By Helen Jarvis
PHNOM PENH — One year after the Paris Peace Accords were signed, about 15,000 UN soldiers are here. Some (including the majority of the Australian troops) are busy establishing a UN military communications system (supplied by OTC) separate from the UN civilian one — neither is open to Cambodian civilian use.
Since the cantonment and demobilisation process has virtually halted with the refusal of the Khmer Rouge to comply with any of the steps agreed on, many of the UN soldiers are idle.
About 50,000 of the estimated 175,000 troops in the three Cambodian factions complying with the accords (the overwhelming majority from the government's army) have been cantoned, but most have been sent home to help in rice planting. Now there is a call to allow them to rejoin their units as the military situation deteriorates.
As the wet season draws to a close, the State of Cambodia has been warning that a major offensive by the Khmer Rouge may be in preparation. Two bridges were blown up in Kompong Thom province just as the UN was giving the Khmer Rouge yet another month to comply.
In the past week, villages as close as 10 kilometres from Phnom Penh have been shelled. Attacks have continued on Vietnamese civilians as the Khmer rouge tries to whip up a vicious racist campaign.
Over recent months, the UN has begun supervision of the five areas of administration agreed on in Paris (defence, finance, foreign affairs, interior and information). But as deputy prime minister Prince Norodom Chakrapong has stated, it seems only the State of Cambodia is under scrutiny.
Of course, no-one is scrutinising the Khmer Rouge, but even the other two factions, which have no official sources of income, somehow spend hundreds of thousands of dollars. "Where do all these dollars come from for these parties? UNTAC must also control this", Chakrapong said.
In a visit here in July, Senator Chris Schacht spoke enthusiastically of the improvements visible since the peace accords were signed. There are many more cars (even the odd traffic jam), more shops (even Le Shop, which stocks fresh Australian beef, Vegemite and VB) and more restaurants (pizza and taxi dancing are all the rage).
Some Cambodians have benefited from this, but for most the improvements are far from obvious. This year, prices have increased by an average of 300% up to September and the riel's US dollar has likewise fallen.
Staples are outrageously priced for those on a government wage. One kilo of fish costs half a week's wage. The rate of inflation fell slightly last month, but apparently only because government expenditure was curtailed by not giving soldiers their wages.
On November 15 the UN Security Council is to consider the Khmer Rouge's continuing refusal to comply with the peace accords. A resolution to proceed to elections without the Khmer Rouge and to impose sanctions may by passed.
What this may mean on the ground is unclear, as the Khmer Rouge has taken great advantage of the cease-fire since May 1991 to move units throughout the country and to accumulate considerable wealth from its trade with Thailand.
At the same time the State of Cambodia forces have withdrawn into the cantons and many have been demobilised. The government has been further weakened by the loss of 80% of the country's budget that used to come from eastern Europe.