PENG Poan
Pseudonym: D6
Cases: Case 001
Category: Witness
Background and Role
Peng Poan knew the Accused, Guek Eav alias Duch, as Hang Pin.
1
During the Regime and before meeting the Accused, Peng Poan worked as a labourer building dams and as a rice farmer in a mobile unit.
2
Peng Poan testified as a witness before the Trial Chamber in Case 001 focused on his relationship with the accused, the accused’s work as a teacher, his character and his involvement in a robbery that injured the accused and caused the death of his wife.
From 1993 to 1995, Peng Poan testified that Duch worked with him as a volunteer teacher
3
at Phkoam High School.
4
Having worked as colleagues together for some time, Peng Poan and Duch were close and had a good relationship.
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Peng Poan also knew two other witnesses in the trial, Chou Vin and Hun Smirn, who worked in the education sector with Duch.
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Peng Poan was aware that Duch was working briefly on a biography, and that he was a former school teacher during the Sangkum Reastr Niyum regime.
7
However, the witness was not aware of Duch’s connection with any Khmer Rouge leaders.
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He only learnt of Duch’s position as the Chairman of S-21 at the time of his arrest via radio broadcast.
9
Working as a Teacher with the Accused
Peng Poan knew Duch as a teacher who was strict on his assignments and in his work.
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He was not known to the witness as an ‘abnormal’ teacher.
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Duch was initially assigned to teach grade 7 and 8 students chemistry and physics.
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Duch volunteered to work at the school at that time because there was no available funding to retain him on an official, paid basis.
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He knew Duch as someone with a history of consistency in his voluntary employment and as someone who would only seek leave for personal or family problems.
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In 1995, he was officially employed by the Ministry of Education.
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After he started working, Duch built a small house 100 metres away from the school.
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To earn a living while volunteering, Duch was a farmer and sold groceries from his home.
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At the time, Peng Poan did not have a good grasp of Duch’s background, however he learnt from a colleague about his previous experience as a schoolteacher from Sangkum Reastr Niyum to the Prince Sihanouk regime.
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Robbery and Death of Duch’s Wife
Peng Poan was aware of Duch’s personal and family problems.
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In November 1995
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the Accused was living in an unstable area with several villagers and newcomers.
21
There was a history of robberies in the neighbourhood, where some victims had been tortured or beaten.
22
At that time, Duch’s family was robbed, during which he was injured and his wife killed by being stabbed by the bayonet of a weapon.
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Peng Poan took the Accused to hospital to recover, after which he offered him assistance to avoid similar incidents.
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Peng Poan then asked the educational district office to transfer the Accused for security reasons, after which he was moved to the district office in late 1995.
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Character of the Accused
The witness did not remain in contact with Duch after he was transferred.
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He described him as a ‘gentle and quiet type of person and he seldom made a joke.’
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He described Duch’s relationship with other people as excellent,
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commenting that many students called him “Grandfather Teacher or Master because of their appreciation of his talent”.
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Peng Poan was shocked to learn that Duch was involved in the Khmer Rouge regime,
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and at the time of his witness statement, he remained fearful and concerned for his personal safety.
31
Videos
| Date | Written record of proceedings | Transcript number |
|---|---|---|
| 2 September 2009 | E1/73 | E1/73.1 |
| Document title Khmer | Document title English | Document title French | Document D number | Document E3 number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NONE |