Portrait of KRouge prison chief emerges at trial

Portrait of KRouge prison chief emerges at trial

Wed, Apr 15, 2009
By Patrick Falby
AFP

PHNOM PENH - As his trial began at a UN-backed war crimes court, the former Khmer Rouge prison chief apologised for the atrocities he committed - but few Cambodians are likely to grant him forgiveness.
Duch, 66, told the court trying him for crimes against humanity that he felt "regret and heartfelt sorrow" for the murders of around 15,000 people between 1975 and 1979 at Tuol Sleng, also known as S-21.

"I would like to emphasise that I am responsible for the crimes committed at S-21, especially the torture and execution of people there," said Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav.

Duch, who became a born-again Christian before his arrest in 1999, went on to add that he would like to leave "an open window to seek forgiveness".

Few Cambodians have said they will grant that wish, and even though Duch accepts the allegations against him, lawyers spent the first two weeks of his trial sparring over how much responsibility he bears for atrocities.

The tribunal, established in 2006, resumed last last month in the Cambodia capital, and is seen as a last chance to bring the Khmer Rouge's leaders to justice.

The joint trial of four other Khmer Rouge leaders being held with Duch is set to start later this year after his case is complete.

The former maths teacher's apology came after prosecutors described him as central to the Khmer Rouge's iron-fisted rule, which disastrously enslaved the country in collective farms as it attempted to enforce a communist 'Year Zero'.

"The policy was that no one could leave S-21 alive," co-prosecutor Robert Petit told the court as he laid out his case that prisoners were tortured "under the accused's direct orders and sometimes by his own hand".

Inmates had toenails and fingernails pulled out, had plastic bags tied over their heads, were stripped naked and had electric shocks administered to their genitals, Petit said.

Most prisoners were killed by a blow to the base of the neck with a steel club, then had their bellies sliced open, he added.

A former Tuol Sleng guard is expected to later testify that many prisoners were drained of their blood.

"Victims would be strapped to a bed, hooked up to an IV and literally have their life drained out of them," Petit said.

Duch is charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity, premeditated murder and torture. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in jail.

But he has denied personally executing anyone, and has only admitted to torturing two prisoners.

Duch told the court he feared for his life and his family, and acted under orders from superiors in the Khmer Rouge - a regime which killed up to two million people through starvation, overwork, torture and execution.

His defence team has indicated it thinks judges could go easier on him after his demonstration of contrition and cooperation. Yet it will be hard pressed to counter the emerging image of him as an exacting executioner.

To better understand Tuol Sleng's organising structure the court last week heard about M-13, which Duch ran during the 1971-1975 Khmer Rouge insurgency against the then US-backed government.

Francois Bizot, a French anthropologist who was nabbed by Khmer Rouge fighters in 1971 and accused of spying for the CIA, told the court Duch was terrified of his superiors but admitted to torture.

Bizot, who wrote the best-selling book 'The Gate' about his experiences at M-13, said: "Until then I thought I was in the right part of humanity, that there were monsters (like Duch) whom I would never resemble."

The next witness, 72-year-old Ouch Sorn, said he was arrested in 1974 on suspicion of espionage and held shackled in a pit at M-13 for two months before being released to work there sweeping and digging graves.

"I dared not to have any contact with (Duch). I was so afraid of him I dared not to look into his face," the former rice farmer said, adding that at least three prisoners died every day in the year he was at the jungle prison.

He described dogs carrying away prisoners' remains as well as multiple beatings and executions, including one in which a woman was buried alive. Duch, however, disputed the testimony.

"When I interrogated women, I never let a detainee see it. Number two, I never beat any female detainees and third, when detainees were beaten, no one else was helping me to beat that person," Duch said.

The trial is due to continue on April 20, and is expected to last several months.

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New year in thailand

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Khmer Krom celebrate Khmer New Year under Vietnamese oppression

Traditional beauty: Performers from Anh Binh Minh Art Troupe offer a taste of Khmer tradition during the Chol Chnam Thmay (New Year) Festival that has begun in the Mekong Delta. — VNS Photo Huynh Su

Khmer performers pull out all the stops

14-04-2009
VNS (Hanoi)

TRA VINH — The Anh Binh Minh Traditional Art Troupe of the southern province Tra Vinh has lined up a range of shows to celebrate the Khmer New Year, Chol Chnam Thmay, from April 13 to 15.

