Khmer Rouge prison chief 'shocked' by his past

Khmer Rouge prison chief 'shocked' by his past
By Patrick Falby – 4 hours ago

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — A Khmer Rouge prison chief has told Cambodia's UN-backed
war crimes trial that he was "shocked" when confronted with his bloody past
and has prayed annually for forgiveness.

Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, is on trial for overseeing the torture
and extermination of 15,000 people who passed through the hardline communist
movement's notorious Tuol Sleng prison, also known as S-21.

"When I arrived at S-21, I was shocked for the numerous things that happened
there. I saw the victims or the survivors -- three of them -- who stood
before me. What happened in the past came back into my mind," Duch said.

The 66-year-old was describing his visit with court investigators last year
to the former prison, which now serves as a genocide museum, so that he
could re-enact his crimes.

Duch's defence team proceeded to show a short video of the visit, in which
he attempts to speak but begins to sob uncontrollably, removes his glasses
and is comforted by his lawyer.

"I made a speech for the souls of those who died. This is something that I
can never forget, the trip to Choeung Ek (the so-called killing field where
prisoners were killed) and S-21 in Phnom Penh," Duch said.

He told the court he became consumed with sorrow after fleeing the prison in
the face of Vietnam's 1979 invasion of Cambodia, and began to make an annual
prayer offering.

"First I asked forgiveness to my parents, then I asked forgiveness from all
my teachers, then I asked forgiveness to the victims of all the crimes,"
Duch said.

He then asked judges for permission to make a statement to the daughter of
one of Tuol Sleng's victims who was sitting in court.

However trial chamber president Nil Nonn denied the request, telling him he
would only be allowed to use testimony to speak to victims near the end of
proceedings.

Earlier in the day, Duch told the court he was twice incriminated in written
confessions by prisoners interrogated at his jail, and both times he left
the text for his superiors to see in trust that his loyalty would save him.

"I did not make any changes to it because if I did, people would notice that
I deleted my name because I did not want to be implicated," Duch said.

Swiss lawyer Alain Werner asked Duch how he then avoided being interrogated
and executed, which was standard practice for those named in confessions
during the 1975-1979 regime.

"Why did nothing happen to you even though you were implicated twice in
confessions? Was it because you were protected by your superiors... who
admired your zeal?" Werner said.

Duch answered that the confessions, by a purged superior and a former
teacher, were not particularly strong, but added: "The fact is I survived
because I insisted I was loyal to (Khmer Rouge leaders)."

As his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity began in March, the
former maths teacher begged forgiveness from the victims of the movement and
accepted responsibility for his role at Tuol Sleng.

But Duch has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he had a
central role in the Khmer Rouge's iron-fisted rule. He maintains he tortured
only two people himself and never personally executed anyone.

The court does not have the authority to impose the death penalty, but Duch
faces a life sentence for war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and
premeditated murder.

Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot died in 1998, and many believe the tribunal is
the last chance to find justice for victims of the communist regime, which
killed up to two million people.

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.

Copyright © 2009 AFP.

Independently Searching for the Truth since 1997.
MEMORY & JUSTICE

Youk Chhang, Director
Documentation Center of Cambodia
P.O. Box 1110
66 Sihanouk Blvd.,
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
t: +855 23 211 875
f: +855 23 210 358
h: +855 12 905 595
e: dccam@online.com.kh
www.dccam.org

Observing the ECCC. Daily Report; please visit: www.cambodiatribunal.org

Transform the River of Blood into a River of Reconciliation. A River of Responsibility.
Break the Silence.



http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gr3iUwP4JRLjgD6fuasPo_j25wDg

Khmer Rouge prison chief 'shocked' by his past
By Patrick Falby – 4 hours ago

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — A Khmer Rouge prison chief has told Cambodia's UN-backed
war crimes trial that he was "shocked" when confronted with his bloody past
and has prayed annually for forgiveness.

Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, is on trial for overseeing the torture
and extermination of 15,000 people who passed through the hardline communist
movement's notorious Tuol Sleng prison, also known as S-21.

"When I arrived at S-21, I was shocked for the numerous things that happened
there. I saw the victims or the survivors -- three of them -- who stood
before me. What happened in the past came back into my mind," Duch said.

The 66-year-old was describing his visit with court investigators last year
to the former prison, which now serves as a genocide museum, so that he
could re-enact his crimes.

Duch's defence team proceeded to show a short video of the visit, in which
he attempts to speak but begins to sob uncontrollably, removes his glasses
and is comforted by his lawyer.

"I made a speech for the souls of those who died. This is something that I
can never forget, the trip to Choeung Ek (the so-called killing field where
prisoners were killed) and S-21 in Phnom Penh," Duch said.

He told the court he became consumed with sorrow after fleeing the prison in
the face of Vietnam's 1979 invasion of Cambodia, and began to make an annual
prayer offering.

"First I asked forgiveness to my parents, then I asked forgiveness from all
my teachers, then I asked forgiveness to the victims of all the crimes,"
Duch said.

He then asked judges for permission to make a statement to the daughter of
one of Tuol Sleng's victims who was sitting in court.

