NOTE TO THE DIRECTOR FROM ED PROCTOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R000600130013-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 18, 2005
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: April 23, 1974
• Content Type: NOTES

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Approved For Rele"e 2005/08/24: 495ROQ~666 1366 -
File: OCI
OFFICE OF THE DD/I
23 April 1974
NOTE FOR THE DIRECTOR
FROM: Ed Proctor
Friday evening you told me that
the subject of a Cambodian defection
came up in your conversations with
Marsh. You asked for some background
on this.
OCI reports that the mass defection
hoax in Cambodia was the subject of a
NID article on 9 March (copy attached).
The US Embassy had forewarned that
such a hoax was likely. After the story
received some prominent press play,
we decided that a NID item would be
useful to put the matter in perspective.
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 Approved For Release 2005/08/24: CIA-RDP80BO1495R0SQ!s00130 13-1
Defections in Cambodia Are Exaggerated
P
ress reports about the defection
of some 700 Khmer Communist troops
to the government appear to have been
exaggerated.
are convinced that most of
the 700 presented to the press last
week were Phnom Penh residents paid
to pose as former Communists.
According to the US Embassy in
Phnom Penh, the civilian government
officials who presented the alleged ral-
liers to the press last week have been
promoting a scheme which is supposed
to lead ultimately to the defection of
2 5 ,000 insurgents. The group pre-
sented to the press may be partofthis
scheme.
Stories of mass insurgent defec-
tions during the war are not new.
Prominent figures like former prime
ministers In Tam and Cheng Meng have
in the past claimed to have large num-
bers of insurgent troops ready to de-
fect.
They promoted such stories in part
to demonstrate their personal ability to
influence the insurgents. Others have
used this tactic to improve their bu-
reaucratic and financial positions.
T)- 1:1ttt;r appears to have been a
Communist Defectors
motive in the latest episode. The civil-
ian officials who were "negotiatipg"
with the ralliers had already gone
through substantial funds provided per-
sonally by President Lon Nol.
The officials are now seeking to
have their defectors placed on a
payroll s.
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Remarks :
The mass defection hoax in Cambodia was
the subject of a NID article on March 9
(copy attached.) The US Embassy had
forewarned that such a hoax was likely.
After the false defectors received some
prominent press play, we decided that a
NID item would be useful to put the
matter in the proper perspective.
FOLD HERE TO RETURN TO SENDER
FROM: NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NO.
DATE
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20 April 1974
The Director referred to a defector
in Cambodia of a month or so ago which
did not run in the NID mainly because it
was a hoax. He would like to have a
rundown on this matter. The subject
was raised by Marsh in the discussions
with the Director.
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cc: D/OCI
Approved For Release 2005/08/24: CIA-RDP80B01495R000600130013-1