THE CAMBODIA DAILY
By Thet Sambath and Jason McBride
Former comrades of deceased Khmer Rouge military chief Ta Mok said over the weekend that they were suspicious of their onetime leader's death and the quality of treatment provided by the government.
"We all pity him," said Yim Yin, a Khmer Rouge military officer who served under Ta Mok for 17 years until his capture in 1999.
"He did not have enough food and good care from his doctor and family members," Yim Yin said on Sunday, adding that some had a vested interest in Ta Mok's demise ahead of a Khmer Rouge tribunal.
"We are now dosing our mouths and do not dare say the truth [about the regime]," he added.
A second former Khmer Rouge commander said on condition of anonymity that Ta Mok's death was considered suspicious among his former loyalists.
"We are talking among ourselves about Ta Mok's death," he said. "We know they tried to kill him because they were worried Ta Mok would point at them for involvement in the Khmer Rouge disaster."
Lawyer Benson Samay and relatives of Ta Mok complained earlier this month that the 81-year-old war crimes suspect was kept at the military prison in Phnom Penh despite a request to transfer the ailing commander to a hospital
Military Court President Ney Thol who has been appointed as a judge to the Khmer Rouge tribunal, said international organizations had approved of the medical treatment administered to Ta Mok.
"We tried to cure him but he was very old. We took care of him and even international organizations said that our treatment of him was right," he said.
Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, said that Ta Mok's death would affect reconciliation more than the tribunal.
"One side believes he's a hero; one side believes he's a criminal.... Society will continue to be divided."
"We all pity him," said Yim Yin, a Khmer Rouge military officer who served under Ta Mok for 17 years until his capture in 1999.
"He did not have enough food and good care from his doctor and family members," Yim Yin said on Sunday, adding that some had a vested interest in Ta Mok's demise ahead of a Khmer Rouge tribunal.
"We are now dosing our mouths and do not dare say the truth [about the regime]," he added.
A second former Khmer Rouge commander said on condition of anonymity that Ta Mok's death was considered suspicious among his former loyalists.
"We are talking among ourselves about Ta Mok's death," he said. "We know they tried to kill him because they were worried Ta Mok would point at them for involvement in the Khmer Rouge disaster."
Lawyer Benson Samay and relatives of Ta Mok complained earlier this month that the 81-year-old war crimes suspect was kept at the military prison in Phnom Penh despite a request to transfer the ailing commander to a hospital
Military Court President Ney Thol who has been appointed as a judge to the Khmer Rouge tribunal, said international organizations had approved of the medical treatment administered to Ta Mok.
"We tried to cure him but he was very old. We took care of him and even international organizations said that our treatment of him was right," he said.
Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, said that Ta Mok's death would affect reconciliation more than the tribunal.
"One side believes he's a hero; one side believes he's a criminal.... Society will continue to be divided."
2 comments:
I said he's murdered to shut him up from speaking the truth....sad for Khmer people for not knowing the truth...happy times for HunSen and the countries who support KR regime. Now they are planning how to kill the next KR cadre!!
Hi, Camrade YIM YIN! Don't you remember camrade? We lived under your regim, you provided us nothing! Even clothes we have nothing. Your boss are lucky before he died. Because he did not force to do slave labour like us. Didn't you remeber during under your regim, even we were sick, you forced us to digging irrigation cannals for 10 to 15 hours a day without enough food to eat. What did you think about us during that time?
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