K5 Plan
Encyclopedia
The K5 Plan, K5 Belt or K5 Project, also known as Bamboo Curtain, was an attempt between 1985 and 1989 by the government of the People's Republic of Kampuchea
to seal Khmer Rouge
guerrilla infiltration routes into Cambodia
by means of trenches, wire fences, and minefields along virtually the entire Thai-Cambodian border.
The wasteful K5 border defence project would cast a destructive shadow over the image of the PRK/SOC.
in 1979, the Khmer Rouge
fled Cambodia quickly. Protected by the Thai state, and with powerful foreign connections, Pol Pot
's virtually intact militia of about 30,000 to 35,000 troops regrouped and reorganized in forested and mountaineous zones behind the Thai-Cambodian border. During the early 1980s Khmer Rouge forces showed their strength in Thailand
, inside the refugee camps near the border, and were able to receive a steady and abundant supply of military equipment. The weapons came mainly from China
and the US and were channeled across Thailand with the cooperation of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
From their position of security in hidden military outposts along the Thai border, the Khmer Rouge militias launched a relentless military campaign against the newly-established People's Republic of Kampuchea state. Even though the Khmer Rouge was dominant, it fought against the Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces
(KPRAF) and Vietnam People's Army
along with minor non-communist armed factions which had formerly been fighting against the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979.
The border war followed a wet season
/ dry season
rhythm. Generally, the heavily-armed Vietnamese forces conducted offensive operations during the dry seasons, and the Chinese and US-backed Khmer Rouge held the initiative during the rainy seasons. In 1982, Vietnam launched a largely unsuccessful offensive against the main Khmer Rouge base at Phnom Malai
in the Cardamom Mountains
.
The major consequence of the border civil war was that the PRK was hampered in its efforts to rebuild the much-damaged nation and consolidate its administration. The new republic's rule was tenuous in the border areas owing to persistent sabotage by the Khmer Rouge of the provincial administrative system through constant guerrilla warfare.
, commander of the PAVN forces in Cambodia. He formulated five key points for the defence of Cambodia against Khmer Rouge re-infiltration. Letter "K", the first letter of the Khmer alphabet, came from kar karpier, meaning 'defence' in the Khmer language
, and number "5" referred to Le Duc Anh's five points in his plan of defence, of which the sealing of the border with Thailand
was the second point. Many workers on the project, however, did not know what "K5" stood for.
The K5 Plan began on the 19th July 1984. It became a gigantic effort that included clearing
long patches of tropical forest by felling a great number of trees, as well as slashing and uprooting tall vegetation.
The purpose was to leave a continuous broad open space all along the Thai border that would be watched and mined.
In practice the K5 fence consisted of a roughly 700 km-long, 500 m-wide swath of land along the border with Thailand, where antitank and antipersonnel mines were buried to a density of about 3,000 mines per kilometre of frontage.
the massive felling of trees was an ecological disaster, contributing to acute deforestation
, the endangerment of species, and leaving behind a vast degraded area
. The more remote places, like the Cardamom Mountains
had been relatively untouched by man until they became a stronghold of the Khmer Rouge in the 1980s. Presently these mountains form an endangered ecoregion
.
Unforeseen by the planners of the project, from the military point of view
the K5 Plan was also disastrous for the PRK. It did not deter the Khmer Rouge fighters who found ways to cross it, for it was impossible to effectively police the long border. Besides, maintenance was difficult, as the razed jungle left a scruffy undergrowth that, in the tropical climate, would grow again yearly to about a man's height.
The K5 Plan was counterproductive for the image of the PRK, as a republic bent on reconstructing what the rule of Pol Pot and his Communist Party of Kampuchea
had destroyed in Cambodia. Despite the magnitude of the effort, the whole project was ultimately unsuccessful and ended up playing into the hands of the enemies of the new pro-Hanoi
republic. Thousands of Cambodian peasants, who despite the Vietnamese invasion had welcomed the release from the Khmer Rouge's interference in traditional farming and the absence of taxes under the PRK government, became irritated. They were sore at having to abandon their farms in order to dedicate time to clear the jungle, a heavy toil they perceived as useless and unfruitful. Their resentment grew in time as they perceived the new forced labor to be, albeit without the killings, very similar to what they had experienced under the Khmer Rouge tyranny. Owing to unsanitary conditions and the abundance of mosquitoes in areas of difficult access, badly fed and badly lodged workers on the K5 project fell victims of malaria
and exhaustion.
