Cambodia: Progress and Challenges since 1991

4. ASEAN and the Cambodia Campaign

ASEAN and the Cambodia Campaign 43 43 4 ASEAN AND THE CAMBODIA CAMPAIGN Rodolfo C. Severino and Mark Hong In the 44-year history of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the “Cambodia campaign” (December 1978 to October 1991) has been one of the most significant challenges to face the organization. ASEAN was only a little over 12 years old when the campaign began. It tested the mettle of ASEAN, whether it could stand by its principles — the non-use of force, non-interference in domestic affairs, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. ASEAN was also tested by the long duration of the diplomatic campaign to liberate Cambodia from foreign intervention and occupation. ASEAN’s protracted diplomatic campaign, fought in various international fora, such as the United Nations General Assembly every year and the annual meetings of the Non-aligned Movement (NAM) and the Group of 77 developing countries (G77), also brought the young organization into the international public spotlight, and won it praise for its tenacity and principled stance. It was not an easy task to stand up against Vietnam, backed as it was by the Soviet bloc. But then ASEAN also had powerful supporters, including the United States, the West Europeans, China, Japan, Australia and other friends in the NAM and G77. ASEAN also received substantial support from friendly UN Secretariat officials, such as Under-Secretary General Rafeeuddin Ahmed and 04 Cambodia_Progress 3/6/12, 10:27 AM 43 44 Rodolfo C. Severino and Mark Hong Mr Hedi Annabi, who provided regular briefings on Cambodia. These information updates were useful in crafting and gaining support for the annual ASEAN UNGA resolutions on Cambodia. THE VITAL ROLE OF NORODOM SIHANOUK One of ASEAN’s main assets in the diplomatic struggle to liberate Cambodia peacefully was Samdech Norodom Sihanouk, who, as once and future King and recognized and revered leader of the Khmer people, provided legitimacy for the diplomatic campaign. Samdech Sihanouk was a well-known figure in the Non-Aligned Movement, having been a key actor in the 1955 Bandung Conference that led to it. Thus, he lent his charismatic prestige to the Khmer resistance and to ASEAN’s efforts. Every year at the UN General Assembly, Samdech Sihanouk would organize parties at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, and it became de rigueur for ASEAN representatives and other friendly supporters to gather there and to network. At this point, it is appropriate to provide a short biographical sketch of Samdech Norodom Sihanouk. Born on 31 October 1922, he was the King of Cambodia from 1941 to 1955 and again from 1993 until his semi-retirement and voluntary abdication on 7 October 2004 in favor of his son, the current monarch, King Norodom Sihamoni. Since his abdication, Samdech Sihanouk has been known as the King-Father of Cambodia. Despite the great ritualism surrounding the Cambodian monarchy, he has always maintained close relations with the Cambodian people, who show deep respect and strong support for him, displaying his photographs in their homes. He has been called one of Southeast Asia’s great survivors. He tried his best to keep Cambodia out of the Vietnam War, but the US supported a coup against him on 18 March 1970 whilst Samdech Sihanouk was travelling in Russia. We can trace many of the subsequent problems, including civil war, within Cambodia, to this coup. After he was deposed, Samdech Sihanouk moved to Beijing, formed the National United Front of Kampuchea (Front Uni National du Kampuchea — FUNK) and began to support the Khmer Rouge in their struggle to overthrow the Lon Nol government. During the Lon Nol era, Samdech Sihanouk lived mostly in exile in North Korea, where a 60-room residence was built for him. When the Khmer Republic fell to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975, Samdech Sihanouk became the symbolic head of state of the new regime while Pol Pot remained in power. The Khmer Rouge has been blamed for the deaths of five of his 14 children. He was basically a captive of the KR until he escaped in 1978. We should note his patient biding of 04 Cambodia_Progress 3/6/12, 10:27 AM 44 ASEAN and the Cambodia Campaign 45 time during these three years awaiting a positive turn of events. In 1978, Samdech Sihanouk went to the UN General Assembly to deliver a speech against the Vietnamese invasion, and then sought refuge in China and...