Ta Mok23 April 2006
By Den Sorin
Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media
Military court officials said that Ta Mok, the one-legged former Khmer Rouge army commander who is currently detained in the Tuol Sleng jail, wanted to issue an open letter to all Cambodian people before his judgment in the UN Khmer Rouge tribunal, and before his death, so that all Cambodian people understand some of the events occurring under the Pol Pot regime. However, his wish was not fulfilled because the authority did not allow him.
Military court officials said that in fact, Ta Mok could issue his open letter through his [defense] lawyer, however, currently, he no longer trust Benson Samay, his laywer, and he even requested to have his current lawyer changed, but Ta Mok said that no one is paying attention on his case.
Therefore, if Ta Mok has a lawyer he can trust, he could then issue his open letter to all Cambodian people through the latter. But Ta Mok does not trust Benson Samay, a lawyer provided to him by the government, therefore Ta Mok will no longer seek council from this lawyer anymore on personal matters. In the case of his open letter, Ta Mok sent his request directly to judge Ney Thol, the president of the military court, however, the latter rejected Ta Mok’s request.
According to military court officials, Ta Mok who has spent more time in Tuol Sleng jail than what was prescribed by law, said that he is not disappointed about his life in jail, but he wanted Cambodian people to learn about some truth under the Pol Pot regime. Ta Mok was a follower of Pol Pot, he even killed Son Sen, the Khmer rouge regime minister of national defense, in Anlong Veng in 1996. Ta Mok claimed that Son Sen was a Vietnamese spy.
According to Duch, the former warden of the Tuol Sleng jail and who is now jailed with Ta Mok, Son Sen was the top killer under the Khmer Rouge regime. He ordered the largest number of killings when he was the minister of national defense under the Khmer Rouge regime. Even up to now, former Khmer Rouge soldiers who are still living in Anlong Veng still believe that Pol Pot and Ta Mok are nationalists.
According to military court officials, in the Tuol Sleng jail, Ta Mok is allowed to listen to radio and watch TV once in a while. Ta Mok criticized garment workers who were on strike. He told his prison guards that if [the garment workers] are already indenture servants, why do they bother organizing a strike. Just like his own incarceration, Ta Mok said that he was not deceived, but he regrets that he cannot issue his open letter to Cambodian people.
Ta Mok said that if his letter cannot reach all Cambodian people, at least they should reach the former Khmer Rouge followers who are currently living in Anlong Veng, the last Khmer Rouge resistance stronghold. However, he does not have the opportunity to do so because he does not have a lawyer he can trust and whom he can get help from in his current dire situation.
Military court officials said that in fact, Ta Mok could issue his open letter through his [defense] lawyer, however, currently, he no longer trust Benson Samay, his laywer, and he even requested to have his current lawyer changed, but Ta Mok said that no one is paying attention on his case.
Therefore, if Ta Mok has a lawyer he can trust, he could then issue his open letter to all Cambodian people through the latter. But Ta Mok does not trust Benson Samay, a lawyer provided to him by the government, therefore Ta Mok will no longer seek council from this lawyer anymore on personal matters. In the case of his open letter, Ta Mok sent his request directly to judge Ney Thol, the president of the military court, however, the latter rejected Ta Mok’s request.
According to military court officials, Ta Mok who has spent more time in Tuol Sleng jail than what was prescribed by law, said that he is not disappointed about his life in jail, but he wanted Cambodian people to learn about some truth under the Pol Pot regime. Ta Mok was a follower of Pol Pot, he even killed Son Sen, the Khmer rouge regime minister of national defense, in Anlong Veng in 1996. Ta Mok claimed that Son Sen was a Vietnamese spy.
According to Duch, the former warden of the Tuol Sleng jail and who is now jailed with Ta Mok, Son Sen was the top killer under the Khmer Rouge regime. He ordered the largest number of killings when he was the minister of national defense under the Khmer Rouge regime. Even up to now, former Khmer Rouge soldiers who are still living in Anlong Veng still believe that Pol Pot and Ta Mok are nationalists.
According to military court officials, in the Tuol Sleng jail, Ta Mok is allowed to listen to radio and watch TV once in a while. Ta Mok criticized garment workers who were on strike. He told his prison guards that if [the garment workers] are already indenture servants, why do they bother organizing a strike. Just like his own incarceration, Ta Mok said that he was not deceived, but he regrets that he cannot issue his open letter to Cambodian people.
Ta Mok said that if his letter cannot reach all Cambodian people, at least they should reach the former Khmer Rouge followers who are currently living in Anlong Veng, the last Khmer Rouge resistance stronghold. However, he does not have the opportunity to do so because he does not have a lawyer he can trust and whom he can get help from in his current dire situation.
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