Refugee Narratives: Ten Stories of Cambodian Refugees

Entry 1 (Diplomatic Transcription)

EVENTS AND SITUATION IN CAMBODIA
IN THE PERIOD OF THE COMMUNIST REGIME
By [S.K.]

SHORT DETAIL OF CAMBODIAN HISTORY
Up from ancient time Cambodian is a great kingdom in South East Asia, her citizen are well educated in indo-chinese culture, the holy city is stand in the heart of great forest north of Pnom Penh.

Golden age of Cambodian history begin up from the 8th century, thousands of great temples and castles were build by the skillful achitec "SORIYAVARAMAN II" (the long Build a great Angkor Wat temple in 12th Century), it took 100 years to build and people were forced to work in the construction from everywhere in the country, more than 8 millions of people were gather to work, the great temple was finished a hundred years later, sad to say the construction cost 6 millions of people, these people used to lift great stone, carry big trees, treat people like slave, and have no good food, that's why, when the temple finish in aquivalent value to the end of the great nation too. Enemy come around distroy the nation, religion, and the culture, cambodian power fall down up to date.

The Pol Pot Regime is comparable to King SORIYAVARAMAN II, the population of Cambodian in 1975 are 8 millions, the Communist Regime cost 4 millions people during 3 years and 8 months and 21 days's leadership.

[Page 2] REASON THAT'S WHY THE COMMUNIST COME IN POWER:
. . . . Cambodian is one of the lowest-development country in South-East Asia, 90% of her citizen get no educated from the modern one, expect old customs and Budda's law. No one think to modernize the country, people are poor, selfish, and cruel with each other, in the period of 100 years right now there were three colonise come and conquer, 1885 the French Army, 1914 Japanese Army; 1914 French army come back; 1975 Vietnamese Army.

We haven't peace for life, people become tired of wars foreigner try to force them in getting interest, in 1954 the International Conference at Geneva between U.SA, URSS and France and England decide to give independence to Cambodia, we live in the make up peace 24 years, people poor people didn't change their situations of living, system of government can't help, at last the "coup d'état" broke out Marshal Lon Nol defence minister, over throw off NORODOM SIHANOUK the prince from his power and declare Cambodia to be KHMER REPUBLIC. Those very moment the Vietnamese force come to backed N.SIHANOUK, the war went on for 5 years during the war; Pol Pot who has been a former Private teacher, with his secret relation with China form, the communist Party.

THE IMPORTANT LEADER OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY ARE AS FOLLOW :

  1. Pol Pot (his real name is SALOT-SAR) general secretary of the CRK on Khmer Rouge
  2. KHIEV SAMPHAN , president of C.R.K ,
  3. IENG SARY , foreigh Affair,
[Page 3] and other leaders, but these three are the powerful. At first, the C.R.K. unit with N. SIHANOUK to against the Republic Regime, in the last winning no one know that the country will seize to Communist Regime , Pol Pot and his party get power in their hand and they try to modernize the country with the Red purpose of MAO TSE TONG'S doctrine.

The following situations were shown by them.

I. POINTS OF POLITICAL VIEW:
  1. POLITICAL SYSTEM
…. up from the power in their hands, people in the cities, especially people in Phnom Penh they were push back to live in the great plan west of P .Penh about 300KM, in Battambang province, Pursat province, Siem Reap province, Prey Veng province, but on the face of earth anything People love communist Regime because at first they said they will help the poor and banish away the selfish millionairs.

Indeed they didn't do what they had promise. Gather people to live in group force to work together, have lunch and clothes together, the leader of each group try to get jewellery and valuable things from people.

This is, how Pol Pot want to modernize his country!!?!
  1. ECONOMIC SYSTEM
…. factories have to close the door because the specialists and workers are out of the great plane, and P.Pot use his soldiers to replace in the factories that's why productions come [Page 4] slow down to lowest Point that can't help the people to have materials.

Rice production reach to the amont of 600 millions tons used to feed the people in Cambodia 200 millions Tons in 1970, but Pol Pot' people only 100 millions or less and the remain were shipping to china in order to give back for the prices of weapons and amunition spend during the war.
  1. EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM:
… It is not adult or even children both of this two generations have deteaching, deschooling their studies, are how to work hard by strenght, and got experience in real life. It isn't knowledge that can modernize the country but strenght.
  1. HEALTH SERVICE SYSTEM:
… Medecine are make by traditional formula, mordern medic are not allow to use. Food are not enough to the people. Each person can have 200 gramms of rice per day, but if they are ill or sick the amount of rice must be cut.

Doctors and nurses of well educated were out of used; young and ignorance people were chosen to work instead.

Pogoda and Public appartment change to be the hospital of P.Pot's Regime.

Pogoda is the place where people worship Buddha, and where people have to bend down their heads for God, none P.Pot's change this place to be the bloodshead place.
  1. SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM:
… No one in Cambodia no job great [Page 5] constructions open aneverywhere great dam, great lake have been done by people's own strenght, no machinery to help, people unit on group to work for life.
  1. MILITARY SYSTEM:

… P.Pot's has strong army because he feed them good supporting the army is used to [l?]all people by cue cruel methods.

Educated people, soldier of Republic Regime, official worker, wealthy man, etc… , were put to death. The communist Party hoted educated people.

Some were killed by burried alive ,some by the hammer and nail, and bamboo.

Soldiers of Repub. Regime were gather to work differently from the ordanary people, they were used as cows to pull the carts, to work where great danger are, former officers were put to death groups by groups. There was one proverbs of the [Crossed out word] Khmer-Rouge said. "Better get one than the four bad".

Sorrowful , sadness everywhere in the people mind.

CONSIDERATION:
The end of Pol Pot's regime just lighten the meight of Communist, but the arrival of the Vietnameses look like friendly at first, but before long the treatment become harder, the tie improve it's weight , thousands of people run away for their lives, now they see the truth who is good and who is bad for them.

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