Many of the mines remain to this day, making the vast long area dangerous. The K5 zone became part of the great landmine problem in Cambodia after the end of the civil war. In 1990 alone, the number of Cambodians that had a leg or foot amputated as a result of an injury caused by a land mine reached around 6,000.
People's Republic of Kampuchea
The People's Republic of Kampuchea , , was founded in Cambodia by the Salvation Front, a group of Cambodian leftists dissatisfied with the Khmer Rouge, after the overthrow of Democratic Kampuchea, Pol Pot's government...
to seal Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
guerrilla infiltration routes into Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
by means of trenches, wire fences, and minefields along virtually the entire Thai-Cambodian border.
The wasteful K5 border defence project would cast a destructive shadow over the image of the PRK/SOC.
Background
After the defeat of Democratic KampucheaDemocratic Kampuchea
The Khmer Rouge period refers to the rule of Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen, Khieu Samphan and the Khmer Rouge Communist party over Cambodia, which the Khmer Rouge renamed as Democratic Kampuchea....
in 1979, the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
fled Cambodia quickly. Protected by the Thai state, and with powerful foreign connections, Pol Pot
Pol Pot
Saloth Sar , better known as Pol Pot, , was a Cambodian Maoist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea....
's virtually intact militia of about 30,000 to 35,000 troops regrouped and reorganized in forested and mountaineous zones behind the Thai-Cambodian border. During the early 1980s Khmer Rouge forces showed their strength in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, inside the refugee camps near the border, and were able to receive a steady and abundant supply of military equipment. The weapons came mainly from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and the US and were channeled across Thailand with the cooperation of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
From their position of security in hidden military outposts along the Thai border, the Khmer Rouge militias launched a relentless military campaign against the newly-established People's Republic of Kampuchea state. Even though the Khmer Rouge was dominant, it fought against the Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces
Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces
The Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces, or Khmer People's Revolutionary Armed Forces, was the formal title given to the armed forces of the People's Republic of Kampuchea, the de facto government of Cambodia 1979-1990....
(KPRAF) and Vietnam People's Army
Vietnam People's Army
The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt...
along with minor non-communist armed factions which had formerly been fighting against the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979.
The border war followed a wet season
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
/ dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
rhythm. Generally, the heavily-armed Vietnamese forces conducted offensive operations during the dry seasons, and the Chinese and US-backed Khmer Rouge held the initiative during the rainy seasons. In 1982, Vietnam launched a largely unsuccessful offensive against the main Khmer Rouge base at Phnom Malai
Phnom Malai
Phnom Malai is a mountain area in Malai District, Banteay Meanchey Province of Cambodia.The district became a Khmer Rouge stronghold and battleground through the 1980s and 1990s....
in the Cardamom Mountains
Cardamom Mountains
The Krâvanh Mountains, literally the "Cardamom Mountains" , is a mountain range in the south west of Cambodia, jutting into southeastern Thailand.-Location and description:...
.
The major consequence of the border civil war was that the PRK was hampered in its efforts to rebuild the much-damaged nation and consolidate its administration. The new republic's rule was tenuous in the border areas owing to persistent sabotage by the Khmer Rouge of the provincial administrative system through constant guerrilla warfare.
Implementation
The architect of the K5 plan was Vietnamese general Le Duc AnhLe Duc Anh
Lê Đức Anh is Vietnamese general and politician. He was president from 1992 until 1997 after leading the Vietnamese forces in Cambodia throughout the 1980s...
, commander of the PAVN forces in Cambodia. He formulated five key points for the defence of Cambodia against Khmer Rouge re-infiltration. Letter "K", the first letter of the Khmer alphabet, came from kar karpier, meaning 'defence' in the Khmer language
Khmer language
Khmer , or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. It is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language , with speakers in the tens of millions. Khmer has been considerably influenced by Sanskrit and Pali, especially in the royal and religious...
, and number "5" referred to Le Duc Anh's five points in his plan of defence, of which the sealing of the border with Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
was the second point. Many workers on the project, however, did not know what "K5" stood for.
