CHHAE Heap
Pseudonym: 2-TCCP-275
Cases: Case 002/02
Category: Civil Party
Background and role
Che Heap testified as a Civil Party in Case 002/02 on the execution of his siblings, two of whom were Khmer Rouge soldiers, as well as his relocations, hard-working conditions and disappearances at the worksites to which he was assigned. During the Khmer Rouge Regime, Che Heap was assigned to various locations within Division 310, and then transferred to the west of the Kampong Chhnang Airport worksite under the leadership of Division 502.
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He had seven siblings, five of whom were killed between 1977-1978.
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Working conditions and disappearances at worksites
Even before Phnom Penh fell in 1975, Che Heap and his family members were living in Khmer Rouge-controlled territory and were evacuated from his native village, Kamrieng, Srayov commune, Kampong Svay district, Kampong Thom province to Ti Pou, in the same province.
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After the fall of Phnom Penh in 1975, they were sent back to their native village.
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Later on, Che Heap went with his older brother Che Heng, who was a member of Division 310, to Phnom Penh along with his brother Che Tauk and sister Che Mon to live at the children’s unit.
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In 1977, Che Heap’s brother Che Heng was arrested, and Che Heap was then separated from his other siblings and relocated elsewhere to do rice farming.
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Che Heap lied about his biography to survive whereas Che Tauk did not.
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One year later, Che Heap was transferred to the military hospital of Division 310, not far from the children's unit where Che Mon was, to clean the wounds of soldiers sent from the battlefield of Kampong Chhnang.
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In 1978, Che Heap and 60 other workers were transferred to Division 502, where he worked at the west of the Kampong Chhnang airport worksite in Krang Leav, Kompong Chhnang.
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He was tasked with carrying bricks to build concrete houses, and he was a group leader.
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He testified that any worker who was deemed “lazy” would be “taken out”.
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He noted three different units in his group, 50 members of whom “disappeared”.
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The death of his siblings
Che Heap’s older brother Che Heng, who was a member of Division 310,
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was arrested on 12 February 1977,
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and killed at S-21.
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Che Heap learned from others that his brother was arrested by Angkar for being a traitor.
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From that day forward, Che Heap tried to conceal his biography.
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Later, Angkar arrested Che Heng’s wife who worked in the sewing unit based at Tuol Kork and took her away along with their children.
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Che Heap’s other brother Che Tauk was also accused of having been a traitor and also taken away in 1977.
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A year later, his sister Che Mon was transferred to the children’s unit at Baek Chan and disappeared.
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During the Khmer Rouge Regime, Che Heap lost his brothers Che Heng, Che Hat who was also a Khmer Rouge soldier,
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Che Tauk and his sister Che Mon, and his sister in-law Vorn Sroeun and brother in-law Hul Ngon including his nephews and nieces.
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The Trial Chamber cited his testimony about killing network traitors who were his family members of his brother Che Heng as a traitor to Angkar.
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Statement of suffering
“I felt so much pity for them. That's why I came here to give my statements about the harm and suffering as a result of the disappearance of my brothers and sisters. I suffered because my brothers contributed a lot to struggle during the regime, but still they were arrested and taken away. Whenever I thought of that, I felt overwhelmed.”
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