Relatives of Professor Phoeung Ton verbally attacked Duch

A Cambodian man watches television at a restaurant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009 as it shows a Cambodian woman, Im Sunty, center, whose husband was killed by the Khmer Rouge during its 1975-1979 rule in Cambodia. The TV program is broadcast during the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, who is tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the U.N.-backed tribunal. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

19 August 2009
By Leang Delux
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

The wife and eldest daughter of the late Professor Phoeung Ton confronted Duch this Wednesday. Relatives of Prof. Phoeung Ton demanded that Duch provides information about his death, but Duch kept on claiming that he does not know.

The wife and eldest daughter of Prof. Phoeung Ton, who are part of the KRT civil party, used strong words to address Duch during Wednesday’s hearing. Prof. Phoeung Ton was a professor of international and maritime law, and he was also Duch’s former professor as well. The professor was brought into S-21 for questioning and he disappeared around 1977, according to research information obtained by his daughter. Today, Mrs. Phoeung Gut Sunthary, Prof. Phoeung Ton’s daughter, and Mrs. Im Sunty, Prof. Phoeung Ton’s wife, demanded that Duch tells the reason for the professor’s killing. Mrs. Sunthary told Duch during the court hearing that if Duch does not reveal the truth about her father’s killing, she will not open the door for Duch to apologize.

This is the very first declaration made against Duch’s confession. During his initial hearing, Duch called on all victims of the KR regime to leave a door open for him to apologize. It seems that relatives of Prof. Phoeung Ton will not accept Duch’s constant apology anymore because during today’s hearing, Duch confirmed again and again that he could not control the bringing of Prof. Phoeung Ton to S-21 which was then under Duch’s control. Duch expressed his regret, saying that if he knew Prof. Phoeung Ton was brought to S-21, at least he could facilitate the professor’s life in jail, just like what he did to a number of other people, such as Chau Seng [a former minister under Sihanouk’s Sangkum Reastr Niyum regime] and Ruos Kout.

In addition to the declaration made Prof. Phoeung Ton’s daughter, the professor’s wife also made a declaration. Mrs. Im Sunty, who is currently 70-year-old, told the court in tears that during the past 30 years, she was never happy, she is filled with sadness from the disappearance of her husband. While not addressing directly to Duch who was listening to her declaration, Mrs. Im Sunty said: “You are a teacher, you should have compassion to serve the nation. You should not fulfill such a role like this.”