise that they are already the same, on the bas relief of the Angkor temples. And the majestic silhouette, unforgettable, these stone jewels that arise suddenly in the thick forest that surrounds them. Symbol of culture, of the nation, the very soul of the Khmer people. These temples Lon Noliens and as Americans would have torn the patriots who were guarding, they have gone so far bomb, fortunately without causing too much damage power. And so many other precious moments as these moments amid the joyous and feverish agitation of 4000 young building with all their hearts, with all their forces, a new dam near Kompong Thom. Their huge laugh crazy, bright, spontaneous when we awkwardly try to feel the Khmer language to thank them! And the beautiful face of the official rubber plantations by which we visit the latex plant speaks of class solidarity that unites the workers of France and Cambodia. And the soft and firm face of this young doctor, trained in the bush makes us visit the maternity Phnom Penh she heads. And gravity, the application of the youth national electricity school practicing to master complex electrical installations.

PEOPLE WHO WORKS HARD

We must not deny the Cambodian people working hard, early to rise and late to bed. Production units revolve around the clock with teams working in 3 X 8. There is only one day off every ten days. Even young children lend themselves in one way or another, to the extent of their capabilities and their studies, hands-on. But since his release is that he works for him, it is to him and to no one else, that return the fruits of his labor and the wealth he creates with his hands. He already has enough to eat, he is dressed nine, he began to give up his sequined covered with tiles. It offers medical care and malaria, the scourge of the country, has almost completely disappeared. It accesses the instruction. It is now really master home.

NEW SEVERE THREAT

But again, a serious threat to independence so dearly paid. The Americans fired here to turn Vietnam claims to raid the country. On site, we better understand the underlying reasons for the conflict. We understand better the situation in Kampuchea, but potentially rich country that lacks arms to develop, can not make him an aggressor in this conflict. It has everything to do to heal the wounds of a cruel war, to build a ruined economy out of the war. At the

same time, this quiet and modest people know a thousand ways to prove his inflexible attachment to their identity and independence. Sooner or later, any aggressor will include its costs: the people of Kampuchea was not a slave soul. He will fight to the end to defend its independence and sovereignty, and he will defeat because his cause is just. We came back with the deep conviction.

Annie BRUNEL (To be continued

No. 950- Friday, October 13, 1978 (2)

W e can repeat it without shame: we were very moved upon arrival at Phnom Penh airport. Pochentong! In spring 1975 US freighters are landing every minute, spilling rice and especially weapons, ammunition; this is the last thread that connects the capital to American power. We hear the roar of the planes coming and going, tearing rockets patriots, fires we see US planes hit. These are the images of American television that we have kept in memory. Today, September 9, 1978, Pochentong is calm and serene, our friends, our comrades who defeated the "first army in the world", we are waiting on their land in this airport which they have become the masters. A large reception room was destroyed, but on the elegant control tower with blue windows, fleet Democratic Kampuchea flag: red with the center yellow silhouette of a temple.

Phnom Penh today

None of us knew Phnom Penh; it's really amazing: it looks like a "water city" French in plenty of palms and other tropical trees. The villas, small "castles" sometimes borrowed from all styles popular among rich people of our country. We stay in one of them: it's cozy, there is a bathroom for each room, air conditioners everywhere, the colonialists were treating well: the gardens are beautiful, on the banks of the Bassac, bordering their older properties, they have built jetties.

The Assembly of People's Representatives.

PHNOM PENH IS NOT AN ABANDONED CITY.

The bourgeois press here is indignant: "Phnom Penh is empty." True, Phnom Penh is empty colonialists, and that is something that pleases us. No doubt some people preferred the Phnom Penh of the war, with its three million refugees peasants crammed in camps to escape the fighting, while in the city center, the privileged, American men and officers lived in a shameless luxury? The center of the capital was not affected by the destruction; the city fell like a ripe fruit through carefully controlled strategy of the Armed Forces of Liberation. One destruction at the center: the National Khmer bank was violently shaken by a powerful plastic bomb, two days after the liberation, certainly pro-American enemies were organized, and highly equipped inside to prepare subversion. Here, it is said that Phnom Penh is a "dead city," a "deserted town". Not at all! When we arrive at midday, many shutters are closed, as it is hot. At night, many homes might have been thought abandoned are lit; that's right, the buildings are unoccupied, closed shops, was erased almost all their stores although it remains a "IBM" or "Esso" of listed there. Today, there are tens of thousands of residents in Phnom Penh that actively prepare the repopulation of the city.

CLEANING THE CITY

The cleaning work is huge: we have removed almost all the barbed wire inside which the villas were entrenched, it actively cleans the inside of homes and gardens, and electricity is restored. Clean Phnom Penh is not an easy task, because nature are not aid; at the slightest storm must pick up the broken branches in the wind and it rains every night because it's the rainy season. Vegetation grows fast, very fast. But the beds are impeccable in the beautiful avenues, the trees are pruned, the grass cut and the newly was planted seedlings and trees. Not really, Phnom Penh did not look like a deserted city. Traffic is very small indeed and some roosters bred to feed people locally, can cross the street safely. It is not we who complain of this relaxation, as we move through the streets of the city freely. Obviously, preparing Phnom Penh after returning from a population following the rhythm of the needs and economic capacities. Some plants have been rehabilitated in the suburbs; in the heart of the city of garment factories operate in garages; they are widely open in the evening, pools of light in which young women are seen bent over their sewing machines or to converse during the break. These workshops operate a part of the night. The administrative and political apparatus of the House of Representatives people, its standing committee, various ministries, the Government Palace, eight embassies already installed, reside in Phnom Penh. We skirted their beautiful buildings built for some led by Norodom Sihanouk in a Khmer architectural style. Everywhere it is the same meticulous cleanliness, a taste to make the city and its beautiful buildings, the opulence of the green and smells given by nature. It surprises our Western eyes, this demented, oh, the insidious and racist rumors spread in the West against the alleged "ignorant peasants with low foreheads, out of their forests." Democratic Kampuchea is a poor country, it is true, but what dignity, what respect for the past, cultural heritage of the people. Let those who today spit on Kampuchea to beware, because you should rather take seed in our Western cities!

A remnant of the colonial past: the building of IBM.

