Long Beach Cambodian community commemorates Killing Fields victims

Survivors of the Cambodian genocide gathered to pray and say chants with monks to commemorate the 37th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge rise to power and the onset of the Killing Fields genocide that claimed about 2 million lives in between 1975 and 1978. After the prayers the monks made a procession line to receive food and give blessings. (Brittany Murray / Staff Photographer)

Survivors of the Cambodian genocide gathered to pray and say chants with monks to commemorate the 37th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge rise to power and the onset of the Killing Fields genocide. (Brittany Murray / Staff Photographer)

04/17/2012
By Greg Mellen Staff Writer
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)

Editor's note: As the Cambodian community remembers the victims of the genocide every April 17, many (some studies say most) of the survivors still carry scars from the conflict.Beginning Sunday, the Press-Telegram will run a special series on post-traumatic stress disorder in the Cambodian community.

LONG BEACH - Throughout the day and throughout Long Beach Tuesday the Cambodian community honored victims of the Killing Fields genocide that claimed about two million victims.

From morning prayers to evening programs, to a measure in City Hall to declare April Genocide Awareness Month, it was a day of remembrance.

April 17 marked the 37th anniversary of the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge and the start of a brutal 44-month reign in which millions died from execution, malnutrition, disease and privation.

In an empty lot on Anaheim Street in Cambodia Town, about 100 residents gathered at an annual ceremony organized by nonprofit Killing Fields Memorial Center Inc.

Remember 4/17 - By Khmerican

Commemoration for victims of the KR regime organized by the SRP at Choeung Ek Memorial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vniZMHt5oTE

លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី​វាយប្រហារ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ចំពោះ​ដំណើរការ ​តុលាការ​ខ្មែរក្រហម

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uctJVVHMvw

ថ្ងៃ អង្គារ 17 មេសា 2012
ដោយ លាង ដឺលុច
Radio France Internationale

ដូច​រៀងរាល់​ឆ្នាំ គណបក្ស​សម រង្ស៊ី​បាន​រៀបចំ​ពិធី​រម្លឹក​វិញ្ញាណក្ខន្ធ​អ្នក​ស្លាប់​នៅក្នុង​របប​ខ្មែរក្រហម​ នៅ​ឯ​សារមន្ទីរ​ប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រ​ជើងឯក។ គឺ​នៅ​ក្នុង​ពិធី​បង្សុកូល​នេះ​ហើយ​ដែល​គណបក្ស​សម រង្ស៊ី​អាច​បញ្ចេញ​តួអង្គ​ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស​តាម​រយៈ​កញ្ចក់​វីដេអូ​ conference នៅ​ចំពោះ​មុខ​អ្នក​ចូលរួម​ជាច្រើន​រយ​នាក់។ លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី​បាន​និយាយ​រិះគន់​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ថា ធ្វើ​ជា​ឧបសគ្គ​ខ្ទាស់​មិន​អោយ​សាលាក្តី​ខ្មែរ​ក្រហម​ដើរ​ទៅ​មុខ​តាម​អំណាច​របស់​ខ្លួន។

ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង គឺ​លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី​ បាន​ចេញ​មុខ​ថ្លែង​បរិហារ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ថា​បាន​ព្យាយាម​ធ្វើ​អោយ​ដំណើរ​ការ​សាលាក្តី​ខ្មែរ​ក្រហម​មិនទៅ​មុខ​តាម​អំណាច​របស់​ខ្លួន​នោះ​ឡើយ។ ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង​បាន​ថ្លែង​យ៉ាង​នេះ​ កាល​ពី​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​អង្គារ​ទី​១៧​មេសា​នេះ តាម​រយៈ ​Video Conference នៅ​ក្នុង​ពិធី​បង្សុកូល​រំលឹក​វិញ្ញាណក្ខន្ធ​អ្នក​ស្លាប់​ក្នុង​របប​ខ្មែរក្រហម។ ពិធី​នេះ​ត្រូវ​បាន​រៀបចំ​ធ្វើ​នៅ​ក្នុង​ទីលាន​សារមន្ទីរ​ប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រ​ជើងឯក​ ជាយក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ។

