NETH Savat, alias NET Tha
Pseudonym: 2-TCW-817
Cases: Case 002/02
Category: Witness
Background and Role
Neth Savat alias Net Tha was a farmer and former Deputy Chief of the Sector 105 economics unit.
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He testified as a witness in Case 002/02 in relation to Phnom Kraol security centre and his own arrest and imprisonment along with his family members and other cadres connected to Kham Phoun in late 1977.
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The Trial Chamber relied on the witness’s testimony in finding that: (i) there were systematic arrests of persons associated with Kham Phoun; and (ii) the same were interrogated while detained at the Sector 105 office, K-17.
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Phnom Kraol Security Centre
Neth described how Phnom Kraol was located in Kaoh Nheaek District.
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He identified two of its offices, K-16, the economics office,
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and K-17, which was located on the road towards Kratie
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and comprised a two-storey concrete building with wooden upper floor and walls and a corrugated iron roof.
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The Sector 105 Secretary was in charge of the Sector office at K-17.
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He added that Kham Phoun was in charge of economic affairs in the Sector 105 Committee,
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and Sao Sarun became a member of the same after the former Sector 105 Committee Secretary, Laing, and Deputy Secretary, Kham Phoun’s, administration.
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The Trial Chamber relied on Neth’s testimony in finding that: (i) Phnom Kraol is located in Kaoh Nheaek, which today remains part of Kaoh Nheaek District, approximately 100 kilometres north of Senmonorom;
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(ii) K-16 was the Sector 105 economics office tasked, among other things, with receiving commodities from Phnom Penh;
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(iii) K-17 was located on the road from Kaoh Nheaek to Kratie at the north-western foot of Phnom Kraol;
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(iv) the site comprised a two-storey concrete main building with wooden upper floor and walls and a corrugated iron roof;
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(v) the Sector 105 Secretary maintained authority over the sector office at K-17;
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(vi) Kham Phoun served as Deputy Secretary of the Sector 105 Committee in charge of economic affairs;
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and (vii) Sao Sarun was appointed to replace Laing after the latter’s death in late 1977.
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Arrest in January 1977
Neth received a letter inviting him to a meeting at K-17, following which he, together with his wife, children, siblings, and approximately 60 or 80 others were arrested and interned at K-17
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in January 1977
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because of association with his superior, Kham Phoun.
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Shortly before his arrest, he had received a circular outlining three types of enemies: “The first type was to be smashed. The second was to be detained. And the third group was to be sent to cooperatives”.
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According to Neth, Kham Phoun was denounced as a traitor due to the latter’s link with the Vietnamese,
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and there was also a policy to arrest people associated with Kham.
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The Trial Chamber relied on Neth’s testimony in finding that: (i) there was systematic arrest and detention of persons associated with perceived enemies within Sector 105, with the objective of preventing collaboration with the Vietnamese;
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(ii) Kham was denounced as a Vietnamese conspirator and traitor;
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(iii) military personnel associated with enemies were routinely purged down the chain of command;
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and (iv) Kham and Laing were summoned to a study session in Phnom Penh and died under suspicious circumstances after a physical altercation in late 1977.
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Although the Trial Chamber noted that Neth gave divergent evidence regarding the date of his arrest (stating both that he was arrested in January 1977, and following the death of Laing and Kham which occurred in late 1977), it accepted that he may have mistaken about the precise timing of his arrest and was satisfied that he was arrested in late 1977 or early 1978.
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Detention
Neth was questioned about Kham during his interrogations at K-17 and did not witness any form of torture.
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While detained at K-17, he witnessed the disappearances of prisoners,
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including a small group of Division 920 soldiers, Kaoh Nheaek district officials, and K-21 officers,
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whom he heard were transported westwards in the direction of Kratie and killed.
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Approximately 80 men, women, and children
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were detained on the ground floor of K-17’s main office in 1977.
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He was shackled only by one ankle,
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and guards only unshackled detainees before escorting them to bathe or use the site’s only toilet.
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He was permitted to bathe once a week in dirty water at the beginning of his detention.
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The food situation at K-17 was “very bad”,
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as detainees were only fed one meal a day, consisting of a small bowl of rice and pumpkin soup.
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He and his family were assigned to work in worksites after their one-month detention until 1979.
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The Trial Chamber relied on Neth’s testimony in finding that: (i) no physical mistreatment was inflicted upon detainees at K-17 during interrogations, although it was unable to assess the seriousness of psychological harm that may have resulted from this practice;
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(ii) prisoners were removed from detention at K-17 and never heard from again;
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(iii) approximately 80 men, women, and children were detained on the ground floor of K-17’s main office upon the commencement of purges across Sector 105 in 1977;
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(iv) detainees were shackled during the course of their detention at K-17;
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(v) a small number of children were present at K-17;
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(vi) prisoners were exposed to substandard conditions of hygiene and detention while detained at K-17;
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(vii) prisoners were only fed one meal a day, irregularly served at midday or in the evening, consisting of a small bowl of rice and pumpkin soup;
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and (viii) light offenders at K-17 were assigned to work at tempering or re-education worksites.
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The Supreme Court Chamber also referred to Neth’s testimony in dismissing Khieu Samphan’s argument, made on appeal,
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that the Trial Chamber based its findings on disappearances at K-17 on witnesses who were not held there is incorrect. The Trial Chamber had relied on the testimony of Neth, who was in fact held at K-17 and spoke of disappearances he witnessed from K-17.
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