Original report from Phnom Penh
26 May 2009
In its nearly four years of rule, the Khmer Rouge saw the deaths of up to 2 million people, but the regime’s chief prison administrator, Duch, told tribunal judges Tuesday many of those were caused by fighting with Vietnam.
Duch’s atrocity crimes trial, which began March 30, has begun to explore the complicated relationship between the Khmer Rouge communist guerrillas and their original supporters, the Vietnamese communists.
The two sides eventually became rivals, and it was fear of Vietnamese infiltration that in part unraveled the Khmer Rouge.
Those accused of spying for the Vietnamese were sent to a prison administered by Duch, where they were tortured into confession and sent to be executed on the outskirts of the capital.
Prosecutors at the UN-backed tribunal say at least 12,380 people died under Duch’s supervision, and the former math teacher, whose real name is Kaing Kek Iev, is facing charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and murder.
In his testimony Tuesday, Duch outlined a chronic ideological conflict between the communist party of Cambodia, or the Khmer Rouge, and the Vietnamese.
Pol Pot refused to follow the leader of the Vietnamese communists, Le Yon, who wanted to unite former Indochinese countries into a federation, Duch said, which led to armed conflict between the two.
Historian Nayan Chanda told the court Tuesday that the Vietnamese communists had helped the Khmer Rouge until the guerrillas had defeated the government of Gen. Lon Nol.
Pol Pot wanted to be free from control of the Vietnamese, Duch said. “That’s why bloody armed conflict broke out, killing so many people.”
Duch’s atrocity crimes trial, which began March 30, has begun to explore the complicated relationship between the Khmer Rouge communist guerrillas and their original supporters, the Vietnamese communists.
The two sides eventually became rivals, and it was fear of Vietnamese infiltration that in part unraveled the Khmer Rouge.
Those accused of spying for the Vietnamese were sent to a prison administered by Duch, where they were tortured into confession and sent to be executed on the outskirts of the capital.
Prosecutors at the UN-backed tribunal say at least 12,380 people died under Duch’s supervision, and the former math teacher, whose real name is Kaing Kek Iev, is facing charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and murder.
In his testimony Tuesday, Duch outlined a chronic ideological conflict between the communist party of Cambodia, or the Khmer Rouge, and the Vietnamese.
Pol Pot refused to follow the leader of the Vietnamese communists, Le Yon, who wanted to unite former Indochinese countries into a federation, Duch said, which led to armed conflict between the two.
Historian Nayan Chanda told the court Tuesday that the Vietnamese communists had helped the Khmer Rouge until the guerrillas had defeated the government of Gen. Lon Nol.
Pol Pot wanted to be free from control of the Vietnamese, Duch said. “That’s why bloody armed conflict broke out, killing so many people.”
25 comments:
I have no more comment on this Duch guy--just want to see him hung.
Why?
Duch is a good witness too.
oh? is it striking a nerve too close? Too much truth are beginning to simmer to the surface for you?
Keep on talking Duch, we Khmer people deserve to know why what happen happens.
Tell us everything and bring out all those responsible to the surface, for this is the only chance in history for full disclosure of the past that will be reflected and recorded down in history.
Your story will here will make the history books for Khmer children to learn about their country's dark past so don't you betray us again, tell us everything you know!
6:59am. Cambodia is not Muslim country, so hung will not happen.
Just let him answer to the court what ever he wants.
If khmer kill khmer, may be for vietnma(youn).
Please let the court dig out the root of the KILLING FIELD.
He goes at full throttle lying.
Duch as been genuine with his accounts and confessions. But him getting into the Khmer-Vietnamese subject is starting to pinch a few peoples nerves as Vietnam DOES hold some accountability in the deaths of the Khmer people, and if they continue we may see justice for the Lao people and their genocide committed by the fake Pathet Lao with full support of the Vietnamese.
Whether Duch is lying or not. He is better then hun sen, the old king. Atleast he come and takes question.
He is by far the a very good witness/suspect to the crime committed.
The world need to know the truth. Everyone have knowledge of the crime should be on the witness stand for the outmost truth.
After reading this article,it makes me thought way back to the past.
After French granted Independence.
All foreigners were on our land at
Samlot(Vietminh).In Jeneva 1954 all
foreigner troops must be out of Khmer territory,but Yuon needed all Indochina countries must be divided into 2 parts;Yuo;Lao Luckely we had 3 heroics were on theJeneva;Puy Chhay,Savang Vong,
Norodom Chanthareangsey.They opposed Yuon will,they stated that
Khmer land can not be divided.
Forgive me for my insignificant acknowledge of the Killingfield.
Unashamedly speaking, Da Duch has initially confessed nothing, but entirely truth, if we only patiently wanted to learn or know more about the truth. What actually had happen during 1977 in the Khmer-Youn border. Youn repeatedly invaded Srok Khmer, first in Takeo Province, then the Eastern Zone, including the failures of assassination Pol Pot which insanely made him becoming a mad man. In the state of fearing dead and wanting revenge, Pol Pot unhumanly ordered any suspection of spying (killing one thousand innocent people rather than letting one criminal to get away). I am not absolutely sure that Da Duch also mentioned about hundreds thousand Easterners were sending to death at Pursat and Battambang Provinces.
I've agreed with Duch. YOUN have been stirring up the internal affair of KR's regime. I am so believe in that remark.
KhmerPP,
Yes, Khmer can't raise their hand to kill their own people. Only YOUN killed us.
I am also agree with this.
