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Magazine of the Documentation Center of Cambodia Searching for THE TRUTH Appeal for Donation of Archives Truth can Overcome Denial in Cambodia (Photo: Heng Chivoan) “DC-Cam appeals for the donation of archival material as part of its Special English Edition mission to provide Cambodians with greater access to their history Second Quarter 2013 by housing these archival collections within its facilities.” -- Youk Chhang Searching for the truth. Magazine of the Documentation Center of Cambodia TABLE OF CONTENTS Special English Edition, Second Quarter 2013 LETTERS Appeal for Donation of Archives...........................1 Full of Hope with UNTAC....................................2 The Pandavas’ Journey Home................................3 DOCUMENTATION Hai Sam Ol Confessed...........................................6 HISTORY Sou Met, Former Khmer Rouge ...........................7 Tired of War, a Khmer Rouge Sodier...................9 From Khmer Rouge Militant to...........................12 Khmer Rouge Pedagogy......................................14 Chan Srey Mom: Prison looks.............................20 Malai: From Conflicted Area to...........................23 LEGAL Famine under the Khmer Rouge..........................26 Ung Pech was one of survivors from S-21 Security Office. In 1979, he turned Khieu Samphan to Remain..................................33 this Security Office into Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum with assistance from Vietnamese experts. Ung Pech had served as the director of this PUBLIC DEBATE museum until his death in 1994. Truth Can Overcome Denial................................35 Copyright © The Temple Case : Thailand and ........................38 Documentation Center of Cambodia Bloodlust in Bangladesh as International............40 All rights reserved. Licensed by the Ministry of Information of Reflection in Mental Health in ECCC.................42 the Royal Government of Cambodia, The Effort to Invent S-21 Would.........................45 Prakas No.0291 P.M99, Wealth of Khmer Rouge Leaders.........................47 2 August 1999. Nazi and Khmer Rouge Are Beyond...................48 Photographs by FAMILY TRACING the Documentation Center of Cambodia and A Painful Life During Democratic.......................52 Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. My brother Hai Sam Ol........................................60 Contributors: Savina Sirik, Dany Long, Sanas Min, Gregory Procknow, Barbara Serrano, Ashlee Stetser, Sovann Mam, Randle C. DeFalco, Kate Langford, Suzannah Linton, John Ciorciari, Young-Hee Kim, David Chandler, Daryn Reicherter, Gerald Gray, Kim-Leng Lim, Davin Chhay. Staff Writers: Bunthorn Som, Sarakmonin Teav and Sothida Sin. Editor-in-chief: Socheat Nhean. English Editor: George Wright. Publisher: Youk Chhang. Graphic Designer: Bunthorn Som. Distributor: Veng Chheng. Email: [email protected], Homepage: www.dccam.org SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH LETTER LETTER FROM YOUK CHHANG: APPEAL FOR DONATION OF ARCHIVES RELATED TO THE KR AND UNTAC PERIODS The Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) today, vast quantities of documents, photographs, film, respectfully appeals for the donation of archival material and audio recordings remain scattered amongst individuals related to the Khmer Rouge (KR) and United Nations and institutions around the world. With an aim toward Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) periods. restoring the country's access to these materials, DC- DC-Cam is an independent Cambodian NGO Cam appeals for their donation. Of course, individuals originally created by Yale University scholars pursuant and institutions may have legitimate concerns about to the Cambodian Genocide Justice Act of 1994. It is protecting the confidentiality of certain sources. DC- dedicated to ensuring memory and justice in Cambodia Cam is cognizant of this concern, and we believe viable with respect to the abuses of the infamous Democratic solutions can always be found to such problems. Kampuchea (DK) regime. The Center is the largest DC-Cam has been at the forefront of the effort to provider of evidence to the Extraordinary Chambers in collect, catalogue, and publicize records related to the the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), and it has been a pivotal Khmer Rouge period, and it is a recognized leader in the stakeholder in Cambodia's post-conflict reconciliation overarching struggle to ensure truth, accountability, and and reconstruction efforts. As part of these efforts, DC- justice in the wake of mass violence. DC-Cam appeals Cam supports a wide variety of different projects that for the donation of archival material as part of its mission contribute to scholarship, education, and promotion of to provide Cambodians with greater access to their history the arts. It is through these efforts that DC-Cam has by housing these archival collections within its facilities. been recognized as the principal agent for all genocide _________________________ education curricula in Cambodia's public school system. Youk Chhang is the Director of the Documentation