Promoting Accountability Neang Ken

Neang Ken

Pheap

m

Alive

I06188

KCI0279 20030610, Chroy Krabao 2 village, Rorka-a sub-district, Kang Meas district, Kampong Cham province. Interviewed by Long Dany. Notes: Interviewed with Neang Ken, biography owner.

Present age:47 years old

03070308 Kampong Cham, Kang Meas,

1973????

Volunteer.

Military Unit as a worker in the Airport in Kampong Chhnang province

Soldier

Zone: Western, Zone No. 401, Kampong Chhnang province

Ta Vai ["Ta" means "Grandfather"]

Chhai,Heng.

Neang Ken, alias Pheap, is 47 years old, and nowadays lives with his wife and children in Krabao 2 village, Rorka-A sub-district, Kang Meas district, Kampong Cham province. Ken៌s father was Neang Nim and his mother was Ao. Ken has 8 siblings [4 boys + 4 girls], and he was born in Varin village, Khchao sub-district, Kang Meas district, Kampongt Cham province. When he was a child, Ken studied until grade 9 [in the old system] in Wat Khchao primary school. Ken dropped out of school after there was a coup to depose Samdach Sihanouk in 1970. After leaving school, Ken helped his parents in rice field. It was in 1973 that Ken volunteered to join the revolution through Samdach Sihanouk៌s announcement from Beijing in China that all children and grandchildren ran into the Mar Ky forest in order to liberate the country from Lon Nol regime and America. When he first joined the revolution, Ken was in Khchao sub-district. He was then promoted to be a regional soldier, and he also studied about military strategies and tactics along with 500 KR soldiers. After finishing the training course, Ken together with other KR soldiers was sent to shoot Lon Nol៌s marine along the riverside in Peam Chy Kang district. It was in 1974 that Ken was sent to Prek Kdam battlefield. At that time, he was in the first unit, and a chief of the unit was Oeun; in addition, the chief of the division was Som. It was at that time that KR soldiers were getting stronger and stronger while Lon Nol soldiers were getting weaker and weaker; however, many of both KR soldiers and Lon Nol soldiers died in the battle when KR soldiers kept fighting forward to the city. It was at 9:00 am in the morning on April 17, 1975 that KR soldiers took control in the city. At that time, people in Phnom Penh left their homes, so there were crowds of people walking along National Road Number 4 and 5. Some people were happy to go, but some were unhappy because they were forced to leave. Ken stayed in Phnom Penh for only 15 days, and he was then sent to the Ministry of Commerce in Kampong Som province as a worker for carrying imported materials or goods: rice, hoes, shovels etc. from China while KR exported to China like rubbers and pepper and so on. In 1976, Angkar assigned Ken to farm paddy in Boeng Som Yab. It was in 1977 that Ken was designated to work in the Airport in Kampong Chhnang province. When first arriving in Kampong Chhang Airport, Ken was designated to dig the tree trunks and palm trees out, and he was then assigned to the constructions. At that time, Chinese engineers assigned him to make brick and to build a concrete house. There were hundreds of Chinese at that time because KR needed to build a big airport because they would use this airport for airplanes to make a war. In the same year of 1977, the chief of the division, Ta Vai [grandfather], played a recording tape to workers who were former soldiers. It was until listening to the tape that everyone knew who traitors were. The chiefs of the regiment and battalion were arrested and sent to reeducate. In 1979, Ken ran to O Ral Mountain. After staying in O Ral Mountain for three months, Ken returning to his home village. Nowadays, Ken is a farmer.

Ken has learned that there were some people disappeared

© DC-CAM