Christopher LaPel and Duch's mother in Siem Reap.By Nuch Sarita, VOA Khmer
Original report from Long Beach
31 July 2009
Thirteen years ago, Christopher LaPel, a Cambodian pastor for the Golden West Christian Church in Los Angeles and a founding leader of the Cambodian Christian Church in northwest Cambodia, baptized a man he believed to be a teacher in Battambang province.
In fact, the newly converted was Kaing Kek Iev, better known as Comrade Duch, chief of the Khmer Rouge’s torture center, Tuol Sleng. Duch is now facing trial at the UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal, where he has admitted to responsibility for mass torture and killings.
In a recent interview with VOA Khmer, LaPel described his relationship with Duch, who at the time called himself Hang Pin.
“I first met Duch in 1995,” LaPel said, speaking after a reunion of churchgoers in Long Beach. “He came to me and said, ‘Pastor Christopher, I have done a lot of bad things. I don’t think my brothers and sisters can forgive me.’”
Duch came with a colleague to take part in a two-week Christian leadership traingin course, in the village of Chamkar Samrong, Battambang, LaPel said. The man was quiet at first.
“He said he was not a believer but had come at the urging of a friend,” LaPel said.
Hang Pin, or Duch, would listen to LaPel’s services, and eventually he asked to be baptized.
“On Jan. 5, 1996, I baptized Hang Pin, along with many other believers, in the Sangke river in Battambang town,” LaPel said.
The pastor returned to the leadership training the following year, but he did not ses Hang Pin. Then, in 1999, he did, in the news.
“In May of 1999, I saw this picture in every Cambodian newspaper,” LaPel said. “The man responsible for the deaths of up to 20,000 of my people now claimed to be a Christian, and I had unknowingly led him in.”
“An [Associated Press] reporters in Cambodia called me to inform me of Duch’s true identity,” he said. “As the reporter described him, I remembered than man I knew as Hang Pin—a short, thin, soft-spoken man in his fifties, and decidedly well-educated, as he spoke both English and French.”
“When he took part in our leadership training, he told me he was a teacher. I had no reason to doubt him. Reporters contacted me with media inquiries on his conversion and many asked me how was it possible for me to forgive such a man as Duch.”
Duch had been arrested and would be held by a military court until the UN-backed tribunal was established. He was transferred to the special court in July 2007.
“I was shocked when I found out who he really was, because what he did was so evil,” said LaPel, whose parents, brother and sister died under the Khmer Rouge.
Duch is now on trial for the deaths of 12,380 people. He has admitted responsibility and apologized to the families of his victims, though he has never admitted doing any killing himself.
“He came here and he asked permission to pray for those victims who died,” LaPel said. “He has a strong religious faith and is ready to testify. He would like to tell the truth, the whole truth, for what he did to his people.”
Since his arrest, LaPel has gone to see him twice, and he calls Duch a model convert. LaPel believes Duch has confessed his sins and is willing to stand witness against other former leaders of the regime now in custody at the tribunal.
In fact, LaPel said, a growing number of former Khmer Rouge have begun converting to Christianity. In Pailin, a former Khmer Rouge stronghold, has several Christian churches, and about 200 converts, he said.
In fact, the newly converted was Kaing Kek Iev, better known as Comrade Duch, chief of the Khmer Rouge’s torture center, Tuol Sleng. Duch is now facing trial at the UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal, where he has admitted to responsibility for mass torture and killings.
In a recent interview with VOA Khmer, LaPel described his relationship with Duch, who at the time called himself Hang Pin.
“I first met Duch in 1995,” LaPel said, speaking after a reunion of churchgoers in Long Beach. “He came to me and said, ‘Pastor Christopher, I have done a lot of bad things. I don’t think my brothers and sisters can forgive me.’”
Duch came with a colleague to take part in a two-week Christian leadership traingin course, in the village of Chamkar Samrong, Battambang, LaPel said. The man was quiet at first.
“He said he was not a believer but had come at the urging of a friend,” LaPel said.
Hang Pin, or Duch, would listen to LaPel’s services, and eventually he asked to be baptized.
“On Jan. 5, 1996, I baptized Hang Pin, along with many other believers, in the Sangke river in Battambang town,” LaPel said.
The pastor returned to the leadership training the following year, but he did not ses Hang Pin. Then, in 1999, he did, in the news.
“In May of 1999, I saw this picture in every Cambodian newspaper,” LaPel said. “The man responsible for the deaths of up to 20,000 of my people now claimed to be a Christian, and I had unknowingly led him in.”
“An [Associated Press] reporters in Cambodia called me to inform me of Duch’s true identity,” he said. “As the reporter described him, I remembered than man I knew as Hang Pin—a short, thin, soft-spoken man in his fifties, and decidedly well-educated, as he spoke both English and French.”
