Original report from Phnom Penh
31 August 2009
A Cambodian psychologist told Khmer Rouge tribunal judges on Monday that the defendant, Duch, did not have “mental problems” enough to lead him into the revolution and his eventual role as chief of the regime’s killing machine, Tuol Sleng prison.
Duch, whose real name is Kaing Kek Iev, had testified that the loss of a girlfriend and a bicycle, combined with arrests of friends under the Lon Nol regime, had led him to the Khmer Rouge.
Dr. Ka Sun Bunnath, a professor at the University of Science and Health, in Phnom Penh, told the court Duch had managed as a successful math teacher before joining the guerrillas, and so did not have insurmountable mental problems.
His view was supported by another expert, Francoise Sironi-Guilbaud, a French psychologist.
Meanwhile, 28 civil parties boycotted Monday’s hearing, following a decision by the court last week that they would not be allowed to question Duch regarding his personal character.
Duch, whose real name is Kaing Kek Iev, had testified that the loss of a girlfriend and a bicycle, combined with arrests of friends under the Lon Nol regime, had led him to the Khmer Rouge.
Dr. Ka Sun Bunnath, a professor at the University of Science and Health, in Phnom Penh, told the court Duch had managed as a successful math teacher before joining the guerrillas, and so did not have insurmountable mental problems.
His view was supported by another expert, Francoise Sironi-Guilbaud, a French psychologist.
Meanwhile, 28 civil parties boycotted Monday’s hearing, following a decision by the court last week that they would not be allowed to question Duch regarding his personal character.
4 comments:
All those will help to find out, if he was in fact crazy or not.
i think during the KR, it was lawlessness that led them to abuse and killed people, all perhaps due to person dislike or what have you. it in all the humans; that's what happened when the rule of law was abolished and people don't respect the rule of law because rule of law, whether one like it or not, is what kept society in control. i hope we all learn from it!
Duch blamed someone had stold his bike that's why he jointed khmer rouge regims...?
did you you that lawlessness and fear caused people to kill? it's more complicated than this, you know!
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