TOURISM IN PHNOM PENH

We have not visited all of course, but our first impression has been confirmed. Start with tourism, which is not without political significance elsewhere. We went to the "Silver Pagoda"; it was built in the late nineteenth century, when the capital was transferred from the old town of Udong in Phnom Penh. This is the grandfather of Norodom Sihanouk who built this pagoda. A statue in pure Napoleon III style, made in Paris, the horse to watch, with the effigy French and Khmer, "His mandarins and grateful people - 1860". The pagoda takes its name from its floor made of solid silver tiles. The tiles were carved in France and paid by "a voluntary subscription". In other words, a flight both feudal and colonial. The grid made in France is decorated with lilies. Pagoda located inside the Royal Palace was used exclusively for the royal family; it was opened to all, two, three times a year during the holidays. It is also called "Emerald Pagoda" because it houses a Buddha sitting emerald: it is a copy, the original was stolen and taken away in Bangkok! During the 1970 war of resistance at 1975 the lonnoliens have left the Silver Pagoda abandoned; when the People's Armed Forces for the Liberation happened in April 1975, it was a "virgin forest", paintings galleries have suffered a lot, everything is carefully maintained today inside the Pagoda is currently a museum, but many art objects were stolen during the French colonial rule as that of Japanese militarism and American imperialists. The "Silver Pagoda" is adjacent to the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace is well maintained too, it is not public because it is the residence in Phnom Penh of Prince Norodom Sihanouk and his family. We will continue to visit Phnom Penh tomorrow and we will call under what conditions his release took place.

(To be continued)

Camille GRANOT

No. 951- Saturday 14 and Sunday, October 15, 1978 (3)

Phnom Penh three years after

It's April 17, 1975, at 9 am in the morning 30, the People's Armed Forces for the Liberation penetrate the staff Lon Nol, in the heart of the capital. The staff Lon Nol remained intact, as the Patriots have invested without shot on April 17 in the morning. We spent several hours inside.

We enter a concrete bunker with a flat roof. This is the bunker Sosthenes Fernandez, head puppet military. On arrival in France, after the victory of the patriots, Sosthenes Fernandez made the proud arms and spat on the Cambodian resistance. The truth is that he ran like a rabbit: the flat roof of his bunker was planned for helicopter flight; Sosthenes Fernandez was afraid: he made specially build this fortress!

All remained in the state: military maps covering the walls designating the patriotic forces as "enemy forces"; the comparative performance charts artillery overestimate the capacity of patriots: they have never received large pieces by the Vietnamese during the war and have recovered from the American enemy.

A fighter who took part in the offensive on Phnom Penh and the liberation of the city followed the tactic explains how they held the Mekong, key supplies and thus the liberation of the city, how the naval base of Meak Luong was surrounded by the patriots, how it fell, how they made a diversion on the shore of the Mekong to attack in the west and south, how junior officers and Lon Nol soldiers hoisted the white flag the barracks and military vehicles ... April 1, Lon Nol fled, 12 ... it was the Americans ... We must admit, we enjoy an unalloyed pleasure to recognize there at heart of the war machine and destroy enemy dazzling superiority of the people's war. The fighter "out of forests" We did a military theory courses. The attackers did better watch out; and still today, those who massage their divisions at the border of Kampuchea!

In the bunker a fighter told the delegation MLCP tactics that allowed the liberation of Phnom Penh.

The bunker Sosthenes Fernandez, head of the puppet armed forces in the time of Lon-nol.

Unquestionably, the liberation of Kampuchea, it is a clear proof of the omnipotence of the people's war, the war of one people, led by a political line and just Military, led by a communist party. In the staff Lon Nol, we understand the aggressiveness of American officials, McGovern and others today. Free Kampuchea from 1978, is a resounding slap in the face for them, because they put the package. On the first floor there is the War Room, towards the center of the war that US double point by point bunker Fernandez same cards, same figures. It is even more complete here: the details of the puppet armed forces units is on the cards, logistics data, air forces are specified. This is where Fernandez had his accounts and receive orders. One can easily measure the rout of the last days: the vast paintings, where the air force is stopped on 10/11 April that of the Army on 14/15 April.

We could go into more detail of the tactics of taking Phnom Penh. Today is reaching lesson: the fierce determination of the people of Kampuchea and communists, their extraordinary efforts to learn to make war against an enemy heavily armed and equipped, their resolve not to yield to any pressure, make no compromises when it comes to freedom and independence, paid. After the Paris Agreements of 1973, the people of Kampuchea continued to fight alone. Cambodian soil was then riddled with unprecedented bombing; the people and the Communists stood firm. Yet, the pressures have not failed. The B52, blood, death, but also the pressure of the supposed "friends". Vietnam's leaders did not believe the Cambodian communists capacity: "You can not liberate Phnom Penh is above your strength!". They went so far as to make a curious proposal: "Let us do, we will come with our Saigon tanks, we will put Cambodian hats to say you've freed Phnom Penh." The resistant Kampuchea never accepted such a market; they won only their release. The political independence of a people and of a communist party is very precious; the experience of the Communist Party of Kampuchea was proved once again.

Our newspaper has already given the reasons for the evacuation of the capital in the days following the Liberation. On site, we better understand them. In fact, the evacuation of the city was an absolute necessity for the survival of the population, for the survival of the revolution. Before 1970, there were 600 000 inhabitants in Phnom Penh. In 1975 there are 3 million. In April, nearly 2.5 million people crammed into camps, on the streets, in parks, were not

residents of Phnom Penh; they were peasants. Even before the Directive evacuation, many left dice April 17, spontaneously to regain their province, their village. Why an overriding need to leave? He had to eat: 5 days ahead food in the city, the crowded wrecks Mekong, cut roads: it was impossible to transport food stored in the liberated areas and the wet season approaching ... It was preserve population of enemy maneuvers and bombings as subversion. When they searched the city emptied, the Patriots found weapons caches; networks were organized to create unrest. The evacuation dismantled them. The evacuation was done without brutality, without violence, without shouting. Many journalists - let Jean Lacouture France Inter on Wednesday - are indignant about "the unprecedented horror in the history of the evacuation of a city like Phnom Penh." But are they truly informed, they listened to all the witnesses. Two of them, Jerome and Jocelyne Steinbach, French volunteers present in Phnom Penh on release, told the fifteen days they experienced in the capital before their return to France. This is an exciting testimony that fits completely false against all lies spread in the West. Their book "liberated Phnom Penh" was published in spring 1976 in the International Publishers; it is almost impossible today, and we are tempted to add: and for good reason! We publish here some extracts against.

