By Florent Chevalier
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the article in French
On Wednesday 01 July, the ECCC questioned the third survivor of S-21, he is one of the 9 people called in for hearing.
For three hours in the morning, Judge Nil Nonn asked Bou Meng about details of this imprisonment in Tuol Sleng. The witness, a small stooping man with white hair, slowly approached the dock with a bunch of black and white photos in his hand.
“I am 68-year-old, I live in Kampong Kong, Kandal province. Since my detention at S-21, I am physically weak, I have hearing and sighting problems. I remarried, my first wife died under Pol Pot’s regime,” he declared.
Then, he went on to tell that, prior to 17 April 1975, he joined “the maquis [resistance] to fight for king Norodom Sihanouk.” He then obeyed the order issued by Angkar for him to teach at the technical school in Russey Keo, or to work at a farming cooperative “up to his physical limit,” in order to dig canals, or grow vegetables treated with “human waste, i.e. the so-called no. 1 fertilizer.”
One day, several men in black arrived, he and his wife were loaded into a Jeep under false pretext, and they were brought to S-21. Once their pictures taken, they no longer saw each other. After facing torture and questioning, Bou Meng found the strength to deny over and over his membership to foreign secret services. “I didn’t even know what was the CIA or the KGB network!” he explained. But when he talked about the beatings, he broke down. “I soaked in my blood, I was in shock, and I felt extreme pain.”
Regarding his wife’s fate, he does not know about it. The only thing he knew was when somebody said to him one day from a window: “your wife works in the rice field!” “I knew she died,” he said with his head hung low. “Duch said that they could use human fertilizer, I knew what it meant.”
Like the witness of the day before, it was thanks to painting that he is still able to testify today. “I survived because I was able to paint Pol Pot’s portrait faithfully,” he explained to the court while showing a photo of one of the four large size portraits of Pol Pot.
Regarding Duch, Bou Meng added: “He sat near me and looked at me painting the portrait of Ho Chi Minh on a dog body, for example.”
Up to now, he still does not know why Angkar, which he was devoted to, sent him to S-21. When the judge questioned him, Bou Meng turned to Duch who was listening passively, like a bystander of his own trial. “Like a pineapple, Angkar has eyes everywhere. We know that you have committed offenses,” a Khmer Rouge allegedly replied to him during that time. Bou Meng swore that he never detracted from the regulation. But, now, he is asking for justice. “Even 50 or 60% of justice is fine with me!” he shouted with tears choking his voice and the presiding judge asking him to compose himself.
For three hours in the morning, Judge Nil Nonn asked Bou Meng about details of this imprisonment in Tuol Sleng. The witness, a small stooping man with white hair, slowly approached the dock with a bunch of black and white photos in his hand.
“I am 68-year-old, I live in Kampong Kong, Kandal province. Since my detention at S-21, I am physically weak, I have hearing and sighting problems. I remarried, my first wife died under Pol Pot’s regime,” he declared.
Then, he went on to tell that, prior to 17 April 1975, he joined “the maquis [resistance] to fight for king Norodom Sihanouk.” He then obeyed the order issued by Angkar for him to teach at the technical school in Russey Keo, or to work at a farming cooperative “up to his physical limit,” in order to dig canals, or grow vegetables treated with “human waste, i.e. the so-called no. 1 fertilizer.”
One day, several men in black arrived, he and his wife were loaded into a Jeep under false pretext, and they were brought to S-21. Once their pictures taken, they no longer saw each other. After facing torture and questioning, Bou Meng found the strength to deny over and over his membership to foreign secret services. “I didn’t even know what was the CIA or the KGB network!” he explained. But when he talked about the beatings, he broke down. “I soaked in my blood, I was in shock, and I felt extreme pain.”
Regarding his wife’s fate, he does not know about it. The only thing he knew was when somebody said to him one day from a window: “your wife works in the rice field!” “I knew she died,” he said with his head hung low. “Duch said that they could use human fertilizer, I knew what it meant.”
Like the witness of the day before, it was thanks to painting that he is still able to testify today. “I survived because I was able to paint Pol Pot’s portrait faithfully,” he explained to the court while showing a photo of one of the four large size portraits of Pol Pot.
Regarding Duch, Bou Meng added: “He sat near me and looked at me painting the portrait of Ho Chi Minh on a dog body, for example.”
Up to now, he still does not know why Angkar, which he was devoted to, sent him to S-21. When the judge questioned him, Bou Meng turned to Duch who was listening passively, like a bystander of his own trial. “Like a pineapple, Angkar has eyes everywhere. We know that you have committed offenses,” a Khmer Rouge allegedly replied to him during that time. Bou Meng swore that he never detracted from the regulation. But, now, he is asking for justice. “Even 50 or 60% of justice is fine with me!” he shouted with tears choking his voice and the presiding judge asking him to compose himself.
1 comment:
Yes 50% 60% for you motherfuckers Khmer Rouge!!!!!!
What a bout the real millions of none Khmer Rouge?
Fuck yourself and may lightning strike the killers!!!!!!
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