ថ្លែង​ពី​ទីក្រុង ​Montreal ប្រទេស​កាណាដា​មក លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី​និយាយ​បន្ទោស​ថា គឺ​មក​ពី​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​នេះ​ហើយ​ដែល​ធ្វើ​អោយ​យុត្តិធម៌​កាន់​តែ​នៅ​ឆ្ងាយ​ពី​ជន​រងគ្រោះ។ គឺ​មក​ពី​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​នេះ​ហើយ​ដែល​ធ្វើ​អោយ​ចៅក្រម​ស៊ើបអង្កេត​អន្តរជាតិ​លាលែង​ពី​ការងារ​ នៅ​ក្នុង​សាលាក្តី​ខ្មែរ​ក្រហម​នេះ។ ចំពោះ​លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី រដ្ឋាភិបាល​មាន​ប្រយោជន៍​នឹង​រារាំង​ដំណើរការ​របស់​តុលាការ​កូនកាត់​នេះ ពីព្រោះ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​បារម្ភ​ខ្លាច​តុលាការ​អន្តរជាតិ​មួយ​នេះ​រក​ឃើញ​មាន​មន្ត្រី​របស់​ខ្លួន​ជាប់​ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ការ​កាប់​សម្លាប់​ប្រជាជន​ខ្មែរ​ ក្នុង​សម័យ​កម្ពុជា​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នោះ។

Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy's Speech on 17 April 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uctJVVHMvw

Memory of 17 April 1975

People celebrating the end of the war on 17 April 1975 (Photo: Roland Neveu)

A woman crying over the body of her husband who was a soldier in the Khmer Republic regime (Photo: Roland Neveu)

US evacuation prior to the fall of Phnom Penh (Photo: Roland Neveu)

Line waiting for gasoline ration (Photo: Roland Neveu)

Capitulation of Khmer Republic soldiers(Photo: Roland Neveu)

(Photo: Roland Neveu)

Monivong Boulevard on 17 April 1975

Celebration along Monivong Boulevard on 17 April 1975 ... the tragedy came right after this.

SRP Commemoration of 17 April 1975 at Choeung Ek Memorial on 17 April 2012

A city’s nightmare revisited

A barefoot Khmer Rouge cadre carries a rocket launcher down Monivong Boulevard during the fall of Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975. (Courtesy Al Rockoff)

Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodians will gather today to pray for the souls of some 1.7 million of their countrymen brutally killed by the Khmer Rouge on the 37th anniversary of the day that the regime seized power and began forcibly evacuating Phnom Penh.

At the Choeung Ek killing fields, the mass grave in Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district where thousands of skulls are stacked as a reminder of the scale of the regime’s atrocities, 50 monks will be joined by some 500 members of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party.

Ke Sovannorth, secretary general of the SRP, said yesterday it was a time to remember the awful three years, eight months and 20 days the regime ruled the country.

“It is a historic day. We will remember and never want it to happen again, because this regime made women widows and separated children from their parents,” he said.

Comment: A day we must never forget

Confronting images: visitors contemplate pictures of a Khmer Rouge victim at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Photo by Sovan Philong

Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Ly Sok-Kheang
Letter to The Phnom Penh Post

In addressing the post-conflict situation in Cambodia, individuals, states, civil society and other stakeholders have taken into account culture, religion, politics and other contexts.

Their efforts have served the objectives of preserving memory, truth and justice.

But Thursday, April 17, 1975, which marked a tragic turning point in Cambodian history, has received less attention.

On that day, an ultra-Maoist group known as the Khmer Rouge fought its way into Phnom Penh and Lon Nol’s regime surrendered power.

Many city-dwellers expressed joy that the war would end and peace, security and nation-building would begin. This excitement was immediately replaced by extreme fear, bewilderment and shock.