“When he took part in our leadership training, he told me he was a teacher. I had no reason to doubt him. Reporters contacted me with media inquiries on his conversion and many asked me how was it possible for me to forgive such a man as Duch.”
Duch had been arrested and would be held by a military court until the UN-backed tribunal was established. He was transferred to the special court in July 2007.
“I was shocked when I found out who he really was, because what he did was so evil,” said LaPel, whose parents, brother and sister died under the Khmer Rouge.
Duch is now on trial for the deaths of 12,380 people. He has admitted responsibility and apologized to the families of his victims, though he has never admitted doing any killing himself.
“He came here and he asked permission to pray for those victims who died,” LaPel said. “He has a strong religious faith and is ready to testify. He would like to tell the truth, the whole truth, for what he did to his people.”
Since his arrest, LaPel has gone to see him twice, and he calls Duch a model convert. LaPel believes Duch has confessed his sins and is willing to stand witness against other former leaders of the regime now in custody at the tribunal.
In fact, LaPel said, a growing number of former Khmer Rouge have begun converting to Christianity. In Pailin, a former Khmer Rouge stronghold, has several Christian churches, and about 200 converts, he said.
12 comments:
my question is " would the Pastor changed his mind in baptizing Duch if he had known before hand"??
Even Jesus, can't hide u Duch!
“When he took part in our leadership training, he told me he was a teacher. I had no reason to doubt him. Reporters contacted me with media inquiries on his conversion and many asked me how was it possible for me to forgive such a man as Duch.”
I wish to correct the reporters (and those who are unaware) that it is not the Pastor that forgives the person (Duch), but it is God who forgives. The pastor merely leads the person to God's forgiveness.
According to what Duch has done to those people in S 21 , no one can help him, even God . If God can help him , he would be free by now after he became christian .
I am wondering what Duch will re-act if anypastor in the world try to baptize him while he was in charge of that prey sor prison.
who is 3:19 pm and what is he talking about ?
Please light me up with your new fresh comments; I need to add them to my hard-earned knowledge.
Remember: calm before the storm. Soon after, I will add -- this time -- lots of fuel to fire to cause a major conflagration to embroil everyone into a new conflict in an effort to have the information flow once again. Until then be prepared ... a new perfect storm is headed your way--and, you won't be able to stop it.
PPU: information collector
We fear and he dare executed us all 20,000 lives in S-21. No forgiveness for this D!@#head go hell with your evil colleagues all government official in Srok Khmer.
We all knew what Duch had done during the regime. Do you believe in God? If you do, whoever did he/she will be punished. Do you think ALL Khmer Rouges are bad? Do you think all Human are bad? We all make mistake, there's nobody is 'Perfect'. I am so sick and tired of seeing this court business going never stop, the bottom line is Duch will be put in Jail. It is right? than it's ended. You can't keep saying bad Khmer Rouge, Khmer Rouge bad bad Khmer Rouge, what's the deal? YOU ARE KHMER too, I know you hate Youn, Youn let you hate Khmer Rouge, thus you can kill all Khmer Rouges. Remember! if there's no more Khmer Rouge also meand no more Khmer living in Cambodia too. Com'on it's over now start look into the future. Do you understand Hah?
AngkorianMan Krama Man
Because of the wickednes, Khmer Nation had been warned through their leader,Premier Norodom Sihanouk, to repent. But we did'nt. And for God's judgment 2 million of lives were withdrawnd.
In history,God Almighty did not punished his people without warning. If people did not heed to the warning, then judgment bound to come.
Actually, the actual Cambodian leaders had received many warnings about their wickedness done to the people they rule over.
If the warnings are not heard, judgment will come again on us, but first on the leaders themselves.
Wicked leaders, acknowledge your sins against your own people and against God, and repent, so you will save from punishement.
It is good indeed that Mr Kaing aka Duch realised that he made terrible mnistake in his life, presumed by fear as he changed his name to Hang pin.
However,I believe that Christ can only cleansed sins and bad spirit that he had lived with for all those years but not the CRIME he committed.
Same feeling of those fears that many of his victims had faced,Death.
From this instance, please our officials stop abusing your own people!!!.What goes around will come around.
Neang SA
Because Duch as accepted Christ as his God ans savior..that's why he shown up and confessed that he is the head of S21.
If he not accepted Christ, he will not confess.
The question is. How many people dear and honest to confess him/herself that they were once Khmer Roug and killed poeple as Duch?
My uncle's family also put killed in S21.
DUCH HE ACKNOWLEDGE ALL IS SIN.
Even the secular/world's law not and wont forgive him in physically but God/Jesus forgave him in Spiritualy.
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