Camille Granot

The evacuation of Phnom Penh

Two cooperating

French testify

Of course, getting started is fast, we do not take the time to elaborate on these reasons, the explanations will come later. If there are still after a week of Phnom Penh residents who lock themselves in their homes, only then it will tell them the need to go; this task will be for the militants of the internal resistance, who know the city and its inhabitants.     For now, in April 18, a group of guerrillas passes the door and said, "You must go." If we do not listen, we see a second pass that repeats "must go", then a third ... and so on all day, every hour, the same sentence. Until the day when the district must be completely empty, then, ready or not, he must leave immediately. But even at that time, no brutality, no vexation. Walk the streets where one side people walking or those who push a vehicle, which run on the other those who still have the essence and place in their cars, it is difficult to make their way . Jeeps, trucks loaded with guerrillas follow or cross slowly, without upsetting anyone, not even honk.     This does not fail to surprise in this city where reigned the military masters of a bygone era, which imposed their passing headlights on, stuck horn, and even too often sudden gusts (machine guns) when n ' not fall at random in traffic, deliberately toasting red lights.     However, all those who refused to leave the city, around April 23, perhaps not had the same reasons. Some feared just a start they did not know the reasons. They had to explain the need. This task was entrusted to the militants of the capital: propaganda groups were formed, who would find the last residents of Phnom Penh.     Others were afraid of the journey, such as these four old two nurses young men saw Earth from. They stood deep in their completed apartment. Guerrillas came and found them:     "Why are you here, so that everyone is out of Phnom Penh?     - See, we are old, we walk with difficulty, we do not even know how one kilometer walk.     - Take your business, we'll drive you car. "     In this way, all four were taken by jeep to fifteen kilometers from home, on the road No. 1

(that of Saigon). There where two pagodas along the Mekong. It's sort of a collection center. The townspeople who went to the south of Phnom Penh will succeed sooner or later, at their own pace. They stopped off to eat and rest where they wished (...)     From our side, we will see the caretaker, and other Khmer and Vietnamese inhabitants of the building back every morning after their departure, 18, to take various things forgotten, recover a bike, ask candles.

("Liberated Phnom Penh" - 40-41-44-45 pages)

No. 952- Tuesday, October 17, 1978 (4)

Through Kampuchea

In the campaign of Kampuchea a new home. The goal for 1978 is a new home for every family. They are built of wood and covered with red tiles.

On our return, friends and comrades here who have seen the movie "Democratic Kampuchea" have often asked us: "The Kampuchea, is as beautiful as in the movie?". Well yes, the film is not misleading, the colors are as bright, nature is abundant, as generous as it looks in the film.

FOOTPRINTS OF WAR

So generous that even unpractised eye to discern evil impressions of the war. Yet they are everywhere stubbornly present real handicap for the construction of the country.

Of course, there are bumpy roads, damaged by shells, destroyed bridges, replaced with pontoon bridges, or reconstruction. This further hinders the transport of a cooperative to another, slowing trade. For us it is a nuisance quite secondary, largely offset by undisguised pleasure: we travel in the old "dodge" the US Embassy in Phnom Penh! It will also sugar palm decapitated by shells, or those affected by the shrapnel bombs that indicate long black marks along their trunk. Gradually, it is recognized in the lush vegetation of the holes B 52 bombs, the remains of destroyed houses. Behind the bushes and climbing vegetables, we distinguish the stilt houses logged or burned, blackened remains of a pen. For three years, the farmers of Kampuchea have provided an enormous effort to restore,

clean, repair. In many areas, the vegetation and the work of men have erased everything. Around the cities, by cons in combat zones, war seems even closer, north of Phnom Penh, the forest has been terribly affected, blackened by the bombings, in Siem Reap, there are only few buildings in the center of the city. All around along roads No. 6 and No. 7, were mercilessly destroyed by American aggression: more homes, more schools, ruins, we had to start from scratch! Throughout the trip, the comrades who accompany us evoke the bitterness of fighting and hard-won victories against powerful and ruthless aggressors. We turn now to Romea, it was a strategic point for the defense and provisioning of Phnom Penh; since the coup of 18 March 1970, the Patriots cut railways: as Americans and Lonnoliens they held at that position. There have been several battles Romea perhaps some friends of the Cambodian people do they remember of the name? Lon Nol sent paratroopers reinforcements before falling instead there has been an entire enemy regiment protected by the usual defense system: barbed wire, mined and booby-trapped grenades, lifting of land with machine gun nests. There, as elsewhere, the enemy fighters set to exhaustion and released instead end 1973: it was one of the first towns liberated in the province of Kompong Chang. The train, we see the chain of Cardomones the southwest, where the first revolutionary armed forces before 1970 is organized; one of our companions fought there. In Kompong Thom, remain traces of "Chenla II operation." Let us remember, that was the last attempt at offensive launched by Washington in 1972; "Offensive" has stalled miserably: we kept two armored army vehicles Lon Nol as "witnesses"; it was necessary to explain why the farmers of the region who wanted to clean up!

A FACE NEW CAMPAIGNS

The new face of the campaigns of Kampuchea, it is undoubtedly in the regions formerly liberated he discovered the best; there, visible imprints of the war have disappeared, the changes are most sensitive. Thus, halfway between Siem Reap and Kompong Thom, we enter a liberated region earlier. The campaign is more polished, rice paddies are abundant: there are around two crops a year. There is even some tractors here. We stop in the campaign: the children hunt sparrows with loud cries at other times because the rice crop is near. To prevent them from catching heat stroke, one arranged their foliage shelters in the fields. They look good and enjoying this right so unusual shout to the winds! Also in this region, the water comes from a reservoir of 22 million m3, built in five months by 10,000 people. It shows side by side all 'stages of rice growth: here, seeds pressed against each other, there, young plants recently repiques, further, it is soon harvest, next, plowing . The potential of Cambodian land appear right there in the wide variety of multiple colors green rice before it matures. It could even be three crops if we had enough arms. Arms, it is sorely lacking. There are men who fell during the Resistance, missing or invalid today, there are those who are mobilized on the front of the East and South-East to face up to a new Vietnamese aggression. Also, are there a lot of women in the fields. They participate in all works: plowing, transplanting, seed transport, we see them go together in the rice fields, to the lunch break and eat gathered in the shade of some trees, small groups of twenty to thirty-where women dominates the black is the color of the traditional dress of Khmer peasants. Why hide it? The farmers and peasants of Kampuchea work hard. Sunrise is early, but after dark, we often saw young men and girls carry wood or seeds along roads. They work hard because we must act quickly: make all the people food but also accumulate wealth to build a socialist society and stand firm against a new invasion. They work hard because they lack the means, instruments to produce more, farming tools are rudimentary means of transport often reduced to ancient antique carts to profile; feudalism and colonialism took all the Khmer people. The French colonialists as the US imperialists have left nothing of the supposed "benefits of civilization". Democratic Kampuchea is poor, very poor, not because of its soil,

nor its climate: it is the feudal and colonial forces that have kept this state. Also the things that have changed, the signs of progress in three years they are difficult to distinguish by Western eyes. A superficial glance might stick to the children running barefoot in front of houses to look at us, to those who bathe all naked in irrigation canals or sin there frogs or fish, the hard work of men and Women's feet in the mud, repiquent rice or grow an archaic plow. True, Kampuchea like many other third world countries is very poor, but he is working hard to get by.

