us-005578-irn1004901
type: RecordSet
date: 1987 June 02
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had identifier: 1
has or had identifier: 2
has or had some members with language: fra
has record set type: Item
identifier: irn1004901
note: Abbreviated transcript with real time code idents available in departmental files.
scope and content: 15:02 Witness Elie Wiesel testifies, describing the particular emotional challenges of life in the camps as a child; Prosecutor Jakubowicz asks the witness to give his opinion on the definition of a crime against humanity 15:09 Mr. Wiesel describes genocide as,"a philosophy, more than a war strategy" He describes the uniqueness of the Nazi genocide, and explains his opinion that we should never compare it to other genocidal acts, because"to compare is to minimize" He comments on France's complicity in the Holocaust, saying that France's actions should be put to trial, but not in conjunction with Barbie. 15:16 Defense lawyer Vergès questions the witness, asking him whether he knew of a report, published in 1958, which stated that at least 15,000 children were being killed per month in French-administered camps in Algeria. Mr. Wiesel replies that he did not know, as he was living in New York at that time, but that had he known, he would have spoken out against the French government. 15:18 Vergès comments that the witness is an American citizen, and asks him whether he was aware of the fate of Vietnamese children due to the U.S. presence during the Vietnam War. He asks Mr. Wiesel to comment on the My Lai massacre, and Mr. Wiesel replies that when the press uncovered the event a year after the fact, he was outraged and organized a protest. Vergès question the witness about the Deir Yassin massacre, perpetrated by Zionist paramilitary groups on a Palestinian village near Jerusalem, and the witness replies that he does not feel the line of questioning is appropriate; he speaks out in defense of the State of Israel, saying that the violence in the region is due to Arab countries' inability to accept the terms of the 1948 agreement; Vergès disagrees, criticizes Mr. Wiesel for supporting Israel unconditionally instead of 'having a lucid gaze toward his own country,' and admonishes him for not answering his question about Deir Yassin directly; Mr. Wiesel retorts that Vergès' …
title: Barbie Trial -- Day 15 -- Elie Wiesel and two other witnesses testify