The truth ,the root of killing field is start rise up slowly but surely it will shine,If the vietcong blackteeth don't plan it and the buble head king Sihaknuk do not let the black teeth Vietcong use it won't be this mess.
So the conclusion A# Viet is master minded of killing field.
B#Sihaknuk the dumb son of the bitch not protect us instead turn to work with the Youn at the end youn won on every thing, politic strategy,khmer hearts and master of khmer youn=Hun Sen=Heng and Chea .
I hope khmer not roleay
God bless khmer ppl not Hun Sen and Sihaknuk
To Compatriotes,
It was very true that the Vietnameses that killed our khmers during Pol Pot regime. Pol Pot and his administration last the control over the Sangkats,Sroks,Khums, Khets.
Therefore, at those levels that the viets infiltrated into the KR cadres and they killed our khmers in the name of "Angkar". In reality "Angkar" was the fabricated name by the viets. Please read the book written by
"Yeay Tieng".
Another fact was that one occasion in Battambang province in 1977, one
khmer girl went to the bushes for
urinate at dawn. She was ready to start the urination, then 2 "disguised viets" went to the same bush (big bush) and all 3 viets spoke to each other the vietnamese language. They discussed on WHO will be next in line to bring to kill tomorrow.
Since that time the khmer girl realized that the killers of our khmers were the VIETS that were disguised in the KR cadres in the sroks etc...
That khmer girl has informed her relatives that went back to Cambodia in 1993(during the SNC).
Now that heroe khmer girl already
died in 1999 due to MVA at Long Koeu market in Thailand.
I think we should not get ahead of ourselves here. While it is good that Duch is coming out with his testimonies and declaring all those responsible, we Khmer people, should not be quick to relinquished our role and responsibility in the demise and total destruction of our civil society into chaos and madness that still remains stained into today's politic.
Let Duch come out with the entire truth, but don't be naive and relinquished ourselves our responsibilities and mistakes or we will repeat them again.
As I've told you all long ago that yuon helped the khmer rouge to win the lon nol-khmer republic, but yuon betrayed them and si-Anuok, when yuon don't get what they wanted- (which is to control indochina included khmer land,) when the khmer rouge refused yuon created a new khmer rouge-khmer slave hengsamrin cheaxim hunxen. These are real peasants that wanted nothing but power. These people committed the same crime as Duch. They should be hang too. These yuon slave do nothing to help khmers or to protect khmerlands. They are all committing treasons. Soon khiev samphorn will back up duch's story and hunxen will run to yuon and cry like a monkey for yuon to help or barking like a dog. But they don't know that yuon like dogs! And
Khmer will take care all their families.
Dear All,
we haven't charged anyone in the khmer regime yet but now, Hun sen regime is also the same. They used different methods kill Cambodia by selling their land to foreigners and their friends under the name of lands concession for 90 years. Only Koh Kong alone, they gave Ly Yong Phath 30,000 ha, and now they have given another chinese people another 30,000 ha. They have to keep for Thacksin another 50,000 ha. Where all the people have to go? They must go to commit suicide themselve for no land to live. Areak Prey
Excellent comments!!!! Keep on talking Duch!
S-21 prisoners are former Khmer Rouge,they are the Khmer killer.Let talk about the real Cambodians victim.
That was the formost reason why the UN keeps pushing for KR Tribunal. But the Phnom Penh Government has been doing everything they could to delay for over many years now and perhaps, they will derail this KR tribunal in the near future. The reason why? Because Phnom Penh Government officials were the ones that had politically orchestrated (with the helping hand of Yuon Hanoid) to kill innocent Khmer people - Hun Sen, Heng Samrin, et al, and Yuon Hanoi were and still behind the scene. Believe it!
PPU = Pumping Poum University
You can read more at http://khmer-heroes.blogpsot.com
I have read what Yay Tieng wrote was excellent. When Pol Pot knew the YOUN's trick he doesn't want to associate with YOUN anymore. Then YOUN wasn't happy with POL POT. They have secretly sent in those already with YOUN's brain and those with the internal of POL POT to betray POL POT. Eastern Zone is betrayed the POL POT. YOUN started to round up and slaughtered our people almost every where in Cambodia.
Duch, please reveal more about YOUN dirty tricks.
KhmerPP,
My beloved Khmers!
I am not entirely agreeing with Duch's and Pol Pot's unseasonable claims that all the innocent Khmer were death by the cause of Youn CIA's trickery before 1977.
After April 17, 1975, the uncountable people of Lon Nol's folks (New People) were unearthly killed by KR's regime, including the year of starvation in the cold season of 1976. Perhaps, more than half of NP in Pursat and Battambang provinces were sufferingly and slowly starved to death, because after planting the rice's plants, there were questionally nothing to eat. If your relative doesn't strong enough to find any green vegetable, therefore the slow sufferings of starvation will come knocking at your door!
I have always wanted to know who was behind/the mastermind of the killing fields. Now I begin to see the connection between the KR and viet. Thanks to mr duch who has come forwards and spoken about what happened. We khmer need to know the truth.
A bunch of people here are called holocaust deniers. Khmer who could not accept that Khmer killed Khmer, then it must be someone else faults. Always blaming while the real reasons behind all of this is Pol Pot paranoia, looking to blame for his government downfall, Khmer deep hatred of the Viet, Khmer kum grudge for revenge..so sick of Khmer blaming. In the end, it was your people holding a knife, axe, plastic bag that did the killings.
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