Entry 9 (Edited Transcription)
Pol Pot’s regime
On the 15th, September 1978, I was forced to get out of the Kampong Cham province by Pol Pot’s guerillas who won their attack there. But they could dominate the province one day only. After they had damaged the factories, the schools… they had to draw back out of fear that the Navy had come to interfere. They always pushed me from behind at gunpoint to go ahead and never turn around. Since then, I have been separated from my family who fortunately remained in Phnom Penh. I had to live alone in the communist zone. So my education, especially my study of English, was finished. That was very shocking to me.
After the event of April 1975, my family and I had the great luck to be reunited in our native village. However, we were still sad because the communists came down harder on us little by little. At the beginning of 1976, my family and I were brought to live in Battenburg where I would meet my friends: [A. C.], [K. S.], [K. K.], [K. V. R]. We all lived in the celibate group together where the leader was hard on us.
The communist regime is very sadistic. We always hid our former qualities and valuables in our utmost attempt to avoid starvation while working on the farm.
It was our great luck to keep living until now so we can see you, sister.
Before finishing, we pray that God will bless you all.
31 January 1980
Mr. [K.V.]