Dith Pran (Photo: Brooklyn Friends School)Wednesday, February 14, 2007
By ROBERT KOPACZ
Independent Press (New Jersey, USA)
MADISON -- Dith Pran, the Cambodian journalist whose experiences in the Khmer Rouge's forced labor camps were portrayed in the 1984 movie "The Killing Fields," spoke about his experiences prior to a screening of the film at Drew University on Feb. 6.
The film's screening and Mr. Dith's talk were the first in a three-part program entitled "The Power of the Individual to Resist Evil," which recalls events of genocide in the 20th century and recognizes the efforts of individuals to resist and prevail.
Ann Saltzman, co-director of Drew's Center for Holocaust/Genocide Studies, the program's sponsor, when introducing Mr. Dith, noted, "The Cambodian Holocaust has changed his life forever. He lost 50 relatives by the Khmer Rouge, including his father, three brothers, one sister and their families. His mother died of malnutrition." Only he and one sister survived.
Mr. Dith, 64, a composed and confident speaker, becomes passionate as he speaks in encyclopedic terms about the evil of the Khmer Rouge and the geopolitical forces that helped bring them to power. It is hard to believe that it is the same Dith Pran who endured the horrors depicted in the movie. Yet he assures us that not only are the horrors accurately depicted, they were the tip of the iceberg.
"The story that some of you are going to see, compared to what I went through, what the Cambodian people went through, it's a very small amount that we want to show you, because we understand that it is very hard to show the whole story," he said.
Mr. Dith told a story of unintended consequences as the Vietnam War spread into Cambodia. U.S. bombing operations inside Cambodia drove an increasing number of Cambodians to support the Khmer Rouge. In the vacuum created in 1975 by U.S. withdrawal from the region, the Khmer Rouge had free reign.
Survival required thinking ahead. Mr. Dith said, "My mind went very fast, ahead of the Khmer Rouge."
His quick thinking saved the life of New York Times correspondent and colleague Sydney Schanberg, as well as two other colleagues. Immediately after the Khmer Rouge rolled in to Phnom Penh, the three foreign journalists were promptly taken into custody by Khmer Rouge forces. In a scene depicted in the film, Mr. Dith negotiated the release of the journalists as they awaited execution, insisting that they were French journalists.
Cambodia was a French colony for nearly a century, and Cambodians still respected France. Mr. Dith knew that the leadership of the Khmer Rouge had studied in France on scholarships. If anything were to change their minds, it would be a French identity for the three.
The quick thinking worked, and the three were released. They went with Mr. Dith to the French embassy. The Khmer Rouge demanded that all Cambodians in refuge at the embassy come out. When an attempt at forging a foreign passport for Mr. Dith failed, he was also required to leave.
Once again, Mr. Dith had to live by his wits. He tried to make himself look older than he was. "I was 33, but I looked 65, almost the age I am now," said Mr. Dith, laughing lightly. He told the Khmer Rouge that he was a taxi driver. "If they knew I was a journalist, I wouldn't be here."
He ate grasshoppers, crickets and snakes to supplement the diet offered by his captors. "If you are in my position, you don't say, 'I cannot eat crickets, I cannot eat snakes,'" responding to a few grimaces by younger members of the audience.
In comments to a reporter after his talk, Mr. Dith marveled at the changes that have taken place in Cambodia, something that he could not have foreseen as he slaved away in the Cambodian killing fields 30 years ago. He has returned to Cambodia three times. Returning generates mixed emotions.
He said, "It's difficult in my mind, in my spirit it's difficult. I grew up in a peaceful time, then I went through hell, and then I see that everything is growing. It's amazing how the new generation can rebuild the country.'"
Mr. Dith immigrated to the United States in 1980 and became a photographer for the New York Times, a position he still holds today. He lives in New Jersey. He also runs the Dith Pran Holocaust Awareness Project, Inc., dedicated to preserving the memory and spreading awareness of the Cambodian Holocaust.
The next program in the Drew series will take place in March, with a screening of the film "Hotel Rwanda" on March 5, followed by a talk on March 6 by Paul Rusesabagina, whose story is depicted in the film.
The film's screening and Mr. Dith's talk were the first in a three-part program entitled "The Power of the Individual to Resist Evil," which recalls events of genocide in the 20th century and recognizes the efforts of individuals to resist and prevail.