NEW VILLAGES

New villages are proof positive of this gigantic effort. They are lined up along the roads and buried under climbing crops, vegetables, fruit trees and palms. It also has a history. The first year after the Liberation, the goal has been to feed each 312 kg of rice per capita on average in the year. The question of food was thus resolved; the following year, the effort has diversified, vegetable crops were multiplied, they started breeding pigs in large, diversified food, it blew a little and we were able to somewhat concerned about the housing of each peasant family: a new house per family, this is the objective about to be realized in 1978. The war also destroyed the houses: the peasants lived and still live in shelters on piles the wooden frame is covered with palm leaves or dried bananas: it is very basic. Today, new houses have hatched along roads: always on stilts, made of carved wood, they have red tile roofs. Smart and much more spacious. The collective effort is serious. In many villages, one can see the dome of reddish brick oven, crowding wood small outdoor sawmills: again the material is very rudimentary. We stopped near one of them, have welcomed carpenters - it's time for a break - and visited one of the new homes. Another building in bright red roof novelty canteen or school, sometimes the building where the cooperative process plants to make conventional medicines.

Camille GRANOT (Tomorrow: the issue of water )

We left Phnom Penh by train to Sisophon, then we took the road to Siem Reap, near the Angkor Wat temples. Always road we joined Kompon Cham, while making

several turns south Kompon Thom. We joined Phnom Penh by the Mekong. In other words: almost 1000 km in three and a half day trip.

No. 953- Wednesday, October 18, 1978 (5)The issue of water

The issue of water is a key issue in Kampuchea. It is not necessary to be a great agricultural expert to understand it. How to control it? How best to use it?

Because it is both a source of life and natural calamity. Yes, a natural disaster when the annual flooding of the wet season than the usual limits, if it covers all

crops, prevents the growth of plants, natural calamity conversely when it is lacking from October to June at the dry season. We have to master nature, channel, store water when it abounds, return to land when it fails, and the

water becomes a source of life because the sun is always present in Kampuchea, the lowest temperature the year is ... 16 degrees!

Construction of a dam in the north of Kampuchea. A gigantic work at the country level,

but a lot of noise, a lot of laughter (Photo Kampuchea).

The water control is the key to development in Kampuchea. With the water was rice, with rice the basis of an independent agriculture and agriculture is the basis of wealth accumulation to build the industry. In the past, in the eleventh and twelfth century, water control has been the basis of the power of the dynasty of Angkor. When you visit Angkor, there are beautiful temples, sculptures full of finesse and humor, there is also the base of one of the "seven wonders of the world": huge water tanks, the "Western Baray," from which had been set up there over eight centuries, a complex irrigation system and technically very advanced for the time. Time of Lon Nol, the Baray had become a place of fun and international corruption, charters by one came to Hong Kong or Singapore to be the yachting or

basking on the beaches there. Today, the Western Baray resumed its original function; the Liberation it was partly Regrooved and was refurbished in water tank for irrigation in the region of Siem Reap. We went near one of the dams recently built. Silence is deep near the banks of Baray. We hear the frogs jump ... but from there flows the water that gives richness to both districts. It was built in three years many other dams, many other reservoirs. Fifteen containing a total 2800 million m3 of water can irrigate 400,000 hectares of land in all seasons. This is the explanation of the great change in the country of Kampuchea, the greenness of rice fields, their square arrangement between the straight irrigation canals, rice paddies beneficial mud or plowing now harvest and where in any season , held in this unprecedented effort of the people of Kampuchea to control water. We saw signs of this effort everywhere. Some comrades who accompanied us did not recognize some corners as they had changed by the new irrigation system. You have to make dams, reservoirs, digging canals, building small bridges crossing the canals because the road constantly. We talked about "lace fishnet" to describe this irrigation system, this application is true and as thoroughly, courage and work. A SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT We saw the dam "January 1" on the Chinit River in the area of Kom Pong Thom, whose film "Democratic Kampuchea" shows the construction; it lasted five months continuously mobilizing 30,000 people night and day. The waterfall is fast and allow a hydroelectric use later. For now, collected fish jumping from the fall in the net! The forest was flooded ten kilometers deep behind the canal, on the other hand, there has impeccable rice fields. Before 1977 there was not the hundreds of hectares of crops, today, there is testing rice seeds crossings. Dam 1 January, we take the boat for several kilometers, we follow a very wide irrigation canal. On the shore, there is still work, a finite sawmill for two weeks, bridges we finish, shimmering rice fields. Everywhere we work, but each other, and especially young people, found the time to greet us from the hand, applauding. The boat driver is 17 years old. It seems much less serious young, smiling face at once, like the new Kampuchea. Soon, on the horizon, we see a crowd of people; hundreds of huts and temporary buildings crowd on the bank. Our guides we made the surprise: we come near a large construction site, the dam "January 6" on a parallel to the river Chinit river. A similar construction site than the film. Four thousand young people working there for three months. The dam is already well advanced: there flows the cement in iron frame, the earth dam takes shape gradually. Young people from 15 to 22 years: they come from across the province to achieve this "concentrated action". as they say here. They are called "mobile brigades", youth groups always ready to lend a hand at harvest time or for large jobs. Mobile brigades? It is a term well suited for it is a war that lead these young people and all the people against exploitation, against poverty for development. Some evil spirits will say that it means military discipline. Well, they will be wrong completely. Here, on the

site, the atmosphere is made of work and effort: in long regular lines, young bear that of the earth, that the cement ... But that noise, laughter: it is much less the solemn scenes of the film and also more emotional. We must admit, we arrived somewhat disorganized work, it surrounds us, we talk a little, we applauded, the girls laugh to hear Comrade Jurquet attempts to pronounce a word or two in Khmer. These young people know who we are and a real power of friendship and fraternity between us. Here we understand that the people mobilized can perform miracles. "Regimented" these young people? Not! These are called "convicts of the Khmer Rouge regime" that good of gaiety and enthusiasm! Some critics of Kampuchea today still pretend that "it was a set up" did they not say in the American press, after the return of our American comrades, the temples of Angkor had been cleaned for their visit and they had destroyed them after passing !! We will have them rebuilt for us then! Where leads the aggressiveness of the reactionary?

