[The following is in regards to the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, commonly known as Comrade Duch, who was the head of the Khmer Rouge’s internal security branch, in which he oversaw the Tuol Sleng (S-21) prison camp where thousands were held for interrogation and torture. While the trial itself takes place in the early 2000s, I still felt it appropriate, as the trial only covered events taking place between the years 1975-1979. Every testimony is from that time period, and everything depicted by the author, who was present at the trial, are essentially reactions to this gruesome period of history by contemporaries who were present or had participated. In that sense, I feel this fits well for our purposes, and I do not believe it breaks the 20 Year Rule.]
At thirty-one, Ou Windy was a civil servant in the ministry of foreign affairs, on secondment in the prime minister’s cabinet. A married father of three, Windy was a graduate of the Cambodian National School of Administration and the first-born of a group of siblings who had all the advantages and were destined to succeed. His date of entry to S-21 is listed as February 13, 1976. His date of execution: May 20, 1976. His little brother has been thinking about it for thirty years. For 10,950 days and nights, he says.
I attended this trial because I wanted to try to experience what my brother went through; I wanted to share his suffering and fear, in my own way. I wanted to imagine the pain that you feel when someone hits you, when someone tears out your fingernails, when someone electrocutes you, when you’re starving, when you’re chained up. Your Honor, I thought I had no more tears. But I see now that I have more.
Source:
Cruvellier, T., and Alex Gilly. “Chapter 32.” The Master of Confessions: The Making of a Khmer Rouge Torturer. Ecco, 2014. 248. Print.
Further Reading:
សារមន្ទីរឧក្រិដ្ឋកម្មប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍ទួលស្លែង (Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum) / Security Prison 21 (S-21)
If you enjoy this type of content, please consider donating to my Patreon!
Tool - 10,000 Days