I am reluctantly beginning to accept that Pol Pot is finally dead.
Reluctantly because there have been reports of his demise before and they
have, obviously, proved to be false. Even as the first extraordinarily
grainy pictures came through of an elderly corpse lying on a cot, I found it
hard to believe that the dark haired cadaver was that of the snowy haired
dictator of last year's Khmer Rouge show trial. And that is despite
assurances by Western journalists who participated in the filming. Given the
importance of this story and the fact that every network in the world was
probably falling over their open cheque-books, the poor quality of the
pictures surprised me. But with some of the sophisticated equipment being
used by other cameramen who appeared in the footage, I hope that we shall
soon see clearer images.
While still not completely convinced, and it is difficult to explain why
without suggesting the journalists are the victims of - or party to - an
elaborate con, I cannot seriously contest the statements made by Western
journalists who are far more familiar with Pol Pot than I. One of them, Nate
Thayer, was most emphatic when questioned by a BBC anchor. Thayer knew Pol
Pot better than most, and I guess if he says he saw Pol Pot lying dead on a
cot in a Cambodian shack, we have to accept his word for it.
It is something I find hard to put my finger on. While Pol Pot's death
may have removed a bargaining chip from the diminishing assets of the Khmer
Rouge, there are plenty of governments around the world that are probably
heaving a great sigh of relief. According to recent reports out of Cambodia,
including one from Thayer, the remnants of the Khmer Rouge leadership were
on the verge of handing Pol Pot over to international authorities for trial
on charges of crimes against humanity. The stories, excruciatingly
embarrassing stories, that man could have told. I'd bet shadowy figures
behind the scenes were frantically working on a damage control program.
Shadowy figures backed by hugely powerful interests. It is a situation that
conspiracy theorists could really sink their teeth into.
If the bloated cadaver is really Pol Pot, would it be beyond the realms
of possibility that a deal was struck with the Khmer Rouge to kill him
before he could blow the whistle on Western complicity in the 'Killing
Fields' and their support for a Khmer Rouge-led coalition that fought the
Vietnamese installed regime of Hun Sen after 1979? There is evidence that
lethal aid was given to the Khmer Rouge well into the late 1980's and
perhaps even up to the Paris Peace Accord of 1991. This, however, has always
been denied. Pol Pot could have confirmed it in court - and if you can't
believe a psychopath murderer, who can you believe? Now that would have been
seriously nasty, wouldn't it?
So, I suppose, this is farewell then, Saloth Sar. But I seriously doubt
if the controversy or accountability for the slaughter of the 'Killing
Fields' will stop here.
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