Workers under the Khmer Rouge file past a rice field in 1978, a period in which the regime gave no rights to its victims, a Tuol Sleng prison survivor says.By Mean Veasna, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
29 August 2008
Tuol Sleng prison survivor Chum Mey on Friday called on living victims of the Khmer Rouge to file further complaints against five former regime leaders now in the custody of the tribunal.
Chum Mey, who was imprisoned at Tuol Sleng until Vietnamese forces pushed the Khmer Rouge out of Phnom Penh in January 1979, said victims must exercise their right to complain, as no such rights existed under Democratic Kampuchea.
"They closed our mouths and our ears, and they banned our eyes from seeing," he told seminar on victim compensation in Phnom Penh Friday. "But now I tell you we have full rights. I need to ask you to file complaints as much as possible to try those five."
Chum Mey, who is 77 now, spoke during a seminar held by the rights group Adhoc to discuss possible reparations for victims following potential trials of the five former leaders: "Brother No. 2" Nuon Chea, nominal president Khieu Samphan, foreign minister Ieng Sary, social affairs minister Ieng Thirith and Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Kek Iev, better known by his revolutionary name, Duch.
"Do not let them go free," said Chum Mey, who himself has filed a complaint to the Khmer Rouge tribunal as a civil party. "If we file many complaints, the evidence will be more solid to prove there was mass killing."
The Victims Unit of the Khmer Rouge tribunal, located behind the Cambodian Red Cross Hospital on Norodom Boulevard, estimates about 1,800 people have so far filed complaints. Not all of them have been accepted by the courts, but more than 60 complaints will be used against Duch, whose case is nearing the trial stage.
Victims still lack access to information on filing complaints, said Hisham Mousar, who monitors the courts for the rights group Adhoc.
The tribunal should have a budget to support victims in the complaint process, he added.
Some people know they can complain, but they don't know where to go, Chum Mey said. Many of them are poor and are more concerned about making a living than making a trip to Phnom Penh to file a complaint.
Chea Sorn, 71, who attended Friday's seminar, said she was among those who want to file but do not know how.
"I alone am still alive; 10 others died," she said, weeping. "I don't know how to file a complaint. I earn money by keeping a parcel of land for one owner. I would rather die and forget all these difficulties."
Chum Mey, who was imprisoned at Tuol Sleng until Vietnamese forces pushed the Khmer Rouge out of Phnom Penh in January 1979, said victims must exercise their right to complain, as no such rights existed under Democratic Kampuchea.
"They closed our mouths and our ears, and they banned our eyes from seeing," he told seminar on victim compensation in Phnom Penh Friday. "But now I tell you we have full rights. I need to ask you to file complaints as much as possible to try those five."
Chum Mey, who is 77 now, spoke during a seminar held by the rights group Adhoc to discuss possible reparations for victims following potential trials of the five former leaders: "Brother No. 2" Nuon Chea, nominal president Khieu Samphan, foreign minister Ieng Sary, social affairs minister Ieng Thirith and Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Kek Iev, better known by his revolutionary name, Duch.
"Do not let them go free," said Chum Mey, who himself has filed a complaint to the Khmer Rouge tribunal as a civil party. "If we file many complaints, the evidence will be more solid to prove there was mass killing."
The Victims Unit of the Khmer Rouge tribunal, located behind the Cambodian Red Cross Hospital on Norodom Boulevard, estimates about 1,800 people have so far filed complaints. Not all of them have been accepted by the courts, but more than 60 complaints will be used against Duch, whose case is nearing the trial stage.
Victims still lack access to information on filing complaints, said Hisham Mousar, who monitors the courts for the rights group Adhoc.
The tribunal should have a budget to support victims in the complaint process, he added.
Some people know they can complain, but they don't know where to go, Chum Mey said. Many of them are poor and are more concerned about making a living than making a trip to Phnom Penh to file a complaint.
Chea Sorn, 71, who attended Friday's seminar, said she was among those who want to file but do not know how.
"I alone am still alive; 10 others died," she said, weeping. "I don't know how to file a complaint. I earn money by keeping a parcel of land for one owner. I would rather die and forget all these difficulties."
3 comments:
Talking about political democracy, changes is so important because the longer people in power, the longer they abuse.
Even the Mobile Phone companies, if you call to help line of 016, 011, and 012, you will here a lot of abusive voice of those help line after they only in Cambodia for around 10 years.
I suffer too many times already every time, I call 016, 011 and 012.
We need change!
cipipi hold power for 30 years. What else do they want? The leaders like Hun Sen are blind and become very sensitive with self-pride and power. He treats everyone against him as "enermy" and apparently murder hi enermy as his last resort. This type of people will any easily and willingly release grip of his power. Such leaders believe that he deserves to hold fate and decide fate of his people. Never ever such leaders will establish a system that cause threats to his power gripping style. And as seen by many leaders with such leadership attitude, the people will have to use "People Power to oust and Finish Off the regime" or people will have to choose to live like doggy obedient servants for the system.
Khmer history has proven well for the fall of empire as a result of decisions made by sole individuals just to secure their power and interest RATHER THAN TO LOOK FOR POSSIBLE WAYS FOR THE COUNTRY TO SURVIVE AND LAST!!!!!! AND KHMER LEADERS FOR GENERATION STILL FALL INTO THIS TREND-SELF, FAMILY'S INTEREST AND POWER BUT LEAVE THE COUNTRY TEARING APART, WEAKER AND WEAKER AND SMALLER AND SMALLER.!!!
Now the leaders say you are not obsessed and do not fall in the cycle of past history: caring and by all means protecting own power and interest, regardless the country is being destructed by rampant corruption, lawless rule, and neighboring's encroachment?
Say I am wrong folks.
from 1975 to 1979 Khmer Rough/Pol Pot regime under A Yuonese/Vietnamese behind the killing field and from 1979 to now still under A Yuonese/Vietnamese behind the killing just only changing steering wheel, most Cambodian peoples know that A Yuonese/Vietnamese so cruel, if UN Tribunal take 5 Khmer Rough lerders go to Court the Khmer Rough Tribunal should also take Hor NamHong, Hun Sen, Heng Samring, Chea Sim, Keat Chon, Sok An, Tea Banh, Hok Lundy, Sar Kheng go to Court as well, because nowaday lerders also killed a lot of peoples during under Pol Pot Khmer Rough regime, Khmer Rough Tribunal arrested only 5 Khmer Rough Lerders unfair at all, now aday high government office why not been arrest them. from Cambodian Victime Melbourne Australia not A Khmer/Yuon
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