Evans gets in on the act

Evans gets in on the act

Australian taxpayers' funds are providing indirect support to the opposition side of Cambodian politics.

In late November, foreign minister Gareth Evans approved a donation of A$20,000 to the "Khmer Institute of Democracy", a "think-tank" in Phnom Penh launched by Cambodians resident in the United States. This is one-fourth of the total Australian government funds earmarked to support human rights in Cambodia.

The institute's acting director is a Chilean-born Australian citizen, Julio Jeldres, who was on Norodom Sihanouk's payroll as an aide for a decade until last year.

Jeldres is also listed as deputy director of Khmer Conscience a publication produced by Cambodians in San Jose, California, and being circulated here. A recent issue includes an article which claims: "The Khmer Rouge's reasons for noncompliance with disarmament are legitimate and reasonable." — A.M.

From GLW issue 83