But education is only one part of Cambodia's Center of Cambodia. struggle. Poor library services and the public's awareness and access to documents and archival material continue to be an ongoing hurdle in the country's struggle to reclaim its cultural and historical heritage. Indeed, Cambodia has suffered decades of war, atrocity, and social upheaval that ravaged the country's academic, scholarship, and cultural The 1940s-made camera, which was once used to take pictures of prisoners at S-21 Security Office during the heritage systems. Even Khmer Rouge period, was donated to DC-Cam by a son of S-21 survivor, Ung Pech. (Photo: Heng Chivoan) DOCUMENTATION CENTER OF CAMBODIA (DC-CAM) 1 SPECIAL ENGLISH EDITION, SECOND QUARTER 2013 FULL OF HOPE WITH UNTAC many threats against my life. The Khmer Rouge planted a landmine, just before my arrival, outside the bathroom to the pre-fabricated building that was my work area. To my sadness, one of my teammates triggered the mine and lost his leg. My car broke down one day in the jungle and I did not know how to fix it. In truth, it was my fault. I did not understand I had to change the oil in my vehicle back then. I just drove the car endlessly until one day the engine just Youk Chhang in Phnom Sruoch district in 1993 blew up. With smoke pouring out of the engine, I radioed I was in both Melbourne and Canberra, Australia, the UN for assistance. Assistance came, but not until in May for the UNTAC 20th Anniversary of Elections the next morning. My car broke down just shortly after in Cambodia, and in preparation for this meeting, I fell a Khmer Rouge patrol had passed. If it had broken down upon some old photographs, one of which I include here. just a bit earlier, I would have been captured and killed. Looking at this photo, you see that I was a brash young The U.N. security forces had pity on many of Cambodian-American with half-military, half-civilian us and I received the flak vest shown in the photo. It personalities. Based on my posture and the way I wore my was an old issue from the Bulgarian Army. It was so hot flak vest, you would think that I was cool and comfortable in those days that I could not bear to wear it properly. in my surroundings. I even cracked a grin for the camera. It's a wonder as to whether it really would have saved But appearances can be deceiving. me anyway, but it looked cool and so I wore it for the I was assigned to Phnom Srouch district in appearance. In my area, under U.N. control, the Bulgarian Kampong Speu province as UNTAC international staff Army provided security while the Australian Army in support of the election (1992-1993). During the managed the military communication networks (call UNTAC election, there were 101 polling stations and sign: FCU Kampong Speu, SPOE Emergency). my area covered a population of approximately I look back on how crazy, adventurous, and 250,000 voters. Half of Kampong Speu province was dangerous those days were and how crucial our efforts still under the control of the Khmer Rouge at that time, were to the future of Cambodia. and as a Cambodian with native fluency in Khmer, I was The Khmer Rouge were real menaces back a threat to the Khmer Rouge who were seeking to block then. They terrorized the population and murdered people the election. I could communicate to the voters and listen in cold blood. But look at where we are today. Over to the Khmer Rouge radio communications on my time, nearly all of them defected and now their leaders walkie-talkie. I was comfortable and adept with navigating are being tried for genocide, crimes against humanity, the local culture, and the ordinary people knew me as and war crimes by the Extraordinary Chambers in the one of them. (My code was Echo 15 throat fish). Courts of Cambodia. It was a long, difficult struggle, and But Phnom Srouch district was a tough place I was young, brash, and crazy back then; but sometimes in 1993–the district at that time was totally within the world needs a little bit of youthful craziness. Khmer Rouge territory, and the area was saturated ____________________ with land mines. It was a truly scary place to be. I had Youk Chhang DOCUMENTATION CENTER OF CAMBODIA (DC-CAM) 2 SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH LETTER THE PANDAVAS' JOURNEY HOME: A SYMBOL OF PAST CLOSURE Savina Sirik On June 11, 2013, after more than forty years the long struggle that Cambodians have waged in coming away from home, two 10th-century Pandava statues–also to grips with their past. known as the "Kneeling Attendants"–were returned to Cambodian history has come to be defined by Cambodia from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The two events: the illustrious Angkor period and the traumatic statues were brought to the Peace Palace of the Council years of genocide. In stark contrast to its beautiful of Ministers where they were displayed for the World Angkorian past, Cambodia has suffered decades of Heritage Committee Conference. The act of returning war and mass atrocities. Beyond causing the tragic loss these statues is clearly significant and Cambodia should of life, these events have devastated Cambodia's social take advantage by showcasing their return.