House of Representatives
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Phaedra Baird/ Al Santoli 202-225-1078

September 21, 1998

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL MAINTAINS ROHRABACHER PROVISION TO DENY FUNDING TO CAMBODIAN REGIME; HOUSE COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN CO SPONSOR RESOLUTION TO INDICT CAMBODIAN DICTATOR HUN SEN FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY

The House Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 1999, which was approved on September 17, maintains language authored last year by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher to deny funding to the violent Cambodian regime, led by former a Khmer Rouge commander, Hun Sen. The provision will permit funding for mine clearing, humanitarian projects and for democracy building programs conducted by non-governmental agencies. The provision was maintained without opposition in the Foreign Operations Subcommittee and the full Appropriations Committee.

Congressman Benjamin Gilman, Chairman of the House International Relations Committee and Congressman Gerald Solomon, Chairman of the House Rules Committee have become co-sponsors of House Resolution 533,

introduced by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, that seeks the indictment of Cambodian dictator Hun Sen for crimes against humanity before an international tribunal.

"The violent crackdown on unarmed democracy demonstrators in Cambodia, including extreme brutality against Buddhist monks, demonstrates a pattern of violence by Hun Sen that began when he was a Khmer Rouge field commander under Pol Pot during the 'killing fields' period," Rohrabacher said. "I and other members of Congress, including Chairmen Gilman and Solomon, strongly support true democracy and development in Cambodia. The thousands of peaceful demonstrators who put their lives on the line for freedom deserve a credible and responsive government. Unfortunately, as long as tyrants such as Hun Sen and his brutal cronies remain in power, there will not be peace or development for the Cambodian people. It is imperative that the U.S. Congress and our democratic allies around the world indict Hun Sen for crimes against humanity and support honest elections and freedom for the people of Cambodia."