A former S-21 staff member who says more, a president who talks too much

Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 10/05/2002: Him Huy, former Khmer Rouge guard at Tuol Sleng prison during the shooting of documentary movie “S-21, the Khmer Rouge Killing Machine,” by Rithy Panh (Photo: John Vink/Magnum)

17-07-2009
By Stéphanie Gée
Ka-set

The Trial Chamber set speaking times allocated to each party for better efficiency, a principle that maybe, the judges should also apply to themselves. Thursday July 16th, president Nil Nonn used more than three quarters of the first day witness Him Huy’s hearing – thus leaving little time for his colleagues –, including with some questions which interest was not always clear. The witness, former S-21 staff member, did not play cat and mouse, like chief interrogator Mam Nay who preceded him at the stand. However, he did not say everything…

What is that document?

Him Huy, who wore a jacket and glasses on this day, started to testify, with his eyes lowered. After a few moments, Alain Werner, co-lawyer for civil party group 1, expressed concern with the president that the witness seemed to read a document and asked what it was. The witness claimed he had no document. To dispel any doubt, Nil Nonn sent a clerk to check the witness’ table, from which he took out a bundle of documents. Was Him Huy caught red-handed? No, after checking, it was a transcript of his interrogation by the co-Investigating Judges which he was given by the Chamber on the previous day.

Not insignificant functions

Khmer Rouge fighter, it was only late 1976 that Him Huy was sent to S-21. “I asked what I had done wrong to be sent there,” but a few days later, he was appointed to be guard. Later, he was assigned to the arrival of prisoners, which took place outside of the security centre, to arrests and the transport of detainees already interrogated to the execution site of Choeung Ek. Most of the arrests he carried out were done in Phnom Penh, but on occasions, his team travelled to the provinces to pick up people who had already been arrested. He received instructions from Duch and his deputy Hor for these operations. The modus operandi was the following: the people to be sent to S-21 were taken there under the pretext of transferring them to a new working place, in order not to stir panic in them, and it was only once they were at the prison that they were arrested; when they had already been arrested in their units, they were entrusted to Him Huy’s team in his Phnom Penh centre, located near the premises of the current Beehive radio station.

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Duch Ordered Mass Killing: Guard

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
20 July 2009

Him Huy, a former guard at Tuol Sleng prison, told judges at a UN-backed tribunal Monday Duch had ordered large-scale killing between 1977 and 1978 as administrator of the Khmer Rouge prison.

Duch, whose real name is Kaing Kek Iev, is facing atrocity crimes charges at the tribunal, including torture and murder, for his role as chief of Tuol Sleng, known to the Khmer Rouge as S-21, where prosecutors say 12,380 people were tortured and sent to their deaths.

“When we went to join the training course held by Duch, Duch said that he ordered us to kill all—not only the prisoners at S-21, but all prisoners in Cambodia,” Him Huy told the court.

All prisoners should be taken away from the prison to be killed at Choeung Ek, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Him Huy said, and Duch provided a list of names of those to be executed.

More than 100 women and children were killed among the prisoners at Choeung Ek, he said.

Duch denied the accusations Monday, telling the court he was not involved in ordering the mass killing.

Today, the Choeung Ek “killing field” is a tourist site, commemorated with a stupa filled with the skulls of victims exhumed from the area’s mass graves after the ouster of the communist regime.

Ex K.Rouge guard describes life under jail boss

Monday, July 20, 2009
By Patrick Falby
AFP

PHNOM PENH — A former guard at the main Khmer Rouge torture centre wept in court on Monday as he described how he feared his prison boss, who is standing trial at Cambodia's UN-backed war crimes tribunal.

Him Huy, 54, was giving evidence against Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch, who is accused of overseeing the torture and execution of around 15,000 people held at Tuol Sleng prison, also known as S-21.

"I did not dare criticise him (Duch). I was afraid I would be killed... Even when I saw him riding a bicycle towards me, I would find a place to get away from him," Him Huy told the court.

"Frankly, when I see him it reminds me of the moment I worked with him. I was afraid of him. I did not dare look into his face. Even now I'm fearful of him," he said, weeping.

At the start of his testimony Thursday, the former guard recounted how he killed a prisoner in 1977 at Choeung Ek "killing field," under orders from either Duch or the prison chief's now-deceased deputy, Hor.

One of Him Huy's duties was to transport prisoners to former orchard Choeung Ek, where he said executioners struck prisoners with ox cart axles, slashed their throats and dumped them in pits.

