01005756 Case File No. 002/19-09-2007/ECCC/TC E313 Khmer Rouge as well as the American bombings.463 Sydney SCHANBERG insisted however that refugees he interviewed spoke of the Khmer Rouge closing in, the seizing of their towns and their wish to feed their children as the reasons for their flight to Phnom Penh.464 Refugees told Civil Party Denise AFFONÇO that they were leaving their villages because the country was at war all around and the capital was the only place with a certain level of safety.465 158. By 1975, there were refugee camps surrounding Phnom Penh and several within the city, including one at the Olympic stadium and one at the site of the then incomplete Cambodiana hotel. The food and sanitation situation in these camps, and in Phnom Penh in general, was very poor.466 159. The U.S. government was providing aid to the LON Nol government-held areas by transporting rice from South Vietnam to Phnom Penh via the Mekong River, and later by air.467 The Khmer Rouge targeted these transports to Phnom Penh with mortars and rockets and blocked access via the Mekong River by placing mines.468 Although there were food shortages already during the period 1970-1975,469 the food situation in Phnom Penh worsened after the Khmer Rouge cut off access to the 463 T. 11 April 2013 (François PONCHAUD), pp. 26-27; See also, T. 29 January 2013 (Al ROCKOFF) p. 13. 464 T. 6 June 2013 (Sydney SCHANBERG), pp. 59-60. 465 T. 12 December 2012 (Denise AFFONÇO), p. 67. 466 T. 23 October 2012(LAY Bony), p. 85 (food prices surged and she could hardly find any rice to buy); T. 11 April 2013 (François PONCHAUD), p. 29; Book by W. SHAWCROSS: Sideshow: Kissinger, Nixon and the Destruction of Cambodia, E3/88, pp. 220-224, 225-227, ERN (En) 0042990714; T. 28 January 2013 (Al ROCKOFF), pp. 83, 113-114; T. 29 January 2013 (Al ROCKOFF), pp. 7-8, 11. 467 T. 15 July 2013 (Stephen HEDER), pp. 50-53; T. 11 April 2013 (François PONCHAUD), p. 30; T. 29 January 2013 (Al ROCKOFF) p. 10. 468 T. 5 June 2013 (Sydney SCHANBERG), pp. 28; Book by S. SCHANBERG: Cambodia Diary 1975, E236/1/4/3.1, 16 January 1975-77 February 1975, pp. 9-12, ERN (En) 00898217-20; Revolutionary Flag, E3/11, September 1977, p. 34, ERN (En) 00486245-46; Cambodians Urged to Unite in New Year’s Offensive (in FBIS Collection), E3/30, 31 December 1974, ERN (En) 00166660 (KHIEU Samphan states: “All strategic ground routes of the enemy have been cut […] He is faced with increasing difficulties and greater obstacles on the Mekong River […] Rice and other foodstuffs have become more scarce.”); KHIEU Samphan 14 Jan Message to CPNLAF Fighters (in FBIS Collection), E3/30, 15 January 1975, ERN (En) 00166709 (“[T]he Mekong – the sole route for the transportation of rice and other food, fuel oil and munitions from South Vietnam to feed the clique of the traitor Lon Nol and associates – is completely blocked.”); AKI Notes CPNLAF’s Increased Control of Mekong River (in FBIS Collection), E3/488, 20 February 1975, ERN (En) 00166763 (“Since 11 February, […] no ship has arrived at or left Phnom Penh port.”). 469 USAID Report: Cambodia Termination Report Vol. 1, E3/4178, September 1975; T. 11 April 2013 (François PONCHAUD), pp. 29-30. Case 002/01, Judgement, 7 August 2014 - Public 89