The K5 Plan began on the 19th July 1984. It became a gigantic effort that included clearing
Clearcutting
Clearcutting, or clearfelling, is a controversial forestry/logging practice in which most or all trees in an area are uniformly cut down. Clearcutting, along with shelterwood and seed tree harvests, is used by foresters to create certain types of forest ecosystems and to promote select species that...
long patches of tropical forest by felling a great number of trees, as well as slashing and uprooting tall vegetation.
The purpose was to leave a continuous broad open space all along the Thai border that would be watched and mined.
In practice the K5 fence consisted of a roughly 700 km-long, 500 m-wide swath of land along the border with Thailand, where antitank and antipersonnel mines were buried to a density of about 3,000 mines per kilometre of frontage.
Consequences
From the environmental viewpointEcology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
the massive felling of trees was an ecological disaster, contributing to acute deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
, the endangerment of species, and leaving behind a vast degraded area
Land degradation
Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by one or more combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land....
. The more remote places, like the Cardamom Mountains
Cardamom Mountains
The Krâvanh Mountains, literally the "Cardamom Mountains" , is a mountain range in the south west of Cambodia, jutting into southeastern Thailand.-Location and description:...
had been relatively untouched by man until they became a stronghold of the Khmer Rouge in the 1980s. Presently these mountains form an endangered ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
.
Unforeseen by the planners of the project, from the military point of view
Military strategy
Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek strategos, strategy when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the general", 'the art of arrangement' of troops...
the K5 Plan was also disastrous for the PRK. It did not deter the Khmer Rouge fighters who found ways to cross it, for it was impossible to effectively police the long border. Besides, maintenance was difficult, as the razed jungle left a scruffy undergrowth that, in the tropical climate, would grow again yearly to about a man's height.
The K5 Plan was counterproductive for the image of the PRK, as a republic bent on reconstructing what the rule of Pol Pot and his Communist Party of Kampuchea
Communist Party of Kampuchea
The Communist Party of Kampuchea, also known as Khmer Communist Party , was a communist party in Cambodia. Its followers were generally known as Khmer Rouge .-Foundation of the party; first divisions:...
had destroyed in Cambodia. Despite the magnitude of the effort, the whole project was ultimately unsuccessful and ended up playing into the hands of the enemies of the new pro-Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
republic. Thousands of Cambodian peasants, who despite the Vietnamese invasion had welcomed the release from the Khmer Rouge's interference in traditional farming and the absence of taxes under the PRK government, became irritated. They were sore at having to abandon their farms in order to dedicate time to clear the jungle, a heavy toil they perceived as useless and unfruitful. Their resentment grew in time as they perceived the new forced labor to be, albeit without the killings, very similar to what they had experienced under the Khmer Rouge tyranny. Owing to unsanitary conditions and the abundance of mosquitoes in areas of difficult access, badly fed and badly lodged workers on the K5 project fell victims of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and exhaustion.
Many of the mines remain to this day, making the vast long area dangerous. The K5 zone became part of the great landmine problem in Cambodia after the end of the civil war. In 1990 alone, the number of Cambodians that had a leg or foot amputated as a result of an injury caused by a land mine reached around 6,000.
See also
- People's Republic of KampucheaPeople's Republic of KampucheaThe People's Republic of Kampuchea , , was founded in Cambodia by the Salvation Front, a group of Cambodian leftists dissatisfied with the Khmer Rouge, after the overthrow of Democratic Kampuchea, Pol Pot's government...
- Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed ForcesKampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed ForcesThe Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces, or Khmer People's Revolutionary Armed Forces, was the formal title given to the armed forces of the People's Republic of Kampuchea, the de facto government of Cambodia 1979-1990....
- Vietnamese border raids in ThailandVietnamese border raids in ThailandAfter the 1978 Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia and defeat of Democratic Kampuchea in 1979, the Khmer Rouge fled to the border regions of Thailand, and with assistance from China Pol Pot's troops managed to regroup and reorganize in forested and mountainous zones on the Thai-Cambodian border...
Further reading
- Evan Gottesmann, Cambodia After the Khmer Rouge: Inside the Politics of Nation Building, ISBN 978-0300105131