Searching for the truth Issues 21 - Documentation Center of Cambodia

Searching for the truth ⎯ Documentation
they had go the countryside to cultivate the rice
fields and do other labor, and then join another study
course. Some of the six comrades (including Huot
Sambath) were given positions in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, while some were allowed to pursue
their diplomatic missions.
In the beginning of 1976, Thiounn Prasith,
Keat Chhon, Chan Youran, Sarin Chhak, and In
Sopheap, who were Ministry of Foreign Affairs
cadres, participated in a study course. They stayed
with Huot Sambath. After completing the course, the
eight members of Huot Sambath’s group (of which
five were responsible for gathering information)
were ordered by Angkar to do agricultural tasks in
Tong Village, Tbong Khmum District, Eastern Zone.
In August Angkar called Huot Sambath’s group to
come to Phnom Penh, and then ordered them to
work at a plantation in Chraing Chamreh. Apart
from the groups called from the Eastern Zone, Huot
Sambath observed that there were many male and
female youths from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
including Norodom Phourishra (Brother Moeun)
and his wife, Srei Saut (Sister Saut). At the site, they
were ordered to build houses, prepare farmland for
crops, pluck corn nuts for drying, boil corn, and
raise fish (the fish farmed in this zone were sold to
embassies in Phnom Penh three times per week).
“I am old and weak. It is not suitable for me to
do these jobs,” Huot Sambath complained. But Huot
Sambath performed tasks at Chrang Chamreh until
the day he was arrested and sent to S-21.
Documents Relating to the Confession of Huot
Sambath
In addition to the confessions of Huot
Sambath’s group, there is a record in which Huot
Sambath’s interrogators reported on the Soviet
Union’s plans for Kampuchea. The information
from this record, much which came from the
confession of Isoup Ganthay and the confession of
Huot Sambath, reads:
“I. Measures of the Soviet Union to be taken
Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam)
Number 21, September 2001
before carrying out its plans: 1. Restricting air space
in order to cut off aid from China to Kampuchea. 2.
Shooting ships from China en route to Kampuchea.
“II. Military forces the Soviet Union used in
the attack on Kampuchea: 1. Military forces used in
the attack were the Free Khmer of Son Ngoc Thanh
and soldiers who fled to Thailand and Vietnam after
April 17. 2. As per directives, the Soviets took
Vietnam and Laos as a vanguard force for fighting
against Kampuchea. But the Soviets used
Kampuchea Krom to fight against Kampuchea in
order to resolve the Kampuchea-Vietnam conflict.
“III. Deadline for the attack: 1. The U.S. and
Soviets planned to strike at Kampuchea at the
beginning of 1977.
“IV. First phase of the attack: 1. The Soviets
used forces along the borders of Vietnam, Laos, and
Thailand to launch attacks on Kampuchea. 2. The
forces moving in from Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand
were to meet each other in Kratie and basically try
to take control of the left side of the Mekong River.
They were to occupy Kratie, Stung Treng, Rattanak
Kiri, and Kampong Cham Provinces in the first
period. 3. The Soviets utilized 50,000 troops to
launch an offensive on Kampuchea using Angolan
techniques. 4. The Soviets used tanks and 10,000
infantry to come through Pochentong and obliterate
it in just one night. 5. The Soviets employed 20,000
troops [marines] to attack Kampuchea by sea.
During the offensive, Vietnam opened its river route
for the Soviets to transport its troops and equipment
to Kampuchea.
“V. Coping with victory: 1. Immediately after
the victory, organize a government in the captured
regions. 2. Organize a government imitating the
Angolan style. 3. Second period was to occupy the
entire country.
“VI. Sources of Plans: 1. Plans were
organized by the U.S., the Soviets, and Vietnam. The
U.S. encouraged the Soviets to act publicly, while
acting as a supporter. 2. These plans were designed
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