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| Former Khmer Rouge deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs Ieng Sary (L), former Khmer Rouge leader "Brother Number Two" Nuon Chea (C) and former Khmer Rouge leader head of state Khieu Samphan (R) sitting in the courtroom at the ECCC in Phnom Penh. Photo courtesy: AFP PHOTO / MARK PETERS / ECCC |
PHNOM PENH, November 23, 2011 (AFP) - A top Khmer Rouge leader accused the prosecution at his historic war crimes trial Wednesday of telling "fairytales", insisting that most Cambodian people had supported the brutal regime.
Ex-head of state Khieu Samphan is on trial along with two other defendants on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide over the deaths of up to two million people during the Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 reign of terror.
Prosecutors opening the long-awaited trial this week have told the packed courtroom of the horrors inflicted in the "Killing Fields" era, describing the defendants as "common murderers" of a whole generation of Cambodians.
"You seem to want everybody to listen to your fairytales," 80-year-old Khieu Samphan responded during his hour-long opening statement from the dock of the Phnom Penh tribunal.
"I have the feeling that you really want my head on the block."
Khieu Samphan, "Brother Number Two" Nuon Chea and ex-foreign minister Ieng Sary all deny the charges against them relating to the hardline communist regime.
Led by "Brother Number One" Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge emptied cities, abolished money and religion and wiped out nearly a quarter of Cambodia's population in a bid to create an agrarian utopia.
Nuon Chea on Tuesday also rejected the allegations against him, claiming he had served "the nation and the people" by defending Cambodia from Vietnamese aggressors.
In a similar vein, Khieu Samphan said he was acting to "defend my country" after a 1970 coup that installed a US-friendly government led by Lon Nol.
"Regardless of whether you like or dislike it, the majority of Cambodian people gave their support to us for our opposition to the Lon Nol regime," he said.
Third defendant Ieng Sary, the international face of the secretive regime, also took the stand on Wednesday, despite earlier saying he would not speak during his trial.
Sitting in a wheelchair, the frail-looking 86-year-old said he would take part although he disagreed with the court's ruling that a royal pardon and amnesty granted to him in 1996 did not bar him from further prosecution.
The trio's case, the tribunal's second and most important, is seen as vital to healing wounds in the still-traumatised nation.
Missing from the courtroom is the fourth accused, Ieng Thirith -- the regime's "First Lady" and the only female leader to be charged by the court -- after she was ruled unfit for trial last week because she has dementia.
4 comments:
Khmer Rouge between 1975-1979 there were 2 head of states :
1975-1976 was Sihanouk as Head of State.
1976-1979 was Khieu Samphan as Head of State.
But both of them are nominle but to be fair for Khieu Samphan it is time for Sihanouk to proof his promise saying that will come this ECCC without court summon.
Communist Party of Kampuchea
The communist Party of Kampuchea or Khmer Rouge between 1975-1979 was a combination of Khmer Viet Minh led by Tou Samouth ( 1 of KPRP senior carder who did not go to Hanoi as Son Ngoc Minh ) and a Paris students group like Pol Pot , Ieng Sary , Son Sen andn many more.
These 3 figures came from difference background and ideologies as fellow:
Angkar or Communist Party of Kampuchea between 1975-1979 were:
1. Pol Pot Secretary General of Communist Party of Kampuchea.
2. Nuon Chea deputy secretary General of Communist Party of Kampuchea.
3. Ieng Sary.
4. So Phim.
5. Son Sen.
6. Ta Mok.
Note: Both Sihanouk and Khieu Samphan are nominal heads of states between 1975-1979.
Communist Party of Kampuchea
Only 2 members of Communist Party left in this ECCC.
1. Nuon Chea is a founder and deputy secretary of Communist Party of Kampuchea.
2. Ieng Sary ( the third person of as a member of CPK cetral committe .
Ieng Thirith, she is stupid. She cannot learn from her victims. Her victims are different. They had been sent to work day and night and also not enough food. They did that are OK. Neang Kanh Cheas Kae Neas fakes. She got enough food. Never work hard in the field. We cannot allow her to do this. She should be Komtich.
Ah Nuon Chea killed a lot of people. Every time he told to his under is Komtich. His under did what he told them to do. You know the word “Komtich” means? Ask ah Kiev Samphon, he got his PHD, he knows what it means. It means breaking to body in pieces. That why, they smash the body even if they are a baby. From me your great grandfather, ah Chea and mi Thirith.
Something that all Khmers need to
think twice just for comparison,
between the role of Mr.Khiev Samphan back then and King Sihamoni today.I think their role
in terms of power decision making of these two individual are similarity.All of us Cambodians seeing on uour own eyes nowadays,
what's kind of power that King
Sihamoni has?,even though the
Constitution of Cambodia has inscribed that the King had the
power such and such.But the government of Cambodia (CPP)today
is still adopt the Communist style
to lead the country.
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