Camille GRANOT (Tomorrow: a rubber plantation )

Cooperatives The cooperative is the basic organization of

socialist society in Kampuchea in the countryside, in the city, the union has the same role. One like the other organized revolutionary power to the

lowest level. Also the cooperative performs economic functions (agricultural, craft, industrial

and transport) and social (health, hygiene, education, culture, etc.)

Cooperatives in Kampuchea include 300 to 1,000 families, according to the actual situation; they are more numerous when villages are concentrated in

a small territory. Each cooperative applies the policy defined by the Party in all fields, especially in the period of tasks: defense of national independence, continuing the

socialist revolution and socialist construction. Thus, each cooperative has its defense unit; it is

more important in border cooperatives. The cooperative is governed by a "steering

committee" of three to ten members who divide tasks: political, ideological, organizational,

production, cultural, etc. It works on the basis of democratic centralism. Example, for the purposes of the quadrennial plan (defined for four years) is

discussed within the co-op to see if we can achieve

the plan or exceed. Can we get the target of 3.5 tons per hectare of rice if we make a single harvest and 7 tons if one in two? We discuss the strengths,

weaknesses of the cooperative; we compare the opinions of all and presented the opinion of the

cooperative to the next level. Similarly is distributed labor force according to the

possibilities of each, his strength, his age, his health, his own skills.

In terms of the distribution of the fruits of labor, it is collective. There is no salary. The average for

each is 312 kilograms of rice per year; of course it is divided: on dam construction sites, it is 30 kg per

month to children from 15 kilograms. Fruits, vegetables, livestock products, fish complement

rice staple food; in cooperatives we eat together in the cafeteria of the village or the fields at noon. Essentials garments are provided for each and gradually, we built a new house per family. So

what the country has to meet basic needs, food, housing, clothing, is distributed among the people. It is the poverty and the economy of scarcity that

affect such a policy. When in 1973 the United Front and the CPK formed cooperatives in the liberated areas, it was a necessity to deal with speculation

related to the war; and released villages produced rice sufficient and yet the peasants were missing

because it was bought at exorbitant prices by traders by passing in the Lon Nol area; organizing into cooperatives stopped that and significantly

reduced the role of money. Even today, we do not use money in Kampuchea.

To understand the life and organization in cooperatives of Kampuchea, one must know the ancient traditions of Khmer rural society. From

time immemorial, to defend feudal, landowners, to organize collectively use to irrigate 1'eau there

was mutual support, cooperation between families for field work. The last five years of war,

deprivation bombings, departure and death of his own, desperately strengthens these links. It is

called "sister," "brother", "uncle", "nephew" in the villages. Indeed, the creation of cooperatives has

not encountered many difficulties in the spirit of the peasants! this corresponded to the necessities of war. Today, awareness and education reinforce what has been approved under special conditions.

The agreement with the cooperative system becomes reasoned.

This is what we have explained the comrades of Kampuchea on building cooperatives:

"The problems that arise are resolved by the explanation by the political and ideological

education, so that everyone understands the situation. We try to work to increase production,

the level of life. As we have power, we can do; everyone feels the masters of the future. "

No. 954- Thursday, October 19, 1978 (6)

  In the latex factory, latex out of the ovens where he just smoked. (Photo HR)

A rubber plantation

We visited a rubber plantation, the tree that gives natural rubber: it is that of Chamcar Andong, located in the northwest of Kom Pong Cham.

PLANTING Chamcar ANDONG

Hevea has long been synonymous with French colonalistes in Kampuchea. Michelin had huge plantations that have built its fortune. On plantations, agricultural laborers Khmer, all with malaria, fiercely exploited and oppressed, lived as true convicts. During the war of anti-American resistance, this plantation was never in the hands of Lonnoliens. It was much bombed, especially the road leading to the plant latex (rubber). She is screwed by strafing because it was a "front drive" for FAPLN. They were used camouflage and the road has never been cut off at the height of the bombing. The planting of the bosses, the French colonialists, remained on the plantation until early 1972. When they left, they took away or destroyed all the latex plant machinery. Exploiters to the end! During the war, production was stopped. Today, rubber plantations were rehabilitated. Here, there are 20,000 hectares of rubber trees on plantations and 4 are planted each year 1,000 new hectares in this west bank of the Mekong. 23 000 workers work on the plantation, including latex plants. But again, there is a lack of arms. Two third of the trees are currently operating only because of the lack of available labor. Admittedly, maintenance and operation of rubber sap flowing from the bark notched require many men. We must constantly clearing brush the base of trees, taking care of rubber trees, "as fragile trees of a living person." They must be cut once every two days to collect latex. Each worker is responsible for 800 trees. There are two month shutdown in December and January when the rubber trees lose their leaves. Planting Chamcar Andong is very well kept, we cross over kilometers this dark grove of trees, all with a cup receiving the white latex. The undergrowth is impeccable.

The LATEX FACTORY

A latex factory, we are expected, the reception of working men and women is warm. We are proud to show us the work, the first results. We had to start from scratch: more machines on site. Only one worker in five is a former factory; there are so many women have had to learn on the job. There are 700 workers in total, divided into 3X8. But the planting capacity exceeds the capacity of the plant. The plant produces 30 tons of rubber per day; it should produce 70 to 80 tons; the rest is processed in Phnom Penh. For cons, the quality has improved significantly. There are three years to release the first products were second, third and fourth grade; Today most of the production is of first and second quality. The rubber can thus be exported in countries of Southeast Asia and Madagascar. We follow the rubber manufacturing process. Here, it is of the pancake and rubber strips. There are baths with various acids, the "rolling" and finally "smoking" that gives the brown color to rubber. Again, we understand the difficulties faced by the people of Kampuchea. We must with nothing to separate the latex sheets in some baths should be metal plates but using wood. Several machines have been tampered with by the workers themselves. In the factory, the tone is high, we talk about Michelin in France, victory they, workers of Kampuchea, won this colonialist this capitalist. We talk to them of our comrades who fight against Michelin in Clermont. Emotions ran high on both sides, when Comrade plantation manager says: "You made a detour to meet with us is a great encouragement to all factory workers. This affects us. I will pass on what you have told all the workers. Your visit will strengthen the ties between our two peoples and our two parties. " We would have stayed more but we had to separate and continue the road.

