Reports tqday indicate that fighting is now taking place on the immediate outskirts of Phnom Penh. The southern defenses of the city are apparently under extreme pressure from the insurgents. Most distressing is the fact that this intensified fighting has further increased the tragic situation of the refugees. In my recent report on Indochina. I wrote that there were in April 1973. upward of 300.000 refugees in the capital city of Phnom Penh. As the fighting has continued over the intervening months. I am positive that the number of refugees in the city has significantly increased. Permanent and lasting improvement of the refugees lives will occur only when the killing has ceased and they are allowed to return to their villages and to a more normal existence. Unfortunately. it does not appear likely that this will take place in the near future. Therefore. we are left with a situation where. without extensive U.S. humanitarian aid. the tragedy could be compounded tenfold.
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refugees