Ann Saltzman, co-director of Drew's Center for Holocaust/Genocide Studies, the program's sponsor, when introducing Mr. Dith, noted, "The Cambodian Holocaust has changed his life forever. He lost 50 relatives by the Khmer Rouge, including his father, three brothers, one sister and their families. His mother died of malnutrition." Only he and one sister survived.
Mr. Dith, 64, a composed and confident speaker, becomes passionate as he speaks in encyclopedic terms about the evil of the Khmer Rouge and the geopolitical forces that helped bring them to power. It is hard to believe that it is the same Dith Pran who endured the horrors depicted in the movie. Yet he assures us that not only are the horrors accurately depicted, they were the tip of the iceberg.
"The story that some of you are going to see, compared to what I went through, what the Cambodian people went through, it's a very small amount that we want to show you, because we understand that it is very hard to show the whole story," he said.
Mr. Dith told a story of unintended consequences as the Vietnam War spread into Cambodia. U.S. bombing operations inside Cambodia drove an increasing number of Cambodians to support the Khmer Rouge. In the vacuum created in 1975 by U.S. withdrawal from the region, the Khmer Rouge had free reign.
Survival required thinking ahead. Mr. Dith said, "My mind went very fast, ahead of the Khmer Rouge."
His quick thinking saved the life of New York Times correspondent and colleague Sydney Schanberg, as well as two other colleagues. Immediately after the Khmer Rouge rolled in to Phnom Penh, the three foreign journalists were promptly taken into custody by Khmer Rouge forces. In a scene depicted in the film, Mr. Dith negotiated the release of the journalists as they awaited execution, insisting that they were French journalists.
Cambodia was a French colony for nearly a century, and Cambodians still respected France. Mr. Dith knew that the leadership of the Khmer Rouge had studied in France on scholarships. If anything were to change their minds, it would be a French identity for the three.
The quick thinking worked, and the three were released. They went with Mr. Dith to the French embassy. The Khmer Rouge demanded that all Cambodians in refuge at the embassy come out. When an attempt at forging a foreign passport for Mr. Dith failed, he was also required to leave.
Once again, Mr. Dith had to live by his wits. He tried to make himself look older than he was. "I was 33, but I looked 65, almost the age I am now," said Mr. Dith, laughing lightly. He told the Khmer Rouge that he was a taxi driver. "If they knew I was a journalist, I wouldn't be here."
He ate grasshoppers, crickets and snakes to supplement the diet offered by his captors. "If you are in my position, you don't say, 'I cannot eat crickets, I cannot eat snakes,'" responding to a few grimaces by younger members of the audience.
In comments to a reporter after his talk, Mr. Dith marveled at the changes that have taken place in Cambodia, something that he could not have foreseen as he slaved away in the Cambodian killing fields 30 years ago. He has returned to Cambodia three times. Returning generates mixed emotions.
He said, "It's difficult in my mind, in my spirit it's difficult. I grew up in a peaceful time, then I went through hell, and then I see that everything is growing. It's amazing how the new generation can rebuild the country.'"
Mr. Dith immigrated to the United States in 1980 and became a photographer for the New York Times, a position he still holds today. He lives in New Jersey. He also runs the Dith Pran Holocaust Awareness Project, Inc., dedicated to preserving the memory and spreading awareness of the Cambodian Holocaust.
The next program in the Drew series will take place in March, with a screening of the film "Hotel Rwanda" on March 5, followed by a talk on March 6 by Paul Rusesabagina, whose story is depicted in the film.
4 comments:
We shall note that Mr. Pran is our First Khmer's Hero to bring major news to The West, especially America.
He will always remember as one of "our few good man ".
Our deep admiration and respect,
Ordinary Khmers
Hero? The guy didn't even rescued
a roach or anything, and you called
that monkey, a hero? That is
totally insane, I have to say.
He's nothing but a faggot. Get it?
Dith Pran has never been a journalist. He was a tour guide at Angkor Wat prior to 1970. It is a big different between a tour guide and a journalist. NewYork times made him a photoman, thanks to Sydney, when he came to the USA in 1980.
to 2:24pm and 4:24am.. you are just a jealous asshole. because you're not any shit except jealousy morron!!
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