October 19, 1998

The Honorable Benjamin Gilman
Chairman, US House of Representative
International Relations Committee
Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC. 20515

Dear Mr. Chairman;

On behalf of all the members of World Cambodian Congress (WCC) - an association of Cambodian-Americans for the promotion of human rights and democracy in Cambodia - especially those in Rockland county, I would like to let you know how much we appreciated your leadership in successfully sponsoring and guiding House Resolution 533 to put dictator Hun Sen and his collaborators on the war criminal list, and to bring them to justice. We would like to also thank your staff, for this historic and life-saving resolution.

We realized that without your total commitment and continued efforts this crucial House resolution could not have been passed due to a very hectic and busy schedule of the Congress toward the end of the year where so many important and competing issues are at stake. We remember very well your efforts to bring justice to Cambodia when immediately after the July 1997 coup d'etat you had the foresight to make the crucial decision to begin to expose Hun Senšs criminal behavior by attempting to put him and his collaborators on the US list of Personae-Non-Grata.

We firmly believe that House Resolution 533 may mark an important turning point in contemporary Cambodian history, as it rightly identifies Hun Sen for what he really is - that is he is a dictator and a cold-blooded murderer. This resolution also finally unmasks the true nature of the State Department inexplicable but consistent pro-Hun Sen policy which significantly contributed to the ongoing tragedy for the Cambodian people since the 1993 UNTAC-sponsored elections. We are particularly grateful to you for your strong and unequivocal intervention on the floor on October 2, and your backing of democratic forces in Cambodia when you said that;

"To forces of democracy in Cambodia we say, we in this body are watching carefully. Be assured that the Cambodian people will not stand alone in their quest for democracy, for justice, for human rights, for peace and freedom. This resolution sends this kind of signal."

Finally, this resolution gives a tremendous boost to the hope to all peace-loving Cambodian-Americans and Cambodians in Cambodia for the first time since 1975, that there is a real possibility for the Cambodian people to be on the road towards real and sustainable peace and freedom that they have been longing for during the past thirty years.

For that we owe you Mr. Chairman, a deep debt of gratitude. We hope we deserve your trust and friendship. All of us members of WCC who have the honor and pleasure of knowing you well and respect you deeply are doing our best to make your reelection a successful one. We are wishing you a happy return, and we looking forward to seeing and greeting you again at the 106th Congress.

Sincerely yours

Naranhkiri Tith, Ph.D.
Chairman, WCC Board of Directors,
and Professor of International Economics
at SAIS, Johns Hopkins University