NATIONAL TECHNICAL TRAINING

In his interview with our delegation, Comrade Pol Pot, secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea explained the goals for nation building: "Transforming Kampuchea a backward country into a modern agricultural country 15 to 20 years and a country with basic industries in 20 to 25 years."

He highlighted the difficulties encountered, the shortcomings of the party lacks experience in the economic field, including industry. The frames were forged in battle in the war of the people. We must learn many other things today. Some factories were repaired and returned to walk in cities. The industry must be at the service of agricultural development: it is a priority valves for the irrigation canals, farm implements. We now preparing textile factories, the commissioning of medium plants Service, cement, machine tool factories, small diesel engines. Already a textile factory 800 laborers working in Kompong Cham. One of the points on which the Secretary Pol Pot insisted, is the training of national technicians must be trained quickly and, executives of the economy: "If our revolution was not moving, Vietnam could crush us, kill us and shoot us. Also, we are the enemy he requires to go fast. We have to move fast. That's why we train our technicians following the principle of combining theory with practice. We believe that this is not contrary to the Marxist-Leninist theory! " He continued: "One example: before, for the mathematical baccalaureate level, we had twelve years of studies here in three years, pupils have reached the level of the first and the other that of the third This is a quick method.. , very positive. This is how we judge, as politicians. The comrades teachers are also welcome. Whoever came to this conclusion is Doctor of Sciences and former student of Polytechnic! He finds that his students know think and reason well in math. " As for us, we visited the National Electricity School in Phnom Penh. She has already trained two classes of some 150 to 200 young people in the various techniques of electricity: electrical installations in homes, poses son and erection of towers, mounting motors for refrigerators, etc. We saw the third promotion at work, they have 12 to 17 years, boys and girls. There are about a girl for two boys. These young people come from all over the country, they live together in a city of villas near the school, cultivate their vegetables, to raise fish and poultry. Above all, they study, combining theoretical courses and practical work stays in companies of the capital. We are going from one room to another. Electrical circuits they draw or they ride seem very complicated to our ignorant electricity eyes! And what attention, what eagerness to learn, to participate in the effort to transform Kampuchea. This did not fail to impress us.

Camille GRANOT Tomorrow: health.

The third promotion of the national electricity school to work. It combines this school theoretical courses and practical work stays in business. (Photo HR)

No. 955- Friday, October 20, 1978

For good health of the people

Over the road - interrupted in good spirits by some failures of our "dodge" - many things are observed. Children, especially, who come to watch us with mixed feelings of curiosity and timidity and those crazy mischievous laughter that are characteristic of all the kids of the world when they are happy to live.

Unlike so many other Third World countries where the show of children with big eyes dull and swollen belly shakes your heart, nothing like here already. Certainly many go barefoot and smaller galloping naked to the road to greet us. But it must be said that the antics in rice fields, this permanent mixture of soil, water and mud that surrounds all the small houses on stilts, are hardly compatible with the beautiful new clothes received from the cooperative. Here and there some shorn and past blue skulls reveal both the existence of impetigo and the fact that it is neat. The cooperative is also the basis for development of a health system that has already achieved remarkable results. Small clinics exist everywhere, on average one percent families with three medical personnel and a small factory based on simple drugs.

Malaria, the scourge that killed already so many adults and children who, before the liberation of the country, affecting more or less 90% of the country is already totally disappearing: "Should take quinine? "we asked the Chinese doctors," Do not bother! "is it has told us, and in fact, not once during our trip we did even just preview Anopheles a giant mosquito vector of the disease. We will confirm on site that now 10% of the population is affected only by malaria. It is a feat in a country where stagnant water surfaces abound. Against malaria, we conducted a genuine people's war. The "people doctors" receiving intensive training, have traveled the country explaining the nature of the enemy, the causes that make the swarm, how to exterminate. All residential premises were thoroughly sprayed with DDT, as new homes are treated before being returned to their tenants. The marshes are filled, garbage is buried, the lovingly maintained stables and pigsties. Every morning before going to work, feverish activity reigns around buildings cooperatives. Hand brushes, large and small chase the dust and dirt that carry within them the seeds of disease and death. A finally sufficient, which gradually tends to diversify, helps make these kids with round cheeks, firmly planted on their small legs.

A factory for the people's health

In plant medicines, tablets are prepared especially from plants (Photo Kampuchea).

In Kompong Cham along the Mekong, we visit a small factory distillation of medicinal plants. At the entrance a small experimental garden where grow specimens carefully labeled. In the lobby of the factory, large glass jars filled with colorful and fragrant liquids.

Under a shed, carefully stacked, bark with multiple properties. We are told that the majority of the short staff permanently fields and forests to gather the raw material. The peasants have mobilized to indicate where the simple grow, their many virtues, how to prepare to get the most effect.

A little further stands the drugs factory, a large building storey immaculately maintained. Small brown tablets are compressed, sieved, coated with pink sugar "to ensure that children are willing to swallow the" we-they explain. There have many virtues: for blood circulation, insomnia, diarrhea that is another scourge of the past. During the war, we even managed to use natural coconut juice into a restoring serum for the wounded. They are still "a natural fruit juice factory" packed with vitamins. All along the road, we will show the number of new small and dapper buildings where one is working to improve the health of all.

Maternity Phnom Penh

A maternity Phnom Penh (Photo HR)

A maternity Phnom Penh (Photo HR).

The Hospital for Sick Children and maternity Phnom Penh are located just outside the city. A delegation awaits us at the entrance beautifully flowered gardens; nothing but women. The hospital director is a young doctor; her medical studies, she made them with bombs, in the bush. With it, we visit the maternity wards. Only women having a difficult pregnancy give birth here, others give birth in small hospitals cooperatives districts. Patients greet us with a smile. Next to the delivery room, well aligned iron cradles. Wearing small white cap, lined with brightly colored blankets Scottish, newborns sleep peacefully. A young staff, and he seemed to us very many watches over them. The equipment is simple, basic but perfectly clean. In another building, but the sick children: diarrhea, various childhood diseases; they rest or chatting in small rooms, five or six, and we welcome him with curiosity. When we leave little noses to the windows crashing, the hands move and many young nurses gather around us to picture a smiling farewell.

