Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 04/10 2008: Borei Keila families with HIV/AIDS, who were to receive social housing, had lived under an eviction threat for two years  
©John Vink/ Magnum

Despite repeated condemnations from civil society and international community, the list of victims of forced evictions in Cambodia has kept growing. In July, several removal operations took place in Phnom Penh. After the residents of Dey Krohom in central Phnom Penh, whose houses were smashed to dust in January, their neighbours in Group 78, located in the Tonle Bassac area, were forced to leave their homes on July 17th. Similarly, several dozen families in Borei Keila, the majority of which carry HIV/AIDS and require healthcare, were relocated in successive rounds to the outskirts of the Cambodian capital in unsatisfying conditions, according to local NGOs. Again, protests multiplied, whether from the World Bank, donor countries, international media or online networks, while authorities continue to turn a deaf ear.

Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 28/05/2002: Vann Nath, Tuol Sleng survivor, and Suos Thy, formerly in charge of prisoner records, face-to-face during the shooting of documentary movie “S-21, the Khmer Rouge Killing Machine” of Rithy Panh
©John Vink/ Magnum

The hearing on July 28th was one of those days when you came to forget who the accused is, as interrogations strayed so far from the matter being debated. It also illustrated how the debates got bogged down, as more time was devoted to (re)confirm facts already recognised by Duch than to tackle the hundred of factual elements established by the prosecution but denied by the accused – what should be at the heart of this trial. The result: too often, an all-clear for the defence while the documentation work on S-21 and its director Duch was left aside.

Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 10/05/2002: Suos Thy, former Khmer Rouge who used to be in charge of prisoner records at S-21, during the shooting of documentary movie, “S-21, the Khmer Rouge Killing Machine” of Rithy Panh
©John Vink/ Magnum

The hearing on Monday July 27th started with an infuriating morning of rarely sagacious interrogations and a witness who claimed too readily he did not remember to the point of irritating judge Lavergne. The latter took a stance in his questions, starkly rejecting the banality of evil. In contrast, Suos Thy, who used to be in charge of prisoner records at S-21, then called to testify, offered a clear and precise statement on his activities and the workings of S-21, “on the very mechanical fashion of a death registrar,” in the words of Thierry Cruvellier, observer at Duch’s trial.

Chom Chao (Phnom Penh, Cambodia). 10/03/2009: Workers of a garment factory who were laid off come to receive half their salaries
©John Vink/Magnum

Economic forecasts for 2009 in Cambodia, which were hardly optimistic, unfortunately seem to be confirmed as the months go by. As the first 2009 semester has just ended, several studies highlight that the Kingdom, which is among the poorest countries in Asia, is bearing the brunt of the economic crisis. First affected, Cambodian poor families have become poorer during the last months, much more than what neighbouring countries have experienced, according to the findings of an investigation carried out by a private society. The conclusions are even more worrying as another report, realised under the United Nations Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking, expresses concern over the increasing number of women, including former garment industry workers, who prostitute themselves to survive.

Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 10/05/2002: Prak Khan, former Khmer Rouge interrogator, and Mr. Poeuv and Mr. Phiep, guards, during the shooting of documentary movie “S-21, the Khmer Rouge Killing Machine” by Rithy Panh, an extract of which was shown in Duch’s trial on July 22nd  
©John Vink/Magnum

Wednesday July 22nd, former interrogator Prak Khan maintained his statements from the previous day at the stand. The accused sought to undermine many points in his testimony, without being able, most often, to oppose anything other than his own word to that of his former subordinate. The witness who succeeded him, another former S-21 member, only talked very briefly, as his testimony was hijacked by a heated debate on how to interrogate a witness and the speaking times allocated to each party.