Dozens of its artists have fanned out around Tra Vinh, Soc Trang and Ca Mau provinces for performances based on the culture and lifestyle of the Khmer.
Dressed in traditional ethnic clothes, young and veteran performers sing and dance, but also perform serious plays focusing on the religion, traditional customs, and arts of the Khmer people.

"Our performances showcase the beauty of the Khmer spirit," said Meritorious Artist Kim Thinh, head of Anh Binh Minh, one of the province’s leading art troupes.

"We hope our shows enable young people to improve their knowledge about tradition, understand the greatness of their country’s rich culture, as well as learn useful lessons about love, life and people," he said.

In Ca Mau, Thinh and his colleagues have visited remote districts like Thoi Binh, Tran Van Thoi, and U Minh, performing in front of several thousands of people.

"We’re not looking to make a profit from these shows but we hope to encourage young people to love their culture more," said Thinh, who often travels with his staff by boat to remote areas to meet their fans.

"Chol Chnam Thmay is a time for people, especially youth, to celebrate after a year’s hard work and studies," Phan Huu Hung, a farmer in Thoi Binh District, said.

"We love to see Anh Binh Minh artists because their shows are quality and feature our Khmer culture," he added.

As in past years, the troupe along with many others is putting up free performances during the festival.

There are nearly 1.3 million Khmers in the Mekong Delta, chiefly in Soc Trang and Tra Vinh.

Local residents and visitors have flocked to participate in music programmes, traditional games, and sports competitions launched at the beginning of this month by local authorities.

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This Year, a Blood Goddess To Protect Cambodia

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
14 April 2009

Cambodians joyously celebrated the first day of the New Year early Tuesday, in celebrations that began at 1:36 am with fireworks exploding over Phnom Penh.

The nation’s 14 million revelers brought in the Year of the Ox, the 2553rd year of the Buddhist calendar, preparing for three days of celebrations and ritual.
“Not specifically for this year, but every New Year, Cambodian citizens must prepare flowers, fruits, Baysei [religious decorations], water and drink offerings to the goddesses, who come down [from the sky] annually to protect human beings,” said Miech Ponn, adviser to the board of Khmer customs at the Buddhist Institute in Phnom Penh.

“The preparations for the goddess must also respect the preferences of the goddess, what kind of fruit she eats this year,” he said. “For example, if the goddess eats bananas, it is mandatory that believers must have bananas.”

Seven goddesses of the Kabel Morha Prumh rotate from the sky to watch over the country, he said. This year is for the third goddess, Reak Ksaksar Devy, who has a predilection for blood—denoting a year of possible bloodshed, such as in war and accidents, he said.

While appeasing the goddess, Cambodians will also undertake Buddhist rituals, meditating for their ancestors and washing statues of Buddha, while also engaging in tradition folk games that include hiding a scarf for the Leak Kanseng and others.

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20 Arrested Following New Year Violence

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
14 April 2009

Battambang provincial authorities detained around 20 people who threw stones at a border casino Tuesday morning, following a confrontation at a New Year concert in Thailand.
Two Cambodians were injured in fighting between Cambodian and Thai revelers, who began scuffling while dancing to ring in the New Year.

Angered by the fighting, some 60 people then entered the compound of a casino owned by a Thai, on the Cambodian side of the border, and began throwing dozens of stones at the main building’s windows, Kamreang district’s police chief, Chhim Kim Hong, told VOA Khmer.

“We arrested around 20 people and confiscated a truck full of stones,” he said. “During the intervention, two police were wounded and a military police truck was damaged.”

Cambodia and Thailand are engaged in an ongoing border dispute at Preah Vihear province, far to the east, but tensions have remained high across the frontier.

In 2003, Cambodian mobs burned and looted the Thai Embassy and other Thai businesses, following rumors that a Thai actress made remarks about Angkor Wat.

Battambang Police Chief Sar Theth said the police were called in to prevent disorder.

“We cannot tolerate their illegal activity,” he said, adding that the suspects were being held at the district police station as a report was compiled for the courts.

