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REPORT ON YOUTH FESTIVAL IN TAKEO
By: Pheng Pong-Rasy
As many as 5,000 people attended the annual Youth Festival in
Cambodia from December 22-23, 2007. This year’s festival was held
in Takeo province and enlisted the participation of over 30
organizations and companies dedicated to the goal of youth
development. Many of those who participated were students from
Build Bright University of Takeo and Chea Sim High School. The
two-day event boasted numerous attractive and creative displays
divided into three areas: seminars, interactions, and
opportunities. The exhibition booths were housed inside the Takeo
Opera Hall, Takeo Pedagogy School and former Takeo Provincial Hotel.
The event was organized by the International Republican Institute (IRI)
and the Youth Council of Cambodia (YCC). In addition to learning
about job opportunities, social issues, and new products, students
there also had a chance to learn about an important part of
Cambodian history at the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam)
booth. This is a history that many students at the festival
expressed an interest in learning more about.
Colorfully decorated in green and red, DC-Cam’s booth showcased
books, magazines, photographs, and posters relating to the period of
Democratic Kampuchea (1975-1975) and the present Khmer Rouge
tribunal. The Center’s work over the past ten years has been to
research and analyze the Khmer Rouge (KR) regime held responsible
for the deaths of approximately two million Cambodians. As
Cambodia’s youth are left with the insurmountable task of rebuilding
the country, they must not forget its recent history of war and
genocide. DC-Cam’s exhibition in the seminar pavilion was organized
by Film Team leader Beang Pivione and many fellow coworkers.
Students who visited the booth were educated about the KR regime and
methods of research and field work including interviewing both
survivors and perpetrators of genocide. Staff members Sok Vannak,
Long Aun, Ouch Pon, Tat Leakhena, and Pheng Pong-Rasy answered
questions about the KR regime and other related issues. DC-Cam’s
documentary film Behind the Walls of S-21 was shown during
the festival. After the film screening, Beang Pivione and Chey
Bunthy interviewed students to obtain reactions and inquire about
their thoughts on Cambodia’s genocide. Other interviews were
conducted by Kim Sovanndany, Rath Dara Pidor, and Leng Ratanak
regarding students’ impression of the KR tribunal. The tribunal
(known formally as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of
Cambodia) was set up by the U.N. and the Cambodian government to
prosecute former KR leaders and those most responsible for the
crimes committed during Democratic Kampuchea.
Many students appeared particularly interested the textbook, A
History of Democratic Kampuchea 1975-1979. Sun Vichey Theary of
Chea Sim High School was perplexed as to how KR leader Pol Pot was
able to cause the deaths of so many of his own countrymen. Also from
Chea Sim High School, Ket Chanthy Rasmei said in a DC-Cam interview
that her parents use to tell her stories about their experiences
during the regime when she was younger. Another student, Pakk
Vichet, hopes that genocide never again takes place in Cambodia.
Several other students including Kim Kanh-na and Hy Samphoas
expressed sympathy for the victims of the genocide after looking
through the textbook.
One student, Sokh Vanny, spent nearly an entire morning at the
DC-Cam booth reading several books. As he was reading, he also took
down notes. Vanny told staff members that he enjoyed reading these
books because he has always been interested in the KR regime and
added that the wants to attend the trials of former KR leaders like
Duch’s and Noun Chea’s.
An older man wearing a police uniform also visited DC-Cam’s
exhibition. After browsing through various photographs and skimming
through the book, Brother Enemy, the man told DC-Cam that his
children “do not believe the stories I tell them about my experience
under the KR regime.” He also said that his children seemed
uninterested. After a moment he continued, “I want a copy of this
book to show and explain to them that my stories are true.”
During festival, DC-Cam staff distributed hundreds of copies of the
Center’s magazine, Searching for the Truth, and Khmer Rouge
tribunal informational booklets. Two copies of A History of
Democratic Kampuchea were given to a history teacher and the
director of a local primary school. Visitors were also given the
chance to take part in the tribunal process by filing complaints in
regards to atrocities committed upon them or family members during
the genocide. Staff members handed out 60 complaint forms to
visitors and explained how to fill them out. Many students took a
complaint form for their parents back at home to fill out. On the
last day of the festival, two people handed back completed forms to
DC-Cam staff; other people said that they will mail their forms to
the Center’s office in Phnom Penh once completed.
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