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.