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On July 26, notorious (at least in Cambodia) Khmer Rouge jailer Kaing Guek E=
av was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in the deaths of 14,000 C=
ambodians. Eav’s conviction was met with widespread dismay and disappointme=
nt (See Seth Mydans, Prison Term for Khmer Rouge Jailer Leaves many Dissatis=
fied, The New York Times, A4, July 27, 2010).
One of Eav’s victims stated, “We are victims two times, once in Khmer Rouge t=
ime and now once again … His prison is comfortable, with air conditioning,=
food three times a day, fans and everything … I sat on the floor with fil=
th and excrement all around.”
Eav has something else that his victims did not have, certainty. He has cer=
tainty that he will not die at the whim of another. Certainty that he will n=
ot face torture. And certainty that he is free from persecution by those he=
harmed. And he doesn’t even have to apologize. Not a bad deal at all.
But atrocity is different. This punishment should be different. Eav’s sent=
ence amounts to just under one day per death. Not what Cambodians view as f=
air and just punishment. We can’t sentence genocide perpetrators to death, t=
he U.N. won’t allow it. But life in prison doesn’t seem to cut it. Too muc=
h ability for the wrongdoer to “put things behind them” and get on with thei=
r lives (if even in prison).
How can we remind them, every day, of what they have done? In a way, perhap=
s, that would make us want to keep them alive, so they will not forget.
Visitation. Yes, I said visitation. Why can’t the survivors, and even the f=
amily of Eav’s victims visit, every day, overstaying their welcome (perhaps e=
ven staying through lunch) to remind him of what he did, again and again, ov=
er and over, every day for the rest of his life.
Catharsis for the victims and their families, daily uncertainty and remembra=
nce for the perpetrator of genocide. Moral justice?
-Dave.=
I much prefer informative articles like this to that high brow litetarure.