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At Roots, New Year Is Buddhist: Monk

By Nuch Sarita, VOA Khmer
Washington
14 April 2009

Revelers should recall that the New Year is a Buddhist holiday, a reminder for Cambodians to live following a Buddhist path, a senior monk said Monday.

The New Year, celebrated in the middle of April each year, follows the rice harvest, a break for people in the countryside, whom comprise 85 percent of the population, the venerable Hok Sovann said, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”

The New Year heralds the start of a Buddhist year, in this case 2553, and is celebrated in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, and in some parts of India.

The New Year is also a reminder that Buddhism should be separated from politics, Hok Sovann said.

“The killing of one another has nothing to do with Buddhism, it is merely politics. Buddhist followers sometimes fall victim to politicians,” he said.

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Thailand issues Thaksin warrant

Activists abandoned their positions after protests were called off to avoid further unrest [AFP]

Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Al Jazeera

A Bangkok court has issued arrest warrants for Thaksin Shinawatra, the exiled former prime minister, and 13 of his supporters after violent demonstrations that left two people dead and scores injured.

The anti-government "Red Shirts" called off their protests earlier on Tuesday as the military tightened its grip on the city.


"Thaksin and his allies were charged by the court for illegal assembly of more than 10 people, threatening acts of violence and breach of the peace, punishable with five years in jail," the warrant said.

Thaksin has addressed the crowd of protesters via video nearly every evening since the latest round of protests began on March 26, but denied in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera that he encouraged violence.

"I'm not instigating it I keep telling them we should do it peacefully, each day I tell them peaceful, peaceful peaceful," he said.

Thaksin was ousted as prime minister during a bloodless coup in 2006 and was convicted in absentia of violating a conflict of interest law.

He is also accused of inciting people to break the law and cause unrest, a charge punishable by seven years in prison.

Thaksin said he would only return to Thailand to face trial if a "neutral body' had carried out the investigation and he could be guaranteed a fair trial.

Positions abandoned

Early on Tuesday around 2,000 protesters who have camped out around Government House for more than two weeks had been encircled by soldiers, raising fears of a repeat of Monday's bloody clashes.

But after a meeting of representatives of both sides, protest leaders called on the demonstrators to abandon their positions and they began to move away with their arms raised.

As the protesters began to file away, a protest organiser told Al Jazeera they were not giving up their fight to force the Abhisit Vehjjajiva, the Thai prime minister, from power.

"There is no loss we're taking a step back in order to go forward," Suporn Atthawong said.

"We’ll be back at a later date.

"We have decided to call off the rally today because many brothers and sisters have been hurt and killed. We don't want everybody to suffer the same. And we will not allow more deaths."

At least two people were reported killed overnight, apparently in clashes with pro-government supporters.

More than 120 people are reported to have been injured.

Abhisit said the military had used "soft means" in handling the protests and welcomed the decision to halt the demonstrations.

"I don't consider this a victory or defeat but it's a victory for peace in society," he said in a televised speech.

"The operation under the state of emergency is not over. There are still things to do. I insist the government will not be negligent because we have to remain vigilant."

Corruption

Political tensions have simmered since 2006 when Thaksin was ousted by a military coup amid accusations of corruption and abuse of power, a year after he won re-election in a landslide.

He remains popular among Thailand's rural poor for the populist policies he introduced.

Despite being in self-imposed exile, Thaksin remains an influential force and has sent almost daily video and audio messages to Red Shirt rallies, supporting their call for the current prime minister to resign and hold fresh elections.

However, Thaksin told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that he did not aiming to become prime minister again.

"I'm not really wanting to be prime minister but if the country need me if the people need me I will. Because I’m 60 in July I want to spend my life peacefully," he said.

The Red Shirts took their cue from protests last year by rival "Yellow Shirts" who took to the streets in huge demonstrations against successive pro-Thaksin governments.

Those protests culminated in the shutdown of Bangkok's two airports and court rulings ordering the dissolution of the government, paving the way for Abhisit to take power in December.

The Red Shirts took to the streets last month, accusing Abhisit of taking power illegally.

They say the Thai elite – the military, judiciary and other unelected officials – are interfering in politics, and are seeking Thaksin's rehabilitation.

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