Abstract
Lek Hor Tan is a Cambodian-born British citizen. He was actively involved with the National United Front between 1970–75; this was a coalition of Sihanoukist, Socialist and Khmer Rouge forces fighting against the American-backed Lon Nol regime. Unlike hundreds of Cambodian exiles who returned to Cambodia after the victory of the United Front, and who were later murdered by the Khmer Rouge, he remained in the West. He has an intimate knowledge of the people involved in the Cambodian revolution and their thinking behind it. He has been with Index since 1977. For other articles on the Khmer Rouge see Lek Hor Tan, ‘Total Revolution in Cambodia’ (Index 1/1979), and Soth Polin, ‘Pol Pot's diabolical sweetness’ (Index 5/1980).