The Phnom Penh Post
Former Khmer Rouge Brother No 2 Nuon Chea testified yesterday that he was “concerned” for the future of his country because of what he claimed were territorial ambitions of Vietnam, echoing earlier testimony in describing the situation as “a snake which tries to suffocate a rabbit”.
ECCC POOL
Former Khmer Rouge Brother No 2 Nuon Chea attends court.
Under questioning from his co-defence counsel, Michiel Pestman, about his early life, Nuon Chea said he did not know “what the future will hold” for Cambodia.
The 85-year-old defendant said that while in the past the two countries had cooperated, the “Vietnamese were regarded as enemies because they had the ambition to swallow Kampuchean territory”, Nuon Chea said.
“They were just ready and prepared to swallow us, even at present.”
Trial Chamber president Nil Nonn asked that Nuon Chea respond only to questions that were asked of him and stay within the confines of the first “mini-trial” of Case 002.
During evidence hearings in December last year, Nuon Chea testified that Vietnam had attempted to “swallow” Cambodia, in comments that prompted criticisms from civil parties and court observers.
Student Chhoeun Vathana, 17, who attended yesterday’s hearing, said he had been told that people from Cambodia and Vietnam had never liked each other.
“I heard from my grandfather that Khmer and Vietnam never liked each other,” he said.
“They always had arguments and sometimes they fought.”
Nuon Chea also testified that he had been in contact with current National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Senate President Chea Sim – both former Khmer Rouge cadre before fleeing to Vietnam to join the resistance against the regime – after he returned to Cambodia in the pre-1975 period.
Under earlier questioning from civil party lawyer Barnabé Nékuie, Nuon Chea said people who lived and worked in cooperatives in the countryside were not permitted to leave.
“If they were to live in the cooperatives they could not go anywhere, they would stay and live and work in the cooperatives,” he said.
Nuon Chea testified on Monday that he was not responsible for cooperatives organised by the Khmer Rouge.
The 85-year-old defendant said that while in the past the two countries had cooperated, the “Vietnamese were regarded as enemies because they had the ambition to swallow Kampuchean territory”, Nuon Chea said.
“They were just ready and prepared to swallow us, even at present.”
Trial Chamber president Nil Nonn asked that Nuon Chea respond only to questions that were asked of him and stay within the confines of the first “mini-trial” of Case 002.
During evidence hearings in December last year, Nuon Chea testified that Vietnam had attempted to “swallow” Cambodia, in comments that prompted criticisms from civil parties and court observers.
Student Chhoeun Vathana, 17, who attended yesterday’s hearing, said he had been told that people from Cambodia and Vietnam had never liked each other.
“I heard from my grandfather that Khmer and Vietnam never liked each other,” he said.
“They always had arguments and sometimes they fought.”
Nuon Chea also testified that he had been in contact with current National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Senate President Chea Sim – both former Khmer Rouge cadre before fleeing to Vietnam to join the resistance against the regime – after he returned to Cambodia in the pre-1975 period.
Under earlier questioning from civil party lawyer Barnabé Nékuie, Nuon Chea said people who lived and worked in cooperatives in the countryside were not permitted to leave.
“If they were to live in the cooperatives they could not go anywhere, they would stay and live and work in the cooperatives,” he said.
Nuon Chea testified on Monday that he was not responsible for cooperatives organised by the Khmer Rouge.
2 comments:
Dear All!!
If you want Lok Ta Noun Chea and other to speak out, should ask the UN to conduct the ECCC in real democratic country. In Cambodia, they can`t speak much. The government will not allow and VN spy will poison them. The khmer side prosecutors are not the real khmer. I can not support and say Khmer rough leaders are good. Their regime and straitegy are not fogivable. They chose a wrong policy but their purpose is to prevent Cambodia from aggresor. They could protect territory. Only in KR regime Koh Tral was under Khmer reign. Compare to the current regime, they just stay and keep power, no specific plan to protect territory, allow foreign and local evil to destoy the country. You can compare with Sangkum Reas Niyum, even our former king is not perfect one but under his regime, country developed, people live in good condition, forest, underground mine resource were not destroyed, no so much foreign debt. Government official and factory worker got high paid, enough for maintaining family. But what about the current situation?? Only leaders` family and their clans are rich. Natural resources mostly destroyed. If you all are Khmer and want to help Cambodia, please come to Cambodia, do some thing for this poor nation. I do not support you to do a terrorism activities but the right education will be a good method. Helping the poor through NGO activities or proper investment should be conducted. What we must do is unity, even Vietnamese are every where and reach more than 1/3 of population, we still have chance to save the country, if all Khmers make solidarity.
He is crazy , how can Vn swallow cpc coz now we r both countries got the fences border n has good businessmens each other people to development countries n the upcoming 2015 is better more in Asian ..
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