The same day, the Khmer Rouge began evacuating people from cities and provincial towns to rural areas. These and other Khmer Rouge policies led to the deaths of nearly two million Cambodians.

សហគមន៍​ខ្មែរ​ឡុងប៊ិច​នឹង​ប្រារព្ធ​ធ្វើ​ពិធី​រំលឹក​ខួប​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៧ ខែ​មេសា

ទ័ព​ខ្មែរក្រហម​ម្នាក់​ឆែកពលរដ្ឋ​ស៊ីវិល​មួយរូប​ក្នុង​ក្រុងភ្នំពេញ ប៉ុន្មាន​ម៉ោង​ក្រោយ​ពី​កងកម្លាំង​ឧទ្ទាម​ដឹកនាំ​ដោយ​ប៉ុល ពត​ចូល​កាន់កាន់​រដ្ឋធានី​នៅ​ថ្ងៃទី១៧ មេសា ១៩៧៥។ (រូបថត៖ AP)

ថ្ងៃច័ន្ទ, 16 ខែមេសា 2012
ដោយ ជាង សុភីណារ័ត្ន វីអូអេ ខ្មែរ | ឡុង​ប៊ិច

របប​​ខ្មែរ​​ក្រហម​បាន​ផ្លាស់​ប្តូរ​ទីក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ​ទៅ​ជា​ទីក្រុង​ខ្មោច​និង​កែប្រែ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ទៅ​ជា​វាល​ពិឃាត។ ​វា​មាន​រយៈ​ពេល ​ជាង​​៣០​​ឆ្នាំ​​ហើយ​​បន្ទាប់​​ពី​​របប​​ប្រល័យ​​ពូជ​​សាសន៍​​នេះ​ត្រូវ​​​បាន​​​បញ្ចប់​​ប៉ុន្តែ​​ស្លាក​​ស្នាម​​និង​​ទុក្ខ​វេទនា​​​របស់​​​សម័យ​នោះ​នៅ​តែ​មាន​រហូត​នៅ​ជាប់​នឹង​អារម្មណ៍​​ជន​រង​គ្រោះ​​និង​​អ្នក​​ដែល​​បាន​បាត់បង់​ក្រុម​គ្រួសារ​របស់​ខ្លួន។​

​​ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ​​​ បើទោះ​បី​ជា​គេ​បាន​មក​រស់​នៅ​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក​ហើយ​ក៏​ដោយ​ក៏​អារម្មណ៍​ខ្លោច​ផ្សា​​តាម​លង​ពួកគេ​ជា​និច្ច។

​សម្រាប់​សហគមន៍​ខ្មែរ​នៅ​ទីក្រុង​ឡុងប៊ិច​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៧​ខែ​មេសា​ខាង​មុខ​នេះ​ជា​ឱកាស​មួយ​ដែល​ពួកគេ​នឹង​មក​ជួប​ជុំ​គ្នា​ដើម្បី​រំលឹក​ពី​ការ​ឈឺចាប់​ទាំង​នោះ​និង​ក៏​ដើម្បី​សំឡឹង​មើល​ទៅ​អនាគ​ត​បន្ត​ទៀត​ផង​ដែរ។​

Tuesday marks day of darkness for Cambodians

Exodus from Phnom Penh in 1975

April 16, 2012
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Long Beach Press Telegram

TUESDAY EVENTS

• What: Requiem Mantra Prayer Blessing the Victims
• When: 9 a.m. noon
• Where: 1501 E. Anaheim St.

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• What: Movie screenings: Enemies of the People, Pol Pot, the Secret Killer
• When: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
• Where: Mark Twain Branch Library, 1401 E. Anaheim St.

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• What: City Council resolution recognizing April as Genocide Awareness Month
• When: 5:30 p.m. 7 p.m.
• Where: City Hall Chambers, 333 W. Ocean Blvd.

