The Malaysian Battalion in Cambodia

The first phase of UNTAC operation was for the disarmament and the cantonment of all the factions involved in the fighting as well as monitoring the withdrawal of all foreign troops. In order to achieve this, UNTAC identified several camps within Cambodia that are to be the collection centres for the demob process. Being stationed in Battambang province, MALBATT was responsible for the most volatile province in Cambodia including the hot areas of Pailin, Pursat and Siem Reap at that time. We were stretched thin on the ground and every sub unit was operating almost autonomously. The emphasis then was to make the factions responsible for the peace and law and order in their respective areas instead of trying to show off our strength (and all the weaknesses). We worked closely with all the local authorities, the militia leaders, the local military commanders and stressed that it was their responsibility as the UNTAC is only the organization that has been made responsible for the monitoring and facilitation of the peace process, not a 'penjajah'. That fact made a lot of difference to them and we accorded them the necessary clout and responsibility to carry out their jobs properly. Very soon, we could see that even the personnel of the militia started to take pride in their role and were soon imitating us in our revelle (morning parade) and other parades! Previously, they spent most of their time in the hammocks. MALBATT was able to carry out its allocated tasks in all the zones of operations without any mishap or untoward incidents for the first 3 months. Some of the areas were slowly taken over by the contingents from other nations beginning the 4th month with Bulgaria Batt taking over Pursat, Netherlands Batt taking over Sisophorn and Bangladesh Batt taking over Siem Reap. No UNTAC contingent troops were allowed into Pailin throughout the mission although the Military Observers were allowed there in the first few months. It was after the handover of the other areas of responsibilities that reports of incidents started coming in. A Bulgaria Batt base was attacked one night by the local militia due to a dispute concerning some local women, the Netherlands Batt who built fortresses around all their bases, looking something like US designed fire bases from the Vietnam war, were constantly being shot at, the Bangladesh Battalion positions were almost overrun one day when the Khmer Rouge attacked Siem Reap (detailed story on this later). Now, there is much talk of the stubborness and prowress of the Khmer Rogue apart from their known history of atrocities. Well, the Khmer Rogue actually enjoyed a certain level of support from the local population due to the fact that they were fighting the Vietnamese invaders. Even among the other factions fighting the Viets and the CPAF, the KR was quietly acknowleged as the main fighting force (the other two are the Khmer Peoples National Liberation Armed Forces KPNLAF and the Armee Nationali Khmer Independence ANKI (royalists)) However, in order to sustain a gureilla warfare, the most important factor is naturally the support from the masses. And the KR was enjoying this support being part of the Independence movement, however, they realized that without the Vietnamese in the country, then their movement for independence will but fizzle out and gone shall be their power. So the KR decided to discredit UNTAC and try to prolonge the conflict. They started to accuse UNTAC of being a puppet of the Viets and the CPAF, and tried to sow fear and cause panic by launching attacks on people they identified as Vietnamese settlers. However, the one group in UNTAC that the KR actually recognized and respected was MALBATT. This is due to the ground work MALBATT made to reach out to the people on the ground, as well as to work closely with the local authorities to get the message across that the fighting must end and that the peace process must not fail. I made trips to most of the front line poositions throughout our area of responsibility, travelling on our convoys, in our Land Rover Defenders, with the UN Military Observers in their pick ups (4 door pick ups much like those on our roads today), by our dispatch motorbike, 250cc single cylinder 4 stroke Kawazaki scramblers, by Cambodian army 6x6 GaZ trucks, and also on the top of the Cambodian Army 8x8 BTRs. The 6x6 GaZs are incredible trucks, petrol burners, they guzzle a heck of a lot of fuel but are incredable stable and the ruts and potholes on the cambodian countrysides hardly even disturbs the interior. In comparison, the TATA 4x4 that we were equipped with was dropping and tossing over every hump and bump. Just imagine, there is another 2 feet of headroom while seated in the cab of the TATA but the bumps are so bad that we are hurled out of the seat right into the ceiling! Even the doors of the TATA pop open due to the strain. Ok, toilet break, will be back...