Inside the Mind of Pol Pot’s Henchman
Thousands of Cambodians were tortured and killed under Pol Pot's horrific Khmer Rouge regime, and now one of the major players from that reign of torture and terror, Kang Khek Ieu, may face justice for his role in the deaths of about 17,000 people. Here, The Independent's Valerio Pellizzari hears the firsthand account during a rare interview with the man formerly known as "Duch."
Thousands of Cambodians were tortured and killed under Pol Pot’s horrific Khmer Rouge regime, and now one of the major players from that reign of torture and terror, Kang Khek Ieu, may face justice for his role in the deaths of about 17,000 people. Here, The Independent’s Valerio Pellizzari hears the firsthand account during a rare interview with “Duch,” who could soon stand trial for mass murder.
The Independent:
And even as he waits to confront the proof of his crimes, it is clear that, for him, there was never any choice: anybody who was thought to pose a threat to the revolution had to be tortured and killed. Asked whether he had any moments of uncertainty, any doubts or feelings of rebellion while he set about wiping out his country’s entire intellectual class, he answered: “There was a widespread and tacit understanding.
“I and everyone else who worked in that place knew that anyone who entered had to be psychologically demolished, eliminated by steady work, given no way out. No answer could avoid death. Nobody who came to us had any chance of saving himself.”
The command had come from above, he said. “All the prisoners had to be eliminated. We saw enemies, enemies, enemies everywhere.” He could not have rebelled or fled, he insisted. “If I had tried to flee, they were holding my family hostage, and my family would have suffered the same fate as the other prisoners in Tuol Sleng. If I had fled or rebelled it would not have helped anyone.”
WAIT, BEFORE YOU GO…If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Opinion
The media establishment finds itself heaping praise upon the "noted statesman" despite his enduring legacy as an indefatigable war criminal.
China's National Health Commission says 2,015 new cases were tallied on Tuesday, down from nearly 3,900 a week ago.
In their zeal to convict the president of high crimes, Democrats refuse to even question our aggressive, reckless policy in Eastern Europe.
Iran isn't the only country in the region where the president has signaled his intentions to commit war crimes on a massive scale.
Our military intervention there in the 1960s and ’70s cost 58,000 U.S. lives and created a gash in our nation's psyche that never healed.
Decades after the Vietnam War, natives of the Mekong Delta share their stories of loss, hardship and enduring suffering.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.