However trial chamber president Nil Nonn denied the request, telling him he
would only be allowed to use testimony to speak to victims near the end of
proceedings.

Earlier in the day, Duch told the court he was twice incriminated in written
confessions by prisoners interrogated at his jail, and both times he left
the text for his superiors to see in trust that his loyalty would save him.

"I did not make any changes to it because if I did, people would notice that
I deleted my name because I did not want to be implicated," Duch said.

Swiss lawyer Alain Werner asked Duch how he then avoided being interrogated
and executed, which was standard practice for those named in confessions
during the 1975-1979 regime.

"Why did nothing happen to you even though you were implicated twice in
confessions? Was it because you were protected by your superiors... who
admired your zeal?" Werner said.

Duch answered that the confessions, by a purged superior and a former
teacher, were not particularly strong, but added: "The fact is I survived
because I insisted I was loyal to (Khmer Rouge leaders)."

As his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity began in March, the
former maths teacher begged forgiveness from the victims of the movement and
accepted responsibility for his role at Tuol Sleng.

But Duch has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he had a
central role in the Khmer Rouge's iron-fisted rule. He maintains he tortured
only two people himself and never personally executed anyone.

The court does not have the authority to impose the death penalty, but Duch
faces a life sentence for war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and
premeditated murder.

Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot died in 1998, and many believe the tribunal is
the last chance to find justice for victims of the communist regime, which
killed up to two million people.

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.

Copyright © 2009 AFP.

Independently Searching for the Truth since 1997.
MEMORY & JUSTICE

Youk Chhang, Director
Documentation Center of Cambodia
P.O. Box 1110
66 Sihanouk Blvd.,
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
t: +855 23 211 875
f: +855 23 210 358
h: +855 12 905 595
e: dccam@online.com.kh
www.dccam.org

Observing the ECCC. Daily Report; please visit: www.cambodiatribunal.org

Transform the River of Blood into a River of Reconciliation. A River of Responsibility.
Break the Silence.



http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gr3iUwP4JRLjgD6fuasPo_j25wDg

Khmer Rouge prison chief 'shocked' by his past
By Patrick Falby – 4 hours ago

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — A Khmer Rouge prison chief has told Cambodia's UN-backed
war crimes trial that he was "shocked" when confronted with his bloody past
and has prayed annually for forgiveness.

Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, is on trial for overseeing the torture
and extermination of 15,000 people who passed through the hardline communist
movement's notorious Tuol Sleng prison, also known as S-21.

"When I arrived at S-21, I was shocked for the numerous things that happened
there. I saw the victims or the survivors -- three of them -- who stood
before me. What happened in the past came back into my mind," Duch said.

The 66-year-old was describing his visit with court investigators last year
to the former prison, which now serves as a genocide museum, so that he
could re-enact his crimes.

Duch's defence team proceeded to show a short video of the visit, in which
he attempts to speak but begins to sob uncontrollably, removes his glasses
and is comforted by his lawyer.

"I made a speech for the souls of those who died. This is something that I
can never forget, the trip to Choeung Ek (the so-called killing field where
prisoners were killed) and S-21 in Phnom Penh," Duch said.

He told the court he became consumed with sorrow after fleeing the prison in
the face of Vietnam's 1979 invasion of Cambodia, and began to make an annual
prayer offering.

"First I asked forgiveness to my parents, then I asked forgiveness from all
my teachers, then I asked forgiveness to the victims of all the crimes,"
Duch said.

He then asked judges for permission to make a statement to the daughter of
one of Tuol Sleng's victims who was sitting in court.

However trial chamber president Nil Nonn denied the request, telling him he
would only be allowed to use testimony to speak to victims near the end of
proceedings.

Earlier in the day, Duch told the court he was twice incriminated in written
confessions by prisoners interrogated at his jail, and both times he left
the text for his superiors to see in trust that his loyalty would save him.

"I did not make any changes to it because if I did, people would notice that
I deleted my name because I did not want to be implicated," Duch said.

Swiss lawyer Alain Werner asked Duch how he then avoided being interrogated
and executed, which was standard practice for those named in confessions
during the 1975-1979 regime.

"Why did nothing happen to you even though you were implicated twice in
confessions? Was it because you were protected by your superiors... who
admired your zeal?" Werner said.

Duch answered that the confessions, by a purged superior and a former
teacher, were not particularly strong, but added: "The fact is I survived
because I insisted I was loyal to (Khmer Rouge leaders)."

As his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity began in March, the
former maths teacher begged forgiveness from the victims of the movement and
accepted responsibility for his role at Tuol Sleng.

But Duch has consistently rejected claims by prosecutors that he had a
central role in the Khmer Rouge's iron-fisted rule. He maintains he tortured
only two people himself and never personally executed anyone.

The court does not have the authority to impose the death penalty, but Duch
faces a life sentence for war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and
premeditated murder.

Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot died in 1998, and many believe the tribunal is
the last chance to find justice for victims of the communist regime, which
killed up to two million people.

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.

Copyright © 2009 AFP.