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• What: Courage to Remember presentation
• When: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
• Where: Long Beach City College, 1305 Pacific Coast Highway, Dryer Hall and Senior Centers Room FF

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• What: Commemoration Ceremony, Candlelight Vigil
• When: 7:30 p.m.
• Where: 1501 E. Anaheim St.

LONG BEACH - On Tuesday, Cambodians will remember the day the darkness fell on their country. April 17 will mark the 37th anniversary of the fall of Cambodian capitol city Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge and the onset of a genocidal regime that would be remembered for the Killing Fields.

Throughout the community, the date will be remembered in ways and events big and small.

At City Hall, Councilman Dee Andrews will ask the city to recognize April as Genocide Awareness Month. The United Cambodian Community will team with Long Beach City College for a special event entitled Courage to Remember, and throughout the day, the Killing Fields Memorial Center will have events at the future site of a proposed memorial park on Anaheim Street. Elsewhere, many refugees will attend temple or quietly reflect with family members.

The Killing Fields Memorial Center will offer a requiem prayer and a blessing of the victims in the morning to start the day at the future park site. Paline Soth, the group's president, who helped organize the event, said about 22 monks from temples in Long Beach and Los Angeles are expected to participate.

Lotus Revolution: Duty of Memory

Sacrava's Political cartoon: April 17, 1975

SRP to commemorate victims of the KR regime on 17 April 2012

Life of the 17 April People Under Pol Pot Regime - A Poem by Ly Monisak dedicated to the Victims of 17 April

(Video by Theary Seng)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRjIOxOGsEM

A Look at the Day the Khmer Rouge Took Power

Fall of Phnom Penh (Photo: Roland Neveu)

A Khmer Rouge rebel frisks a civilian in downtown Phnom Penh hours after the rebel forces led by Pol Pot took control of the Cambodian capital April 17, 1975. (Photo: AP)

Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer

Phnom Penh Tuesday, 19 April 2011

“Any activity to remember this day is necessary ... And that’s why the [tribunal] is operational under its mission here to bring those responsible to trial.” (sic!)

The Documentation Center of Cambodia is preparing a permanent exhibition of photographs marking the day the Khmer Rouge took over Phnom Penh and began their devastating four-year rule 36 years ago.

Chhang Youk, director of the center, said the exhibition, which opens next Monday, is to remind people of the beginning of the Khmer Rouge atrocities.

The exhibition showcases 17 rare photographs taken by American photographer Al Rockoff and French photographer Roland Neveu.

The center receives between 600 and 800 visitors each month, Chhang Youk said, and the exhibit is meant to be a discussion point that provides a look back at Phnom Penh.

Former Khmer Rouge Recalls Fall of Phnom Penh

Him Huy, 54, a former Khmer Rouge soldier. (Photo: by Chun Sakada)

Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Tuesday, 19 April 2011

“Heavy weapons and light weapons both were used by Khmer Rouge in the attack.”

On April 17, 1975, Him Huy, an 18-year-old soldier within the Khmer Rouge revolution, found himself on Road 24, passing Kandal province’s Sa’ang district as part of a concerted attack on the capital, Phnom Penh.

“That day, all units and divisions came from every side into Phnom Penh,” Him Huy told “Hello VOA” Monday, recalling the day 36 years later. “Heavy weapons and light weapons both were used by Khmer Rouge in the attack.”

By the end of the day, the city had fallen to the revolution, and Year Zero had begun. Him Huy, who led a group of 12 soldiers into the city for the attack, would find himself assigned to a former high school the Khmer Rouge turned into a prison, S-21, or Tuol Sleng.

Sinatoons: 17 April 2011C

Cartoon by V. Sina

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Dark Day of Cambodia

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

April 17,1975: Th​e Dark day of Cambodia

To commemorate the Dark Day of Cambodia,I would like to post my 90 black & white drawings here.

You could see them all at www.khmerrouge-toons.blogspot.com.

Cheers,

Ung Bun Heang