Huot Sambath

Searching for the truth. Magazine of Documentation Center of Cambodia Number 20, August 2001 Table of Contents Angkar’s Daughter Letter: The Historic Nature of the KR Trial Law ....1 DOCUMENTATION The Standing Committee Meeting ..........................2 Kampuchean Communist Youth League .................5 Statement of Nuon Chea .......................................6 Five Years of the Mapping Project .........................10 Master Genocide Site Data ....................................11 Huot Sambath ........................................................13 Sentimental Expression ..........................................17 HISTORY Voices from S-21....................................................19 Begrudgement, Reconciliation ...............................25 LEGAL Principle Crimes Under Pre-1975 Law ..................31 Evidence in the Prospective Trials ........................33 PUBLIC DEBATE The Khmer Rouge and the Vietnamese..................35 Copyright © Seven Candidates for Prosecution .........................38 Documentation Center of Cambodia 50 Bringing the Khmer Rouge to Justice ....................39 All rights reserved. Licensed by the Ministry of Information of 50 How the Khmer Rouge Tribunal Was Agreed .......42 the Royal Government of Cambodia, 50 Prakas No.0291 P.M99 50 FAMILY TRACING August 2, 1999. 100 Dream or Reality ...................................................47 Photographs by the Documentation Center of 100 Letter from Readers ..............................................48 Cambodia and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. 100 100 KHMER ROUGE ARTS The English translation edited by 100 Youk Chhang and Wynne Cougill KR POEM: Determine to Turn Our .........Back Cover Proofread by Julio A. Jeldres and Rich Arant. 100 Contributors: Rasy Pheng Pong, Dara P. Vanthan, David Chandler, Alex Hinto, Jason S. Abrams and Steven R. Ratner, John Ciorciari, Dmitry Mosyakov, Ben Kiernan, Thomas Hammarberg, Sydney Leang. Staff Writers: Kalyan Sann, Sophal Ly, Black Sophearith Chuong. Assistant Editor-in-chief: Sokhym Em. First Deputy Editor-in-chief: Kosal Phat. Second Deputy Yellow Editor-in-chief: Sorya Sim. Editor-in-chief: Youk Chhang. Graphic Designer: Sopheak Sim. Distributor: Sopheak Try. Magenta Cyan Searching for the truth Letter Number 20, August 2001 Letter : THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE KHMER ROUGE TRIAL LAW On Friday, August 10, 2001, King seen as a bad thing. Rather, it should be viewed Norodom Sihanouk signed a law on the as a step on the road to democracy, which, with establishment of a Khmer Rouge tribunal. This the cooperation and participation of all event represents an historic achievement in segments of society, will lead to a more just three respects. future with greater safeguards for the promotion First, this is the first time that a law has and protection of human rights for all. been enacted in Cambodia to prosecute the Article 1 of the law states: “The purpose country’s national leaders. The hybrid Cambodian- of this law is to bring to trial senior leaders of UN tribunal will serve as a role model for Democratic Kampuchea and those who were dealing with any future crises that may be most responsible for the crimes and serious caused by national leaders. Second, the right to violations of Cambodian penal law, international life, which was so casually violated in the past, humanitarian law and custom, and international will be promoted and protected. It will also conventions recognized by Cambodia, that were mark the end of the culture of impunity that has committed during the period from 17 April characterized Cambodia for the past quarter 1975 to 6 January 1979.” 50 century. Third, the tribunal’s legal proceedings Article 3 provides for the punishment of 50 will help our country move toward a truly any violation of certain articles. It states: “The 50 democratic society. penalty for conviction under Articles 209, 500, 50 100 The trial law will also be an intervention. 506 or 507 of the 1956 Penal Code shall be 100 It will help right past wrongs while simultaneously limited to a maximum of life imprisonment, in 100 serving to warn against violations, both in the accordance with Article 32 of the Constitution 100 present and the future. And as with all efforts of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and as further 100 made to build societies, the tribunal will stipulated in Articles 38 and 39 of this Law.” 100 encounter problems that must be worked out. This, however, should not necessarily be Youk Chhang Black Yellow Magenta Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) 1 Cyan Number 20, August 2001 Searching for the truth Documentation THE STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING, OCTOBER 9, 1975 Sophearith Chuong The October 9, 1975 “Standing Meeting” of the on