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165. On 12 April 1975, U.S. marines evacuated the Ambassador and remaining
embassy personnel from the U.S. embassy in Phnom Penh, along with Acting
President SAUKAM Khoy.488 On 16 April 1975, the Khmer Republic leadership sent
a message to NORODOM Sihanouk in Beijing offering to transfer power immediately
to GRUNK, but asking for assurances that there would be no acts of reprisals for acts
during active hostilities.489 NORODOM Sihanouk rejected this offer stating that only
an unconditional surrender was acceptable and urging ‘first rank traitors’ to flee the
country because as war criminals they ‘deserve nothing less than the gallows.’490
166. By the evening of 16 April 1975, CPK military divisions were on the verge of
taking over Phnom Penh.491 Thousands of refugees entered into the city centre.
Sydney SCHANBERG described this day in his diary as resulting in the highest
Fernandez); KHIEU Samphan Issues Statement on Current Situation (in FBIS Collection), E3/118, 1
April 1975, ERN (En) 00166897 (“The seven traitorous chieftains have packed or are packing their
bags to flee abroad in a bid to escape punishment by our people. Contemptible SON Ngoc Thanh has
fled to Saigon, contemptible IN Tam has disappeared, and contemptible SOSTHENE Fernandez and
CHENG Heng also recently fled abroad […] contemptible LON Nol and LONG Boret have also
packed much luggage to flee abroad in a bid to escape […].”); CPNLAF Continuing Offensive ‘Without
Compromise’ (in FBIS Collection), E3/118, 10 April 1975, ERN (En) 00166937 (noting traitors LON
Nol, CHENG Heng, SOSTHENE Fernandez, SON Kgoc Thanh and IN Tam have fled Phnom Penh);
LONG Boret Addresses Nation After SAUKAM Khoy Flight (in FBIS Collection), E3/118, 12 April
1975, ERN (En) 00166939 (noting the unannounced departure of Lt Gen Saukam Koy, acting president
of' the Khmer Republic); LONG Boret Briefs Journalists of New Government’s Policies (in FBIS
Collection), E3/118, 13 April 1975, ERN (En) 00166942 (noting Marshal LON Nol fled on 1 April
1975).
488
Book by S. SCHANBERG: Cambodia Diary 1975, E236/1/4/3.1, pp. 43-45, ERN (En) 0089825153; Revolutionary Flag, E3/11, September 1977, ERN (En)00486248; Long Boret Addresses Nation
After Saukam Khoy Flight (in FBIS Collection), E3/118, 12 April 1975, ERN (En) 00166939-40; U.S.
State Department Telegram, Subject: Continuing Contacts with GKR, E3/2938, 12 April 1975, p. 1,
ERN (En) 00376694.
489
Phnom Penh Leaders Request Cease-Fire, Transfer of Power (in FBIS Collection), E3/118, 16
April 1975, ERN (En) 00166970; Book by S. SCHANBERG: Cambodia Diary 1975, E236/1/4/3.1, p.
60, ERN (En) 00898268.
490
Sihanouk Rejects Offer (in FBIS Collection), E3/118, 16 April 1975, ERN (En) 00166971; Book
by S. SCHANBERG: Cambodia Diary 1975, E236/1/4/3.1, p. 61, ERN (En) 00898269.
491
Book by S. SCHANBERG: Cambodia Diary 1975, E236/1/4/3.1, pp. 57-60, ERN (En) 0089826568; See FBIS Collection, E3/118, including the following: NUFC Radio Reports Pochentong Airport
‘Completely Liberated’, 15 April 1975, ERN (En) 00166950; Khmer Rouge Begins Attacks on Phnom
Penh’s Southern Suburbs, 15 April 1975, ERN (En) 00166950; Takhmau Abandoned 15 April, 15 April
1975, ERN (En) 00166958; Fighting Around Phnom Penh, ERN (En) 00166958; Khmer Rouge Occupy
Pochentong Airport, 16 April 1975, ERN (En) 00166958-59; KYODO: Liberation Forces Enter
Southern Phnom Penh, 16 April 1975, ERN (En) 00166961; NUFC Radio on Attacks Around Capital,
Rebel Pilot’s Landing, 16 April 1975, ERN (En) 00166963; NUFC Radio Cites Attacks ‘In Direction
of’ Capital’s Centre, 16 April 1975, ERN (En) 00166972.
Case 002/01, Judgement, 7 August 2014 - Public
93
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