002/19-09-2007-ECCC-OCIJ ЮŲŠ / No: D427 People Moved 264. It is difficult to estimate the number of people moved from central and southwestern Cambodia to the North and Northwest Zones between late 1975 and 1976. A document of the Standing Committee dated August 1975 refers to the need to add 400,000 or 500,000 people to the population of the Northwest Zone and also to relocate an unspecified number of people to the then North Zone.1014 According to a September 1975 Party document 500,000 people were to be relocated to the Northwest, 20,000 to Preah Vihear and others to Kampong Thom in the North Zone and certain sectors of the East.1015 A telegram dated November 1975 (“Telegram #15”) indicated that 50,000 people were to be moved from the East Zone.1016 According to the evidence of former railway operators it appears that thousands were sent by train through Phnom Penh to their destinations in Pursat and Battambang in the Northwest Zone.1017 265. According to most of the witnesses (some of whom were moved),1018 children, women, elderly, and entire families were moved.1019 Some were connected to the Lon Nol regime.1020 Others were considered as “new people”1021 including people who had previously been moved from Phnom Penh.1022 Some witnesses state that only “new people” were told to leave.1023 One witness refers to the movement of the Chinese and Kampuchea Krom minorities.1024 266. A number of Cham people were also amongst the persons moved.1025 This occurred in late 1975,1026 after the Cham rebellion in two East Zone locations.1027 Many Cham people were moved from their home villages in Kampong Cham Province1028 and sent to other various villages within the same province.1029 Some were sent further to villages in the provinces of Kratie,1030 Kampong Thom1031 and Battambang.1032 Telegram #151033 and other evidence1034 suggests that a decision was made by the CPK Central Committee and subsequently implemented to relocate thousands of Cham people to the North and Northwest Zones. Means and Method of the Population Movement 267. People were moved by military or civilian truck,1035 train,1036 boat,1037 oxcart,1038 tractor,1039 or had to walk.1040 In many cases it was a combination of these various means, depending on the destination.1041 Most witnesses felt threatened or forced to leave.1042 People who thought they were being given a choice would still leave for fear of being arrested1043 or executed.1044 There is evidence that some people were tied up1045 or had a gun pointed at them1046 whilst others state they were neither tied up,1047 nor mistreated or beaten.1048 Some witnesses state that they were permitted to pack some belongings or a little food before departing.1049 Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, National Road 4, Choam Chao, Dangkao Phnom Penh Mailing address: P.O. Box 71, Phnom Penh; Tel: +855(0)23 218914 Fax: +855(0) 23 218941. 70