16 April 2009
By Leng Maly
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer
Relatives of the 5 KR leaders currently being jailed at the KR Tribunal indicated that they are not visiting all these leaders during the Khmer New Year because they are all busy.
Mrs. Ly Kim Sreng, Nuon Chea’s wife, said that her family and children do not visit Nuon Chea during the New Year because they are busy receiving other relatives at their home in Pailin.
Ieng Vuth, the son of Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith, said that he did not visit his parents during the New Year because he is too busy. He said briefly: “I am in Pailin, I did not go visit them yet. They are close and they do not let anybody in during the New Year, or on holidays and on weekends, they don’t let people in.”
Relatives of Khieu Samphan cannot be reached today, but Reach Sambath, spokesman for the KRT, indicated that prior to the New Year, at the end of last week, the KRT detention center organized a Buddhist blessing ceremony for the jailed former KR leaders, and he said that at least some of the relatives of these leaders came to this ceremony.
Reach Sambath said: “The detention center invited 2 monks for them on 11 April, and 4-5 relatives of Mr. Ieng Sary joined in, as well as Khieu Samphan’s wife and children.”
Mrs. Ly Kim Sreng, Nuon Chea’s wife, told RFA that she, like her children, did not join this ceremony because she did not know about it.
Mrs. Kim Hong, the youngest sister of Kaing Kek Iev aka Duch, the former S-21 jail chief who is currently being tried by the KRT, told RFA that she did not know whether her mother and Duch’s relatives visited him or not. However, she did not visit him: “My family does not have the money to visit him, his children are even worst of, they are all busy working in the fields.”
Rach Sambath, KRT spokesman, said that at least, these KR leaders were visited by Buddhist monks who came to bless them during the New Year, just like any other prisoners in jail, except for Duch because he is Christian.
Mrs. Ly Kim Sreng, Nuon Chea’s wife, said that her family and children do not visit Nuon Chea during the New Year because they are busy receiving other relatives at their home in Pailin.
Ieng Vuth, the son of Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith, said that he did not visit his parents during the New Year because he is too busy. He said briefly: “I am in Pailin, I did not go visit them yet. They are close and they do not let anybody in during the New Year, or on holidays and on weekends, they don’t let people in.”
Relatives of Khieu Samphan cannot be reached today, but Reach Sambath, spokesman for the KRT, indicated that prior to the New Year, at the end of last week, the KRT detention center organized a Buddhist blessing ceremony for the jailed former KR leaders, and he said that at least some of the relatives of these leaders came to this ceremony.
Reach Sambath said: “The detention center invited 2 monks for them on 11 April, and 4-5 relatives of Mr. Ieng Sary joined in, as well as Khieu Samphan’s wife and children.”
Mrs. Ly Kim Sreng, Nuon Chea’s wife, told RFA that she, like her children, did not join this ceremony because she did not know about it.
Mrs. Kim Hong, the youngest sister of Kaing Kek Iev aka Duch, the former S-21 jail chief who is currently being tried by the KRT, told RFA that she did not know whether her mother and Duch’s relatives visited him or not. However, she did not visit him: “My family does not have the money to visit him, his children are even worst of, they are all busy working in the fields.”
Rach Sambath, KRT spokesman, said that at least, these KR leaders were visited by Buddhist monks who came to bless them during the New Year, just like any other prisoners in jail, except for Duch because he is Christian.
