Return to the Clandestine Radio Intel
 
Clandestine Radio Intel Web
Voice of Solidarity Army
Agence France Press, April 25, 1998
Courtesy of Larry Magne
 
PHNOM PENH, April 25 (AFP) - Cambodia's Khmer Rouge made a foray into radio comedy Saturday, broadcasting over their clandestine transmitter an imitation of a telephone conversation between a senior defector and strongman Hun Sen, the rebels' hated enemy.
 
The deadpan send-up purported to describe Second Prime Minister Hun Sen receiving news of the government's loss of Anlong Veng, the guerrillas' stronghold in northern Cambodia which fell to Phnom Penh forces last month after a mutiny in the Khmer Rouge ranks.
 
The news was allegedly delivered to Hun Sen on Wednesday by Keo Pok, a leader of the rebellion who has allied himself with the government and earned the title of "traitor" from the Khmer Rouge.
 
"Hello! Hello!" Hun Sen said into the telephone without receiving any response from Keo Pok, according to the radio.
 
"Where is he now? Where has he gone and why is he not answering me?" Hun Sen then said in an aside, the radio recounted.
 
"A moment later, Keo Pok replied: 'Hello! Hello! Who is on the phone? Hello! Hello! This is Keo Pok'," the radio said.
 
"Hello! It's you, Keo Pok, why didn't you answer me earlier? Do you know how to use a telephone? It's me, Hun Sen," the conversation continued, according to the radio.
 
"Keo Pok replied: 'Yes! Yes! I know that it is Hun Sen and me, I am near Anlong Veng."
 
The broadcast continued with Keo Pok's alleged description of how the government and his defectors had "been nearly completely defeated" at Anlong Veng and Hun Sen's anger at receiving the bad news.
 
"This is death, this is death," Hun Sen said, according to the radio. "With the defeat at Anlong Veng, how can I go to report to King Norodom Sihanouk about my talents?"
 
Despite the radio's claims, government military sources said they still had control of Anlong Veng.