CHOU Vin
Pseudonym: D4
Cases: Case 001
Category: Witness
Background and role
Chou Vin testified before the Trial Chamber in Case 001 on the character of the accused Kaing Guek Eav alias “Duch”.
1
At the date of his testimony in 2009, he was a 50-year old teacher living in Banteay Meanchey province.
2
From 1995-1997, he was a colleague and supervisor of Duch.
3
At that time, the witness was the deputy administrator in charge of staff, and also an accountant, at the Svay Chek District Department of Education.
4
He testified that Duch was humble, meticulous, capable, hardworking, friendly and popular in the field of education.
5
Chou Vin’s knowledge of Duch
The witness knew Duch as a Krou Ta, a “grandfather teacher”,
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who called himself “Hang Pin” and was in the education program.
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Duch taught physics and chemistry in Phkoam High School and French in Svay Chek primary school, and was the witness’s assistant at Svay Chek District Department of Education.
8
When Chou Vin learnt that “Hang Pin” was in fact Duch, the former director of S-21 [prison], he was amazed that Duch kept his personal background secret for so long and he could not believe that Duch had held such a high position in the [Khmer Rouge] regime.
9
The Trial Chamber relied on this evidence, and found that other witnesses like Hun Smrin and Peng Poan - who were in contact with the accused while he was teaching in Phkoam and later in Savy Chek in the 1990s - were similarly astonished to find about Duch’s role as the leader of S-21.
10
Chou Vin testified that due to the lack of teachers in 1995, people who knew a little bit were selected to teach others who knew nothing and people who knew a lot were selected to teach others who had better literacy.
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Duch were selected in this manner to be a teacher under Svay Chek District Department of Education.
12
He confirmed that per the accused’s biography, Duch had children, and was a widower, a teacher before and after the Khmer Rouge regime and an author of books for school curriculum during the Khmer Rouge regime.
13
Given that during 1995-1997, the situation was unsafe, Chou Vin, as a leader, felt responsible for the well-being of his teachers and obliged to take care and protect them.
14
He allowed Duch to stay at Svay Chek District Education Department for his personal security after he had experienced a robbery which left his wife dead.
15
At that time, the law was not followed, the situation was dangerous/threatening and shootings and robbery took place almost every day, and not only Duch but all rich people were robbed.
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The witness also allowed others like the village chief and sub-district chief to stay at the District Education Department for their safety and protection.
17
Videos
| Date | Written record of proceedings | Transcript number |
|---|---|---|
| 01 September 2009 | E1/72 | E1/72.1 |
| Document title Khmer | Document title English | Document title French | Document D number | Document E3 number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NONE |