RUMORS OF SPREAD OF TOXIC CHEMICALS BY PAVNI DIVERSION OF INTERNATIONAL AID TO FEED PAVN TROOPS IN KAMPUCHEA; INFLUX OF VIETNAMESE CIVILIAN REGUGEES INTO KAMPUCHEA BECAUSE OF SHORTAGE OF FOOD IN THE SRV

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06157043
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2017
• Case Number: F-2012-01432
• Publication Date: January 16, 1982

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TOT: 161505Z JAN 82
S E E T NUFURN tiNINTEL
1615 42.
TOS U1RNSA. UEPT OF STATE. DIA, TREASURY DEPT, ZEN/USTR,
ZEN/AGRICULTURE, ZEN/COMMERCE. ZEN/FRB,
ZEN/WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM, ZEN/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
STAFF, ZEN/CIA OFFICE OF CURRENT OPERATIONS,
CINCPAC HONOLULU Hlt C1NCPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI, .CORWESTCOM FT
SHAFTER HI, COmIPAC HONOLULU HI, CINCPACAF .HICKAM AFB
COM5EVENTHFL1, 13AF CLARK AB PI,
NSA FUR ZKZA UU DLS DE (FOR NSUC): STATE FOR INRI DIA FOR
DIA. SwS� CIA/NmCC;
13AF FUR DUI
16 JAN 82
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY �
11.'16 15 AN INFUNMATION REPOHT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.
'REPORT CLASSSECRET.e.,ewNINTEL4uNOFORN
COUNTRY: KAmPUCHEA/VIETNAM/UNITED NATIONS
SUBJECT: RUMORS OF SPREAD .OF TOXIC CHEMICALS BY PAVNI DIVERSION
OF INTERNATIONAL AID TO FEED PAVN TROOPS iN KAMPUCHEA;
INFLUX OF VIETNAMESE CIVILIAN REFUGEES ANTO KAMPUCHEA
BECAUSE OF SHORTAGE OF FOOD IN THE SRV
SOURCE
1. IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 1981 RUMORS CIRCULATED IN
PHNOM PENH, KUmPONG SOM, PREY VENG. KOMPONG CHAM AND KOMPONG THOM
OF DEATHS OF KAmPUCHEAN RESIDENTS RESULTING FROM TOXIC CHEMICAL
POISONS DELIBERATELY PLACED IN FOODSTUFFS SOLD IN MARKETS AND
RESTAURANTS. INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED FOR SPREADING THE TOXIC
CHEMICALS WERE RUMORED TO BE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM (SRV)
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CITIZENS FROM BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH VIETNAM WHO HAD BEEN HIRED BY
SRV AUTHORITIES. COMMENT: THE RUMORS OF FOOD POISONING (b)(1)
HAVE t3E.EN REPORTED ELSEWHERE AND MAY STEM FROM AN AGENCE FRANCE PRESSI(bp)
'DISPATCH ATTRIBUTED TO DEMOCRATIC KAMPUCHEA (DK) SOURCES THAT
110 PERSONS HAD DIED INSTANTANEOUSLY ON 15 OCTOBER AT TRAPEANG CHONG
AND PUkSAT MARKETS AFTER EATING FOOD PURCHASED FROM VIETNAMESE.
RADIO PHNUM PENH ANNOUNCED A 3 NOVEMBER MEETING OF THE PEOPLE IN
THIS AREA TO CONDEMN THE DISPATCH.)
k. RECOGNIZING THE DAMAGING EFFECT THE RUMORS WERE CAUSING,
THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF KAMPUCHEA (PRK) GOVERNMENI ATTEMPTED TO
PROHIBIT ANY DISCUSSION OF THE MATTER. PERSONS WHO .DISOBEYED THE
LAO WERE ARRESTED AND ACCUSED OF BEING SPIES OR TOOLS OF THE
ENEMY'S PROPAGANDA AND LIABLE TO BE CONDEMNED TO .DEATH. (b)(1)
COMMENTS' SRV ,CONTROL IS FIRM IN PHNOM PENH AND THE ARIBITRARY (b)(3)
ARREST OF KAMPUCHEANS DOES TAKES PLACE.
3. AN OFFICIAL OF THE PRK COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION
DEPARTMENT STATED IN EARLY NOVEMBER THAT APPROXIMATELY TwOisTHIRDS
OF ALL FOREIGN HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND UNITED NATIONS .CHILDREN
FUND AID INTENDED FOR THE KAMPUCHEAN 'PEOPLE WAS BEING DIVERTED BY
IHE SRV TO FEED PEOPLE'S ARMY OF VIETNAM (PAVN) TROOPS STATIONED
IN KAMPUCHEA AND THAT ONLY ONE-THIRD EVER REACHED THE PEOPLE.
THIS DIVERSION OF AID HAS CREATED HARDSHIPS FUR THE PEOPLE AND,
COUPLED WITH THE RUMORS OF SRV PLANTING OF TOXIC CHEMICALS,
HAD BEGUN TO AROUSE FEELINGS OF HATRED AMONG THE PEOPLE.
COMMENT: THIS JUDGEMENT ON DIVERSION IS PROBABLY BASED
ON RUMOR.) (b)(1)
4. THERE IS AN ALMOST DAILY INFLUX OF VIETNAMESE CIVILIAN REFs,(3)(3)
UGEES INTO KAMPUCHEA, ONE 'OF THESE, A FEMALE REFUGEE, SAID IN ,EARLY .
NOVEMBER 1981 'THAT VIETNAMESE ARE LEAVING THE SRV' LAND GOING TO .KAMPU-
CHEA BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME DIFFICULT OF MAKING A .LIVING ,IN THE SRV.
THE WOMAN STATED THAT MANY VIETNAMESE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT OR
ADEQUATE CLOTHING. � MANY CANNOT OBTAIN ANYTHING- BETTER 70 -EAT THAN
RICE GRUEL. THE PEOPLE ARE DREADING AN EVEN 'MORE .SEVERE SHORTAGE ,OF
rnnn AND MORE MISERABLE LIVING -CONDITIONS IN THE FUTURE. (b)(1)
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TOTS 1b1505Z JAN 82
REPORT CLASSSECRET..-wARNING NOTICE-wmINTELLIGENtE SOURCES AND
METHODS INvuLVED..-NOT RELEASABLE To FOWFIGN NATIONALS.
ALL PORTIONS CARRY
CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL DOUCMENT,
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