Ieng Sary's Children Deny His Health Is Failing
By Thet Sambath
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The children of Ieng Sary, former Khmer Rouge foreign minister and a likely candidate for prosecution in a forthcoming tribunal, Sunday denied reports that they are gravely concerned for their father's life.
Ieng Sary, 77, was reported Friday to have suffered "heart trauma" and had been flown to Bangkok for medical treatment.
"He has normal health and he is not seriously sick," Ieng Vuth, Ieng Sary's son and the deputy governor of Pailin municipality, said by telephone Sunday.
Ieng Vuth laughed when asked if his father were seriously ill. He said that the reports of his father being seriously ill were false and that media would tarnish their reputations if they took rumors as fact.
Ieng Vichida, one of Ieng Sary's daughters, said that her father recently went to Thailand for a regular medical check-up and returned three weeks ago. Another relative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Ieng Sary is staying in his villa near the Russian Embassy in Phnom Penh.
"He is walking normally at his house every day as other old people do," the relative said.
Ieng Sary has a history of heart trouble and reportedly traveled to Thailand for treatment in June 2004 and February 2006. Ieng Vuth has said his father underwent heart surgery in 1994 and 1998.
Ieng Sary may not be getting sicker, but he is getting older, as are other top officials from the regime of Democratic Kampuchea. Brother Number Two Nuon Chea is 80, and former Khmer Rouge Head of State Khieu Samphan is 75. The regime's former military commander Ta Mok died in July at the age of 81 of tuberculosis and old age.
Ieng Sary, 77, was reported Friday to have suffered "heart trauma" and had been flown to Bangkok for medical treatment.
"He has normal health and he is not seriously sick," Ieng Vuth, Ieng Sary's son and the deputy governor of Pailin municipality, said by telephone Sunday.
Ieng Vuth laughed when asked if his father were seriously ill. He said that the reports of his father being seriously ill were false and that media would tarnish their reputations if they took rumors as fact.
Ieng Vichida, one of Ieng Sary's daughters, said that her father recently went to Thailand for a regular medical check-up and returned three weeks ago. Another relative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Ieng Sary is staying in his villa near the Russian Embassy in Phnom Penh.
"He is walking normally at his house every day as other old people do," the relative said.
Ieng Sary has a history of heart trouble and reportedly traveled to Thailand for treatment in June 2004 and February 2006. Ieng Vuth has said his father underwent heart surgery in 1994 and 1998.
Ieng Sary may not be getting sicker, but he is getting older, as are other top officials from the regime of Democratic Kampuchea. Brother Number Two Nuon Chea is 80, and former Khmer Rouge Head of State Khieu Samphan is 75. The regime's former military commander Ta Mok died in July at the age of 81 of tuberculosis and old age.
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