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6. The Missing Brother I saw a man hanging from a tree with a scarf around his neck. He committed suicide because he had a love affair and he knew if he was caught, he would be killed by Angka. —Sambath Thet Vorn, the oldest sibling in Sambath’s family, was in the tenth grade when the Khmer Rouge took over. With his handsome features and gentle nature, he was liked by everyone and had a girlfriend whom he expected to marry. Sambath and the other three brothers and two sisters looked up to him. He lived apart from the family to study in the town, where he learned about health care through his uncle, a medic, who allowed Vorn to stay with him. Sambath only saw Vorn when he visited the village to see his parents and siblings. When Sambath’s family left the village to escape the fighting, he saw his brother more frequently, since they were now living in the same town. High school had ceased to exist, and Vorn now was part of the mobile youth brigade . He worked diligently under the Khmer Rouge, making dams and canals to prove his worthiness. Because of his education, he was called on to help the battalion chief of the mobile brigade, who was illiterate, to write documents when he was not making dams. He was trusted enough that he was given a bicycle to inspect the irrigation at the rice fields. But soon some of Vorn’s colleagues began to disappear, arrested on suspicion of plotting against the government. As the web of accusations grew, Vorn’s friends told him to run away, fearing the investigation would reach him soon. He refused to escape, saying he was doing nothing wrong. In the meantime, the accusations against residents of Sambath’s area increased and the punishments became harsher. A man who had two wives was accused of having an affair with his wife’s younger sister, a criminal offense under the new regime. The Khmer Rouge told him to end the affair. He continued , and the Khmer Rouge, who seemed to know everything, found out. 80 Chapter 6 The villagers were called to a meeting so the man could be criticized and the others could be warned not to follow his example. Sambath wanted to go, but was told the man was going to be killed. Too scared to attend, he stayed away, but his brothers went and told him about it afterward. After the accused confessed, he was beaten to death with sticks. When he stopped moving, the Khmer Rouge cut open his chest and pulled out his liver and gall bladder. They said the organs were going to be used for medical study. “I was very scared when I heard about this killing and I dared not do anything wrong,” Sambath said. The culture of accusation and suspicion created a lynch mob mentality, and no one could be trusted, not even family members. As a result, residents were desperate to be left alone and avoid the negative attention of Khmer Rouge cadre. Cambodians wished for invisibility—better not to exist than risk Khmer Rouge punishment if they were accused of a crime. An elderly woman living near Sambath talked and shouted to herself in her home, pretending she was crazy so she would be left alone. Others feigned stupidity to hide their education or wealthy backgrounds. And some just stopped talking. Still, Vorn would not flee, believing his innocence would save him. One day in 1977, Sambath saw Vorn riding toward him on a bicycle. His brother was on his way to inspect a dam and called out to Sambath to come over. Sambath had just returned from carrying fertilizer to the rice field and was now cutting grass along the road near his home. Surprised to see his brother with a new Chinese bicycle, he ran over to him. “How are you?” his brother asked Sambath, gently ruffling his hair. “I have no food or rice to eat,” Sambath told him. “I only have porridge.” Vorn remained quiet and looked at the ground. After a few moments of silence, Sambath asked him, “Brother, could you bring me a fighting cock?” Sambath had always dreamed of owning a fighting cock along with a dog and birds. Vorn smiled at the childish request. “Yes,” he said. “I will bring one for you.” “When will you give it to me?” Sambath asked anxiously, wanting to have his pet as...

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