The Resumption of Armed Struggle by the Party of Democratic Kampuchea: Evidence from National Army of Democratic Kampuchea “Self-Demobilizers”

On 23 October 1991, Party of Democratic Kampuchea (PDK) ¹ President Khieu Samphan and Vice-President Son Sen signed the Agreements on a Comprehensive Political Settlement of the Cambodia Conflict. ² In so doing, the PDK facade for the covertly communist leadership group headed by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, and Ta Mok ³ committed it to a cease-fire, to demobilization of at least 70 percent of its regular and guerilla armed forces, known as the National Army of Democratic Kampuchea (NADK), and to disarmament and cantonment (confinement to barracks) of the remaining 30 percent. It also agreed to participate in “free and fair elections” organized by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) to select a constituent assembly that would write a new constitution for Cambodia, transform itself into a national assembly, and set up new government. In short, the PDK and its behind-the-scenes leaders committed themselves to giving up armed struggle in favor of peaceful political struggle via the parliamentary route.