Pal Khun

VPA-KT0019

Pal Khun

Female

Khmer

Khmer

Ampoeu Diep village, Damreislap commune, Kampong Svay district, Kampong Thom province

19571026

Farmer

Vollyeav village, Damreislap commune, Kampong Svay district, Kampong Thom province

1976

A security center of Mepeach village, Mepeach commune, Kampong Svay district, Kampong Thom province

Killing

In late 1978, Pech was taken to be killed somewhere near a pond in a field, located one kilometer from Samrang village, Damrei Slap commune. I did not witness his death, but a villager who threshed rice with me (whose name I forget) told me about the incident. At the time, I had threshed rice with Pech, a man deported from the east zone and separated from his family. One evening, Pin, a chief who took charge of Chres village, called upon Pech, though I do not know who ordered him to do so.

During the meeting, Pech said, “Do not talk about anything or anyone. Be careful about C.I.A people with Yuon heads and Khmer bodies.� I do not know why Pech was killed. People saw his body being dragged in an area to the south of Samrang village.

In 1976, my uncle, Samet, was detained at a security center in Mepech village because he committed a moral offense with Yey Tum in Kdey Cha village, Damrei Slap commune. They found out that my uncle and Yey Tum had committed this moral offense when Yey Tum became pregnant. My uncle was interrogated during his detention at Mepech security center. I knew that people who committed moral offenses were taken to Mepech security center. Same, Samet’s brother, told me about the death of Samet. I do not know how Samet was executed or who killed him. Later on, Ta Kann, Samet’s father, was also detained and killed at Mepech security center. I do not know why they killed people or who was killed at Mepech because I lived far from the security center.

Forced labor

In 1977, I was assigned to work in a district mobile work brigade at the Ponnha Chy construction site, where I carried three cubic meters of soil day and night for a month. Nin, a unit chief of Ampoeu Diep village, then sent me to work in the Kampong Svay district mobile work brigade. Huot was also assigned to work with me because we were both active female youth and did not get sick easily. Thaong, a commune chief, sent me to work for the brigade in order to carry soil at Ponnha Chy. I think this task was too hard for me because earth is extremely solid and heavy during the dry season. Moreover, [they had] us finish this task at a rapid pace. We worked on this task at the construction site from four a.m. to eleven a.m., twelve p.m. to five p.m., and six p.m. to ten p.m.

Unable to finish the assigned task, I tried my best to complete it before taking a rest and eating. I worked hard until I grew dizzy and could not stand up. I then asked unit chiefs comrade Chin and comrade Cheun for a day off. Two days later, I went back to work as usual. I do not know why Thaong assigned me to work at the Ponnha Chy construction site, though I know that there were orders (which came from superiors) summoning people to work on this construction site.

In 1978, Ta Nin assigned me to work at construction site number two of the 30 September dam in Kandol village. If I did not go work there, I would have been starved. As I did not want to be starved, I was forced to obey Ta Nin’s orders. In terms of the Kandol village tasks, I carried three cubic meters of earth per day. As a unit chief, I ordered my ten subordinates to carry the soil. Ta Nin appointed me female unit chief of the village mobile work brigade, after which I supervised my ten subordinates until the collapse of the Khmer Rouge regime. Comrade Siev was the commune chief and in charge of everything, while comrade Chet was the commune deputy chief and in charge of the commune mobile work brigade.

Comrade Siev and comrade Chet called upon me to attend meetings for five to ten days, during which they told people to work harder, to be disciplined and not lazy, and to refrain from relationships with male youth. I held a criticism meeting at approximately six or seven p.m. I had received this assignment from comrade Sok, the commune chief, who instructed us not to lose our consciousness. Every three days, I held a criticism meeting and divided people into groups of three. Each group took turns criticizing one another. Every meeting reminded people to try to strengthen themselves and to not forget about their work. It was hard being a unit chief because I had to hold meetings very frequently and also supervised my subordinates. It would have been easier if I had been a subordinate because I could have just worked and relaxed. There would also be no need to worry about holding the meetings.

I never blamed my subordinates. During the meetings, however, some raised criticisms, stating that certain people were inactive while carrying soil, or that a particular comrade did not work hard. When Sok, the commune chief, came to observe our work, everyone tried to work hard. I was not pleased that I had been appointed unit chief because I was consequently obligated to work hard. I was appointed the unit chief because I worked hard and possessed some knowledge of how to read and write, whereas other female youth in the village were illiterate.

Starvation

Between 1976 and 1977, my parents and I were starved and only given watery rice soup (one can of rice served for seven people) mixed with banana root to eat. As these rations did not satiate my hunger, I picked tapioca leaves and bamboo shoots, which I ate together with the rice soup. I then got food poisoning and threw up the whole night. The next morning, my face was swollen and I could not go to work.

As we were starving, I pounded rice fragments and rice husks, which my father, my five siblings, and I all ate when living in Sampoeu Diep village. Because Nin, the cooperative chief, did not give us enough rations to eat, my family and I pounded the rice fragments and rice husks and ate them together.

I think that [giving] us such small amounts of rations to eat meant that [they wanted] to starve us. At a dining hall in Daem Chek village, I never received enough rations to eat. I then had pains in my stomach after eating from a banana tree. We received two meals per day: one was at ten a.m. and the other one was at five p.m. We went to eat when they rang the bell. When they were strict, we ate together. When they were not strict, we ate separately at our respective homes. [When we ate at home], I went to get our rations from Thann, who worked in the dining hall and gave people rations. My father worked in the economic section and was in charge of distributing rice.

A request for marriage

In 1978, it was requested that I marry Yeng Hai, a male youth in the mobile work brigade. When the request reached my parents, I agreed to the proposed arrangement. Ta Sok, the commune chief, also arranged marriages for two other couples: Lai (male) with Leam (female) and Han (male) with Roeun (female). The wedding ceremony took place at one of the construction site in the 30 September dam. Each couple said, “I am determined to accept [partner] as my family and live happily together.�

My wedding took place in Sangkum village, Damrei Slap commune. My mother and older brother, Pal Pet, were present during the ceremony. Three days after the marriage, I went to carry soil at the 30 September canal in Sangkum village, while my husband went to work at the middle construction site. They allowed us to stay together one night every half a month or month.


Stealing potatoes

In 1977, Phieng was arrested and sent to Vor Yeav village because he stole potatoes in Tuol Cha-oy village. He was starved, tortured, and interrogated about why he stole the potatoes. I learned of this incident from a villager who lived in Ampoeu Diep (whose name I do not recall). I know neither who ordered Phieng’s arrest nor who tortured and killed him.

Complainant

No;

Road

No;

20080327

© DC-Cam