1 September 1975

A key issue that had held up Sihanouk’s return was his demand that he be allowed to take not only his wife Princess Monique but also his large entourage back to PhnomPenh. The Khmer Rouge opposed the return of such a group of privileged people who would not work on the fields.

Khieu Samphan, Penn Nouth and Ieng Thirith attend a banquet by NorthKorean President Kim. Prince Sihanouk who already was in Pyongyang, appeared to have reached an agreement with Khieu Samphan, his long‐time antagonist, permitting his return to Cambodia in the comming weeks.

The same report offered a rationale why the Khmer Rouge moved people to other zones: “The cooperatives’ function is to absorb the new people coming out of the cities-among which every type of horrible element exists-, to supply them with food and to put their strength to work.”

The Khmer Rouge’ standing comittee report on its visit to Cambodia’s Northwest Zone states that “new people” were experiencing shortages of food and medication; planting rice has finished in most places in Battambang and that the water problem had been brought under mastery. https://t.co/hI1m6aT3Jf