Lea Moek

VPA-KT0007

Lea Moek

Male

Khmer

Khmer

Enkoma village, Kampong Svay commune, Kampong Svay district, Kampong Thom province

19400706

Farmer

Trapeang Thma village, Salavisay commune, Prasat Balangk, Kampong Thom province

1977

Prey Torting security center

Prey Torting security center

In the dry season of 1977, I was detained for seven days at Prey Torting security center, located to the east of Skun in Kampong Cham province. Detained at the security center with me were Phan from Takeo province, Thaong Hy, living in Trapeang Thmor village, Thiem, the economic chief of Salavisay commune who passed away in Morha village, Cheay commune, Kampong Svay district, and two more people whose names I forget, but who live in Mahor village, Kampong Svay district.

After Noeu, a chief of Prey Torting security center, witnessed my group transporting fifteen kilograms of dried fish and palm sugar on our bicycles, he called for us to stop and asked for four or five dried fish. When Thiem, my unit chief, refused to give him the dried fish, Noeu did not allow us to leave and then detained us at Prey Torting security centre. During the detention, I was allowed to go and scavenge for large red ants to feed my seven group members, as there was nothing to eat. Afraid that I would escape, two security police followed me the entire time. Thiem, a chief of an economic unit, and Phan, a deputy chief of an economic unit, told me that Noeu had written to a regional chief of Kampong Thom province and asked him about my background. Seven days later, I was released along with all of the members of the Salavisay commune economic unit. At this point, Thiem gave Noeu four or five dried fish. Though I was provisionally detained at the security centre, I was not handcuffed or shackled. Prior to the detention, I had carried dried fish from Salavisay commune to Peam Chykang district in order to exchange the fish for tobacco.

Killing

In 1976, accused of performing his tasks poorly, Hun Mann, my brother-in-law, was killed at a Kampong Thom provincial security centre. Hum Mann worked as a messenger at the Kampong Thom provincial hall. I do not know whom Hun Mann worked for. Prior to his death, I visited him twice. His colleague later told me, “Hun Man was detained and starved to death.� I do not know who starved him to death.

Evacuation

After city dwellers arrived in Khmakk village, Ta Sun, a cooperative chief, assigned these newcomers to live with base people. A month later, Ta Sun ordered me to drive an oxcart to bring three new people families (consisting of 6 people, mostly women and children, who were soldiers, soldiers’ wives, and teachers during the Lon Nol regime) to Salavisay pagoda, where they were executed. I did not enter the compound of the pagoda. When I arrived, three people were at the site preparing to use their bicycles to take the new people families further. I think the three commune security police were waiting to take the new people away to kill them, most probably using sticks and bamboo. I also heard sounds of people being beaten with sticks before falling into a grave. After killing these new people, the security police removed the clothes of the dead and gave these items to oxcart drivers to be brought back to the cooperative. I do not know who the executioners were, but I know that these new people were killed because they had been soldiers, wives of Lon Nol soldiers, professors, and university students under the Lon Nol regime.

In the rainy season of 1978, I was assigned to plow half a hectare (the equivalent of 25 A) of paddy field per day by Ta It, a deputy chief of Salavisay commune, and given two buffaloes to complete this task. I went to plow the paddy field in Veal Poban, Kdey Sen commune, Santok district. I completed this assigned task every day. At one point, when my two-month-old child, Moek Rem, fell ill, I asked Ta It if I could go and visit my child and subsequently did not finish the assigned task. Ta It thus did not allow me to go and visit my child. He said, “There is a cooperative chief looking after the children!� Despite Ta It’s orders, I still managed to see my children and visited my baby for two or three days. A neighbor who treated my child said that the baby had fallen ill because of our surrounding environment.

Ta It then called upon me to plow the paddy field and worked me extremely hard, without rest, for a whole month. Beyond my normally assigned tasks, I was forced to plow one hectare of paddy field per day.

Complainant

No;

Road

No;

20080328

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