NATIONAL United Front (NUF) member Sam Rainsy distanced himself from knowledge of
information contained in the "KR Papers", saying that the NUF had no military
mandate nor any connection with hardline Khmer Rouge.
The NUF - an opposition grouping of the Funcinpec, Cambodian Neutral, Son Sann and
Sam Rainsy parties - is highlighted in the papers as being the vehicle which Ranariddh
was courting Anlong Veng to join. Ta Mok, Nuon Chea and other rebel leaders were,
according to the papers, secretly plotting to betray NUF once the deal was struck.
Through the door opened by Ranariddh, the KR planned to re-enter society and reinstigate
a 1975-style regime "led by the poor peasant farmers".
Rainsy - speaking on May 20, the day following Ranariddh's resignation as NUF president
in favor of Son Soubert - said of the documents: "Supposing they're true, [then
Ranariddh] was totally in violation of NUF statutes, bylaws and objectives.
"[He] had no mandate to commit NUF [to any alliance with Anlong Veng],"
Rainsy said.
Rainsy said that NUF's 14-point platform involved neither violence nor having an
army. "If it's true that Ranariddh was working [with Anlong Veng]... it is beyond
his scope [and] mandate as president of NUF. But I'm not in a position to make any
investigation. I cannot talk on behalf of Ranariddh or Fun-cinpec."
When asked if the documents indicate the KR wanted to use a weakened Ranariddh "like
Sihanouk in 1970" to effectively return to Democratic Kampuchea, Rainsy said
that Ranariddh - whether he was naive or not - could not be held responsible for
the ulterior motives of a potential alliance partner. He said such was the same throughout
politics.
Later, Rainsy said he thought Ranariddh was clever enough not to be used by the Khmer
Rouge. "It's just like a chess game. Maybe Ranariddh had a counter plan."
Rainsy said that Ranariddh merely had the objective of courting the KR for integration
- something that Hun Sen later achieved.
"Hun Sen made two deals, with Ieng Sary - the right-hand of Pol Pot - and Ke
Pauk - the right-hand of Ta Mok. In dealing with the Khmer Rouge, Hun Sen is the
champion," he said.
Rainsy said that if the "KR Papers" proved that Anlong Veng plotted to
use Ranariddh's overtures, then "who's to say Ke Pauk [or Ieng Sary] is not
having second thoughts, that the same suspicions [can't be harbored] about Ke Pauk
with Hun Sen now".
When asked if the documents seemed to prove the existence of a concrete KR plan to
allow Funcinpec control of the provinces, against KR control of district levels and
below, Rainsy said: "I'm not really in a position to comment. These are matters
with which I'm not acquainted."
He said that while "secret plans" can be talked about, what should be concentrated
on was what had actually happened.
In the case of Hun Sen's alliance with Sary and Pauk, "morally speaking, politically
speaking, security speaking, that is the serious matter. There should be concern
for the real things, rather than some secret plan."
