HUMAN RIGHTS VETTING FOR NATIONAL COUNTER-TERRORISM SPECIAL

UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 000836 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR PM-HDP, DRL, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP AND S/GHD ¶E. O 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MOPS PHUM MARR MASS CB SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS VETTING FOR NATIONAL COUNTER-TERRORISM SPECIAL FORCES PERSONNEL TO PARTICIPATE IN ONGOING US TRAINING OVER A ONE YEAR PERIOD FROM NOVEMBER 30, 2009 IN CAMBODIA REF: 03 SECSTATE 034981 ¶1. This is an action cable. See Paragraph Six. ¶2. Reftel is guidance for screening nominees for U.S.-sponsored training programs. ¶3. To comply with Leahy amendment relatives to U.S.-sponsored security assistance training, the U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh has conducted local human rights vetting for the following unit to participate in on-going training provided by the U.S. Pacific Command Augmentation Team (PAT) in Cambodia. UNIT NAME: National Counter-Terrorism Special Force COMMANDER: Hun, Manet (Male) DPOB: October 20, 1977; Kampong Cham POSITION: Commander RANK: Brigadier General DEPT/UNIT: National Counter-Terrorism Special Force ¶4. The National Counter-Terrorism Special Force (NCTSF) was created in 2008 under the command of Brigadier General Hun Manet. Members of the new unit were selected from several existing units of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, including some individuals with prior service in Brigade 70 or the Prime Minister's Bodyguard Unit, in differing periods from 1998 to the recent past. However, none of the members of the NCTSF served with B-70 or the Prime Minister's Bodyguard Unit prior to 31 December 1997. All members of the NCTSF have been individually vetted by Post and the Department at least one time, with no derogatory information found. U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh has reviewed its files and finds that, as of this date, it possesses no credible information of gross violations of human rights by the above unit. ¶5. Individuals in this unit will participate in on-going training over the period of one year provided by the U.S. Pacific Command Augmentation Team (PAT) in Cambodia, from not later than November 30, 2009. ¶6. Action request: Please verify whether the Department possesses any credible information that the unit named above has been implicated in gross violations of human rights. ¶7. Points of contact for Amembassy Phnom Penh are Major Wayne Turnbull TurnbullPW@state.gov or tel: 855-23-728-219 or Jenae Johnson JohnsonJD3@state.gov or tel: 855-23-728-118. RODLEY