Editors:

Speaking on behalf of many in Battambang, I would like to raise several questions

in regard to the role of UNTAC and the SNC in Cambodia.

The people in Battambang are very happy with UNTAC and believe strongly in UNTAC.

However, we would like to suggest that UNTAC further expand its mandate in order

to make the people feel even more confident so they can dare to reveal those who

have been corrupt, who have stolen state property, and secretly sold public buildings

to enrich themselves.

The State of Cambodia should review all state property. UNTAC has to thoroughly inspect

and control the public resources of the state. For instance, in some places, the

State of Cambodia has driven the people out and kept areas as state properties, but

later sold the land to private companies.

The poor people have to live in misery, or as the saying goes, "the Chinese

drive out the Khmers, and the Khmers drive out the ghosts." We know that the

Khmer Rouge have been selling forests and precious stones to Thailand. But why does

the State of Cambodia follow the Khmer Rouge's bad model-or are there people working

for SOC who used to work in the Khmer Rouge units?

On UNTAC's budget and expenditures: we would like the Phnom Penh Post to clarify

this matter so that the people will not feel suspicious and they can understand how

U.N. money is being used to help Cambodia.

The third question is about the SNC. Is the SNC monitoring expenses by the different

political parties, or is it looking the other way and allowing parties to operate

in corrupt ways? Some parties have been selling our natural resources while others

have been selling public buildings to overseas business people.

If the SNC lets some parties operate this way, consequences will come to the Cambodian

people and it will only create favorable conditions for the corrupt people to gain

power. If the money is really used to help parties to arrange elections, it would

be good.

But how about other parties that have neither the private property to sell nor the

natural resources: what can they do? We need an answer from the SNC.

-"Zero Five" Battambang