Regime Survivor to Victims: Exercise Rights
No rights existed under the Khmer Rouge, so its victims must now exercise them, a former prisoner said Friday. (29 August 2008)
Tuol Sleng prison survivor Chum Mey on Friday called onliving victims of the Khmer Rouge to file further complaints against five formerregime leaders now in the custody of the tribunal. Chum Mey, who was imprisoned at Tuol Sleng until Vietnameseforces pushed the Khmer Rouge out of PhnomPenh in January 1979, said victims must exercise theirright to complain, as no such rights existed under Democratic Kampuchea. "They closed our mouths and our ears, and they bannedour eyes from seeing," he told seminar on victim compensation in Phnom Penh Friday. "Butnow I tell you we have full rights. I need to ask you to file complaints asmuch as possible to try those five." Chum Mey, who is 77 now, spoke during a seminar held by therights group Adhoc to discuss possible reparations for victims followingpotential trials of the five former leaders: "Brother No. 2" NuonChea, nominal president Khieu Samphan, foreign minister Ieng Sary, socialaffairs minister Ieng Thirith and Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing Kek Iev, betterknown by his revolutionary name, Duch. "Do not let them go free," said Chum Mey, whohimself has filed a complaint to the Khmer Rouge tribunal as a civil party. "Ifwe file many complaints, the evidence will be more solid to prove there wasmass killing." The Victims Unit of the Khmer Rouge tribunal, located behindthe Cambodian Red Cross Hospital on Norodom Boulevard, estimates about 1,800 peoplehave so far filed complaints. Not all of them have been accepted by the courts,but more than 60 complaints will be used against Duch, whose case is nearingthe trial stage. Victims still lack access to information on filingcomplaints, said Hisham Mousar, who monitors the courts for the rights groupAdhoc. The tribunal should have a budget to support victims in thecomplaint process, he added. Some people know they can complain, but they don't knowwhere to go, Chum Mey said. Many of them are poor and are more concerned aboutmaking a living than making a trip to PhnomPenh to file a complaint. Chea Sorn, 71, who attended Friday's seminar, said she wasamong those who want to file but do not know how. "I alone am still alive; 10 others died," she said,weeping. "I don't know how to file a complaint. I earn money by keeping aparcel of land for one owner. I would rather die and forget all thesedifficulties."