Cambodia’s first defense white paper unveils a future vision of a Cambodian military that will be smaller, but better trained, better equipped and more professional than ever before.
The 62-page policy paper, released Tuesday, offers the first-ever policy plan for an army that has spent most of the last three decades at war.
Developed over the past two years with technical and financial support from the Australian government, “Defending the Kingdom of Cambodia 2000—Security and Development” outlines the future role of RCAF in a peacetime Cambodia where the majority of future armed threats will arise from outside the country’s borders.
Threats to the environment and national treasures, HIV/AIDS among the armed forces and regional unrest also rank among the top security threats for Cambodia, according to the document.
Destruction of national resources such as forests, the pillage of artifacts and the depletion of endangered animal and marine species are “seriously undermining the country’s culture and national values.”
While the very existence of the document is being heralded as a landmark for Cambodian military planning, senior government and military officials and foreign analysts say its success now depends on those entrusted with its implementation.
Plans for reforming the size and structure of RCAF dominate the document, which notes that the military’s drain on the economy is diverting scarce resources from national development and hurting the economy by hampering labor productivity.
“National resources are not unlimited and the right balance must be maintained between expenditure on defense and security, and the resources devoted to overall national development,” the white paper states.
However, co-Minister of Defense Tea Banh, who delivered the keynote speech at the ceremony introducing the white paper, was evasive when asked what percentage of the national budget he thought was adequate for security.
In 2000, RCAF was allocated 19.5 percent of national revenue, but improved on previous years when as much as 40 percent was diverted to the military, Tea Banh said.
The majority of that figure was being used to provide rice and uniforms to RCAF’s bloated ranks, which resulted from reintegration of former opposition forces into the government, Tea Banh said.
“In some ways our expenditure seems too much. But not really, as we have bought peace for Cambodia,” Tea Banh said.
Cambodia plans to demobilize more than 30,000 soldiers in the next two years.
Tea Banh also called on RCAF officials to ensure the success of the policy paper and RCAF’s reform. “Our optimism will be meaningless if [the document’s] principles are not practically executed,” he said.
“Therefore what we basically need is the commitment from all RCAF leadership in recognizing that those principles provided in the white paper must be implemented,” he said.
Don Higgins, Australian Embassy defense attache, also said the success of the white paper lies in its implementation.
“But, I am sure RCAF is ready to step up to those challenges,” Higgins said, noting that publication of the document was already a milestone.
A security expert, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said RCAF faced the challenge of changing from being primarily a money-making business for officials to being a professionally run army.
One senior RCAF official said the changes contained in the documents will likely face opposition.
But Ek Sam On, deputy military region 5 commander, said the white paper and its clear policies may begin to de-politicize the military, which is rife with allegiances that supersede RCAF command.
In terms of the Asia-Pacific region, the paper notes that future regional security is an issue for Cambodia as protracted disputes over the Spratly Islands have placed China at odds with other Asean members.
The upstream exploitation of the Mekong river is also of concern as the construction of dams on the river by China and contamination of the water by industrial waste threaten what is one of Cambodia’s key natural resources, according to the plan.
Transnational crime such as drugs, human trafficking and money laundering also present a security threat to Cambodia and could destroy friendly relations with countries that are the final destinations of traffickers.
Summing up relations with neighboring Thailand and Vietnam, the paper notes that during the past two years only minor incidents have arisen over parts of the border contested with Thailand.
While relations with Vietnam are referred to as “generally good,” border and immigration issues still need to be resolved.
“Although border disputes and illegal immigrants are of concern to Cambodia, there is no evidence to support military tension occurring between the two countries in the foreseeable future.”
Reforming and restructuring RCAF will be accomplished by decreasing troop strengths, improving command and communications mechanisms, and training.
RCAF’s mobility is limited, with aircraft grounded and naval patrol vessels in bad repair.
Necessary repairs and replacement of equipment will depend on economic conditions, as will rebuilding the army’s firepower in terms of light artillery and armored vehicles. Both remain a priority for national defense, the paper states.
The policy paper also notes that although 55,000 troops will be demobilized, RCAF will implement compulsory military service as needed.
Tea Banh said that a law will be introduced regarding compulsory service for those over 18 years of age.
However, no budget yet exists and details of length of service and numbers involved have not been worked out, Tea Banh said.
“Without this option, the military’s defense capability could fall short of requirement and the armed forces could end up with only commanders and aging officers with no fit, strong and young soldiers to perform their roles and responsibilities,” the paper states.