Annie BRUNEL

Tomorrow: the human rights in Kampuchea

At the Hospital for Sick Children (Photo HR).

The French delegation during his visit to the Hospital for Sick Children (Photo HR).

No. 956- Saturday 21 and Sunday, October 22, 1978

And human rights?

Some elements to understand

U do first question springs spontaneously books of all to whom we tell our journey in Kampuchea "And genocide massacres human rights???". So much mud was spilled on Democratic Kampuchea, such a flood of horrible accusations, it is very difficult, indeed, not to be concerned about this issue.

To this, we can provide some answers. Genocide, we can testify that there is none in Kampuchea.

WHAT WE SAW

We were able to move freely wherever we went, out alone in the streets of Phnom Penh, camera in hand (by welcoming us, even our Cambodian comrades regretted that we did not bring camera). Throughout our long journey by car, punctuated by unexpected stops, we could talk at will with farmers, carpenters who built a new house, the carpenters who were sawing boards at the roadside. The furtive gesture of this old carpenter shirtless we have disturbed in his nap and was quick to put his shirt is just a reflex dignity and courtesy that we often met in China. Playful kids who flocked to a little distance to watch us were quick to come addressed us and question us. "Why is your skin n 'Is not it the same color as mine?" asked a little girl, "What country are you from?". During the hottest hours we observed the peasant groups chatting in the shade of the trees during the break. In latex processing plant at As our visit, our group swelled to working men and women who completed the tour with us and smiles and warm applause greeting our little acceptance speech had nothing Remote. Certainly, people work very hard, in the difficult conditions that explain the general shortage of the economy and the tension on the border with Vietnam. This, together with the still unusual aspect of foreign visits, explains the frequent seriousness of faces that greeted us at the beginning of our visit. But these same faces were lit with smiles during our brief stay among them, when we said our wonder successes, our desire to know our country, friendship and solidarity that we were carrying. Genocide therefore, it does not matter. No more "peasants working bayonets" in the back or "plowing with their hands", as has so often written. Instead, lacking arms to put the land value and defend it against any invader. That is why the birth rate is encouraged, the objective was to quickly move the 8 million to 20 million current residents. As to the alleged bearers of human rights in Kampuchea, it is clear that home injury ("bloody scribbles", "peasants with low foreheads," "wolves out of the forest" to name a few excerpts from the new book by Jean Lacouture), serves as an argument. The fact that some who spit on Kampuchea today say respectful of the Chinese revolution should not disturb us either. It has to his credit 30 years of success that force esteem. But even among those who recognize him today in some circles, how supported it at his birth and his first step? "Red Bandits", "yellow peril", "blue ants", "bamboo curtain" have only recently disappeared from the vocabulary of a certain press citing China. Kampuchea, the boards of directors of cooperatives and factories are democratically elected by the mass of workers, we have been told, we have not had time to verify it; the mass of people now enjoy those fundamental human rights that are allowed to eat their fill, the right to learn to read, the right to treatment that could never make him the old society . This we have seen signs of our own eyes.

A COOPERATIVE IS A BIG FAMILY

Forced collectivization? Certainly, life in Kampuchea is a very organized collectively. The three meals are taken in common in the canteen of the cooperative or the factory. We leave the rice fields, hoe on the shoulder in many groups over that stretch of the road. But the family is not destroyed as evidenced by the goal of rapidly building a house per family. The ancient traditions of the country were already very community, the entire village himself as a big family where one was called "uncle" and "aunt" and "nephew". Mutual assistance in rice fields was one of the traditions of development land. And the terrible events of the war still brought the men and women of the village communities. The houses opened spared disaster, orphans found themselves a family at the neighbors. Together we met to discuss the situation, tasks of the struggle.

ACCOUNT NECESSARY REGULATIONS

Well, it will be said, perhaps, will for genocide! But the massacres Liberation, there were still good? To this, we must first answer honestly: we were not, we can not testify. But it is still possible to make some elements of understanding.

That there was some repression liberation of the country, this is an inevitable and necessary thing. The Cambodian people has been exploited, oppressed, repressed for decades by French colonialism and local despots. Faced with the endless aisles rubber covering several thousand hectares, we were reminded that a saying circulating among plantation workers that "each tree is planted on the body of a Cambodian worker". Then, the American war of aggression, supported by the puppet Lon Nol, has been a long ordeal for the people: 5,000 tons of bombs a day have been dumped on the country in six months. 800,000 dead, 200,000 disabled veterans. For many, imprisonment, torture or death. Let us remember those pictures where officers Lon Nol proudly exhibited the severed heads of the murdered and martyred patriots searched the corpses to snatch the liver. Let us remember these kids for a dozen years, the tragic look, conscripted into the puppet army to serve as cannon fodder. Yes, at the Liberation, the Cambodian people had a score to settle. Just as the liberation of our country, the French people settles accounts with the Nazi occupiers and their collaborators.

LINE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF KAMPUCHEA

A necessary repression, but she has not been beyond what was necessary, she did not hit innocent people or just wrong? Sincerely we can not answer. But we can say that the current line of Kampuchea Communist Party is set correctly contradictions among the people. We had very frank presentation to executives who received us the trouble that the smear campaign against their country sown in the minds of many people from home. To this, Comrade Pol Pot, secretary of CPK were told in part: "We are well aware of that, but to successfully solve the food problem, to successfully defend our country, we need the strength of all. the people. Without it, we could not solve the problems of food and defend our country already since the attacks launched against us were very powerful and we defended ourselves, in full independence and sovereignty. Nothing that examination of this answers the question. If there were really were massacres, the people he would support this policy? You could see for yourself by visiting our provinces, if there is insecurity or not . Our policy is to mobilize all national forces, in our history, in the past, were divided. We need to build the country. If the people did not participate in the revolution, it will certainly fail. We know perfectly well ourselves, that our enemies unnecessary or reactionary forces we predict!     Our line is determined as follows: to get the win we need two conditions:     - 1) A communist party to lead the revolution /     - That the people participates as a fundamental factor of victory. According to this line, if the people do not participate, it is impossible to get the win. This is the foundation of our policy. "

Annie BRUNEL

L’Humanite Rouge No. 957- Tuesday, October 24, 1978

Central Organ of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party

1 000km through Democratic Kampuchea (Cambodia) (9)

The Vietnamese aggression

We have not seen with our own eyes, all brands of Vietnamese aggression because we have not had time to get to the border of the country. Turkish journalists comrades of the Marxist-Leninist Turkish daily Aydinlink present in Kampuchea during our stay and went in Takeo province; they visited a village that was occupied by the Vietnamese army during his aggression early 1978; they met with "Khmer Krom" Khmers living in the South Vietnam who fled and took refuge in Kampuchea. We subsequently publish their testimony.

