Cambodian King pardons 8217;94 coup plotters

PHNOM PENH, July 29: Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk has pardoned a group of generals convicted of plotting a coup to overthrow the coalit...

PHNOM PENH, July 29: Cambodia8217;s King Norodom Sihanouk has pardoned a group of generals convicted of plotting a coup to overthrow the coalition Government here three years ago, a document received today said.

The King gave amnesty to General Sin Sen and eight other generals jailed for up to 16 years for organising a coup against now ousted first Prime Minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh and second Premier Hun Sen in July 1994.

The pardon, dated Monday, came following a request by acting head of state Chea Sim to the King, who is currently undergoing medical treatment in Beijing.

8220;I agree with your Excellency8217;s request,8221; the King wrote in a letter to Sim. 8220;Please write a decree granting them amnesty,8221; he added.Sources, however, said the decree had not been issued, but added that Sim would soon issue the document.

King8217;s son Prince Norodom Chakrapong and former Interior Minister Sing Song were sentenced to 18 years in jail for allegedly masterminding the coup, but fled the country and are exiled in France and Vietnam, respectively.

In the past, Hun Sen has reportedly resisted moves to amnesty the coup leaders, but observers say he is likely to have sanctioned Sim8217;s latest request.

Meanwhile, Hun Sen said today that South-East Asian neighbours were welcome to help the country toward political stability, according to a letter from the country8217;s Foreign Minister.

Story continues below this ad

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysia8217;s Foreign Minister and outgoing chairman of the Association of South-East Asian Nations ASEAN, read to a closing news conference in Kuala Lumpur a letter that had been telefaxed from Phnom Penh.In his letter, Foreign Minister Ung Huot quoted Hun Sen as saying an ASEAN mission can come any time they want to help solve the Cambodian political crisis.

Cambodia8217;s membership in the nine-nation ASEAN was delayed on July 10 after Hun Sen staged a coup against co-Premier Prince Norodom Ranariddh.Since then Hun Sen had sent conflicting signals on whether he wanted ASEAN help. The ASEAN Foreign Ministers had told Ung Huot they wanted the next response to be 8220;in writing8221;.

8220;We welcome the statement,8221; said Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, who heads the ASEAN delegation on Cambodia, which has been stalled, awaiting Hun Sen8217;s comment.

And even as a journalist Nate Thayer recently reported having seen former Cambodian dictator Pol Pot being tried for treason by Khmer Rouge, the first images of the trial were screened by Australian Broadcasting Corporation television ABC in Sydney today.

Story continues below this ad

A video shot by Thayer and an accompanying cameraman shows the ageing and frail-looking despot being harangued by hundreds of Khmer Rouge guerrillas and their families during what appears to be a stage-managed show trial.