Khmer Rouge chief: babies were 'smashed to death'

[IndianaGreen]

Source: The Independent (UK)

Khmer Rouge chief: babies were 'smashed to death'

By Andrew Buncombe asia correspondent

Tuesday, 9 June 2009

The former head of a prison run by the Khmer Rouge has confessed to one of the darkest crimes committed during the regime's brutal rule – smashing the skulls of babies and children against the trunks of trees.

In testimony before a genocide tribunal in Cambodia, Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, said that the children were executed to prevent them seeking revenge. Always watchful to save bullets, executioners would hold the youngsters by their legs or feet and smash their heads against tree trunks located in now notorious "killing fields" on the edge of Phnom Penh.

"I am criminally responsible for killing babies, young children and teenagers," said Duch, referring to photographs he was shown of how the children were killed. "The horrendous images of the babies being smashed against the trees ... I didn't recognise it at first. But after seeing the photographs I recalled that it had happened. It was done by my subordinates. I do not blame them because this was under my responsibility."

Duch, 66, was the head of Tuol Sleng jail, also known as S21, to which anywhere up to 14,000 or more prisoners, most of them Khmer Rouge members accused of disloyalty or sedition, were sent for interrogation and torture before being dispatched for execution. Thousands were taken by truck to an orchard near the village of Choeung Ek on the southern fringe of Phnom Penh. There they were made to kneel in front of pre-dug graves and were then struck on the back of the head with a steel axle shaft. However, a sign at Choeung Ek marks where young children were dispatched by using the tree trunk.

Last year, on a court-ordered visit to the killing fields, Duch fell to his knees and wept, first as he passed the tree where the children were killed and again when he stopped at a stupa in which are held the remains of around 80,000 skulls, all of them victims of the regime. In all, the Maoist-inspired regime was responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians through execution, disease or starvation between 1975 and 1979.

Duch has previously admitted his role as head of the prison and in overseeing the killing of prisoners delivered there. In interviews with journalists he has also previously admitted personally killing people, but during the trial he has confessed only to torture and has denied killing anyone.


Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/khmer-rouge-chief-babies-were-smashed-to-death-1700196.html

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Related thread by Coventina involving the beginning of Duch's trial and his comments about Pol Pot:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3893068

[Sultana]

1. OMG

:cry: :cry: :cry:

[ShortnFiery]

2. Why is this coming out NOW?

I don't doubt it's veracity but the timing is suspect.

[Puzzler]

3. Coming out now?

I certainly heard about this years ago. But, maybe this is the first time it was officially confirmed?

[ShortnFiery]

12. That's my point - true. I'm thinking about the underlying narrative ... if only we would have stayed

in Vietnam? Perhaps the Taliban are as "inhumane" as these criminals? Therefore, we MUST stay in Afghanistan ... for the children. AS IF, we, the USA military forces were ever sent anywhere for long periods of time for truly humanitarian purposes. If that were the case we'd be invading North Korea before they snagged nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, North Korea does not have any decent natural resources that we can exploit. Ergo, no invasion and only passing interest.

[Posteritatis]

4. It's a confession before a tribunal; what's suspect about it? (nt)

[ShortnFiery]

5. I'm always suspicious ... if he says that they threw babies out of incubators ...

I'm jumping off the track. ;)

[grantcart]

26. The defendent has had what seems to be a profound conversion to Christianity

and has made a full and complete confession and has been cooperating with the prosecution.

[RoyGBiv]

6. It's current news ...

His trial is taking place now, and apparently he gave that testimony yesterday.

The basic information of what he was responsible for doing has been known for a long time, and updates about the trial have been ongoing since it began in March.

I don't have the first clue why the timing of a story about him giving testimony should be considered suspect.

[karynnj]

7. It is coming out now because they are FINALLY having a war crimes tribunal

There was a very long fight between Cambodia and the international bodies on how to conduct them. Here's a detailed Prosense link on how Senator Kerry was able to broker an agreement that allowed them to start. (In fact, Kerry's solution has been used in at least one other trouble spot.) http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=905152

[LeftHander]

8. Bush admin squashed war crimes investigations....

Fearing, with good reason, that one day the eye of justice would look their way.

Bush did little to encourage exposure and aid for numerous human rights issues across the world. They were responsible for their own atrocities that we will one day expose. Once we collectively find the courage as a nation to accept the crimes the Bush administration propagated and participated in.

[karynnj]

13. The Cambodian example shows that even in a case far far worse than anything here,

it has taken decades before people were willing to face the truth. Note that in their case there was intense pressure from the international community and a major change in government (far more than the election here).

