11 westerners executed in Tuol Sleng prison
Source: Trial to reveal fate of Aussies, The Australian - The Nation, 28 November 2006.
9 of them came from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. From the US, there were Michael Deeds, Chris Dlance, James Clark and Lance McNamara. From Australia were Ronald Dean and David Scott; from New Zealand Kerry Hamill and Britong John Dewshist. And from Canada came Stuart Glass. All of them were yachtsmen and caught in 1978.
The record was revealed by the Vietnamese troops during their invasion of Cambodia in 1978.
Australian spokesman for the Khmer Rouge Tribunal Helen Jarvis seems to imply that Australia has been curious about how those westerners were tortured and killed in Phom Penh-based Tuol Sleng prison.
He believes that the Khmer Rouge Tribunal will give him and Australia the answer to this question if it focuses on the prison.
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A few weeks ago I read in a British newspaper that the trials could collapse due to lack of cooperation. Do you know where things currently stand in the process? Is there really a possibility that more information on the fate of Ron Dean and David Scott could be revealed?
Hi Peter,
Recent stories covered by different media agents from all the corners of the world seem to tell that the trials are now put back on the right track and should come into play soon.
Whether or not more information on the fate of Ron Dean and David Scott could be revealed is still a doubt to me. But let’s hope the answer will be a yes.
Peter…I interviewed two Tuol Sleng survivors (Cambodian) and a relative of one of the American prisoners. Ronald Keith Dean (of Wollongong NSW) and David Lloyd Scott were picked up in early November 1978 while sailing their ketch ‘The Sanuk’ from Singapore to Sattaheap in Thailand. After torture, both wrote long, fictitious accounts of their ‘careers’ as CIA agents who had been bribed into using their yatching as a cover for photographing the Cambodian coastline. Then they were executed. I don’t know if family members of either man have come forward. The sister of English victim John Dewhirst now works as a lawyer in Cumbria and told a local newspaper she can’t even think of her brother’s fate without crying…28 years on. The kid brother New Zealand victim, Kerry Hamil is a champion rower and also said the circumstances of his brother’s death wrecked their family. The American relative I spoke to wept as he described seeing Tuol Sleng for the first time…he suffered PTSD afterwards. The Cambodians I spoke to remembers seeing tall bearded white men in nearby cells, but little else. Perhaps it’s better we don’t know how they died.
I knew crew of Foxy Lady in 12 months preceeding thier capture. My “two week” trip in April ‘05 to honour my friends has led to me now basically residing in Cambodia.
Anyone with an interest in western KR victims please feel free to contact me by email: byroncanoe@hotmail.com
Perhaps a memorial?
paul everingham,
Koh Kong cambodia
Byron Bay australia
Hi Tom
I am the brother of Kerry Hamill. I would be interested in beginning a dialogue with you about your meetings with the survivors and other family members. If possible could you please get in contact with me on rob@wave.co.nz or +64 274 936677? Thanks in advance.
Rob Hamill
New Zealand
PS could the moderator of the previous message please initiate contact with Tom perhaps (I assume you have his email) and pass on my email to him to see if you would be willing to make contact? Thank you.
Rob Hamill
A documentary and/or movie should be made. My nephew, Jon Heder the actor and film-producer, could help if we could get some investors. Doug Heder, Jons’ older brother, is a great screen-writer and could put something together if he was sent the stories of these victims who deserve world recognition.
I was a close friend of Dave Scott (he was the roadie for our band, Bakery, in the late ’60s, early 70’s). Yesterday, through extraordinary coincidence, I spoke to a person who is sending me a copy of Dave’s “confession”, which is littered with names from my past (our drummer, our manager et al. who are described as senior CIA operatives in the confession). Like Gerald Heder, I would like to see a documentary made to honor all these sad victims of the Pol Pot era. It may also spur our government into some action (after 30 years of shameful silence). I will be tracking down Dave’s surviving family in the hope of laying some ghosts to rest. The person who contacted me is also interested this project (and has resources, obviously). I can offer music composition and recording (I was an engineer and producer for 20 years in Australia), and unrelenting determination.
My thanks to all previous contributors for shedding light was none has been. We all share a sad connection. I may obtain more information (about Dave AND Ron), so please contact me if you wish to know more, or contribute to some kind of memorial or doco.
Peter Walker, Sydney Australia
Email: peterwalker@unwired.com.au
Further to my last post: I’ve now received a photocopy of Dave’s “confession”, which confirms the accounts by others that the the western captives were obliged to concoct elaborate tales of CIA activities. It was a difficult document to read (especially as it is in his own handwriting, which I recognise). It is even more difficult to conceive of the circumstances which led to such an extraordinary 26 page “confession”.
Any relatives or friends of the other western victims are welcome to contact me. I may be able to obtain similar documentation about their loved one through my contacts.
I also received photocopies of photographs (of family and friends) which were assumed to be from Dave’s personal effects. Unfortunately I cannot identify anyone in the photos, leading me to suspect that they are a mixture of personal effects from the other western victims.
I can forward these to anyone who may have an interest; it may help to flesh out the whole story if the persons depicted in the photos can be identified.
Peter Walker
Email: peterwalker@unwired.com.au
Lance McNamarra’s daughter is a good friend of mine and I knew Lance before he left Santa Barbara on his ill fated voyage. I am accumulating whatever information i can to give to her when and if she expresses a desire for it. I have spent many years sailing in the south pacific and crossed the wake, it seems, of many less fortunate than myself. To anyone with specific information about Lance’s fate, I request you contact me. Thank you. Jim Johnson of yachts DEMARIS TAO and LOVE at yachtlove@hotmail.com
Just to note I am the nephew of Janice Dean, Ronald Dean’s wife. Although she has little interest in pursuing this line of inquiry, I am interested if anyone has more to contribute.
As Janice as stated for many years, Ronald was not a member of the Australian Government in any shape or form, and was not in the CIA as he confessed under duress prior to his execution.
Lee