The testimony of S-21 child survivor Norng Chanphal sinks into confusion

Ta Long, Kampong Speu (Cambodia). 24/02/2009: Norng Chanphal, one of the four S-21 child survivors (Photo: Vandy Rattana)

03-07-2009
By Stéphanie Gée
Ka-set

Norng Chanphal, who came to testify Thursday July 2nd at Duch’s trial, had stepped into the media spotlight at the beginning of the year, shortly before the initial hearing opened. Presented as one of the “children from S-21” and discovered in January 1979 in the gloomy Phnom Penh security centre by the Vietnamese troops, the now 39-year-old man tried to join as a civil party. But since his application was submitted after the deadline, he was allowed to come and testify as a witness only. Nervous in the box, the bulldozer driver only retained very few memories of his short stay in S-21, during its last days of existence. His hearing took the whole day – instead of the half-day announced on the eve – like the survivors who came to the stand before him.

The co-Prosecutors and the S-21 footage shot by the Vietnamese

From the outset, international co-Prosecutor William Smith intervened to request the addition to the case file of a testimony of Norn Chanphal, interviewed last February 13th by the NGO Documentation Centre of Cambodia (DC-Cam), as well as two videos shot in early 1979 by the Vietnamese and entrusted by their government to DC-Cam in late 2008 – but the nature of which is contested by the defence –, in order to allow the witness to comment on their authenticity. The Trial Chamber decided to recess for 45 minutes to make their decision. “This has nothing to do with the witness’ character and I hope he will understand,” the president apologised.

On their return, the judges announced they denied the prosecution’s first request, on the grounds that the document was filed too late as it was done so on that very day. As for the second request, unresolved since the initial hearing on February 17th and 18th, the Chamber said they had not reached a decision yet. The office of the co-Prosecutors deemed the footage to be relevant as far as it corroborated the statements of several witnesses – who reported that children of cadres were also arrested and taken to S-21 – and it presented detainees in ill-health, which illustrated the inhumane detention conditions that prevailed in the interrogation centre directed by Duch, judge Cartwright recapitulated. William Smith added it was the best contemporary footage available on the facts being judged.

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