Closing Order of Case 002 against Senior KR Leaders Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith

In preparation for the start of trial hearings beginning on 27 June 2011 of Case 002 against the surviving Khmer Rouge senior leaders Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith, KI Media is starting a new series in posting installations of the public document of the Closing Order of Case 002.  The Closing Order of the Co-Investigating Judges forms the basic document from which all the parties (Co-Prosecutors, Co-Lead Lawyers for all civil parties, Defense Lawyers) will be making their arguments before the Trial Chamber judges (one Cambodian President, 2 Cambodian Judges, 2 UN judges).  Up until now, the hearings involving these four surviving senior Khmer Rouge leaders have been in the Pre-Trial Chamber over issues of pre-trial detention and jurisdictional issues.  Beginning in June 2011, the Trial Chamber will hear the substantive arguments over the criminal charges (e.g. genocide, crimes against humanity, penal code of 1956).  Available in Khmer and French.  Contact the ECCC for a free copy.

CLOSING ORDER

of Co-Investigating Judges You Bunleng and Marcel Lemonde, 15 September 2010

 

 

Trapeang Thma Dam Worksite¹³³¹ 

Location and Establishment of Trapeang Thma Dam

323. The Trapeang Thma Dam worksite was located at Trapeang Thma Kandal Village and Paoy Char Village, Paoy Char Subdistrict,¹³³² Phnom Srok District¹³³³ in the current Banteay Meanchey Province (formerly part of Battambang Province).¹³³⁴ Using the CPK's system of identifying administrative boundaries, Trapeang Thma was located in Sector 5 of the Northwest Zone.¹³³⁵ The main part of the dam was located approximately 50 kilometres north east of the town of Sisophon.¹³³⁶

324.            It is not clear as to the precise date that construction commenced. Witness testimony varies, some stating that construction commenced in early 1976,¹³³⁷ others that it commenced between late 1976 and early 1977,¹³³⁸ whilst other witnesses state that the dam was constructed entirely in 1977.¹³³⁹ Nevertheless, almost all evidence supports that the completion of the dam had largely taken place by the end of 1977,¹³⁴⁰ or at the latest by May 1978.¹³⁴¹ It was officially described by the CPK in October 1977 as the result of a nation-wide labour offensive to fulfill the CPK's 1977 economic plan, pursuant to a policy according to which the workers had "sacrificed everything for maximum rice production".¹³⁴²

325.           An inauguration ceremony was held at the dam in December 1977 which was attended by various senior level CPK cadres. It was presided over by Pol Pot accompanied by a Chinese delegation as reported in the Chinese press.¹³⁴³ Heng Rin alias Mei alias Neou Rin, Sector Secretary, and Cheal from the Sector Committee,¹³⁴⁴ were the other CPK cadres from the Sector 5 Committee attending this ceremony.

326.            Upon completion, the size of the dam was approximately 10 metres wide at the top, 18 metres wide at the base and between three to five metres high.¹³⁴⁵ The water contained by the dam extended approximately 10km in length by seven km in width.¹³⁴⁶