|
|
|
LETTER FROM KRATIE PROVINCE
To Highly
respected Mr Director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia
First of all, I
would like to express my gratitude and sincere welcome to Mr Director of the
Documentation Center of Cambodia and your colleagues with great enthusiasm after
receiving a letter from you and your important magazine, “The Truth”.
Beloved Director
of DC-Cam, although I haven’t met you, I once had a sincere cooperation with Mr
Phat Kosal, Deputy Director of DC-Cam. We have visited the main [genocide]
locations in our Kratie Province. I am very exited and moved by the texts and
images of the magazine, as I am one of the Cambodian victims under the Khmer
Rouge regime, which killed my father, father-in-law, mother-in-law, wife, and
three children, who were all accused of being KGB agents. I lost more than ten
family member and relatives. I and the approximately 80 people with whom I read
your magazine, are very glad to discover that “The Truth” is free from political
bias and features a wide variety of articles concerning international law which
can serve to catalyze momentum for a possible trial in the future. This is the
abiding hope of the Cambodian citizenry, those who survived the regime as well
as the souls of parents who lost their lives under the regime’s barbarous
genocide of their own people. The people of Cambodia wish to make the souls of
the dead rest in peace, and demand justice according to our religious
principles, national, and international law.
Highly respected
Director, the Khmer Rouge senior leaders who plunged the country deeply into the
pit of death must be tried for things that cannot be forgiven. The people of the
new millenium demand to have a trial, as in the case of General Pinochet and
leaders of other countries who practiced fascism. The thing must be done without
delay so that the leaders of Democratic Kampuchea are not permitted to become
too old or die by natural or other causes. That is, a trial must be held before
their deaths. The government has raised the issue of “whether a national or
international tribunal will be established. How many national and international
judges” As to legal procedures, I dare not express an opinion. This issue
remains complicated and intricate, because there is so much involved concerning
certain countries, including powerful ones. For example, Mr Benson Samay,
defense lawyer for Ta Mok, in his interview on television, stated that “....Ta
Mok will implicate people, including U.S. Secretary of State [Henry Kissinger]
based upon existing documents...and leaders of certain countries.…”
As to
recommendations or advice on upgrading the quality and effectiveness of methods
to educate the public, especially the victims, in the fields of history and the
Khmer Rouge trial, I have no ideas or advice better than the contents designed
and organized by the DC-Cam. In addition to these points of satisfaction, I
would like to list down my requests in relation to your publication: 1) the
print size should be increased for the benefit of older readers, as the current
size doesn’t work well for those who wear glasses; 2) the photos should be
accompanied by brief captions; 3) the magazine should have a column for readers
at the back, through which the views of all circles, including workers, farmers,
intellectuals, monks, and ethnic minorities, can be aired; 4) one copy of the
magazine should be distributed to each Provincial Chief of Monastry. There are
only a little more than twenty provinces, and in each province there is only one
chief. The monasteries in Cambodia suffered seriously under the regime’s three
years, eight months, and twenty days, with most having been converted into
prisons and centers of crime and torture, such as Wat Chum Puh Ka-ek in Kandal
Province, Wat Chroy Ampel, Cham Bak sub-district, Kratie Province, in the well
of which, hundreds of victims were killed; and 5) as a personal request, I would
like to have one copy every month so that I can go on with my reading from the
previous issues. I will cooperate and provide relevant documents or texts within
my own capacity.
Once again I would
like to say thanks to you and your colleagues and wish your historical mission
success.
Great happiness,
good health and success in all circumstances.
Uch
Sun Lay
|
|
