The show must go on
Sir: Derek Tonkin's incessant reworking of a sequence running approximately 20 seconds in Cambodia: The Betrayal reveals the desperate lengths to which the author- `I'm still wearing my Saddam Hussein T-shirt.' ities, and their servitors will go to manipu- late the facts.
As the film's director I can say precisely what it showed. It showed, and the com- mentary mentioned, the Singaporean rep- resentative at the UN leading a delegate to meet Pol Pot's man. Son Sann, the leader of KPNLF, was sitting beside him because they are allies. The film did not show, neither did the commentary state as Tonk- in claimed in his article (`The apotheosis of Pilgerism', 23 March), 'the Singaporean delegate congratulating Pol Pot's man at the UN'.
Throughout this correspondence Tonk- in's aim has been to absolve the Singapo- rean ties with Pol Pot, because this fits nicely with the deception at the root of British policy on Cambodia. The truth is the opposite.
I sat for two days in November 1989 witnessing the UN General Assembly de- bate on Cambodia. I videotaped the entire event, Seldom have I seen such a blatant display of public duplicity. My crew and I were particularly struck by the obvious collusion that took place between Thiounn Prasith, Pol Pot's man, and Mme Chan Heng Chee, Singapore's delegate. Be- tween the two of them they orchestrated much of the debate and its outcome. They were deep in conversation a lot of the time. They thanked and congratulated delegates for their supportive speeches and in the final crucial hours dispatched attractive young Singaporean women with clipboards to lobby delegates for their votes — votes that benefited, above all, the Khmer Rouge.
No matter how many times Derek Tonk- in replays his video, and writes his fatuous letters, that truth will remain.
David Munro
Central Productions Ltd 46 Charlotte Street, London W1
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