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| Thet Sambath, filmmaker of the 'Enemies of the People', talking to former Khmer Rouge leader Nuon Chea. (Photo: Courtesy of Thet Sambath) |
Thursday, 03 November 2011
Pin Sisovann, VOA Khmer | Maryland
“In ‘Enemies of the People,’ I couldn’t figure out who was really behind the killing.”
“Enemies of the People,” an award-winning documentary that follows one journalist’s search for answers about the Khmer Rouge, screened at a pagoda in Maryland this weekend, prompting many questions from the audience, some of them yet unanswered.
The film follows journalist Thet Sambath as he interviews former low-level cadre and the regime’s chief ideologue, Nuon Chea, who is now facing atrocity crimes charges at the UN-backed tribunal in Phnom Penh.
The film screened at the Buddhikarama pagoda in Silver Spring, Md., on Sunday.
In one of the film’s most powerful scenes, a former soldier re-enacts what it was like to cut the throat of a victim. The knife he uses on a reluctant demonstration partner is plastic, but the scene is chillingly real.
“I could imagine the frightening killings of the Khmer Rouge,” said Chhun Chhoammana, secretary for the Cambodian Buddhist Society. “It was horrifying.”
Thet Sambath and co-producer Rob Lemkin answered questions from nearly 50 people in the audience after the film. Some said they’d asked questions they had never brought up before. Others said they had still more.
“We screened it here because a pagoda is where people come together,” said Thet Sambath, who had come to the Washington area to collect a prestigious Knight International Journalism Award, for the years of reporting he undertook before the film was made. “I believe that all Cambodians are still wondering why and how the massacre of Cambodia’s people took place between 1975 and 1979.”
In another scene in the film, Thet Sambath questions Nuon Chea over the decisions that led to so many deaths. Nuon Chea and the other main cadre in the film, soldiers Khuon and Suon, “talked very honestly, frankly, openly, truly for the first time,” Lemkin said. “So this is history, history in the making.”
For viewer Kong Heng, who lost 12 relatives to the regime, the film raised questions about the Khmer Rouge tribunal under way.
“The government and the UN decided in their agreements to try only the top leaders and most responsible persons,” he said. “If the trial expands to small cadre, like these killers in the film, there will be too many of them to try.”
An expansion of the court’s work could also cause “insecurity,” he said. “It is good enough.”
The producers said they were now trying to raise money for a second film, which would explore the political motivations behind the killings.
“In ‘Enemies of the People,’ I couldn’t figure out who was really behind the killing,” Chhum Chhoammana said. “Sambath said those who ordered the killing would be revealed in the second film.”
3 comments:
Concerning Khmer Rouge, it should be over now, we should look into the future for our country. If you are 'Khmer' there's all Khmer Rouges in Cambodia. What do you still want? Take care of yourself and families, help our people, reunite our people so we will win the enemy. I was a former Khmer Rouge and I am Khmer. Please stop.
Hun Sen , Heng Samrin , Chea Sim and CPP can not stop interfering this ECCC or Khmer Rouge Trials becasue half of Khmer Rouge between 1975-1979 were Khmer Viet Minh before they became Khmer Rouge between 1975-1979 as follow: 1. Heng Samrin.
2. Chea Sim.
3. So Phim. 4. Keo Meas. 5. And many more. So the Khmer victims must stop wonderng why Hun Sen has kept interfering this ECCC. So the Khmer victims must stop wondering why this ECCC always has problems. So the main duties of this Hanoi ECCC are: 1. Arrest. 2. Detain. 3. No open and full public hearing of Case 002. 4. life imprision of the four in Case 002. 5. Declare justice has done and close the ECCC. But as the victims of this genocide between 1975-1979 we want number 3 which is open and full public hearing of Case 002 but it will never happen at all under CPP .
Ah coward Decho Hun Sen, Mr Sam Rainsy asks you to sue him at France court about you murdered Khmer people. Why don't you dare to do it as you have done at Cambodia court?
Being a strong man as well as Prime Minister of one country, you should not be coward to face the real justice at France court or International court. Unless, you are the real murderer in Cambodia that is the reason why you fear of Mr Sam Rainsy at real and fair justice court.
Decho Hun Sen rubbed Cambodian people well being, health care, dignity and sell Cambodia out to Vietnam in cheap price as long as he can stay in power. Isn't true Samdach Decho Hun Sen?
How many Cambodian people lives have you killed in your life so far? Can you being honest telling the true?
As one Prime Minister of one country his job is bully his own people from talking about Paris Peace agreement 1991 and Vietnam take Cambodia area. Why?
Samdach Decho Hun Sen Why does you so scare of the truth? Why do you so scare of Mr Sam Rainsy when he asks you to sue him at France court? You are strong man as you claim in TV screen.
Samdach Decho Hun Sen shouldn't scare of Mr Sam Rainsy because Mr Sam Rainsy has no weapon mass destruction as you do. You are the murderer; you must be strong in facing with Mr Sam Rainsy at France court as Mr Sam Rainsy invited you to do so.
Samdach Decho billion dollars Hun Sen, PLease face Mr Sam Rainsy as Mr Sam Rainsy invited you through the world media. You used to win on Mr Sam Rainsy many times in Cambodia court of justice. There is no reason why you should be worry about...if you have never killed anyone in Cambodia. Isn’t it Decho Sen?
Cambodian people hope to see Samdach Decho Hun Sen will has gut as a leader or a man to sue Mr Sam Rainsy at France court as Mr Sam Rainsy invited Samdach decho many times through Radio and world media.
Be a man Decho Sen! One in your life be a man Decho Sen! Be a man to face Mr Sam Rainsy at France court and international court.
We are personal bodyguards of Samdach Decho would like to see Decho Hun Sen be a man with Mr Sam Rainsy at France Court. Otherwise, Samdach Decho is not worthy to protect because why do we have to die for protecting a traitor, a murderer, a blood sucker. Isn’t it true Samdach Decho Hun Sen? Do you agree with that?
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