Volume 102 · 2504

Public Law 100–502

In support of the restoration of a free and independent Cambodia, the withdrawal of Vietnamese forces, and the protection of the Cambodian people from a return to power by the genocidal Khmer Rouge.

Approved October 18, 1988

Statutory text

Joint Resolution

In support of the restoration of a free and independent Cambodia, the withdrawal of Vietnamese forces, and the protection of the Cambodian people from a return to power by the genocidal Khmer Rouge.

Whereas the people of Cambodia suffered terribly under the despotic regime of the Khmer Rouge and subsequently during the occupation by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

Whereas the people of Cambodia have been victims of genocide, enslavement, starvation, and other deliberate acts of cruelty perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge, resulting in the deaths of over one million Cambodian people;

Whereas the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has maintained armed forces within Cambodia, thereby perpetuating their domination and forestalling the realization of self-determination by the Cambodian people;

Whereas the Vietnamese-installed Government of the People’s Republic of Kampuchea has seriously abused the human and civil rights of the Cambodian people;

Whereas due to fears of persecution in their homeland, hundreds of thousands of Cambodians have become refugees or displaced persons, seeking first asylum in other Southeast Asian nations and subsequent resettlement in third countries;

Whereas the United States has supported the non-Communist resistance led by Prince Norodom Sihanouk and Son Sann in order to end the Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia and recover for the Cambodian people their sovereign rights;

Whereas Prince Norodom Sihanouk has with courage and conviction devoted his energies to restoring his homeland to independence, neutrality, peace, and harmony;

Whereas the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has declared its intention to withdraw forces from Cambodia by the end of 1990 and has pledged to join negotiations for a resolution of the Cambodian question;

Whereas dialogue and diplomatic discussions have increased on a regional and international basis concerning the future of Cambodia;

Whereas the stability of Southeast Asia can only be assured once peace is restored to Cambodia and the rights of the Cambodian people are universally respected; and

Whereas it is a moral imperative of all nations that the people of Cambodia no longer be made to suffer at the hands of the Khmer Rouge or any other force that would do further harm to the Khmer people or further endanger their cultural and religious heritage: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

That the United States—

declares that all parties seeking a settlement of the conflict in Cambodia, including the United States, should have among their highest priorities the restoration of a free and independent Cambodia and the protection of the Cambodian people from a return to power by the genocidal Khmer Rouge;

calls on the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to fully withdraw its armed forces from Cambodia, and further calls on all parties to respect the territorial integrity of Cambodia and to deny safe haven to Khmer Rouge forces seeking the overthrow of a newly formed sovereign Cambodian government;

should seek a Cambodian settlement which contains workable measures to prevent a Khmer Rouge return to power, including a cessation of the flow of war materiel and the accumulation of caches of arms that might ultimately be used to terrorize the Cambodian people and to threaten a legitimate government of Cambodia;

declares that the United States must remain vigilant to ensure that genocide is never tolerated or forgotten anywhere in the world and that those responsible for such heinous crimes should be held accountable under international law, as prescribed by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide;

declares that the United States in cooperation with the international community should use all appropriate means available to prevent a return to power of Pol Pot, the top echelon of the Khmer Rouge, and their armed forces, so that the Cambodian people might genuinely be free to pursue self-determination without the spectre of the coercion, intimidation, and torture that are known elements of the Khmer Rouge ideology;

should seek the support of the member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other nations for the inclusion, in declarations and resolutions promulgated by the United Nations pertaining to the Cambodian conflict, of the principle that those responsible for acts of genocide and massive violations of internationally recognized human rights shall not return to positions of political power in Cambodia upon withdrawal of the foreign occupation forces;

declares that the United States, in conjunction with the member nations of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN), should continue to provide assistance, support, and encouragement to the non-Communist Cambodian forces, particularly their efforts to achieve a negotiated settlement that would permit self-determination for the Cambodian people and the return of refugees in safety and dignity to their homeland;

declares that the United States, in consultation with the member nations of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations, should consider whether such a settlement could be facilitated by the convening of an international conference on Cambodia and the provision of an international peacekeeping force that, in addition to performing other appropriate peacekeeping duties, could also supervise the withdrawal of Vietnamese forces and the holding of free and fair elections in Cambodia;

should seek to ensure—

that the refugee camps controlled by the Khmer Rouge are opened to inspection by international organizations, and

that those within those camps have the freedom to move to non-Khmer Rouge controlled camps if they desire to do so; and

should attempt to halt the flow of arms and military equipment to the Khmer Rouge by urging those nations providing assistance to the Khmer Rouge to cease doing so.

Approved October 18, 1988.