Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - KRT witness tells of Muth’s arrival

KRT witness tells of Muth’s arrival

Witness 2-TCW-1005 gives his testimony at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia yesterday during Case 002/02 against Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan. ECCC
Witness 2-TCW-1005 gives his testimony at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia yesterday during Case 002/02 against Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan. ECCC

KRT witness tells of Muth’s arrival

A former messenger yesterday told the Khmer Rouge tribunal he had happily driven his superiors to a plane bound for Phnom Penh, only to learn later some of them were being flown to their deaths.

The witness, whose name remains confidential because of his role in ongoing investigations into cases 003 and 004, said 11 of his leaders in Kratie district were summoned to the capital in a mysterious letter from the communist party’s leadership.

“I was so delighted after my leaders had gone away, since I had time to go and visit Mondulkiri [for two days],” he said, adding as he was quite young, he relished the free time. But when he returned to Kratie, he was shocked to find his commanders had been replaced.

Meas Muth, the defendant in Case 003, who the witness yesterday named as the deputy commander in chief of the general staff and navy official, then convened a meeting with 70 other cadre.

“We were told all our leaders were traitors,” the witness said.

The prosecution produced documents showing six of the 11 were sent to S-21 in December 1978 and executed – just weeks before Vietnamese forces arrived in Phnom Penh and forced the Khmer Rouge to flee.

Others, the witness said, were rumoured to have been sent to a worksite at Kampong Chhnang airport. According to the witness, Muth said his superiors had not fought viciously enough against the encroaching Vietnamese troops.

“Back then, we did not dare to protest [against Muth] … [even though the Vietnamese] had new and modern weapons and . . . bigger forces,” he said.

After hearing the message from Muth, the witness said “we felt hatred in our hearts” and they fought harder at the border. “Our units were trying our best; we really wanted to defeat the yuon,” he said, using term for the Vietnamese considered derogatory by some.

The witness, who remained in the Khmer Rouge until the late ’90s, said he was close to former leader Ta Mok, who died in 2006 awaiting trial. He defended Ta Mok against the nickname by which he has become known in the popular imagination – “the butcher”.

“He was not a killer or executioner,” the witness said, after he testified on Tuesday that Ta Mok was “loved” by soldiers and ordinary people alike.

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Newest horror film showcases unique Khmer culture, identity

    At first glance, the trailer to new horror sensation The Ritual: Black Nun looks like a western-produced feature film. As the story reveals itself to the viewers, it becomes clearer that this is a Khmer film, with a strong Cambodian identity and close links to

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the