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

In light of 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 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

Srae Ambel Worksite

Location and Establishment

369.            Srae Ambel Worksite is a complex of salt fields located on the coast of Kampot District in Kampot Province. Applying the CPK's system of identifying administrative boundaries it was in Kampot District, Sector 35 of the Southwest Zone.¹⁵⁹⁰ Witnesses interviewed were all working in the fields of Kampong Kandal (now call Boeung Roung 1 and 2, with an area of 1400 hectares), Ses Sar (314 hectares), Traey Koh (796 hectares) and Boeung Touk (200 hectares).¹⁵⁹¹ It appears that other locations were also part of Srae Ambel Worksite including Chrey Yul, Kbal Romeas, Kampong Nung, Kep, Kep Thmei, Lok, Angkaol Rey and Sre

Koh.¹⁵⁹²

370.            The salt fields existed prior to 17 April 1975¹⁵⁹³ and were placed under the authority of the CPK before that date.¹⁵⁹⁴ Their surface was significantly extended during the DK era.¹⁵⁹⁵ Most of the witnesses arrived at Srae Ambel in the months following 17 April 1975¹⁵⁹⁶ and the site was still in operation until January 1979.¹⁵⁹⁷ The salt fields are still active today.

Functioning

Structure and Personnel

371.            Srae Ambel Worksite was officially referred as "State" salt fields and was under the direct authority of the CPK Party Centre and especially the Ministry or Committee of Industry¹⁵⁹⁸ headed by its Chairman Cheng An alias An until his arrest in early November 197 8.¹⁵⁹⁹ The Ministry or Committee of Industry was under the supervision of Vorn Vet, a member of the Standing Committee and Deputy Prime Minister for economic affairs.¹⁶⁰⁰

372.            Salt production was a direct concern of the Party Centre.¹⁶⁰¹ During the meeting of the Standing Committee dated 22 February 1976, which Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and Khieu Samphan attended, the increase in national salt production from 50,000 to 60,000 tons was instructed by "Angkar".¹⁶⁰² Increasing production for the years 1977 to 1980 was also planned by the Standing Committee's "Party's Four Year plan to build socialism in all fields".¹⁶⁰³ It appears that the salt produced was transported and distributed throughout Cambodia.¹⁶⁰⁴ [REDACTED] explains that Khieu Samphan was responsible for allocating the various material items produced to the population and that he would periodically exchange telegrams with one unit or another regarding the distribution of salt, rice, clothes and other material items.¹⁶⁰⁵

373.            Srae Ambel was visited by high level party members, which reflects its importance to the central authorities. Witnesses state that Ta Mok (Southwest Zone Secretary and member of the Standing Committee, deceased), Vorn Vet (Deputy Premier in Charge of the Economy, deceased) and Chou Chet alias Sy (West Zone Secretary, deceased) went there.¹⁶⁰⁶ One former cadre states that Nuon Chea inspected the worksite in late 1977. During his visit he convened a meeting in one of the salt fields with a battalion and instructed the workers "to

strive to work [so that] in the future the country would be prosperous and make a great leap".¹⁶⁰¹ It also appears that foreign delegations visited the worksite in 1978.¹⁶⁰⁸

374. Srae Ambel was presented by the CPK as a model of success of the revolution and was regularly lauded for over fulfilling all assigned objectives.¹⁶⁰⁹ Its cadres and its masses of workers were characterised as particularly strong politically, a unit about which there were "no worries" regarding security.¹⁶¹⁰ During the speeches in 1977 and 1978 commemorating the 17 April victory, Khieu Samphan congratulated the salt production units and described them as advanced model units and examples to be followed by the entire country.¹⁶¹¹

375. Although it is not entirely clear from the evidence, it seems that the first Chairman of the worksite was Pon alias Sin Keum Ean until his arrest and transfer to S-21 on 26 February 1978.¹⁶¹² Choeun, originally Pon's Deputy, subsequently replaced him.¹⁶¹³ According to a former cadre, [REDACTED] governed Kampong Kandal, Ry (a female) governed a battalion at Ses Sor and [REDACTED] controlled the site of Trauy Koh¹⁶¹⁴ after the arrest of Veng.¹⁶¹⁵ Workers were organised into battalions, companies and platoons.¹⁶¹⁶ Technicians from the salt fields explain that they had no right to give orders to the workers and that they themselves were monitored closely by Team or Unit Chairmen.¹⁶¹⁷ Workers and technicians were told during meetings organised by the leadership of the worksite that production increases and goals were to be achieved by hard work.¹⁶¹⁸