Traumatized Survivor Painted Pol Pot Amidst Screams for Help

by Laura MacDonald, Member of the New York Bar and Consultant to the Center for International Human Rights, Northwestern University School of Law
— 1 Jul, 2009

Today, the Trial Chamber heard the testimony of 68 year old civil party Bou Meng, the third Tuol Sleng prison (S-21) survivor to testify in the trial of prison chief Kaing Guek Eav (alias Duch). Like his fellow S-21 inmates Vann Nath and Chum Mey who testified earlier this week, Bou Meng’s life was spared because he possessed a skill Duch wanted to exploit – he could paint excellent black and white portraits of Pol Pot.

Bou Meng’s Story

After the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) came to power on April 17, 1975, Bou Meng was ordered by the regime to work at a technical school drawing sketches of machines for students to study. Sometime in 1976, he and his wife were transferred to a farming cooperative where he was forced to dig canals, build dams, make plows, and plant vegetables while she worked in the rice fields. One day, he was told he would be moved to a fine arts school to teach, so he and his wife happily boarded a truck. Unfortunately, it did not take them to an art school, but rather dropped them off at S-21 where they were arrested, photographed, blindfolded, and walked to different prison cells. Bou Meng never saw his wife again. Sadly, the picture taken of his 25 year old wife that day wearing a prisoner identification number is the only photograph he has of her today…

Read more: ctm_blog_7-1-2009

Cambodia Tribunal Monitor’s Trial Observer posts are written according to the personal observations and opinions of the writer and do not constitute a transcript of ECCC proceedings or the views of Cambodia Tribunal Monitor and/or its partners. Official court transcripts for the ECCC’s hearings may be accessed at the ECCC website.