Ta Mok

Ta Mok, also known as Nguon Kang or "Brother Number Five," was a senior Khmer Rouge leader and military chief in Cambodia. Born Chhit Choeun in 1924 in Takeo Province, he came from a prosperous Chinese-Cambodian family. After joining the anti-French resistance, he later became a key figure in the Khmer Rouge, rising to positions of power within the regime. During his time with the Khmer Rouge, Ta Mok was responsible for numerous atrocities, including the massacre at Oudong, where approximately 20,000 people were killed, and the mass murder in the Angkor Chey district, where 30,000 individuals perished. His brutal governance earned him the nickname "Butcher." After the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979, Ta Mok continued to lead resistance movements in Cambodia's north. He fled with Pol Pot following internal conflicts within the group and was captured by Vietnamese forces in 1998. Pol Pot died later that year under mysterious circumstances. In 1999, Ta Mok was arrested near the Thai border and imprisoned. His trial for crimes against humanity was repeatedly delayed due to health issues, including respiratory problems and heart conditions. He died on July 21, 2006, in a military hospital after lapsing into a coma caused by stress related to his pending trial. Ta Mok's legacy is marked by widespread destruction and human rights abuses. His former house in Anlong Ven has become a tourist attraction, while recent studies have shown that villages he governed during the Khmer Rouge era continue to face poorer economic ...