Throughout our stay, we felt constantly weighing how much the Vietnamese aggression of great weight in life and building the country. We felt the threat of aggression at any time in the severity, the concern of comrades who accompanied us and in-depth explanations of Kampuchea leaders. There was also a high proportion of women working in the fields because, again, people are mobilized, ready to defend the soil of the homeland on the eastern border.

The Vietnamese aggression forced the Democratic Kampuchea to keep this warning, the war situation.

STRATEGY "ATTACK-FLASH, FLASH VICTORY" FAILED

For it is not just a question of borders, let alone a Vietnam aggression as Kampuchea wanted to believe the Vietnamese leaders.

In the West, even those who are struggling against Kampuchea no longer believe in this fable. How can we attack its neighbor by fighting on its own soil? Fighting between January and April are to all, in fact, occurred on the floor of Kampuchea.

Before January 1978, Vietnamese leaders had prepared the ground; while talking of "special friendship" with the Kampuchea, they carried out military incursions; they provoked border incidents. A delegation of leaders of Kampuchea at the highest level had gone to Hanoi in June 1975 to settle all disputes between the two countries; the people of Kampuchea wants a proper friendship, based on mutual respect and not a "special friendship".

Vietnamese leaders have badly received the leaders of Kampuchea and have not seen fit to respond to their proposals. Their intimidation failed, they launched a major offensive.

In December 1977, they had fourteen divisions massed at the border and launched their first "blitz". Why such tactics? "The blitz" massive, followed by a "lightning victory" would have addressed some thorny problems for Vietnamese leaders:

- Avoid the attack against Kampuchea;

- Avoid the condemnation of international public opinion;

- Avoid the displeasure of the Vietnamese people who would not have to undergo a protracted war.

Phnom Penh taken 24 hours, the Vietnamese leaders could have done a terrific package smoothly without big break for them without big wave in international opinion. This tactic failed ... and the Vietnamese leaders have continued their attacks throughout the year, reducing their divisions at the border without stopping harassment either.

THE VIETNAMESE LEADERS WORK TO ATTACH THE KAMPUCHEA ...

Their initial goal is the same: they want to annex the Kampuchea, they want to "swallow", as said the Kampuchean people. Long, they developed the theory of "Indochina Federation". Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea) is a mere creation of the French colonialists; the peoples of the three countries fought side by side against the French and then against the US imperialists. This does not justify that they gather in the same country necessarily under the tutelage of Vietnam, more numerous and heavily armed.

Today, Vietnamese leaders want to seize Kampuchea. Why that? This is consistent with political and military expansion strategy to become a major power in the region, and to accumulate forces to dominate or control the other Southeast Asian countries. Vietnamese leaders are "greedy" and in hiding just because they have publicly expressed their regret at not having annexed Kampuchea during the war against the Americans.

But have they the difficulties partly solve, they believe, the annexation of Kampuchea? Vietnam has fifty million inhabitants, it lacks arable land; Kampuchea seven million men and no shortage of possibilities, we have seen.

The rice-growing areas of South Vietnam barely cover the food needs of Vietnam; annexed Kampuchea, is not the solution found in Hanoi to resolve the issue? During the attack early 1978, the Vietnamese army came with tanks and also trucks and cranes kampucheans the villages of rice granaries were looted or destroyed! Chinese nationals of Saigon, who fled Vietnam, n not they testified that the Vietnamese authorities racolent Vietnamese Chinese for "suicide operations" in Kampuchea and they make the black market with the stolen rice at incursions into Kampuchean territory?

... AND SOCIAL ENCOURAGE THE RUSSIAN-IMPERIALISTS

But the Vietnamese leaders do not act alone; they are supported in their dirty business. Brezhnev provides them with weapons, tanks, ammunition.

Kampuchea is an obstacle for control of Southeast Asia by the USSR. But Soviet imperialism in recent months, has deployed a large-scale attack in the area: it is based on Vietnam, installed a naval base at Cam Ran Bay and seeks to further expand its area of influence . The key strategic point, the Strait of Malacca, which connects the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. To control - for military purposes - must be checked every Southeast Asia, to blow up the "lock" of Kampuchea, seeping into other countries in the region and put pressure on them.

There is no mystery: during its aggression, the Vietnamese army used Soviet tanks and Soviet weapons; Staff in the Lon Nol, we saw presentation of the Vietnamese and Soviet military equipment: helmets, rifles, armored cars, etc. During the attack, there were "advisers" Soviet field.

Some in the Western media, spoke of "civil war" between Vietnamese and Kampucheans. As we see, this is not the case; the war in Kampuchea, it is not a clash of two peoples, yesterday united by the common struggle; it is a war of aggression waged by the Vietnamese expansionist leaders, supported by the imperialists of Moscow and which suffers the people of Kampuchea; it is also contrary to the interests of the people of Vietnam and also suffers.

In the past, we fully supported the struggle of the peoples of Vietnam, Laos and Kampuchea against the American enemy. Historically, the internationalist support of our Party has gone and will go to all peoples fighting with arms in hand against imperialist for national independence and freedom.

There is a new situation opened in Southeast Asia today; our Party has already talked about it and will still have to provide explanations. In this new situation the internationalist support of our Party will fully Democratic Kampuchea defending its independence against the aggression of the Vietnamese leaders supported by the social imperialism.

When we left Kampuchea in mid-September, we learned that the Vietnamese leaders were preparing for an offensive against Kampuchea during the dry season approach. Ten Vietnamese divisions were grouped on the border; a Russian airlift hastily refueled the Vietnamese army equipment. The Pol Pot comrade told us in his presentation: "The evolution of the current situation is the following: they (the Vietnamese and Soviet leaders) continue their military aggression, they are conducting diplomatic activities in South-East Asia and in the world, "and emphasized the internal difficulties in Vietnam, his growing isolation from the non-aligned countries and some countries of South East Asia.

It reaffirms the determination of the people of Kampuchea and communists to defend the national independence of their country; it reaffirmed its confidence in the abilities of the people of Kampuchea to resist by relying mainly on its own strength, without hiding the difficulties and obstacles. In this emergency, our support to the people and their communist Kampuchea should be fully granted. We will return in other articles.

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