The former guard told the court Monday that Duch carried a pistol with him at all times and that the boss "was rather gentle when he spoke, but he was very firm and meticulous".

Him Huy added that he believed the jail chief had the power to release inmates, contradicting Duch's claims that he was under orders to have all prisoners killed.

"At S-21, nobody ordered him (Duch). It was only him that ordered other people," Him Huy said.

"Those of us who survived, we were the lucky group and we only want justice," he added.

The 66-year-old Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, has accepted responsibility for his role governing the jail and begged forgiveness near the start of his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

But the defendant, who worked as a maths teacher before his role with the regime, has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he held a central leadership role in the Khmer Rouge, and says he never personally killed anyone.

One of the jailer's former maths students, 64-year-old Tep Sok, attended Monday's hearing and told reporters that Duch had not been a cruel teacher.

"(Duch) encouraged us to study hard and use the knowledge to serve the nation... He was strict, but was not cruel," Tep Sok said, adding that Duch had put his hands together to give him the traditional Cambodian greeting in court.

"I'm deeply disappointed and very sorrowful, but I still feel pity for him," Tep Sok said.

Led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge emptied Cambodia's cities in a bid to forge a communist utopia. Up to two million people died of starvation, overwork and torture or were executed during the 1975-1979 regime.

Four other former Khmer Rouge leaders are currently in detention and are expected to face trial next year at the court, which was formed in 2006 after nearly a decade of wrangling between the UN and the Cambodian government.

However the troubled tribunal also faces accusations of interference by the Cambodian government and claims that local staff were forced to pay kickbacks for their jobs.

Former KRouge prison guard recounts 'killing field'

Him Huy, a former deputy battalion security guard at Tuol Sleng

Friday, July 17, 2009
By Patrick Falby (AFP)

PHNOM PENH — A man who worked as a guard at the main Khmer Rouge torture centre admitted at Cambodia's UN-backed war crimes trial Thursday that he executed a prisoner at a "killing field".

Him Huy, 54, was giving evidence at the trial of his former prison chief Duch, who has admitted responsibility for overseeing the torture and execution of around 15,000 people held at Tuol Sleng prison, also known as S-21.

The former guard recounted how he killed the prisoner in 1977 at Choeung Ek killing field, under orders from either Duch or from the prison chief's now-deceased deputy, Hor.

"I'm not really clear at that time whether it was Duch or Hor because it was almost dawn and it was a rush to finish," Him Huy told the court.

"He asked whether I was absolute or not. I answered that I was absolute, because I was afraid... After I received instructions, I executed that prisoner," he said.

Earlier in the day, Him Huy told judges that all prisoners at S-21 were interrogated and then executed.

The witness said prisoners were informed they were going "to a new home" and then trucked -- sometimes in loads of up to 100 people -- to Choeung Ek killing field, a former orchard on the outskirts of the capital Phnom Penh.

"My force would guard those prisoners and the executioners would get ready at the pit. Guards would post at the gates and each prisoner would be walked to the pit to be killed," Him Huy said.

"When they were killed, first they were asked to sit at the edge of the pit, then they would be struck, then their throats would be slashed, then (guards) would take off their clothes and their handcuffs," he added.

Him Huy told the court that although he never saw Duch abuse a prisoner, the prison chief witnessed killings.

"I saw him (Duch) twice at Choeung Ek. He stayed there until all detainees were executed and then he would leave," Him Huy said.

He described Duch as someone who "spoke very softly" but was "very strict on his work performance". The witness said he grew increasingly afraid of the prison chief as he arrested staff at Tuol Sleng.

"There were about 300 guards, but later on they were arrested continuously and at the end there were only about 50 or 60," Him Huy said.

"The only thing I knew for sure is that people kept disappearing. I don't know what happened to them when they were arrested."

The 66-year-old Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav, has accepted responsibility for his role governing the jail and begged forgiveness near the start of his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

But he has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he held a central leadership role in the Khmer Rouge, and maintains he never personally killed anyone.

Led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge emptied Cambodia's cities in a bid to forge a communist utopia. Up to two million people died of starvation, overwork, torture and execution during the 1975-1979 regime.

Four other former Khmer Rouge leaders are currently in detention and are expected to face trial next year at the court, which was formed in 2006 after nearly a decade of wrangling between the UN and the Cambodian government.