Phnom Penh besieged

Workers Press no. 189, 17 June 1970 · scan page 2

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ALL ROADS except one leading to the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh are now held by 01-720-2000. Liberaton Iorces. Liberation forces, it was admitted by the pro-US Reformist road regime yesterday. regime yesterday. that article in The ULSTER IN AN attempt to head off the growing political storm over the Rev. Ian Paisley's allegations of : an election 'deal' with Ulster Unionist candidate, the party announced a private investigation yesterday.

Londonderry Unionist candidate Robin ChichesterClark, who is the brother of Northern Ireland's Prime Minister, called for the investigation after Paisley named five leading Unionists who he claimed had met officials of his own party to arrange the alleged "deal'.

Kompong Speu-30 miles South-West of Phnom Penh-has just fallen to guerrilla units. It commands the strategic Highway 4 between the capital and the main Cambodian port Sihanoukville.

This is the principal supply route for oil and other vital supplies going to Phnom Penh.

The capital is, in fact, a besieged city.

DESPERATE

The decision of the Lon Nol regime to cede East Cambodia to the liberation movement indicates how desperate its position is both militarily and politically.

Continued recognition by the which still maintains its embassy in Phnom Penh—is now proving to be, an important political factor in preserving this CIA-backed regime.

BARGKOK; Tuesday!-- Thailand will send a first batch of about 1,000 volunteers to fight in Cambodia soon, informed sources said here today.

The. sources were commenting on a statement yesterday Praphas Charusathien that Cambodian officials had arrived in Thailand's border provinces to co-operate in raising the volunteer force.

They said volunteers in Sisaket and Prachinburi provinces had begun to register with local Thai army recruiting centres.

hears £1,000 June Appeal Fund now at f295 6s 6d OUR READERS are keeping the pressure up. Yesterday we received f56 8s 8d, which brought the total to £295 6s б. This leaves us with £704 13s od to raise by June 30.

We usually doa't like counting our chickens before they are hatched, but there is a good possibility that we may be over half way to the target by the weekend.

This would be a considerable advance over previous months. It would be a demonstration of solidarity that is very much in line with the growing requirements of the political situation.

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