Unit 870 (of the Central Political Body), which was Communist Party of Kampuchea’s Standing Committee responsible for both internal and international affairs and had three items on its agenda: 1) the separation of tasks defense. Second, there were not enough qualified cadres and procedures, 2) arrangements for communal living to fill the positions needed. It planned to implement two (collectivity), and 3) task assignments in the commercial measures to improve on thee shortcomings: try to achieve and military sectors. the correct allocation of labor, and get cadre selection 1. The Separation of Tasks and Procedures underway. Based on an earlier decision, the Standing For the above-mentioned measures, the meeting Committee assigned tasks to the following individuals: 1) decided that every sector had to obtain self-mastery in all The Committee’s Secretary, Comrade Secretary (Pol Pot), areas of implementing the party’s guidelines and was made responsible for the military and economic decisions. All sectors had to take the initiative in working sectors. 2) Its Deputy Secretary, Comrade Deputy with thoroughness and speed. They also had to know how Secretary (Nuon Chea), was given responsibility for to use party guidelines and decisions in the most social and cultural affairs, information and education. 3) appropriate and creative ways. In addition, a committee Comrade Van (Ieng Sary) was made the minister of was to spread information to members and take foreign affairs of Democratic Kampuchea, where he was initiatives. In proposing a project, all sectors had to ask to be responsible for foreign affairs in the framework of for permission from the Standing Committee. The both the party and state. 4) Comrade Hem (Khieu Committee then mentioned two points that were to be Samphan) was nominated as president of the State avoided: 1) If questions are directed only to the Standing Presidium, where he was to be responsible for [Committee], there would be no Democratic Centralism. government fronts and commercial activities in the field If all tasks were concentrated on the Committee, [it] of bookkeeping and pricing. 5) Comrade Thuch (Koy would be too exhausted to handle them. 2) Doing things Thuon) was made minister commerce, where he would without the Committee’s approval is unacceptable. oversee domestic and international commercial activities. Whether the decisions made by the Committee 6) Comrade Khieu (Son Sen) was made minister of could be accomplished successfully or not would be 50 defense, where he was to be responsible for both staff and characterized by the level of public comprehension. 50 security. 7) Comrade Vorn (Vorn Vet) was made minister Cadres were not just document compilers; they were also 50 of industry and fisheries. 8) Comrade Doeun was selected document analysts. But the meeting decided that tasks 50 to be chief of the political department of Unit 870. 9) should be done scientifically in order to upgrade the level 100 Comrade Phea (Ieng Thirith) was made responsible for of self-mastry. 100 the cultural sector, social affairs, and foreign affairs. 10) At the meeting, it was requested that minutes be 100 Comrade At (Yun Yat) was to be responsible for internal taken carefully and precisely. Accurate responses were to and external education campaigns. 11) Comrade Chey be made in regards to any prospective questions, 100 was made responsible for the agricultural sector. 12) including the decisions of the party and date of the 100 Comrade Yem was made responsible for the office meeting. If the minutes were not clear, they would be 100 administration of Unit 870. 13) Comrade Pang was made time-consuming to review. The Standing Committee had responsible for governmental departments. two ways of working: communally and separately. During Black The Standing Committee believed that two main the meeting, the Standing Committee decided that every shortcomings needed correction. First, too many tasks fell cadre had to make his/her respective report, unless such Yellow Magenta 2 Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) Cyan Searching for the truth Documentation Number 20, August 2001 work had been undertaken by comrade Doeun alone. It Mreuch, Koh Mnheul, Oreang and La Pal Khe. If Angkar was decided that from then on, there must be separate made any decisions in the coming dry season, military responsibility. The work would be done as long as active troops would be deployed at the aforementioned cadre assistants were recruited. The selection procedures locations. would be carried out following the discussion. c) Unification of Divisions 2. Arrangements for Communal Living To standardize the divisions, the Standing Following the meeting’s decision, arrangements Committee suggested that each division should have three for communal living were to proceed

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