[AngryAmish]

10. This is the dumbest thing I heard in a long time

One of the hallmarks of a dumb person is the inability to differentiate between correllation and causation and the inability to determine if there is a causative link between events.

In this example someone is suspicious between a confession at a long fought for war crimes tribunal and ... well that is unexplained. The timing is pushed to defeat a single payer health care plan? Because of events is Estonia? Because of something Perez Hilton said?

No, this event is a cumulation of a long, tortuous history of Cambodia. The smashing of children and babies is well documented. This is a confession to those acts. It came out now because the Khmer Rouge lived in the hills until recently. Then it took a while to get these war crimes tribunals spun up.

Go and learn something about Cambodia.

[ShortnFiery]

11. "dumb person"?!? I'm suspicious of the timing and the need to highlight it ...

at THIS particular time ... this has been known before. That is - my comment reflects the hallmark of a jaded and cynical person.

I would not insult your intelligence as it is inappropriate for fellow members to launch personal attacks, please consider showing me an equal amount of respect?

[Posteritatis]

20. It's being "highlighted" because it's a recent event at an ongoing tribunal

Come on, Rove isn't secretly manipulating genocide trials from his secret moon base to some unknown nefarious end here. Not everything is about US domestic politics.

[ShortnFiery]

22. No, there's a reason that the media chooses to highlight certain aspects.

Yes, the trial is ongoing but it also fits in with IMO the PsyOps meme that "our enemies are less than human."

I don't know if you have noticed but the M$M lied our country into a war. Dubya could not have pulled it off if it wasn't for the collaboration of the Pentagon with the M$M.

I'm always suspicious ... why certain memes are promoted ... it's my nature.

However, unlike most, when I'm wrong, I'll admit it.

[Coventina]

23. Oh for heaven's sake! THE US SUPPORTED POL POT!

Part of the reason it has taken 30+ years for these war crimes trials to take place is due to foot-dragging on the part of the US!!!

Please, you are embarrassing yourself!!!

[LeftHander]

16. Reagan, BUSH the Elder....why the tribunals took so long...

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/07/world/bush-said-to-shift-cambodian-policy.html

Reagan and Bush attempted to increase lethal aid to rebels in Cambodia in hopes of installing a U.S. favorable government to help reignite the war in Vietnam. The congress ultimately however would have nothing to do with that.

The republicans wanted to keep fighting the Vietnam war covertly and did so for many years, resulting in a prolonged period of destabilization and enabling Khmer to continue to influence Cambodia. Khmer Rouge was aided early on by covert operations with the hope of Cambodia invading Vietnam...

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/US_ThirdWorld/US_PolPot.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=mg9QLPuOZvgC&pg=PA501&lpg=PA501&dq=Bush++cambodia+policy&source=bl&ots=ptblnzgu0J&sig=MX8PS9tJCekO1mKM-f1qGXKm31U&hl=en&ei=nGcuSvGMEZbCMYyL3PQJ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3

http://books.google.com/books?id=14YWKklpbTEC&pg=PA104&lpg=PA104&dq=Bush++cambodia+policy&source=bl&ots=I9OWSh8oNW&sig=bTe5VNDqzO1nZ4gqj8rRBPOlJQU&hl=en&ei=nGcuSvGMEZbCMYyL3PQJ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6#PPA107,M1

[AngryAmish]

17. goto 10

[LeftHander]

21. What's a 10...too dumb here....nt

[Sensible321]

25. These Killings Were Your Tax Dollars At Work

LeftHander got it right. Check out the 'third world traveler' link for starters; I was going to post that one myself.

[Coventina]

19. It is not "coming out now" it's been known for 30 years!!

It is FINALLY being prosecuted now.

Or should they continue to delay it because you don't like the timing?!?!?

[riverdeep]

24. It's not that it's been supressed, it's that no one wanted to listen.

We'd rather fill our minds with empty feel-good slogans like 'never again' rather than recognize that that shit is happening every day somewhere, we just have other priorities.

People have a natural tendency to withdraw from harsh news, combine that with a news media that thinks American Idol qualifies as news, and a blind spot for anything taking place outside of our borders, and it's not hard to see why people aren't aware of recent history and ongoing conflicts.

[deutsey]

9. The horror...the horror...

:evilfrown:

[xchrom]

14. recommend -- fascinating -- in that way when you see some thing

brutal and horrifying and can not look away.

this story has been part of the background most of my life.

[Tim01]

15. This is what humans do when one group has power over another.

[bicentennial_baby]

18. Everyone should watch S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine

I watched it last night on Netflix Online. It's one you can watch for free if you have a Netflix account.