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

Living and Working Conditions

376. Official Party sources state that approximately 5000 women and 500 former male combatants (mainly technicians) were working at Srae Ambel; this figure is confirmed by witnesses.¹⁶¹⁹ In Kampong Kandal, there were around 3000 female workers,¹⁶²⁰ with about 1000 female workers at Trauy Koh.¹⁶²¹ Twelve witnesses were former female workers.¹⁶²² The vast majority of the workers were base people coming from Kampot Province¹⁶²³ and Takeo Province.¹⁶²⁴ Some workers also came from the provinces of Kampong Speue, Kampong Chhnang, Svay Rieng, Kampong Thom and Koh Kong.¹⁶²⁵ It appears that some CPK cadres originally from the East Zone were sent to work at Srae Ambel when Soa Phim was accused of treason and arrested; these East Zone cadres had been working in hospitals in Phnom Penh up until this point.¹⁶²⁶ Furthermore, witnesses explain that there were regular transfers of workers between Srae Ambel and Office K-2 of the Ministry of Social Affairs and other related hospitals of this Ministry, especially the 6 January Hospital and Po-1 Hospital, as well as laboratories, from late 1977 to late 1978.¹⁶²¹

377.           Workers lived together in common houses that were guarded at night by unarmed guards.¹⁶²⁸ During the dry season workers undertook tasks such as erecting dykes in the salt fields, shovelling dirt, compressing the ground, farrowing the earth by hand instead of by ox in the salt water and carrying bags of salt into the warehouses or into vehicles.¹⁶²⁹ During the rainy season they had to make, prepare and improve tools for the following salt production and were sent to work in the rice fields in the cooperatives throughout Kampot Sector.¹⁶³⁰ Work started at 4 am or 6 am.¹⁶³¹ Sometimes workers had to continue working at night if they had not completed their work or to avoid the salt melting.¹⁶³² Workers had to work hard without complaint, so as not to be accused of being lazy.¹⁶³³ For this reason, they worked even when they became very sick.¹⁶³⁴

378.            Accusations of laziness or of being a traitor, illness and lack of food all resulted in some workers committing suicide.¹⁶³⁵ Workers were not allowed to leave without permission. They worked and lived under the strict control of the CPK cadres.¹⁶³⁶ Trey Koh salt field was surrounded by the sea, preventing people from escaping.¹⁶³⁷ Regular criticism/self-criticism meetings were also convened¹⁶³⁸ and biographies of workers were taken.¹⁶³⁹

379.            Guards and technicians received larger food rations than regular workers.¹⁶⁴⁰ Witnesses state that if someone was late or sick, his or her ration would be cut down or deprived as punishment.¹⁶⁴¹ One of them states that some workers caught stealing food were deprived of food for two days.¹⁶⁴² Workers were taken for bathing one or twice a week and, as a result, many suffered from poor hygiene.¹⁶⁴³ They were treated using locally produced medicines, which were ineffective. Severely ill or injured workers were sent for medical treatment at Chhum Kreal Pagoda located in Chhum Kreal Subdistrict next to Kampong Kandal, whilst less sick workers were treated at the worksite itself.¹⁶⁴⁴ Several witnesses saw many workers die of exhaustion or illness at either the Chhum Kreal Pagoda or at the worksite.¹⁶⁴⁵ During this time, Phnom Penh radio broadcasts stated that the CPK paid attention to the living conditions and health of the salt field workers.¹⁶⁴⁶