THE BRITISH COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
10 EATON GATE LONDON SW1W 98T
FOR INFORMATION
TELEPHONE 01-730 9611
EMBARGO: 00.01, Wednesday, December 21st, 1977
CAMBODIA BECOMES KAMPUCHE
VAN 1973
1.
Phnom Penh in Cambodia fell to the forces of the nationalist- communist movement known as the Khmer Rouge on April 17th, 1975. Within hours its population of two million was forced out of the city.
Since then between one and two million people have been killed or died as a result of their treatment, and some 30,000 more have fled to the neighbouring country of Thailand. In order to build a new society, the human rights of Cambodia are being systematically violated on a massive scale.
News of the atrocities has been slow to reach the outside world, and only now is a full picture building up. Lord Elton, a staff member of the Church of England Committee on International Affairs, has visited Thailand recently, and as a result of his interviews with Cambodians in the refugee camp there as well as other evidence about the situation, the British Council of Churches has:
deplored the atrocities,
urged the rallying of world opinion,
(asked for increased aid to the refugees and other
victims of the inhumanity of the regime,
pressed for the UN to be permitted to observe the pres screening process for refugees,
urged British Christians to express their concern by prayer and giving, and by joining in an ecumenical Vigil, to be held in Westminster Cathedral on Saturday, 11th February, 1978, from 1 to 5 p.m.
FULL TEXTS OF RESOLUTION ..ND FACTUAL ST..TEMENT ATT.CHED
Further enquiries:
The Lord Elton Ms Ruth Anstey
01-222 9011 01-730 9611
PR/34/77
PTO
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