'confessions'."MLG/mh AI.40/ElV.18 21. (President Norodom Sihanouk) InTheNewYorkTimesofThursday, 15November 1984,thereisanarticle entitled ~HanoilinkedtoCambodian torture" byBarbara Crossette, datedfrom Bangkok, Thailand, 14November: "Avisiting American civilrightsgroupsaysthatVietnamese Government officials arewidelyinvolved inthearrestandtortureofCambodian citizens •••'InCambodia, theresimplydoesnotexisttherecognition of civilliberties orhumanrightsonabasisrecognized bytheworldcommunity,' saidFloydAbrams, theconstitutional expertandFirstAmendment lawyer, who isamemberoftheAmerican team•••'Whenyouputtogetherasociety,' Mr.Abramssaidinaninterview onTuesday, 'inwhichpeoplearearrested without charges beingmadeandjailedwithout beingconvicted, inwhich confessions areforcedandtorture seemstobecommonplace, yousimplyarenot talking aboutasociety thatseriously recognizes theruleoflaw.'••• Vietnamese areplaying anextensive roleinthesecurity apparatus ofthe PhnomPenhGovernment. Vietnamese werereported presento'actively taking partineveryinterrogation andtorture Torture methods, according to formerprisoners, included electric shocks, beingtrussed upandsuspended fromtheceiling whilebeingbeaten, beingshackled bythelegstostirrups abovethefloortoforcethebodyintoapainful off-balance position and haVingaplastic bagpulledovertheheadandclosedaroundtheneckuntilthe prisoner fainted. SOmeprisoners reportedly diedofbeatings, others from malnutrition anddisease." IntheFarEastern Economic Reviewon26August 1985thereisanarticle entitled "Cambodia: forcedhumanbondage" byJohnMcBethinSanRoChangan whichreads: "FromRattanakiri andPreahVihearprOVinces intheNorthandNorthEast toPursatintheWest,tensofthousands ofCambodians arebeingpressed intoMLG/mh Ai.-'O/Y.;.18 22 ('President Norodom Sihanouk) 'national defence work'-aeuphemism foranambitious Vietnamese plantoseal the'l'hai-KallpUchea border•••Diplomats •••haveconfirmed thereports •••A Khmerdoctor whor~cently defected fromPhnollPenhclaimseachofCallbodia's provinces iscollllllitted tosupplying upto25,000to30,000workers overan unspecified periodoftimetobuildandrepairaccessroads,clearjungle,lay minefields, andconstruct elaborate anti-infiltration barriers alongthe malaria-infested frontier. Conscripts rangeinagefrom18to45andthereis general agreement thatquotas havebeenestablished foreachdistrict, ranging ashighas3,000•••Disease isapparentlysorampant thatmanyofthe medical workers themselves 90downwithmalaria, hepatitis andviral infections andareunabletoworkforweeksaftertheirreturn•••Thedeath ratealDOngthelabourconscripts isunknown butdiplomatic sources saymany arewounded bymines•••Medical supplies arealsoreported tobeinadequate todealwiththesick,thebulkofwhomcontract malaria ontopofother complaints •••SOSafen,formerdeputydirector ofPhnomPenh'sSOG-bed Kampuchean-Soviet Friendship Hospital, saidtheforcedlabour programme was initiated inMarch1984•••Soclaimed opposition tothelabour programme is mutedbutwidespread. Western aidworkers ando~~erindependent sources confirm whattheysayisatremendous amouni:ofbitterness overthe Vietnamese-directed plan,particularly thewaywomenarebeingconscripted to makeuptheworkforcequotas. Oneofthemoreprominent critics, according toSo,wastheregime's latePrimeMinister, Chan5y,whoissaidtohave complained totheVietnamese thatitwouldleadtoanunacceptable numberof deaths. Syisreported tohavediedofaheartorcirculatory ailment ina Moscowhospital lastDecember."MLG/mh A/40/W.;,18 23 (President Norodom Sihanouk) In!heNewYorkTimesof26August 1985,Barbara Crosaette says: -Cambodian refugees reaching Thailarld havesaidcivilians arealsobeing usedas'humanminedetectors'. Astaffdirector ofCa~dia's National Military Training SChoolsaidrecentlytbat whathe~l)~ed 'manual' mine detection wasbeingcarried outalongtheborder.· Thefollowing areexcerpts fromthe1984reportofAmnesty Internaticnal, pages231and232: -Amnesty International's mainconcern wasthereported detention without trialbytheauthorities ofthePeople's Republic ofKampuchea ofpeoplethey suspected ofopposing theirpolicies orofsupporting groupsengaged inarmed resistance against them InJuly1983,refugees arriving atcampsnearthe western borderreported thatwidespread arrests hadtakenplaceinthearmy andadministration oftheGovernment ofthePeople's Republic ofKampuchea and amongthepeasants •••Starting inApril1983,300peoplewerereportedly
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a collection of reports and articles discussing the human rights situation in Cambodia during the 1980s, particularly the forced labor and torture practices under the Vietnamese-backed government. The text highlights the widespread use of forced labor, torture, and arbitrary detention, which suggests a strong focus on human rights and humanitarian issues.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Health