Refugee situation People's Republic of Kampuchea

border camps hostile prk; 1979-1984

faced destroyed country , lack of international aid, large numbers of distraught cambodians flocked thai border in years followed. there international provided different international aid organisations, many of them backed united states, available. @ 1 point, more 500,000 cambodians living along thai-cambodian border , more 100,000 in holding centres inside thailand. more $400 million provided between 1979 , 1982, of united states, part of cold war political strategy against communist vietnam, contributed $100 million. in 1982, government had initiated covert aid program non-communist resistance (ncr) amounting $5 million per year, ostensibly non-lethal aid only. amount increased $8 million in 1984 , $12 million in 1987 , 1988. in late 1988, united states pared central intelligence agency funding $8 million, following reports $3.5 million had been diverted thai military. @ same time, reagan administration gave new flexibility funds, permitting ncr purchase us-made weapons in singapore , other regional markets. in 1985, united states established separate, overt aid program non-communist resistance came known solarz fund after 1 of chief sponsors, rep. stephen solarz. overt aid program channelled $5 million per year non-communist resistance through usaid.

meanwhile, sizeable portion of pol pot s khmer rouge forces regrouped , received continuous , abundant supply of military equipment china, channelled across thailand co-operation of royal thai armed forces. along other armed factions, khmer rouge launched relentless military campaign against newly established people s republic of kampuchea state refugee camps , hidden military outposts along thai border. though khmer rouge dominant, non-communist resistance included number of groups had formerly been fighting against khmer rouge after 1975. these groups included lon nol-era soldiers —-coalesced in 1979-80 form khmer people s national liberation armed forces (kpnlaf)— pledged loyalty former prime minister son sann, , moulinaka (mouvement pour la libération nationale du kampuchea), loyal prince norodom sihanouk. in 1979, son sann formed khmer people s national liberation front (kpnlf) lead political struggle cambodia s independence. prince sihanouk formed own organisation, funcinpec, , military arm, armée nationale sihanoukienne (ans) in 1981. fraught both internal , mutual discord, non-communist groups opposing prk, never effective, through civil war against kpraf/cpaf organised fighting force against state former khmer rouge militia, ironically labelled resistance . armed faction wreak havoc in cambodia after restoration of monarchy, 1990s.

this protracted civil war bleed cambodia s energies throughout 1980s. vietnam s occupation army of many 200,000 troops controlled major population centres , of countryside 1979 september 1989, heng samrin s regime s 30,000 kpraf troops plagued poor morale , widespread desertion owing low pay , poverty. men directly needed in family farms being rebuilt , there work do.