Mapping project 1999, Banteay Meanchey province.

D119511

Mapping project 1999, Banteay Meanchey province.

English

Cambodia

Banteay Meanchey

Information about Banteay Meanchey province

In short, according to Mr. Ek Sangvat and Hap Svang, in 1984, statistics on people killed in every Sub-district showed that 8,000 people
died, but only 700 human bones were recovered through excavation. The documents and evidence detailing this information were
destroyed by fire when the Khmer Rouge captured Thmar Puork District in 1985. On September 30, 1985, Para armed forces captured the
District, and the remaining evidentiary documents were destroyed. An informant who survived detention at the security office lives far
away, too far for us to interview the subject. The informant moved from Serei Saophoan to another location. Only his sibling knows
where he lives now.

At the end of our interview, Mr. Hap Svang and Mr. Ek Sangvat said that if a national or international court to judge the Khmer Rouge
were established, they would volunteer to testify before the court to help find justice for the Cambodian people. They would not hesitate to
do so, because they had relatives killed by the Khmer Rouge, and they suffered a lot during the period of three years and eight months. Mr.
Hap Svang has two families of relatives. Between the two families, ten members died during the Khmer Rouge regime. Mr. Ek Sangvat's
parents and his seven siblings also died. So, they both are very angry at the Khmer Rouge, and will never forget what happened to them.

At 4:30 pm that same day, after the interviews with our informants, the team set off on its journey to examine the genocide sites. There
were three places where excavation had been done, as already mentioned. At these three killing sites, there was a total of seven pits. We
were guided by Mr. Ek Sangvat and Mr. Ky Keav, captain and commander of Engineering Army Group F7, based at Ekpheap Village,
Kumrou Sub-district, Thmar Puork District, Banteay Meanchey Province.

Today, the pits are almost unidentifiable, as they have been covered with soil. Nonetheless, the team photographed the pit sites as
historical evidence for the younger generation.

After examining the pits, we decided to pay a visit to Banteay Chhmar temple, about sixteen kilometers from Thmar Puork District town,
because the team wanted to see the temple and to learn why a Thai princess was visiting the temple.

We examined Banteay Chhmar temple. We felt very sorrowful and shocked. The temple was almost completely in ruins. Giant stones were
piled up one upon another. There was no entrance to the inside of the temple, as it had been covered with piles of stones.

Banteay Chhmar temple covers an area of one square kilometer, but the temple itself is a ruin. We could see only giant stone piles.
According to Mr. Ky Keav and Ek Sangvat, the temple had previously been under the control of liberation armed forces, the Sereikar (or
Free Khmer). The Cambodian People's Party (CPP) was not responsible for the temple prior to 1998, but since the 1998 general election,
the CPP and the Funcinpec Party have cooperated to defend this area. So, the destruction of the temple was not the CPP's responsibility.
When the temple was under the control of the liberation armed forces, some commanders ordered their soldiers to excavate for antiquities
such as statues under the temple. This caused the temple to collapse. In one instance, this caused temple stones to fall on children, killing
them.Up until 1990, the temple was in fairly good condition, but after being looted of antiquities by thieves, the temple was almost completely in
ruins. It is said that a large sheet of the temple stone fetches 3,000 to 4,000 baht in Thailand.

In conclusion, we achieved few results from this research expedition. In interviewing informants in Banteay Meanchey Province, we went
only to one of its Districts, Thmar Puork District. We did not go to Banteay Ampil District, because that District is now administratively
part of Oddar Meanchey Province. When we wish to go there, we will have to contact the provincial authorities in advance. The trip to
that District will be extremely difficult, as the road is riddled with numerous big potholes and the bridges have been destroyed by flooding.
So, it will not be possible to make that trip by car. The logistics will involve a raft and oxcarts. It is seventy kilometers distant, and will
require a full day of travel. It will be wiser to attempt that trip in the dry season, rather than the rainy season.

The informant who survived detention in the Khmer Rouge security office lives very far from the site, and we have not yet been able to
determine his current address. Time did not permit it, so our team could not interview that informant. Even though we have few results,
we nonetheless compiled this document to be published as an historical record for younger generation, so they can be aware of the troubles
during the 3 years, 8 months and 20 days of the Khmer Rouge regime. End.

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