A Man of Generations-My father-in-Law was taken away​ and killed-Part 8

My father-in-Law was taken away

All monthly commune meetings, where people from six villages attended, among those my father-in-law and Prince Hut, the husband of Mrs. ChanThy (now undersecretary of state, Ministry of Information)​ always met together. My father-in-law lived in Sithor Lech village and Prince Hut in Toul Pongro next to each other. The 2 people were very smart old men, the Phnom Penh citizens. When they were among countryside people, they were kings.

Sometimes they met in or outside the house and talked, but I did not know what they talked about. This sign of the rare personal meetings between the two might cause suspicion by Pol Pot cadres in the commune.

My father-in-law was categorized in the old aged group and ordered to work as gardener in the vegetables farm far away from the village. One day, the commune chief walked past his house, and directed west to the vegetables farm where my father-in-law were on duty. The chief used to do that very often. However, my father had the feeling that his life danger will come to him soon. Before that he told his children he would be killed. It was his only expectation. He was ready to keep poisoned substance in his pocket and eat whenever he would be ready to kill.

One night around midnight in 1978, my mother-in-law came to my house next to hers, calling me: “Son! son! they are taking your father away so soon! wake up, wake up”. I woke up just with my shorts, nothing ready, and followed her. When I came out of the house, the light from the flashlight fixedly flared at my eyes, then moved down to my body. I saw my father-in-law sat in front of the house, pissing. He pissed longer. Three soldiers with guns on guard, one of them shouted: “Get up! get up! go to the meeting! ” My father slowly got up and walked in front of  them. I dared not say anything, I was afraid they could take me out too. A soldier with a gun pointed at me and walked away in the dark. I could not see them anymore.

My mother-in-law sobbed silently in the heart of the night. I just kept silent and still dared not to say anything​ against the soldiers. I just consoled her. She did not stop weeping bitter tears. We were afraid of doing thing against them.

The next morning, I went to work at the vegetables field as normal. I got nearer to my grand- father and whispered to him: “Grand-father, last night they took my father away.” He told me just to work, and work for yourself. No one could say anything whenever Pol Pot soldiers took any villager out.